No. XII.

SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE.— LEVITICUS.

THE book of Leviticus will not require entering quite so much into detail as the first two of the Pentateuch; one of the most interesting parts having been examined in the tract entitled "Types of Leviticus." We shall, however, endeavour to look at this book as a whole. The subject of it is essentially the Priesthood, that is, the means established of God for drawing near unto Him, and the discernment of the defilements unbecoming those who were thus brought into relationship with God; the function of discerning these, being, in any case that rendered it necessary, a part of the priesthood. There are also in Leviticus, the several convocations of the people in the feasts of the Lord, which presented the special circumstances under which they drew near unto Him, and lastly, the fatal consequences of infringing the principles established by God, as the condition of these relationships with Him.

Here the communications of God are consequent upon His presence in His tabernacle, which is the basis of all the relationship we are speaking of. It is no longer the law-giver giving regulations from above, to constitute a state of things, but one in the midst of the people, prescribing the conditions of their relationship with Him.

a

This is the character in which God puts Himself thus into relationship. Consequently most of the directions given suppose those to whom they apply to stand already in the relation of a people recognised of Him as His people. But the people being truly without, and the tabernacle presenting the position in which God was putting Himself in order to be approached, the instructions which are given in cases supposing the people or the individual to be thus placed, furnish those who are without with the means of drawing near to God. when they are in that position, though no previous relationship have existed. It is very important to observe this: it is the basis of the reasoning of the 6

VOL.II. PT.II.

But whatever be the nearness and the privileges of the priestly position, the sacrifice of Christ is ever that which establishes the possibility and forms the basis of

it.

We have then, Christ in His devotedness unto death. Christ in the perfection of His life of consecration to God. Christ, the basis of the communion of the people with God, who feeds, as it were, at the same table with them; and finally, Christ made sin for those who stood in need of it. For further details, I refer the reader to the tract, "Types of Leviticus." There is no subject more interesting or more important. This part closes at the 7th verse of chapter vi.; at the 8th verse begin the regulations relative to these sacrifices. We shall find that the question is chiefly as to what was to be eaten in these sacrifices, and by whom and under what conditions. The burnt offering, and the meat offering for a priest, were to be entirely burnt. It is Christ Himself, offered wholly to God; who offers Himself. As to the burnt offering, the fire burnt all night upon the altar and consumed the victim, the sweet-smelling savour of which ascended thus to God, even during the darkness, where man was far from Him, buried in sleep. This is true, I doubt not, as to Israel. God has the sweet savour of the sacrifice of Christ towards Him, while the nation forgets Him. However this may be, the only effect of the judgment of the holy majesty of God-the fire of the Lord, now that Christ has offered Himself of His own voluntary will-is to cause the sweet smell of this precious sacrifice to ascend towards God. Of the other sacrifices—the meat offering and the sin offering the priest eat, the saint feeding on the perfectness of Christ, Apostle, in the third of Romans, for the admission of the Gentiles and even of any sinner whatever. It is true nevertheless, that most of the directions apply to those who are already in proximity with the throne. Besides, all, in spite of themselves, have to do with it, although they do not approach it, and especially now, that, as a testimony of grace, the blood is on the mercy-seat. The conditions of relationship with the throne that God establishes, where He condescends to be approached by His creatures, are presented, which includes the details of those He sustains with His people.

as man; in the other, Christ, and even those who are His, as priests, in communion of heart and in sympathy, identifying themselves with the sin of others or rather with the work of Christ for that sin; they are connected in grace with that according to the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ; they enjoy the grace of Christ therein. Christ enters into it directly for us. This is, however, a solemn thing. It is only as priests that we can participate in it, and in the consciousness of what it means. The people eat of the peace offerings, which, though they were holy, did not require that nearness to God. It was the joy of the communion of believers based on the redemption and the acceptance of Christ. Therefore the directions follow those given for the sacrifices, although the peace offering comes before the sin offering in the order of the sacrifices, because in the others, it required to be a priest to partake of them. There are things which we do as priests; there are others which we do as simple believers.

The sacrifices and the rules for partaking of them being thus appointed-priesthood is established according to the ordinance. Aaron and his sons are washed, Aaron clothed, and the tabernacle and all that was therein anointed, Aaron also; -the sons of Aaron clothed with their priestly garments, the sacrifices offered beginning with the sin-offering, and Aaron and his sons sprinkled with the blood and anointed with the oil and their garments with him.

