The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 369

access to God, and interest with him. The priest must be, of all men, the least erring, His mis..sion must be marked as specially sacred. Every circumstance which can lend sanctity to his office must be provided, He must be mature in years, experienced in human needs. His person must be free from blemi~h. Frequent ablutions must be prnctised. Exact obedience to the commands of God must be observed. . He must be a pattern man. God has been pleased to do for us through a Priest what he will not do without a Priest. And all the complicated arrangements of the priesthood were designed to impress men's minds with the gigantic evil of rebellion, and with the difficulty of regaining the lost place in God's regard. III. FoR MAN'S ACCEPT.ANOE VICARIOUS DEATH IS NEEDED. The necessity for substitution for the endurance of penalty prior to reconciliation with God may be a necessity on God's side as well as a necessity on man's side. The maintenance of the Divine government throughout the universe is an object of supreme moment. To make pardon cheap and easy would loosen the bonds of loyalty, and depreciate the ,..alue of righteousness, in men's esteem. As law had expressed the moral relations between God and men, law must be maintained. The penalty of sin must be met. Innocent lambs and heifers must die that sentiments of penitence may be deepened in the human soul. So valuable is reconciliation between man aad God that it is worth while to sacrifice hecatombs of inferior animals in onler to gain the end. 'l.'his was an educational process, that men might perceive bow devoid of efficacy any sacrifice must be, short of the perfect sacrifice of God's Son. Whether our minds can compre- hend the reason of the atonement or not, it is clearly the will of God that restoration of man can come only by the channel of vicarious sacrifice. IV. FOB MAN'S ACCEPTANCE .A COMPLETE OYOLE OF TIME FOR PREPARATION MUST EL.APSE. "When these days are expired, it shall be." Day after day, for seven days, a victim slain was demanded in order to pnrify the altar. The Jewish altar had been grievously desecrated and polluted; hence a complete purgation was required. Not until the completion of the week could the priests proceed to present any offerings for guilty men. A cycle of time was to be spent in the work of preparation. In like manner, the patriarchal and Levitical periods were a time of preparation for Messiah's work. Until men have learnt the tremendous evil there is in sia, until they have learnt that without Divine interposition moral renovation is impossible, they will not value a Saviour from sin; they will not listen to him. 'l.'herefore "in the fulness time "-then, and not till then-" the Son of God came forth." V. FoB M.AN's .AOCEPT.ANCE COMPLETE CONSEOBATION OF SELF 18 DEMANDED. The offerings appointed to be laid upon the altar were" burnt offerings." The burnt offer- ings must precede the peace offerings. By a burnt offering is meant that which must be wholly consumed. The sacrifice must be complete. A profound moral lesson is here inculcated; it should be written in capitals. Salvation means complete surrender to God, complete devotion to his service. If we keep back anythii:g from God, we still grieve his heart, we mar our characters, we imperil our salvation. If one foe remains in the citadel, the city is not safe. One weed left iu the garden may spread and spoil the whole. One germ of disease in the system may issue in death. Loya.lty, to be worth anything, must be complete. In order to be saved, the Son of God must reign supremely in us, King over every tbought.-D. Vere. 1-6.-The return of God's glory. The prophet had witnessed in sadness the departure of the glory of the Lord (see eh. x. 18, 19; xi. 23). He has now e. happy vision of its return; and of that return he gives a very graphic description. It affected him with solemn awe (ver. 3) as well as with sacred joy. He found himself trans- ported to the place where, as a prie11t, he had an official right to stand (ver. 6), and there be saw the brightness of Jebovab's presence filling the sanctuary, while he beard the voice of the Lord communicating his holy will. 'l'he departure and the return of the Divine glory have various illustrations beside those which were witnessed in connection with the temple at Jerusalem. We may find this in relation to- I. THE HUM.AN WORLD. When man was sinless he enjoyed the very near presence and the very close fellowship of his Divine Maker; and even after he sinned, before the world was utterly corrupted by its iniquity, men possessed not a little of the near presence and of the communications of God, Dut as sin advanced God retired, "ud on. XLIIL 1-27.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 883