The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 410

established in the world by God are the lamps (A.vxvl~) which he intends t.o shine till the dawn of the eternal day, I. N OTIOE THE UNITY OF ALL TRUE CHUBCHE8. For the seven lamps were united in the one candlestick, just as all true Churches are one in Christ. There is no incorporation necessarily implied, but this is also to be encouraged by every legitimate means. If unity in Christ be a real thing, it will show itself in some way or another before men. n. THE OIL FOB TUE LIGHT WAS TO BE BEATEN, The olives were to be placed in a mortar and beaten, and then the oil which flowed off without further pressure, the purest possible, was to be used for the light. God's truth is communicated to men in such a form that they must diligently co-operate with God before the benefit is obtained. No careless handling of truth will suffice. We must beat the olives well before we <1et 0 the needful oil. Ministers must be diligent in their preparations, Christians of all classes must "search the Scriptures," if the requisite oil for the light is to be obtained. God might rain down oil from heaven, and save us a heap of trouble, but he wou!J rather put it into the olive berries, and ask us to pound it out from these. Similarly, be has put in his Word" things bard to be understood," as well as things that are simple, to the end that we should diligently study it and get the sacred oil. III. THE WICK HAD TO BE CAREFULLY TRlllMED1 AND WHEN NEEDFUL SNUFFED, It was the high priest's special duty, in which, however, the other priests assisted. .And is this not to indicate the work undertaken by Jesus Christ, who as High Priest walked among the golden lamps? (Rev. i. 12). .A beautiful parallel passage is presented in Matt. xii. 20, where it is said, "smoking flax [i.e. 'a wick,'-A.frov] shall be not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory." There may be pain in the process often by which our High Priest gets his wicks trimmed and luminous, but there is also mercy and tenderness ineffable. How often does he hold his hands around the expiring wick, and blow it gently into a flame again I Blessed are his dealings, when as the result his people, and especially his ministers, are made to shine as "lights in the world." Re- garding the snuffers in this connection, we may quote an old and quaint writer. "The Lord," says W eemse, "comm,rnded to make snuffers of pure gold for the snuffing of the lamps, and snuff-dishes to receive the snuff; he would have the snuff taken from the light, to signify that he would have the Word kept in 11ince1ity and purity; and he would have the snuffers of gold, to teach them to be blameless and holy, who are censurers and correctors of others; and he would have the snuff-dishes or gold, to teach them that the covering of the offences or their brethren was a most excellent thing." IV. THE LAMPS WERE LIT FROM THE ALTAR. That is to say, it was Divine fire which made the oil luminous. God is light, from him cometh all real illumination. So it is only when the Saviour baplizes men with fire, it is only when the Holy Ghost lights up the sacred page, it is only when the Spirit co-operates with the Word, that the truth appears in its brightness unto men. An earnest ministry is that which gives itself to prayer and to the ministry of the Word, prayer calling down the Divine fire which makes the entrnnce of the Word give light. 'l'hen may the lamps be expected to burn brightly and to light up the night of the world till the day dawns.-R. M. E. The weekly offering. Ch. xxiv. 6-9; cf. 1 Cor. xvi. 2; 1 Tim. v. 17, 18. .Along with the everlasting light from the golden candlestick, there was to bo in the holy place a presentation of bread, which was made on the sabbath and lay before the Lord on the prescribed table all the week, becoming the property and support of the priests when they brought the fresh loaves on the succeeding snbbatb. 'l'he loaves were to be twelve in number, to correspond to the tribes of Israel; they were arranged in two piles, upon the top of which there was placed a little incense, which was duly fired and thus ascended to heaven. The incense sanctified the offering. Now this "bread of the face," as it was called, bread intended for the Divine presence, was the dedication on the part of the people of the staple of life, first to God, end secondly to the support of his priests. As previously observed, it was the perpetual meat offering. Here it is interesting to notice it as a "weekly offering" prescribed in the Old Testament economy. What Paul urges on the Corinthians (1 Cor. xvi. 2), "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God heth prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come," is the exact counterpart of the shewbread. 'l'he Lord's day is to be the time for a weekly offering for the support of his causo. 376 TRE BOOlt OF LEV!TICUS, [cm. XXIv. 1-9,