The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 377

HOMILETICS. Ver. 13.-The threefoldfuncttons of the priest. In the words of this verse the com- piler of th~ Chr?nicles sums the char~~ristic functi?ns of the priest. It was now nearly five centuries smce these bad been distmctly prescribed by heavenly legislation for the religious observance of a nation, and for the religious education of far more than a nation, when David reviews the solemn institution of the priesthood. He wishes to see holy men in their places, and holy duties efficiently discharged. Time has helped to show their importance, and to illustrate the deeper significance which inhered in them. Perhaps it has in some degree availed also to disconnect men's minds from their pure original A journeying people, a warring nation, a wandering ark and sometimes dishonoured, en irregular celebration of religious service, have all tended in some degree to harm the freshness of impression and of stamp which a Heaven-derived " pattern" should. make on men's hearts though ages and centuries have passed. Now that the nation was settling in its new territory long promised, the crisis was opportune for David to reconnect the great religious authorities of bis kingdom with their original beginning. And onr chronicler, though added centuries have passed, when he writes, knows their importance too well to omit the record of the fact, even though it be repetition and copy only. The threefold work of the priest is the matter of description here, and consists of- I. The duty To BURN mCENBE BEFORE THE LORD. The burning of the incense on that golden altar in the holy place, which was constantly fed with the costliest of material, was the act distinctively of the priest. For the "stranger to come near " with any view of usurping this function was to incur prompt punishment (Numb. xvi; 40; 2 Chron. xxvi. 16, 18). Do sudd.en danger and the threat of wrath impend? the ruler, legislator, prophet, conjuies the priest to "take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them" (Numb. xvi. 46, 47). The burning of the incense was the immediate preliminary of the morning sacrifice, or immediate accompaniment of the evening sacrifice (Exod. xx.x. 7, 9; Luke i. 9, 10; Lev. xvi. 13), and was a very special part of the arrangements of the ceremonial on the great Day of Atonement, and of its sacrifice (Lev. xvi. 11-13). It is difficult, amid a choice of many theories, to identify with any comfortable assurance the real symbolical significance of incense and its burning, yet the fact remains patent of its close relationship with the act of sacrifice in all the formal services of the Israelites. As it is said, "And without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. ix. 22), so it might almost without qualification be said that without incense there was no shedding of blood for any of the stated sacrificial objects. This would sufficiently defend the use of this part of the high priest's (and later of the ordinary priest's) duty, as speaking the very first and cbiefest of all that makes up his raison d'etre. But beyond this, it is impossible to doubt that the burning of the incense, in the golden censer and with the special fire, had its own significance, worthy of the prieHt's own perfor.ning. ·whether it were expressive of the fragrant acceptal,leness of human service and sacrifice to him in heaven, as it ascended; or whether rather its rlifTusive and pervading influences amid the congregation or the groups of humanity below were regardecl; whether it symbolized the rising prayers and aspirations and glowing devotion of those who sought their Father and God, or, as has been sug;;cstrd, on. xxm. 1-32.] TRE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 379