The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 203

observance of them is concerned ; it is certain, therefore, that they have an abiding spiritual fulfilment in the law of Christ. Consider, therefore- !. THAT THE TWO FIRST OF THOSE LAWS WERE DESIGNED FOR THE ISRAELITES WIJE~ THEY CAME INTO THE LAND OF THEIR HABITATION; they do not contemplate the period of wandering in the desert which was then going on. Even so a great part of the law of Christ is designed for that state of holy "joy and peace in believing," for that "rest" which ieintended to be our habitation even now, and into which we do enter (Heh. iv. 3 a.), albeit imperfectly and uncertainly. Many of the counsels of our Lord and hie apostles are manifestly out of all harmony with the ordinary lives of ordinary Christians, because they pertain to a state of detachment and self- conquest which we, through perversity or half-heartedness, have not attained (Matt. v. 291 39 40 48; vi. 34; xvi. 25; xvii. 20; xix. 12, 21 ; xx. 26, 27; Luke vi. 35; xii, 33 · Ror:i. xiv. 21 ; 1 Cor. v. 11 ; vi. 4, 7; vii. 29-31 ; Philip. ii. 5; I Tim. vi. 8 &c.)'. These are indeed addressed to all Christians (" speak unto the children of I~rael "), not to a select few ; but they are addressed to them on the assumption that they have striven after and attained the higher life of the Spirit (" when ye be come" 1 &c.). And this is the real answer to the mocking or uneasy spirit which repro aches the gospel of Christ with being visionary, and with having failed to realise itself in the actual life of Christendom. It is quite true that, as far as the present ie concerned, the mind of Christ is not fulfilled in the great majority even of decent-living Christians, because they have not attained to rest, but are wandering still in the deserts of a divided allegiance, one half to God, the other to the world and self ( 1 Cot. ii. 14; iii. 3 ; Heh. xii. 5). JI. THAT THE VERY GIVING OF THESE LAWS INVOLVED THE ASSURANCE TH.AT THOSE WHO WERE TO KEEP THEM SHOULD ENTER THE IIOLY LAND (" which I give you"). Even so the very fact that so much of the mind of Christ as yet unfulfilled in us has been plainly reveo.led in the gospel is a pledge to us that God has yet much to do for us and in us, and that he will do it (2 Cor. xiii. 9 ; Philip. i. 6, 9, 10). If it be true that the majority even of earnest Christian people never attain a thorough mastery over self, or an entire conformity to tl1e will of God in this life, then it is certain that this will be wrought in them in the world of spirits beyond our ken ; for only this conformity willingly pursued and embraced is our rest (cf. Matt. xi. 28, 29 ; Heh. iv. 10). III. THAT IT WAS ORDAINED THAT A MEAT AND DRINK OFll'ERING SIIOULD ALWAYS ACCOMPANY THE VOLUNTARY PRESENTATION OF BURNT OR SLAIN OFll'ERlNGS. Now the burnt nnd slain offerings represented Christ in his atonement (1) as having in our name and stead offered himself in entire self-oblation to the Father (Heh. ix. 14; x. 9, 10), (2) as being the means of access to and communion with God to them that are justified (John vi. 57; Eph. ii. 14 a., 18); moreover, the voluntary presentation of these sacrifices out of the ordinary routine signified a more personal and earnest pleading of that one Sacrifice by the faithful, as distinguished from that which 1s more formal and, as it were, obligatory. Again, the meat and drink offering represented the oblation of human labour and care co-operating with Divine grace, for the flour and the oil and the wine were all prepared from the gifts of nature with more or less of industry and skill Even so, therefore, is it a part of the higher lnw of Christ, which many do not seem to attain unto, that the earnest pleading of, and reliance upon, and joy in the atonement of Christ shall be always accompanied with the offering of personal service, of good work done for Christ. This cannot truly take the place of the other, any more than the meat offering could supersede or precede the sacrifice; but yet the other is for ever incomplete without it. The most lively faith and devout worship is not acceptable when unaccompanied by the willing tribute of good works (Titus iii. 8, 14 ; James ii. 17, 26 ; 2 Pet. i. 8). IV, THAT THIS MEAT AND DRINK OFFERING WAS ALWAYS AND IN EVERY WAY TO IE PROPORTIONATE TO THE BURNT AND SLAIN OFFERINGS PRESENTED. Even BO the 184 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [011. xv. 1-31.