PROVISIONS FOR THE PARDON OF SIN, AND RECONCILIATION UNDER THE LAW.

The regularly ordained sacrifices were the following:—

1st. The daily sacrifices. Two lambs of the first year—one in the morning and the other in the evening (and on the Sabbath four lambs, Num. xxviii 9); with their meat- and drink-offerings of flour, oil, wine “for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord” (Exod. xxix. 38–41). “This shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak there unto thee” (ver. 42). “And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God” (ver. 45).

Whatever other sacrifices were commanded for any or every day of the week, they were additional to these daily offerings, with which nothing interfered.

2nd. On the first day of every month (or first appearance of the new moon)—

a burnt-offering for a sweet savour, made by fire unto the Lord.

Also one kid for a sin-offering, and his drink-offering (Num. xxviii. 11, &c.).

3rd. On the 14th of the first month (Abib) the Feast of the Passover, also called “the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover” (Exod. xii. 27).

It was a memorial festival throughout the generations of the children of Israel, to mark their deliverance from bondage in Egypt, and the special Providence which protected them from the destroying angel, who procured that deliverance by slaying all the first-born of man and beast in Egypt.

A lamb of the first year, a male from the sheep or goats and without blemish, was killed at even, and the flesh roasted with fire was eaten by every household that night, while the destroying angel was at work around them; but prior to this the blood of the lamb had been sprinkled on the two side posts, and upper door post of the houses, “and the blood shall be to you for a token. . . . And when the Lord seeth the blood, He will pass over you;” so that while every other house had its dead, they ate securely under cover of the sprinkled blood.

This festival was instituted on the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt, and before the giving of the Law, or the appointment of the priesthood of Aaron and his sons. As with the patriarchal sacrifices, it was provided by the head of the household.

In allusion to subsequent times, when their children should inquire the meaning of the service, they were to say “It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover” (Exod. xii. 27).

The Passover has a very marked reference to our Lord Jesus Christ. Shortly before His death He said to His disciples, “With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer;” and at that supper He said of the bread, which as the master of the feast He broke, “This is My body which is given for you;” and of the cup, “This is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke xxii. 15–20).

4th. Immediately upon the Paschal feast followed, during the next seven days, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, during which were to be offered, each day—

and one goat daily for a sin-offering (Num. xxviii. 17–25).

5th. On presenting the sheaf of First-fruits to the Lord, of which it is said “Ye shall neither eat bread nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God” [20] (Lev. xxiii. 14). On that day was to be offered a male lamb, without blemish, of the first year, for a burnt-offering, with flour, oil, and wine,—“an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour” (Lev. xxiii. 13).

6th. The Feast of Pentecost (called also feast of weeks, Ex. xxxiv. 22), fifty days later, on presenting to the Lord a new meat-offering from their habitations (Lev. xxiii. 16). Two wave loaves of fine flour, baken with leaven, “They are the first-fruits unto the Lord” (Lev. xxiii. 17), and the accompanying offerings were—

and one kid for a sin-offering (to make atonement—Num. xxviii. 30), and two lambs for a peace-offering (Lev. xxiii. 19).

7th. At the Feast of Trumpets, the first of the seventh month—

for a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord, and one kid for a sin-offering “to make atonement for you” (Num. xxix. 2–5).

8th. On the annual Day of Atonement, the tenth of the seventh month: One young bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering for the high priest and his house (Lev. xvi. 6), and two kids of the goats from the congregation for a sin-offering (one for the annual sin-offering, and one for the scape-goat) (Lev. xvi. 5). Also—

for a burnt-offering (Num. xxix. 8). And one kid for a sin-offering of atonement (Num. xxix. 11).

This was a day of great solemnity—“It shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls” (Lev. xxiii. 27), &c, “Ye shall do no work; . . . it is a day to make atonement for you before the Lord your God” (Lev. xxiii. 28); and whoever among the congregation did not afflict his soul, or whoever did any work therein, was to be cut off from among his people (Lev. xxiii. 29, 30). “It shall be . . . a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day at even, from even to even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath” (Lev. xxiii. 32).

The high priest was not to enter within the veil to the inner tabernacle, except on this day, “that he die not,” and then only with the blood of the sin-offerings for himself and the congregation, peculiar to this day.

