The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 399

I. It consisted of two parts: (1) a lamb, a bleeding sacrifice; (2) a meat and drink offering, flour, &c., bloodless; but the whole was to be burned before God. We see here-I. Expiation. This we need every morning, for we awake and leave our beds sinful, and requiring an atonement that we may be able to present accept- able service during the day. And we need it every evening that daily sins may be forgiven, and that we may rest at peace with God, "clean every whit" (John xiii. 10). 2. Dedication. In the burnt offering, as distinguished from the tresp!lss offering, expiation by blood-shedding is taken for granted, but the burning, as the symbol of entire surrender to God, is the culminating point. The various parts of the burnt offering may be regarded as typical of our surrender to God of all the varied powers and gifts he has bestowed. (Illustrate from Rom. xii.) As Christ presented himself in complete sacrifice to God, so should we (Ephes. v. 2, &c.). 11. "A continual burnt offering" (ver. 3). So constant must the Christian's self- surrender be. With each morning comes the summons "Sursum corda," and the appeal, Rom. xii. 1. Evening brings rest from earthly toil, but no cessation from a renewed, continual dedication to God. We should desire no exemption from this continual offering of ourselves when we remember the motives to it. 1. "',Ve our- selves and all we have are God's. 2. We have enjoyed expiation through the per- fect sacrifice of Christ. The law of the daily offering is urged because " ordained in Mount Sinai" (ver. 6). The law of Christian self-sacrifice was published by deed, and not by word, at Calvary (1 Pet. ii. 24; iii. 18). 3. Such sacrifice is pleasing, a sweet savour unto God II the Lord" (ver. 6). 4. Such acts insure Divine manifest- ations. See Exod. xxix. 38-43, which suggests that the neglect of the daily offering would interrupt communion with God. 5. Thus complete self-surrender brings U8 into the fullest sympathy with God, and thus into the most perfect liberty (Ps. cxix. 45; John viii. 36, &c.).-P. Vera. 1-8.-The daily offering. I. THE PBOPBIETYOF THE DAILY OFFERING. All the offerings were to be made in their due season, and every day that passed over the head of the Israelite people was a due season to make offerings to Jehovah in connection with the daily manifestations of his goodness. As what might be called the ordinary and common gifts of God came day by day, so it was appropriate for Israel to make ordinary and common offerings day by day. We must remind our- selves continually of the unfailing goodness of God. Whatever the special mercies in each individual life, there are certain great common mercies for UB all, always some- thing, in acknowledging which every one can join. We know that to God the mere offering was nothing, apart from the state of mind in which it was made, God gave the form, and it was required of the people that they should fill it with the spirit of acceptance, appreciation, and gratitude. We have, indeed, no command for drLily offering now, no stipulation of times and seasons ; but how shall we utter the petition, 11 Give us this day our daily bread," unless we feel that the bread is a daily gift? This one petition implies that petition, and therefore all the constituents of prayer, must belong to our life every day. There must be the feeling that although the actual production of the bread is spread over a long time, we have to take it in do.ily portions; and our physical constitution is in itself the witness to the daily duty of making an offering to God in return. We can store up grain for months, for the seven years of famine if need be, but we cannot store up thus the strength of our own bodies. Man is not a bibernating animal. 11 Give us this day our daily brend" implies daily strength to work for it, daily power within to assimilate it when eaten. And since spiritual supplies and strength are meant to be received in like fashion, an acknowledgment of these should be a principal thing in our daily offering. Considerations drawn from the thought of God's daily gifts, both for natural life and spiritual life, should be beautifully blended in our daily approaches to him. Notice that these daily offerings were appropriately mentioned here at a time when the camp relation (eh. ii.) was about to be dissolved. Israel was soon to be distributed, not only from Dan to Beersheba, but on both sides of Jordan. Hence the daily offering would be very serviceable in helping to manifest the unity of the people, and t~ preserve the feeling of it. It was also especially needful to be reminded of this national duty of daily offering after the humiliating apostasy to idols while Ismel NUMBEB.1!, C0  386 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [CHS. xxvm., XXllt,