On the eighth day, the Lord was to appear, and manifest the acceptance of the sacrifices offered on that day, and His presence in glory and in the midst of the people. This manifestation took place accordingly: first, Aaron, standing by the sacrifice, blesses the people; and then Moses and Aaron go into the tabernacle, and come out and bless the people. That is, there is first Christ, as priest, blessing them in virtue of the offered sacrifice; and then Christ, as King and Priest, going in and hiding Himself for a little in the tabernacle, and then coming out and blessing the people in this two-fold character. When this takes place, as it will at the coming of Jesus, the acceptance of the sacrifice will be publicly manifested, and the

glory of the Lord will appear to the people—then become true worshippers through that means. This is a

scene of the deepest interest; but there is a remark to be made here. The Church is not found in this place (though there are general principles which apply to any case of connexion with God), unless it be in the persons of Moses and Aaron. The blessing comes, and is made manifest; that is, the acceptance of the victim is made. manifest when Moses and Aaron appear at their coming out of the tabernacle. It will be thus with Israel. When the Lord Jesus appears, and they recognise Him whom they pierced, the efficacy of this sacrifice will be manifested in favour of that nation. Our knowledge of that efficacy is during the stay of Christ within the veil, or rather in heaven itself, for the veil is now rent. Here the manifestation takes place in the court where the sacrifice was offered, and where Moses and Aaron have come to the place where God talked with the people (not where He communed with the Mediator only, that is upon the ark of the testimony), where the veil was no longer on the face of Him who also communed with the Lord. There is a very peculiar circumstance connected with that. There had been no sacrifice whose blood was carried into the holy place, and the body burnt without the camp. A sinoffering was indeed offered, but it was such as ought to have been eaten by the priest (see verses 17-18, chap. x). The relationships which had been established, were comparatively external.

Lastly, we have what, alas! is always the case with man. Before the priesthood is fully established, it comes short of the glory of God. Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire, acting as men in their relationship with God, and they die. The priests must on no account whatever depart from their consecration (verses 6-7); therefore they must be Nazarites apart from that which is only the excitement of the flesh, separated unto God from all that which would unsanctify them in His presence; from that which would prevent them from feeling its power-a state of abstraction in which the flesh has no place. The presence of God must have its full power, and the flesh must be silent before Him. It is only thus that they would be

able to discern between that which is unclean and that which is pure-that which is profane and that which is holy. There are lawful things, real joys, which, however, do not belong to the priesthood-joys which flow from God's blessings, and which do not keep the flesh in check as does His presence; for there is always a certain restraint on the heart, on nature and its activity, produced by the presence of God. But priesthood is exercised before

Him.

Priesthood being established, comes the discernment between holy things and profane, and the judgment of defilements (xi. xv.) and what was to be done for the purification of defiled persons. We see that it is this nearness of separation unto God which alone can discern thus. First, as to food, all that which is eaten. In general, the principle seems to be, that anything is allowed that is clean, in this sense, that it is thoroughly according to its element, as fishes having scales; that was allowed which united mature digestion to the absence of that energy which goes boldly through everything-these two things were necessary:-the grossness which swallows, and the lack of quiet firmness rendered unclean. It must be that which at the same time chews the cud, and divides the hoof. Of birds-the carnivorous, night-birds, and those which cannot be tamed, are forbidden. Creeping things also. In general, there was to be in their eating, the discerning of what was clean. Then we have the judgment of God fallen on that which would have been joy and blessing. The birth of a man, connected now with sin, renders unclean; that of a woman in whom was the transgression, being deceived, still more so. Leprosy requires a little more detail. It was found in persons, in

b Connected with this, was the weakness of fallen nature (comp. Gen. i. 28). All that belonged even to weakness of nature, being the effect of sin, rendered unclean under the law. This is also true spiritually. All this was the result of some manifestation or other of the life that was in the flesh. It was so with the leper-raw flesh rendered unclean, as well as any other case where this life, which had become unclean, and had been as set aside and under judg ment through sin, manifested itself externally, even though weakness alone were the cause of it.