Before doing so he laid aside his ornamental garments and put on a linen dress (Lev. xvi. 2–4). He took in his hands a censer of burning coals from the altar of burnt offerings and put on it a handful of incense, that the cloud of the incense might cover the mercy seat, whereon the Lord appeared in the cloud, “that he die not” (Lev. xvi. 12, 13). He then took the blood of the sin-offerings, both for the priest and people, within the veil, and sprinkled it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward, and before the mercy seat seven times (Lev. xvi. 15, 16), to make an atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins (Lev. xvi. 16).

This is the only sacrifice described in the Law, which corresponds with the words in Hebrews xiii. 11:—“The bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary for sin, are burned without the camp.”

No other blood was annually brought into the sanctuary (or inner temple) by the high priest on behalf of the people, and sprinkled on and before the mercy seat; and the flesh of these, as well as of some other offerings, was burned without the camp.

The service of this day required that in addition to a bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, to make atonement for himself and his house (Lev. xvi. 3–6), the high priest should take of the congregation of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin-offering (Lev. xvi. 5); he was to present the two kids at the door of the tabernacle (ver. 7), and “cast lots,” one for the Lord and one “for the scape-goat” (vers. 8 and 10). He killed the former for a sin-offering for the people, and proceeded as already described (p. 23).

In addition to the blood taken within the veil, the high priest was to put some of it upon the horns of the altar, and sprinkle it seven times upon it to hallow it (vers. 18, 19).

Then, as to the other, or scape-goat, Aaron laid both his hands on the head of the live goat and confessed over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins; putting them on the head of the goat, and sent him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness, and the “goat bore them away to a land not inhabited” (Lev. xvi. 21).

Although every sin-offering had a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, the kid offered on this day by the masses of the people is treated in Heb. xiii. as having a very special application to Him, from the blood having been carried within the veil and sprinkled on the mercy seat, and from the body having been burned without the camp. So Jesus, having suffered without the gate, and having obtained eternal redemption for us, not by the blood of others, but by His own blood, having “given Himself a ransom for all,” entered not into the holy places made with hands, but into Heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of God for us.

Again, in the scape-goat, which was the complement of the sin-offering, we have a reference to the Lord Jesus bearing away our sins “in His own body on the tree,” so that they should be no more remembered against us (1 Pet. ii. 24).

9th. There remains one more appointed festival, the Feast of Tabernacles, or ingathering (Exod. xxiii. 16) on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when the crops of wine and oil had completed the harvest labours. It lasted seven days, during which numerous sacrifices were ordained, viz.,—

The 1st day, 13 bullocks, 2 rams, 14 lambs,

2nd „ 12 „ 2 „ 14 „

3rd „ 11 . „ 2 „ 14 „

4th „ 10 „ 2 „ 14 „

5th „ 9 „ 2 „ 14 „

6th „ 8 „ 2 „ 14 „

7th „ 7 „ 2 „ 14 „

with their meat and drink-offerings. And each of the seven days one goat for a sin-offering. And on the eighth day a holy convocation, with offerings of one bullock, one ram and seven lambs, with accompaniments, and one ram for a sin-offering. “These things shall ye do unto the Lord in your set feasts, besides your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt-offerings, and for your meat-offerings, and for your drink-offerings, and for your peace-offerings” (Num. xxix. 12–39).

The service of the Tabernacle and its offerings were supplied by contributions of half a shekel per head on all that were numbered, from twenty years old and upwards. The rich were not to give more, nor the poor less. It was offered to the Lord to make an atonement for their souls (Exod. xxx. 14–16).

As indicated in the latter portion of the above quotation (Num. xxix. 39), besides these stated daily, monthly, and annual sacrifices, which were of a public or general character, there were—

1st. Voluntary offerings, which do not seem to have been specially enjoined, nor to have had reference to any particular sins, but arose from the voluntary will and devotion of the person offering, and the priest sprinkled the blood round about upon the altar; “and it was accepted for him to make an atonement for him” (Lev. i. 2–5); “an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the Lord” (ver. 9). It was required to be a male without blemish of the herd or of the flock, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons (vers. 2 and 10–17).

2nd. Peace-offerings, also for the most part voluntarily, in which the offerer shared with the priest the offering—a male or female of the herd without blemish, or a lamb or goat (Lev. iii. 1, &c.).

3rd. The Sin-offering for sins of ignorance afterwards brought to light (Lev. iv. 13, &c.).

