{"id":1039,"date":"2011-11-30T16:29:19","date_gmt":"2011-11-30T16:29:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christian-gospel.info\/?p=1039"},"modified":"2011-11-30T16:29:19","modified_gmt":"2011-11-30T16:29:19","slug":"the-burnt-offering-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/?p=1039","title":{"rendered":"The Burnt Offering: Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE BURNT OFFERING:\u00a0 PART 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS CHAPTER 1, VERSES 4 TO 9.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>1:4\u00a0 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>1:5\u00a0 And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.<\/span><\/strong>
\n1:6\u00a0 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.<\/span><\/strong>
\n1:7\u00a0 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:<\/span><\/strong>
\n1:8\u00a0 And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:<\/span><\/strong>
\n1:9\u00a0 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1:4\u00a0 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Two grand truths are made known in this verse, namely, identification with the sacrifice, and acceptance by means of the sacrifice.\u00a0 The identification is suggested by the laying on of the hand.\u00a0 We see this in principle in Acts 8:14-17, where Peter and John make the journey from Jerusalem to Samaria expressly to lay their hands upon those who had recently believed in that country, and thereby to publicly associate with them on behalf of the Jewish Christians.\u00a0 The Jews as a nation had no dealings with the Samaritans, John 4:9, but in Christ national barriers and prejudices are broken\u00a0 down.\u00a0 So we read of Peter, the apostle to the Jews, going down to Samaria to lay hands upon the Samaritans, to show that there remains no historical enmity.\u00a0 And John goes with him to show that there is no personal enmity; for it was John and his brother James who had wanted to call down fire upon the Samaritans in Luke 9:51-54 because of their hostility to the Lord.\u00a0 Now this attitude was gone, and instead of fire from heaven, there is the Holy Spirit from heaven as the apostles lay hands upon the Samaritans.<\/p>\n

The same idea of identification is found in Acts 9:17, where Ananias lays hands upon Saul of Tarsus and his sight is restored.\u00a0 Saul would have laid hands on Ananias in a very different way before he was saved!\u00a0 But now they are brothers in the Lord, and the one is identified with the other.<\/p>\n

Thus it is that the offerer, as he lays his hand upon the head of the offering, is identified with it.\u00a0 The result being that the acceptableness of the offering is credited to the offerer.\u00a0 In the case of the sin offering the process was reversed, for then the sinfulness of the offerer was attributed to the offering, which was then slaughtered and consumed out of God’s sight, together with its burden of sin.<\/p>\n

Paul brings these two thoughts together in 2 Corinthians 5:21, 6:1,2.\u00a0 He writes, “God hath made Him to be sin for us”, and then declares, “now is the accepted time”, or time of acceptance.\u00a0 Those who personally identify themselves with the Lord Jesus, have attributed to them all the acceptableness of Christ in the sight of His Father.\u00a0 Contrariwise, they find that all their sin, which made them so unacceptable in the sight of God, has been attributed to Christ when upon the cross, and He has finally dealt with that sin to God’s entire satisfaction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But how is this identification, with its blessed\u00a0 results,\u00a0 brought\u00a0 about?\u00a0 The clue is found in the meaning of the word “put”, for it means to lean; thus faith is suggested, a leaning upon the sacrifice, a reliance upon it, for blessing.\u00a0 Romans 5:2 declares that believers have access by faith into the grace wherein they stand, and this way of faith is the only avenue to blessing, being God’s appointed way for men.\u00a0 But how hard it is for man to realise this; how much rather would he seek to rely upon himself and his own efforts.\u00a0 But this is an impossible task, as the following Scriptures make clear:
\n\u00a0“Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin”, Romans 3:20.
\n“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ”, Galatians 2:16.
\n“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast,” Ephesians 2:8,9.
\nFor we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.\u00a0 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us,” Titus 3:3-5.<\/p>\n

Not only is it an impossible task, but it is one which God has cursed, for He has said “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man,” Jeremiah 17:5.\u00a0 Despite this, man would rather lean upon good works, church-going, sincere intentions and suchlike, but fulness of blessing is only found in the sacrificial work of Christ at the cross of Calvary, where, concerned for the honour of God, and the salvation of the sons of men, He gave up His life in sacrificial death.\u00a0 May the writer of these pages urge any one of his readers who does not personally know God’s Son and the salvation that is available through Him, to earnestly consider these matters in the light of the Scriptures.\u00a0 Rest assured that the Lord is “rich unto all that call upon Him.\u00a0 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” Romans 10:12,13.<\/p>\n

