could afford God no delight. The only thing that could please Him was the will and intention of the offerer. This is abundantly plain from the declarations of the prophets. Compare Isa. 1. 11. Jer. vi. 20. Mic. vi. 6-7. The only acceptable sacrifice that men can offer to God is obedience. "To obey is better than sacrifice." 1 Sam. xv. 22. See also Jere. vii. 21-23. Mic. vi. 8. | Ps. xl. 6. These passages are aimed against the heathenish notion that God could really be pleased with the smell of blood, and that His favor could really be obtained by the slaying of animals, without regard to the character and disposition of those rendering the service. The value of the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament, then, consisted in this that they kept alive the feeling of sin and guilt over against the holy God, and that they served as a standing proof of the felt necessity of an expiation or real covering of sin, and thus as types or shadows of the great sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. The fact that they were a spontaneous product of human nature, and involved very inadequate views of the moral nature of God, does not diminish their value in this view. Types everywhere are very different from that which they foreshadow. But from this it follows certainly that the Old Testament legal theory of the efficacy of sacrifices must not be applied without modification to the sacrifice of Christ. The sacrifice of Christ does not simply cover or hide our sins from God, but it makes us holy. Compare Heb. ix. 14. | x. 10. 1 John 1. 7. It avails only for those who are ingrafted into Him, and receive His benefits by true faith. Its efficacy is ever inseparable from person. Keep Straight Ahead. His Pay no attention to slanderers and gossip-mongers. Keep straight on in your course, and let their back-biting die the death of neglect. What is the use of lying awake at nights, brooding over the remark of some false friend that runs through your brain like lightning! What is the use of getting into a worry and fret over gossip that has been set afloat to your disadvantage, by some meddlesome busybody who has more time than character? The things cannot possibly injure you unless, indeed, you take notice of them, and in combating them give them standing and character. If what is said about you is true, set yourself right: if it is false, let it go for what it will fetch. If a bee sting you, would you go to the hive to destroy it? Would not a thousand come upon you? It is wisdom to say little respecting the injuries you have received. We are generally losers in the end, if we stop to refute all the back biting and gossiping we may hear by the way. They are annoying, it is true, but not dangerous, so long as we do not stop to expostulate and scold. Our characters are formed and sustained by ourselves, by our own actions and purposes, and not by others. Let us always bear in mind that "calumniators may usually be trusted to time and the slow but steady justice of public opinion." OCTOBER 23. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. Mat. 1881. 9:1-8 KEY-NOTE: "Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." 586.4;17-32.. LESSON XLIII. The Peace Offering.-Lev. vii. 11-18. 11. And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord. 12. If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. 13. Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace-offerings. 14. And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for a heave offering unto the Lord, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offering. 15. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. 16. But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice; and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten: 17. But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. 18. And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity. QUESTIONS. What is the key-note of the day? How is this theme related to the Gospel for the day? When will this process of renewal be completed? What is the subject of this lesson? What is an offering? Into how many classes are sacrifices divided in respect of their object? Which of these were the most ancient? Did the institution of sacrifices rest upon a positive divine command? How then did they originate? But were they therefore without divine authority? Is this true of all religious institutions? VERSE 11. Where are the general directions given in regard to peace offerings? Lev. iii. How are the directions given here related to those? What was the design of the peaceoffering? How did it diff r in this respect from the burnt-offering? How from the sin and trespass-offering? How many classes of peaceoffering were required? What kinds of animals could be used for these offerings? Lev. iii. 1, 6, 13. VERSES 12-13. What was the first kind of peace offerings? On what occasions were they presented In what mannner was the sacrifice slain? What was done with the blood? What part of it was burnt o. the altar? Lev. iii. 3-4. What was to be offered with the sacrifice? What was the difference between the cakes and wafers? Why must they be unleavened? Why mixed with oil? Why was leavened bread also offered ? VERSE 14. What portion of the oblation belonged to the officiating priest? What is meant by oblation What is meant by heave offering? What other parts of the peace offering belonged to the priest? verses 31-34. In what did the waving consist? VER. 15. What was to be done with the remaining flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering? By whom was it to be eaten? Who could not eat of it? verses 20-21. Were these offerings, then, occasions of religious enjoyment? What did the sacrificial eating signify? Within what time was it to be eaten? Why? Should we learn from this to share our blessings with others? VERSES 16-17. What are the other two classes of peace offerings mentioned here? What was the difference between vow offerings and voluntary offerings? What only difference of ceremony was there observed between these and the first class? What was the reason of this difference? What was to be done with the flesh that remained over the second day? VERSE 18. What was the consequence if these directions were not observed? What is meant by the expression it shall not be accepted On what conditions only can our offerings and services be acceptable to God? What historical examples of peace offerings can you mention? Gen. xxxi. 54; 1 