The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 442

blessedness of doing his work, honouring his Name, and even hearing his holy will, the view of the heavenly land,-these will "put a new song into our mouth," a real gladness into our heart, the brightness and music of the "acceptable year" into our -Christian life.-0. Vers. 8-55.-Year of ju1n1ee: III. The blessed kingdum. It may be thought that, while it is indeed true that the year of jubilee has a true counterpart in that dispensa- tion of spiritual emancipation, social readjustment, regeneration, rest, joy, in which we .stand; yet, on the other hand, there is so much of detraction in the sins and sorrows of the present time as to make the one but a very imperfect picture of the other. There is truth in this thought: it is only in a qualified sense that we can speak of the Christian era as a time of jubilee. Its perfect realization is yet to come; its true and glorious fulfilment awaits us, when the blessed kingdom of the Son of God shall have <:ome in all its fulness and the latter-day glory shall appear; then there shall be- I. Emancipation from all bondage. Every fetter shall be struck from the soul, as well as from the body, and we ourselves shall be free in all "the glorious liberty of the children of God." 2. Re,titution. We shall recover the heritage forfeited by sin; the estate which our Father intended to bestow originally on all his human children will then revert to us, and we shall "return every man unto his pcsscssion" ( ver. 13). '\Ve shall know by blessed experience what God designed for holy manhood. 3. Regeneration. So great and blessed will be the change, the new conditions under which we shall live, that we shall feel that a "new heaven and a new earth" have been created. God will have made" all things new" to us. 4. Reunion. We shall "return every man unto his family" (ver. 10). Parents and children, brothers and sisters, pastor and people, long-separated friends, will gather again in the same home, and" join inseparable bands" of holy, heavenly reunion. 5. Reign of love. If there be gradation, inferiority, rule, and service there, all "rigour" will be unkno,vn (ver. 46). Our "brother will live with us" (vers. 35, 3G) in love; all rule will be beneficent; all service sweet and cheerful. 6. Perfect service of the Supreme. " U uto me the children of Israel are servants ; ,they are my servants" (ver. 55). There is no fairer promise in the Word of God concerning the future than this-" bis servants shall serve him" (Rev. xxii. 3). Then shall we attain to the ideal of our humanity when, escaping from ourselves, we shall, in thought and feeling, in word and deed, consciously and unconsciously, be servin.,.0 God in stainless, uninterrupted ministry. Then God will be "all in all." 7. Rest and joy. The toil and care of earth will be left behind, will be lost in the endless 61\bbath, and we shall "enter into rest." Only those happy activities will await us_in which we shall engage with untiring energy and unfading joy.-C. Vera. 1-7.-The sabbatical year. Rest of the land, as the physical source of blessings, as the consecrated portion of God's people. I. TW!l NATURAL BA.BIB OF BELI<lION. Creation. Providence. Moral government. "Mo.n is one world, and bath another to attend him" (George Herbert). 'l'he ascent of the higher nature from the lower. 'fhe subordination of the material and temporary to the immaterial and eternal. Care of all life involved in the covenant of God with bis people. The life of the vegetable world, the life of the animal world, vivwed in their relation to higher purposes of God. Art is perfected only in the atmosphere of religion. Science, both theoretic and applied, requires to be pervaded with religious ispirit, or becomes atheistic, worldly, and corrupt. II. THE BLESSING OF Goo ON BIS PEOPLE. "A sabbath for tho Lord," that ho may rejoice with his children. 1. Material blessings promised: "All these things shall be added unto you; " " be careth for you ; " "godliness bath the promise of tho world which now is." 2. Rest in the Lord, over all the land, in nil states and conditions, eventuo.lly in all men. The resting land typical of the Di vine promise of a restored earth and regained paradise. The weekly sabbath enlarge,!. Time expanding to eternity. Special opportunities gral).ted for the larger spiritual culture.-R. Vera. 8-34.-The year of jubi1ee, Accumulation of sabbuths and sabbatical years;  408 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [on. 1.1.V, 1-55,