a covenant is of force where there hath been death; for doth It ever avail while the rRtifying victim liveth ? " (vers. 16, 17). 'l'he Hebrew word for a covenant means prir:n~rily_" n cutting;" the reference being to a common custom among the ancients of d1v1~mg 1?to two the animals slain for the purpose of ratificat.ion, that the contracting putl~s m1gh_t pass between the pieces (Gen. xv. 9, 10, 17; Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19). It is cert~m that m the oldest times of Scripture history, covenants were sealed by means of sacnfice. God's covenant with Noah (Gen. viii. 20-ix. 17), and his covenant with Abraham (Gen. xv. 9-21), were thus ratified. And it is probable that the prevalent custom among both Jews and Gentiles of confirming contracts in this manner ori"ino.ted in the Divine appointment of animal sacrifice as a type of the atonement of Christ. II. THE " FIRST" OR MOSAIC COVENA~"T WAS TITUS SEALED. (Vers. 18-22.) This old covenant, made at Mount Sinai, compri~ed the ten commandments and the borly of laws contained in Exod. xxi.-xxiii. 'l'hese laws were called "The Book of the Covenant." They were the first rough outline of the Mosaic code which Jehovah gave to his p<'ople. In Exod. xxiv. 3-8 there is a description of the ceremonial which is here referred to. The awe-stricken people were gathered before an altar erected at the foot of the mountain. The book of the covenant was read over to them. Twelve young men, acting as priests, shed the blood of certain propitiatory victims. Then Moses spriukled half of the blood upon the altar and upon the book of the covenant, and the other half upon the assembled multitude. Some of the circumstances of the ceremonial which are alluded to in ver. 19 are not mentioned in the narrative of Exodus; but the writer of our Epistle refers to them as matter of well-known and thoroughly authenticated Hebrew tradition. This solemn ratification of the Sinaitic Law shows that God and the sinner can only be made "at one" through a covenant of blood; and thus, the words spoken by Moses when he sprinkled the blood (ver. 20) were adopted by the Saviour in instituting the Lord's Supper (Matt. xx:vi. 28), to signify the confirmation of the "new " and "eternal covenant" through the shedding of his own blood. But, besides this, the tabernacle and its furniture were dedicated with the sprinkling of blood; and blood continued to be used in connection with nearly all the rites of which the tabernacle was the centre (vers. 21, 22). The ceremonial Law was, in fact, one vast system of blood-symbols. The crimson streams never ceased to flow upon the brazen altar; blood was put upon the altar of incense; the holy of holies itself was sprinkled with it. '.I.'here was blood everywhere ;-no access to God except by blood. The Jews were thus taught, with solemn and continual iteration, that the forgiveness of sins can only be obtained by means of a substitutionary atonement. llL THE NEW COVENil'T HAS BEEN SEALED BY THE DEATH OF' CHRIBT. (Ver. 15.) This death was at once a sacrifice for sin and a covenant offering. The blood of Jesus has done for the new covenant, in sealing it, what the blood of the Mosaic sacrifices did for the old. His death as the ratifying Victim took place "of necessity." It was necessary, not certainly because of the ancient custom of sealing covenants by sacrifice ; rather, God had appointed sacrifice, and employed it in his gracious commu- nications with his ancient people, in order to prefigure thereby the true meaning and purpose of the death of Christ. The necessity of the atonement was neither hypothetical, nor governmental, nor a necessity of expediency. It arose out of the nature of God, as infinitely holy, just, and righteous. "For this cause" that by his death he has paid a full ransom for human sin, "he is the Mediator of a new covenant "-of that better economy promised long before by Jeremiah (eh. viii. 8-13). The sacrifice of Christ is of such transcendent efficacy that it has availed to wash away the guilt of all God's peoµle who lived under the former imperfect covenant; as well as to secure for all saints, whether Jewish or Christian, the inestimable gift of eternal life. LESSONS. 1. We should avail ourselves of the benefits of the new covenant. 2. Have confidence that all its promises will be fulfilled. 3. Cherish grateful love to the Lord Jesus, who has sealed the covenant with his blood. 4. Celebrate the Lord's Supper with intelligence and joy. 5. Consecrate our lives to the service of our Redeemer.
Vere. 23-28.-Perfection of Ohrist's atonement. In these verses the writer con• tra.sts the incompleteness of tbe Mosaic sacrifices with the finality which attaches to the sacrificial work of the Lord Jesus. L 'THREE GREAT CHRIBTIAN DOCTRINES. These rest respectively upon three facts, en. 1x. 1-28.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 241