Note the result of being identified with the person of Christ and His sacrifice.\u00a0 It is nothing less than full acceptance in the sight of God.\u00a0 Ephesians 1:6 speaks of believers as being “accepted in the Beloved”.\u00a0 The inspired apostle does not say “accepted in Christ”, or “in the Lord Jesus”, although that would be a precious thing, but rather “in the Beloved”.\u00a0 This title emphasises the love that exists between the Father and the Son and it is in that sort of atmosphere of love that the believer finds acceptance with God.\u00a0 And not only so, but all that the Father finds delightful about His Son is attributed to the believer, in the gracious dealings of God.<\/p>\n

The word “accepted” as used in Leviticus 1:4, may also very well be translated “be pleased with”.\u00a0 Hence when the word came from heaven to Christ as He emerged from the waters of the Jordan, “this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased,” Mathew 3:17, He was marked out by God as the One He fully accepted.\u00a0 The words came to distinguish Him from all others, even though they had come to John to repent and be baptised.\u00a0 It is not to these that the word from heaven comes, even though God had said through the psalmist “the saints that are in the earth\u2026in whom is all my delight,” Psalm 16:3.\u00a0 There is One who is fairer than these and He receives the Divine approval of thirty private years, as the word from heaven comes to Him, and to Him alone.<\/p>\n

In Matthew 12:14-21 the Beloved is found amongst the Pharisees who criticise His work.\u00a0 But Matthew is able to quote God\u2018s words through Isaiah, “Behold My servant,” for He is doing the works of Him that sent Him.\u00a0 If they seek to drag Him down, God says “whom I uphold”.\u00a0 If men vote for His death, God says “Mine elect”, and if they condemn and complain, God says, “In whom My soul delighteth”.\u00a0 Thus His Father counteracts and contradicts the wicked dealings of scornful men with regard to His Beloved.<\/p>\n

Another instance of God’s relationship with His Beloved is found in Luke 9.28-36.\u00a0 There upon the Mount of Transfiguration, the Lord is found amongst the saints, both of the Old and New Testaments.\u00a0 Each of them had a strong character, Moses being renowned for his meekness and faithfulness, Elijah for his determination and persistence, Peter for his zeal and energy, James and John, the sons of thunder, for their strong feelings and their patience in suffering.\u00a0 To none of these does the word “I am well pleased” come, only to Christ, who excelled them all in these characteristics.\u00a0 Each of them had unusual features about their death.\u00a0 Moses, for instance, (who should have taken the people into the land), had died and been buried by God outside the lan, because of his disobedience to the command of God, Deuteronomy 34:5,6.\u00a0 But Christ died in obedience, John 10:18; Romans 5:19 and subsequently entered in to the place to which He shall at last bring His people, even heaven itself.\u00a0 Elijah had a remarkable exodus from this world, for “there appeared a chariot of fire\u2026and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven,” 2 Kings 2:11.\u00a0 But still it remains true, that “no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven,” John 3:13.\u00a0 For there is all the difference between being rapt to heaven by Divine power, as Elijah, and ascending of one’s own authority, as Christ.\u00a0 Then again, the death of Peter was described by the Saviour Himself in John 21:18,19, as the death of an old man, and unwilling, in contrast to His own, which, although in the midst of His years, was one to which He pressed willingly.\u00a0 And as for James and John who declared they could drink of the cup of suffering that Christ would drink, and be baptised with His baptism, they could certainly be the first to say that their Saviour suffered much more than they could have endured.\u00a0 No wonder it was His decease that they spoke of upon the mountain!<\/p>\n

Then again, Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the prophets through whom God had spoken in the Old Testament, whilst Peter, James and John represent the writers of the New Testament.\u00a0 But despite their importance in this connection, the command, “Hear Him” comes from heaven with regard to Christ alone, for the voice of the prophets in both Old and New Testaments, and the voice of the Law are His voice.\u00a0 No wonder that when Peter sought to put the Lord on the same level as Moses and Elijah by making them each a tabernacle, the bright cloud overshadowed them and “they saw no man, save Jesus only,” Matthew 17:8.<\/p>\n

