The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 362

IV. TrIE BLOOD 011' THE 0ll'll'ERING MUST llE SPRINKLED. This essential part of the ceremonial was necessary that the completed sacrifices might be efficacious by the application of its results to the worshippers. Christ has made his great sacri lice of himself once for all. But now the benefits of his death have to be shared individually by men. These benefits do not accrue spontaneously and without men's actively receiving them. The bloorl. must be Rprinkled; the grace of Christ's great sacrifice must be taken home, 1. There must be individual faith in Christ. Thus the sacri- fice is made efficacious in the cas!l of each man who will avail himself of it. 2. There must be an application to the whole of life. The blood of the Passover lamb was sprinkled on the lintels and doorposts of the houses of the Hebrews. We need to have our homes and all that belongs to us brought into subjection to Christ, and then brought under the gracious influences that stream from the great Sacrifice on Calvary. Ver. 27 (last clause, "And I will accept you, saitb the Lord God ").-.Accepted b1J God. I. CONSIDER THE MOTIVES THAT MAY INDUCE Goo TO ACCEPT JIIEN. It might be supposed that God was self-sufficient and would not look beyond the range of bis own infinite Being; or that, if he took note of what was other than himself, he would be satisfied with the high intelligence and pure character of angel-beings, and not con- descend to notice such feeble and sinful creatures as mortal men. Yet God has reasons for accepting men. 1. His infinity. This, which has been raised as an objection, really works the other way, for an infinite Being is not simply vast and only concerned with vast things. To him the greatest finite thing is infinitely small. U he attends to the greatest he may as easily stoop to the smallest. But, further, his very infinity embraces all thinas, the most minute as much as the most gigantic. 2. Bis royalty. God is the suprem; Sovereign of the universe; therefore he is concerned with all the subjects of his realm. 3. His justice. Having made men, be will not desert his own creatures. 4. His love. God is love, and love is full of sympathy. From this supreme motive God must be ever yearning to gather his children to himself, ever longing to give them a welcome home. II. OBSERVE THE GREAT HINDRANCE THAT MAY PREVENT Gon FROM ACCEPTING lfEN. If God is the infinite Sovereign of the universe, what is to hinder his wel- coming whomsoever he will? The Greeks dreamed of a fate ruling supreme eveu over the dread Olympian deities; but we hold that there is no power above that of God. No power, it is true. Yet there is the awful principle of righteousness, and even God follows and does not bend that supreme principle. It may be identified with his own holy nature. Then we must say that God caunot bnt be true to himself. This being so, a great obstruction stands iu the way of man's being accepted by God, viz. man's sin. The holy God cannot give a free welcome to the unholy man. It would be to contradict his own being and character. III. NOTE THE CONDITIONS ON WHICH Goo ACCEPTS MEN. The Divine act of receiving men is placed by Ezekiel after the sacrificial ritual. God accepts on condition of sacrifice. There were first of all sin offerings, and then dedication (burnt) offerings and thank (peace) offerings. With us the first grand condition is fulfilled. Christ is the one Sacrifice for the world's sin. In Christ's great surrender of his pure soul to God through death, God sees the sacrifice of man by his Representative, and therefore, accepting the sacrifice, accepts man on whose behalf it is offered. We must make the sacrifice our own by entering into the spirit of it, by ourselves dying to sin and yielding our hearts and wills to the crucified Saviour. Then God accepts bis penitent children. But for full acceptance thank and dedication offerings were added. God expects us to come to him with grateful hearts, and to yield our souls to him in obedient servico. When we approach him thus, as it were with our peace and our burnt offerings, he accepts us. IV. LooK AT THE RESULTS OIi' BEING ACCEPTED BY Gon. The first is immediate and personal-the reconciliation of the child with his father, and the glad return of the wanderer to the home of his childhood. But from this follow other consequences. We desire that God will accept us as his servants; when he does we have the privileae r>f living and labouring for him. We would have our work and gift accepted by God. for him to receive our offerings of service or sacrifice is to be most honoured by Ooi At death he will receive his faithful servants to the heavenly rest, 876 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [CH, xtnt. 1-27,