Sam. xi. 15; 1 Chron. xvi. 3; 1 Kings viii. 63. What was the extent of Solomon's offering at the dedication of the temple? Can you state now the meaning of peace offerings? In what sacrament do we now celebrate our communion with God and with ane another? What sacrifices of praise can we offer now? Heb. xiii. 15-16. The necessity of such institutions exists on the side of man, not on the side of God. But God accommodates Himself to this necessity in a real way; and so those institutions acquire the character of divine ordinances. NOTES. The key-note of the day the covenant in the time of Abraham, again is renewal, both spiritual and and baptism, before it was adopted as physical. The Gospel presents us a the sacrament of regeneration by Christ. historical case of such renewal in the man whose sins are forgiven and whose physical disease is healed. The Epistle points especially to the moral side of the process, and refers to a number of particulars in which the process must manifest itself. The life of the process is Christ. Hence the key-note, from the Epistle. This process of renewal will come to its completion with the second coming of Christ. See the Collect. VERSE 11.-The first general directions in regard to peace offerings are given in Lev. iii. The directions given here refer more particularly to the duties and rights of the priests in presenting them. The design of the peace Sacrificial offerings are, in the Leviti- offering was to celebrate the existence cal law, divided according to their ob- of peace between God and His people; jects into four classes, namely, burnt and it was, therefore, essentially a reofferings, peace offerings, sin offerings ligious feast, the greater part of the vicand trespass offerings. What are called tim being consumed by the offerer and meat offerings and drink offerings are his friends. For the difference between merely offerings consisting of flour, this and the other classes of offerings cakes, bread, fruit, oil and wine, which see the general remarks above. There are occasionally added to the other were three classes of peace-offerings reofferings. The burnt offering was the cognized by the law, namely, thanksmost general in its purpose, being, as offerings, vow-offerings and voluntary we remember, a symbolical expression offerings. The animals that could be of gratitude to God for His blessings used for peace-offerings are mentioned in the past, and of a desire for his con- in Chap. iii. They might be either of tinued favor in the future. The peace the herd or of the flock (oxen, sheep, offering was a celebration of peace and goats). They might be either male or communion with God and with God's female, but they must be without blempople. The sin and trespass offerings ish. Smaller animals, like turtle-doves had a more particular reference to sin, or pigeons were excluded, because they and their purpose was to make expia- did not yield flesh enough to furnish a tion or atonement. The burnt offering feast such as the peace-offering was deand peace offering were the most an-signed to be. cient, being met with in all periods of VERSES 12-13.-Thanksgiving. The sacred history. The other two classes first species of peace-offerings were sacare found only in the Levitical law. rifices of thanksgiving. They were preSacrifices, it will be remembered, did sented on occasions of rejoicing for mernot rest originally upon any positive cies and favors received in the past, divine institution, but were gradually such as recovery from sickness, the safe developed out of an instinctive tendency return from a journey, the successful of human nature. At a certain stage gathering of the harvest, etc. The of history they were a necessity of hu- ceremony of presenting the peace-offerman nature, strange and perplexing as ing is described in Chap. iii. The of the idea may seem to us now. But ferer brought his animal to the door of they were not for this reason without the tabernacle, and there consecrated it divine authority. What is truly bu- to its intended purpose by laying his man is ever divine too. God accepted hand upon its head. Then he slew it, and regulated these strange rites, and and the priests sprinkled its blood upon invested them with His own authority the altar. The fat covering the vital as means through which men might ap organs was burnt on the altar as a fireproach Him and render Him acceptable offering to the Lord. The flesh was worship. This is true of all religious then prepared for the festal table. Uninstitutions. Circumcision was prac- leavened cakes.-Cakes made of fine tised before it was made the token of flour, fried in a pan-pan-cakes. They us. with others is something that pleases God. If the rich would sometimes invite their poor neighbors to their sumptuous dinners and suppers, that would be offering to God an acceptable sacrifice. See Heb. xiii. 16. Also the Offertory in the Communion Service of our order of worship. must be unleavened, because a part of These sacrificial feasts were occasions of them was burnt upon the altar as a fire- religious enjoyment. Indeed the Israeloffering; and leaven, which was re-ites had no other than religious feasts. garded as a symbol of evil and corrup- Their daily food was not flesh, but milk tion, could not be presented on the and cheese, as is the case among the altar. Mingled with oil.-Oil was an Arabs now. To kill an ox or a sheep article of daily food, as butter is with was an extraordinary event; and when It was, moreover, regarded as a it occurred it was the occasion of spesymbol of peace and prosperity, and cial religious rejoicing, at which a man's was therefore appropriately connected friends and neighbors must partake. with the peace-offering. Wafers.-A The sacrificial eating, then, was an exkind of cakes, differing from those men- pression of religious fellowship and of tioned before, perhaps, only by being communion with Jehovab. The same smaller and thinner. Leavened bread. day. The flesh of the peace-offering -Of this none was put upon the altar. must be eaten on the day on which it It was only intended to make the sacri- was offered. The purpose of this reguficial feast more pleasant and palatable. lation was probably to promote the VERSE 14.