In the instances cited, then, the Beloved is separated from either the saints or the scorning sinners by the approving word from heaven.\u00a0 In Ephesians 1:6, however, He is deliberately associated by God with His people.\u00a0 They find themselves sharing the acceptance that God’s Son enjoys with His Father.\u00a0 And all this as a result of His sacrificial death on their behalf, for the apostle goes on to write of “redemption through His blood”, Ephesians 1:7.<\/p>\n

1:5\u00a0 And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The idea behind the word atonement is that of cover or shelter\u00a0 Thus the animal sacrifice is said to cover or shelter the one who offers it.\u00a0 Having sinned, Adam and his wife realised that they were no longer what they had been, or what they might have been, for they sought to cover themselves with aprons of fig leaves and to shelter amongst the trees of the garden.\u00a0 But they were taught of God that there was only one way to be covered and sheltered, as He made for them two coats from one skin, sacrifice having been made, Genesis 3:7,8,21.\u00a0 In this way they learned that only by means of a life laid down on their behalf could they be acceptable in the Divine Presence.\u00a0 But the coats of skin are only an illustration of the character and excellencies of Christ which were manifested perfectly in His life, and attributed to believers because of His death for them.<\/p>\n

There were three vital parts to any animal sacrifice, and they find their counterpart in the sacrifice of Christ.\u00a0 There was the killing of the animal, the consequent shedding of blood, and then the burning in the fire.\u00a0 Because of his shortcomings, (and all come short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23), the life of the offerer had been forfeited, and he had no right to continue to live upon the earth.\u00a0 He therefore needs to bring an animal that will die instead of him, that he might continue upon the earth\u00a0 The man’s past, however, has still not been dealt with, for although the animal has died his death, his shortcomings are still on God’s record and “God requireth that which is past” Ecclesiastes 3:15.\u00a0 Hence blood needs to be shed in atonement on his behalf.\u00a0 But if the animal victim is to be accepted as his substitute, then it must be able to endure the fiery test of the flames of Divine Holiness; for if God is going to accept the offering, and through it the person of the offerer, then He must do so on a holy basis.\u00a0 We often forget the intensity of Divine Holiness, that infinite separateness from all that is evil.\u00a0 In Isaiah’s vision, in chapter six of his prophecy, just the mention of the subject of God’s holiness by one seraph to another was enough to make the posts of the doors of the temple move.\u00a0 If then those flames of holiness can feed upon the parts that have been laid upon the altar, and if the smoke of the burning is one of sweet-savour, with no noxious fumes intermingling, then indeed Divine holiness is satisfied, and Divine requirements have been met.<\/p>\n

Now what was foreshadowed at the altar, was fulfilled at Calvary.\u00a0 For Christ has died, his blood has been shed, and He has been exposed to the fires of God’s Holiness.\u00a0 And not only so, has risen again to impart the blessings of His death to those who believe.\u00a0 Christ has died on behalf of His people, so that instead of being swept away from the earth as sinners in Adam, they might continue before God as believers in Christ.<\/p>\n

In addition, the blood of Christ has been shed.\u00a0 And that pure and holy soul of the Lord Jesus has been poured out unto death, without reserve, Isaiah 53:12 declared it would.\u00a0 The life (soul) of the flesh is in the blood Leviticus 17:11, and at last there was One found who was without fault, and whose life given up in sacrifice on behalf of others could be acceptable in the sight of God.<\/p>\n

But there is more still, for the Son of God was subjected to the searching flame of Divine Holiness, with the result that there ascended to God an odour of a sweet smell, delighting His heart, and with which He could be satisfied.\u00a0 Strange it is, but nonetheless true, that even whilst the Saviour was accomplishing the work of sin-bearing, He was still the object of His Father’s deepest affection, continuing to be the Only-begotten in the bosom of the Father, with nothing changed as to His eternal relationship to God.<\/p>\n

We must not think that because the Lord Jesus is said by the Scriptures to have been made sin, that this means He became a sinner, or sinful.\u00a0 Far be the thought!\u00a0 The sin-offering is expressly said to be holy; in fact, “most holy,” Leviticus 6:25,29.\u00a0 These words are also used to describe the innermost sanctuary of the Tabernacle.\u00a0 If the animal sacrifice was holy, how much more so the One who it prefigured.\u00a0 There was never a moment when the Lord Jesus was personally unholy, even when He was bearing the heavy load of others’ sins.\u00a0 So whilst God’s fiery anger consumed the sin-offering together with its accompanying sin, yet it is also true that the same fire, searching and penetrating as it was, only served to bring out the acceptableness of the burnt offering.\u00a0 The same fires of Divine holiness which burnt against Christ at Calvary, also served to bring out the acceptableness of His person.<\/p>\n

