The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 401

Vere. 15-22.-Pieey m prosperity. We often speak of onr duty ln the day of tdversity, of the spirit which true piety will then manifest. It is of equal consequence the.t we should consider what is its rightful attitude in the hour of prosperity. When the harvest is ge.t?ered, the nation is rich; when the fruits of the field are in the gamer, the husball:d?1an 18 se.fe f~r another year. The time of harvest may, therefore, stand for the pos1t1on of prospenty. And these verses may snggest to us that when it is well with us in our outward circumstances there should be- I. GRATEFUL A0KNOWLEDGMENT OF THE HAND OF Goo. At the Feast of Pentecost two loaves, leavened, of the finest flour, the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, were waved by the prie~t "for _e. wave offering unto ~h~ Lord." The successful agriculturist is apt to say to himself, 1f not to others, "This JS the harvest I have grown ; " is disposed to congratulate himself on the excellency of his own fanning. By this act of wavinv the presentation loaves, the Hebrew husbandman said, "I have ploughed, e.nd sown7 and weeded, and reaped, and ground, and baked, but thou, Lord, hast given the increase ; thine was the sun that shone, thine the rains that fell, thine the airs that blew, thine the wondrous power that made the elements of nature work out the germination and growth and ripening of the corn: unto thy Name be the honour and the praise.'' Whatever may be the sphere of our activity, the character of our success, this is to be "the spirit of our mind ; " we are to be ready to make grateful acknowledgment of the hand of God in all satisfying results. II. HUMILITY. "Ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering" (ver. 19). The people of God were, on all occasions, even the most joyful, to own their unworthi- ness, e.nd to seek the forgiving favour of God. The sin offering must find a place even at the Pentecostal feast. When we are most " glad in the Lord," we do well to make mention of our frailty, our folly, our imperfection, and to ask that, for our Saviour's sake, it may be forgiven, and we ourselves be accepted of God. III. SAOBED JOY. With the burnt offering there was to be the accompanying "meat offering, and their drink offerings" (ver. 18). And with the sin offering there were to be offered, "two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings" (ver. 19). Here was a very distinct note of sacred joy. When there is harmony without, there must be songs in the soul, but these should not be without strains of sacred music which will be acceptable in the ear of God. Let the voice of joy be heard in our halls, but let us be glad "before the Lord," remembering the goodness and realizing the presence of him whose we are and whom we serve. IV. CoNSECRATION. "They shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord" (ver. 18). There is no time more appropriate than the hour of increase and prosperity to renew our vows unto our God, and rededicate our whole lives to his service. V. CHARITY. (Yer. 22.) We must remember "the poor and the stranger." That is an evil and miserable prosperity, unsightly in the esteem of man e.nd hateful in the sight of God, which seeks to wrap itself up in silken folds of selfish enjoyment; that is an honourable and admirable prosperity, blessed of God and man, which bas a kindly heart e.nd an open hand for those who are bee.ten in the battle, for those who are left behind in the race of life.-C. Vers. 23, 24.-The summons of God. The trumpet utters a sound that summons attention from every ee.r. It is distinct from every other note; it is clear, startling, strong. When God be.de his prophets declare his mind to the people he desired them to" blow e. trumpet in Zion." 'fhe feast which was distinguished by the blowing of trumpets me.y have been intended to remind Israel, or me.y remind us of- I. THEIR REBPONBmILITIEs UNDER THE LAW. When the sacred musio was heard at this festival, the Jews could hardly fail to think of that august occasion, when" there wore thunders and lightnings, e.nd a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud," etc. (Exod. xix. 16). 'l'hey would thus realize that they were children of the Law, that they existed as e. nation for the very purpose ofreceiving, preserving, and revealing the Law of the Lord, that they had entered into sacred cove- nant with Jehovah, that they had a great mission to fulfil. The trumpet was the voice of the Lord, saying to them, "Realize whe.t you a.re." II. THE PRIVILEGES WHICH WEBE IHMEDIA'l'ELY BEFORE THEM. This was "New Y ear'11 De.y" to them: the year was before them; it would be e. year during which God 366 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [ CH, XK.III, 6--44,