4th. The Trespass-offering.—If any one sinned in hearing swearing and not uttering it, or in any uncleanness, or swearing, he was to take a lamb or a kid (a female), or two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, or, if too poor for any of them, the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour, “and the priest shall make an atonement for him for the sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him” (Lev. v. 1–13).

In every case the offering was required to be perfect in its kind, and without blemish.

The sin-offering was more especially for atonement; but the voluntary and other offerings are spoken of as contributing thereto (Lev. i. 3): coming from the voluntary will of the people, they expressed the heart’s devotion, and bore a “sweet savour to God.”

But in the days when Isaiah wrote, and when great corruption prevailed, it is said, “Incense is an abomination unto Me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with” (Isa. i. 13). And Amos says, “I will not smell in your solemn assembly” (Amos v. 21). The people drew near with the lip, but the heart was far from God (Isa. xxix. 13); so the sacrifices bore with them no sweet savour of devotion to Him.

In contemplating the mass of sacrifices thus noted, we may easily enter into the feeling expressed by Paul (more especially as regarded circumcision)—“which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear;” and we can the more fully appreciate the blessing of the Gospel, which has relieved us from all such burdens, and given us individually a free access (whether Jew or Gentile) to the Father of Mercies, through the one only High Priest, Jesus Christ our Lord.

But it was not so much to point out the burdens which our forefathers in the faith of Christ had to bear—burdens which, nevertheless, were light compared with the burden of unforgiven sin—that we have traced the requirements of the law; but to point to the testimony they bore to Christ and His Kingdom.

Under the law no Israelite could obtain pardon for his sin except through the Priest, who was the appointed mediator—to him he brought the prescribed offering, and slew it at the Tabernacle door; the priest received the blood, and some of the internal fat; the former he sprinkled, and the latter he burned, on the altar; and, in the words of the text, “The priest shall make an atonement for his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.”

We may not be able to define the extent to which the Holy Ghost was then enjoyed, but we cannot doubt that the testimony of a conscience free of offence towards God was sealed on the mind of the offerer when the atonement was made agreeably to the words, “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments; which if a man do he shall live in them” (Lev. xviii. 5).The Apostle Paul confirms this language, saying, “The man that doeth them” (the statutes of the Law) “shall live in them” (Gal. iii. 12); and when we consider the words of the same writer: “The children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished” (2 Cor. iii. 13), we need not suppose the offerers had, in general, any understanding that what they did had a special relation to the better Mediator to come. As in the case of the brazen serpent they looked to it and were healed; so here they made their offerings believing in their efficacy, and reaped the fruit of pardon and peace.

This divinely-instituted law was enjoined on the people under the most solemn assurances of blessings for obedience, and cursings for disobedience, viz.: “Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day: and a curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside after other gods” (Deut. xi. 26–28; xxvii. 15–26; and ch. xxviii.). “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him; for He is thy life and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them” (Deut. xxx. 19, 20).

They did what God had provided to enable them to walk with Him, and when they erred or failed to keep His holy law they brought the means of reconciliation He had appointed. In such way a man might do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with his God, which is the whole duty of man.

“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace” (Ps. xxxvii. 37), might be applied to such an one, and the model may perhaps be useful in enabling us to understand the higher perfection required by the Gospel. “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John i. 7).

If we look for the essential principle of this elaborate system of priestly mediation for the forgiveness of sins, as well as for presenting to God the freewill offerings or devotions of the people, it will be found in the 11th verse of the 17th chapter of Leviticus, viz.: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”Such were the conditions under which the law given from Mount Sinai was presented to or enjoined on the people. They were to choose between life or death, blessing or cursing, obedience with the Divine favour, or refusal to obey, with the Divine displeasure. The eyes of the Lord would be over the righteous, and His ear open to their cry; but the face of the Lord would be against them that did evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth—Ps. xxxiv. 15, 16—conditions so different as to constitute the highest happiness man was capable of at that time, or the deepest degradation and misery which he could endure in this life, with no better prospect beyond.

The consequences of God’s favour and blessing are set forth with peculiar strength in Deuteronomy (see pp. 33, 34), together with the consequences of His favour being withdrawn, which we may do well to ponder; as the language quoted above from the Psalms is adopted by the Apostle Peter as applicable equally to Christian times, and the principles of the quotations from Deuteronomy are equally applicable to the old or new dispensations—viz., obedience to the revealed will of God with life and blessing, or disobedience with death and misery.

“He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and done despite unto the Spirit of Grace?” (Heb. x. 28, 29).