Notice that the three things we have mentioned are all said to have taken place under the close scrutiny of the Lord.\u00a0 For the killing is “before the Lord”.\u00a0 The blood is said to be “sprinkled round about upon the altar,” and the parts are laid upon the altar to be consumed by the flame, and this altar is “before the Lord,” Leviticus 16:18.\u00a0 How reassuring to the offerer as he looked back to the occasion when he brought his\u00a0 sacrifice, that all had met the approval of the Divine gaze, and all had been found acceptable when tested. And how reassuring also to the believer who looks back to Calvary and sees a work which in all its aspects was acceptable in the sight of God.\u00a0 He need not fear that some matter has been overlooked, and when noticed will be dealt with in the future.\u00a0 The Scripture is clear about the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary, that “by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,” Hebrews 10:14.<\/p>\n

With the burnt offering everything was upward in its tendency.\u00a0 The parts of the animal were lifted up upon the altar, the blood was sprinkled round about upon the altar, (and the altar being about three cubits high, this would be at eye-level), and the smoke and savour arose heavenwards.\u00a0 Interestingly, the altar of burnt offering was three cubits high, and three times in John’s gospel the death of Christ is spoken of as a lifting up, John 3:14: 8:28; 12:32.\u00a0 But with the sin-offering things were different, for the animal was burnt upon the ground, the blood was poured out upon the ground, and the flame descended to consume out of sight the offending article, sin.\u00a0 So there were these two aspects to the death of the Lord Jesus.\u00a0 In one sense His death was part of the journey back to heaven, His leaving of the world to go to the Father, John 16:28.\u00a0 And in another sense He was “brought into the dust of death,” Psalm 22:15, and “laid in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps,” Psalm 88:6.<\/p>\n

1:6\u00a0 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Next the offerer is commanded to skin the animal, and later we learn that the skin is to be the portion of the priest that offers the sacrifice on the part of the Israelite, Leviticus 7:8.\u00a0 The skin of the sin-offering was burnt with the rest of its flesh, so that apart from the fat that was burnt upon the altar, all was done away.\u00a0 In the case of the burnt offering, on the other hand, there is that which remains to be used by the priest subsequently, so that the desire of the individual offerer to present a sacrifice not only gratifies God and is the means of the man’s acceptance, but it goes towards the maintenance of the priesthood.\u00a0 We note from 1 Peter 2:5 that all who are born again are priests to God, so in the present era the offerer and the priest are one and the same person, engaged in the presentation of spiritual sacrifices, not animal ones.\u00a0 We can easily see from these things that the spiritual exercises and desires of the individual believer all tend to the maintenance and development of priestliness, so that, when met together as a holy priesthood, the sense of having a share in what has satisfied God’s heart so fills the soul with gratitude, that true and fervent worship is fostered.\u00a0 May it be that our personal exercises result in something which we can value as priests, and which we may make our own. To think that we are allowed to share God’s thoughts about His Son!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Note that the priest took to himself only that skin which was from the animal he had dealt with, as we learn from Leviticus 7:8.\u00a0 Spirituality is not contagious.\u00a0 Nor can it be developed by another on our behalf.\u00a0 It can and must come only through intense and disciplined exercise of heart, as 1 Timothy 4:6-16 indicates.\u00a0 One of the reasons why there may be barrenness at the gatherings for worship, is that there has not been during the previous days the development of spiritual qualities.\u00a0 Let us not think that godliness is some sort of mantle that may be put on at the entrance to the meeting-place.\u00a0 We may assume pious attitudes and use pious expressions, but the God with whom we have to do reads the heart.\u00a0 He hates hypocrisy, the putting on of a mask of respectability and pseudo-spirituality, and His word to the hypocrite now is the same as it was in the days of Christ’s flesh “Woe unto you\u2026hypocrites!” Mattew 23:13.<\/p>\n