- One out of the whole ob- spirit of liberality. It was of no use lation. One of each of the different to a man to save his offering, for it was sorts of cakes. Oblation (Heb. qorbán) unlawful for him to eat of it after the is a general name for offerings of all first day. He might as well, therefore, sorts; but here it signifies the unbloody invite his neighbors and friends to help meat-offering connected with the peace- him eat it at once. From this we offering. Heave-offering-This word should learn that to share our blessings (Heb. Terumah) is used to designate various sorts of sacred gifts. It is commonly supposed that the object so called was swung up and down before the altar in token of its being surrendered to God. But the word is often used in reference to things where no such ceremony was possible. Coming from a verb which means to lift up and set VERSES 16-17.-A vow-offering. An something (as meat) before one, it is offering promised in connection with a probably used simply to denote that prayer for some special divine favor, which is reserved for and presented to presented generally after the prayer the priests as their portion of the sacri- had been fulfilled, but sometimes also fice. To the priests also belonged the at the time of the prayer itself. breast and the right shoulder of the sac- luntary offering. This had reference to rificial animal. See verses 31-34. The no particular outward blessing, either shoulder is designated as a heave-offer- as still expected or already received, ing. The breast is called a wave-offer- but was determined solely by the grateing (Heb. Tenupha). The ceremony of ful feeling of the person presenting it. waving consisted probably in swinging The only difference of ceremony obthe object backward and forward before served between these two and the first the altar; the motion towards the altar species of peace-offerings had respect to signifying its being given up to the the time within which the flesh could Lord, and the motion away from the be eaten. In the case of the thankalar, its being returned to the priests offering the flesh must all be eaten on as their portion of the offering. the first day. In the case of the vow and voluntary offerings, it might be eaten also on the second day, but not later. From this it would seem that the first species was regarded as more sacred than the other two, though it is difficult to perceive any reason for this. That which remained beyond the time within which it could be lawfully eaten VERSE 15.-The flesh of the sacrifice ... shall be eaten. The persons who were to eat the sacrifice were the one who offered it, together with his family and friends. Only they must be Israelites and ceremonially clean. See verses 20-22. If the unclean ate of it he was to be cut off from his people. VERSE 18.-.It shall not be accepted, etc. These offerings, though they were not in any special sense expiatory, yet were presented in general with the view of pleasing God and thus obtaining His favor. But this could be the case only when they were presented in the manner required by God; otherwise they would not be accepted, and could procure no favor to the one who presented them. So in general our offerings and services can be acceptable to God only when they are in harmony with God's appointments. God desires no will-worship (Col. ii. 23). The first condition of acceptable worship is, that we bring our will into subjection to God's will For historical examples of peace-offerings in the Old Testament, see Gen. xxxi. 54. 1 Sam. xi. 15. 1 Chron. xvi. 3. 1 Kings viii. 63. The incredibly large number of sacrifices offered by Solomon at the dedication of the temple, finds some explanation in the fact that they were peace-offerings, the greater portion of which were eaten by the people, that the whole nation was now assembled in Jerusalem, and that the feast lasted fourteen days. The peace offering was not an atoning or expiatory sacrifice, but a feast of communion with God and with God's people. As such it was a special type of the Lord's Supper, which also is not a sacrifice presented to God (although in the Early Church the bread and wine and the oblation of charity were called sacrifices), but a feast of communion of believers with the Lord and with each other. Our sacrifices of praise must consist of thanksgiving and charity (Heb. xiii. 15-16)-prayer and alms: these come up for a memorial before God. Acts x. 4. If you would relish food, labor for it before you take it; if you would enjoy clothing, pay for it before you wear it; if you would sleep soundly, take a clear conscience to bed with you.-Franklin. Ho, every one that thirsteth! God gives the blessings of salvation to the undeserving, but never to the undesiring. The Queen at Home. Honor the dear old mother. Time has scattered snowy flakes on her brow, plowed deep furrows on her cheeks; but is she not sweet and beautiful now? The lips are thin and shrunken; but those are the lips which have kissed many a hot tear from the childish cheeks, and they are the sweetest lips in the world. The eye is dim, yet it glows with the soft radiance that can never fade. Ah, yes, she is a dear old mother. The sands of life are nearly run out; but, feeble as she is, she will go further and reach down lower for you than any other upon earth. You cannot enter a prison whose bars will keep her out; you can never mount a scaffold too high for her to reach that she may kiss and bless you in evidence of her deathless love. When the world shall despise and forsake you, when it leaves you to die by the wayside unnoticed, the dear old mother will gather you in her feeble arms and carry you home, and tell you all your virtues until you almost forget your soul is disfigured by vices. Love her tenderly, and cheer her declining years with holy devotion.-Ex. "Who It is said when Oliver Cromwell visited Yorkminster Cathedral, in England, he saw in one of the apartments statues of the twelve apostles in silver. are those fellows there?" he asked, as he approached them. On being informed he instantly replied, "Take them down, and let them go about doing good." They were taken down and melted and put into his treasury. There are many persons who, like these silver apostles, are too stiff for service in much that the Lord's work requires. Some are too nice, some too formal, some disinclined. They stand or sit stiff and stately in their dignity, and sinners may go unsaved and believers uncomforted, unhelped, for all the effort they will make to lift a hand to save them. They need melting down and to be sent about doing good. Statuary Christians, however burnished and elegant they may be, are of little real service in the kingdom of Jesus. |