The word used for “flay” in Leviticus 1:6 is the same as that which is used of the “stripping” of Joseph’s coat of many colours from him, Genesis 37:23.\u00a0 Alas, there have been, and are, those ready to strip the coat of many colours from the Greater than Joseph.\u00a0 They have no appreciation of the varied features of the character of Christ, which like Joseph’s coat, mark Him out as the firstborn, the beloved of His Father, Genesis 37:3; 48:22; 1 Chronicles 5:2.\u00a0 There were those like this at Colosse, calling themselves Gnostics, “knowing ones”, who sought to deprive Christ of His distinctive glories and unique character.\u00a0 Paul responds positively to their evil threat by reminding the Colossian believers of the titles which belong exclusively to the Lord Jesus, such as God’s dear Son, Image, Firstborn, Creator, Upholder, Head, The Beginning, the Pre-eminent One, the One in Whom dwells all fulness, Colossians 1:12-19.\u00a0 A coat of many colours indeed!<\/p>\n

But it was with different intentions that the offerer stripped the hide from his bullock.\u00a0 This action began the process of exposing the inner perfections of the animal, so that every part might be tested by the flame of the altar.\u00a0 If all met with Divine approval, then the man was accepted in the value of his substitute.\u00a0 We may be sure that what was true of the man’s bullock, is also gloriously true of the Lord Jesus, for no part of His person needs to be hidden from view, no part of His life fails to meet with God’s full and unreserved approval.\u00a0 There were no aspects of the person of Christ that were unacceptable, and it is in the value of such an offering that the believer has God’s full and unreserved approval too.<\/p>\n

1:7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Next we come to a part of the ceremony needing a considerable degree of intelligence and skill, to so separate the parts of the offering that they might be exposed to view upon the altar for the eye of God.\u00a0 By this means the inner excellence of the animal was revealed.\u00a0 Externally there must be no blemish, but there must be corresponding perfection internally also.\u00a0 Whilst there might be many animals able to stand this test, there was only one person.\u00a0 Only He could utter the words of Psalm 139:23,24 with perfect freedom. The psalmist had said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:”\u00a0 All, including the psalmist, would have to admit to grievous shortcomings after such an examination, but not the Lord Jesus.<\/p>\n

What a privilege to come as worshippers to the Father and “rejoice in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 3:3; to have that spiritual intelligence to speak to Him concerning the varied aspects of His matchless person.\u00a0 Not that God does not already know, of course, but He delights to have the appreciation of His people.\u00a0 As Joseph said, “Ye shall tell my father of all my glory,” Genesis 45:13.\u00a0 Laban’s sons reckoned glory in terms of what a man had acquired for himself Genesis 31:1.\u00a0 (The only other mention of glory in the book of Genesis which covers over two thousand years of human history). But Joseph’s glory lay in what he was able to be and do for others, as the ‘saviour of the world’, the meaning of his name in Genesis 41:45.
\nThis exercise cannot be carried out mechanically, but must be spontaneous, and the outcome of a life lived in the enjoyment of what Christ truly is.\u00a0 Contemplating Him with holy wonder, we shall develop in the heavenly art of appreciating His varied features, each one of which is finely balanced and perfectly integrated with the other.\u00a0 We shall never find a flaw or a short-coming in Him of whom the Father said, “in whom I am well-pleased”.\u00a0 Looking within, the Father saw everything that He sought for in the way of moral excellence.<\/p>\n

The fire of the altar was never to go out, Leviticus 6:13.\u00a0 So what are we to understand by the putting of fire upon the altar?\u00a0 Is it not that the priest was to bring burning embers onto a vacant space on the altar ready for the burning of the sacrifice?\u00a0 Exodus 27:3 speaks of the fire-pans and the shovels by which this may have been done.\u00a0 This was a holy exercise, to handle fire which had originally come down from heaven from God.\u00a0 It was not something to be done lightly, with a careless attitude.\u00a0 Even the seraphim in God’s presence cannot directly handle the fire of the altar, but must needs use tongs, Isaiah 6:6.\u00a0 Should not the Christian priest therefore fear lest he become over-familiar in the presence of God?\u00a0 Let us remember that He who is equal to the Father ascribed holiness to God in the words, “Holy Father,” John 17:11.\u00a0 Is this not the prime example of the way to handle the fire of Divine Holiness?\u00a0 Christians should respond to that word, “Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire,” Hebrews 12:29.<\/p>\n

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, found that God was indeed a consuming fire, for when they offered that which was strange in the presence of God, then “there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them,” Leviticus 10:2.\u00a0 They had erred in the use of fire and paid the price for so doing.\u00a0 And let us not think that because we live in an age marked by grace, that we may abuse our priestly position by not giving God the reverence due to His Holy Name.\u00a0 Our God is, (not just was in the law-age), a consuming fire.\u00a0 A case in point is the use of “You and Yours” in addressing Deity.\u00a0 If there were no alternative in the English language whereby the Person of God could be sanctified in our speaking, then there might be an excuse.\u00a0 But in fact the practise of addressing God with the words “Thee and Thou” is one which is easily learned, and presents no real difficulty to the spiritual mind.\u00a0 The same principle applies to the use of so-called translations of the Scriptures which adopt the modern form of address to God.\u00a0 For this reason, and for other strong reasons besides, they should be whole-heartedly jettisoned by all who wish to sanctify the Lord God in their hearts.\u00a0 Of course, patience may have to be exercised with regard to those newly saved, or those who have previously met with those who are not particular about these things, but patience must not be allowed to degenerate into indifference.<\/p>\n

But if the fire came down from heaven, the wood grew up on the earth.\u00a0 Nonetheless it was valued by God, for in Nehemiah 10:34 it is described as a wood offering.\u00a0 May we suggest that the wood represents those spiritual thoughts of Christ that are available when worship in engaged in, so that the fires of true devotion may be kept burning?\u00a0 There were those in Israel who were known as hewers of wood Joshua 9:27.\u00a0 May the Lord increase the number of their spiritual counterparts, who consider it their duty to see that the fire continually burns.\u00a0 Such will need to renounce worldly ambitions and hopes of financial gain, but may be assured that nothing which they do to further God’s interests will be forgotten by Him “who is not unrighteous to forget,” Hebrews 6:10.<\/p>\n

After his humbling experience when he had proudly numbered Israel, David reared up an altar on the threshing-floor of Araunah, 2 Samuel 24, where the hand of the destroying angel was stayed, and he sacrificed the oxen to the Lord, using the threshing instruments as wood for the fire.\u00a0 These he refused to accept as a gift from Araunah, but said, “neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing”.\u00a0 An important principle this, and one we would do well to follow, by ensuring that a sacrifice is really a sacrifice.<\/p>\n

Proverbs 26:20 says that “where no wood is, there the fire goeth out”, and how sadly this may be true in the lives and gatherings of the Lord’s people.\u00a0 It will not be the case if there is a constant and diligent study of the Scriptures, our only source of material if our minds are to be stocked with that which will please our Father as we draw near in worship.\u00a0 The adoption of a regularised ritual, and of man-appointed ‘leaders of worship’, or extensive singing, is surely no substitute for the fresh thoughts of Christ which the Spirit of God is so ready to impart to the one desirous of such things, John 16:14.<\/p>\n

1:8 And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Note the reversal of the order of the words in the mention of the priests in verses 7 and 8.\u00a0 In the one instance it is “the sons of Aaron the priest”, whilst in the other they are described as “the priests, Aaron’s sons”.\u00a0 In the one their descent as sons is in view, in the other their dignity as priests is emphasised.\u00a0 These two things are presented to us by the apostle Peter as he writes about the Christian priesthood in his first epistle.\u00a0 He uses various expressions which lead us to think of these two aspects of the believer as a priest.\u00a0 For instance, in the first chapter, he writes of “being begotten again,” verse 3, of “obedient children,” verse 14, of “calling on the Father,” verse 17, of “being born again, not of corruptible seed (offspring), but of incorruptible,” verse 23, and in the second chapter of “new-born babes,” verse 2, and of a “chosen generation,” verse 9.<\/p>\n

We learn from these phrases, coming as they do in the context which deals with Christian priests, that all who are truly born again are priests unto God, without exception.\u00a0 How successful has Satan been for so long!\u00a0 Centuries of the Christian era have rolled their course and the generally accepted idea amongst the ranks of professed believers has been that priesthood is the reserve of the clergy, who act for the laity in the presence of God.\u00a0 This is not Christianity in action, it is Judaism, with pagan overtones.\u00a0 No doubt through the age there have always been those who have appreciated the truth, and have enjoyed ministering to the heart of God in private, but the public image of Christianity has been one of a priestly class acting vicariously for others.<\/p>\n

There is no need for any of us in our day to follow the trend.\u00a0 We need to clear our minds of any notion that the ordinary believer is under-privileged and has no right to act in God’s presence without assistance.\u00a0 As believers we need to ensure that the circumstances in which we meet for worship do in fact foster the free exercise of our birthright.<\/p>\n

As we have suggested, priesthood is not only a matter of descent, but of dignity also.\u00a0 So we find Peter describing priests as “laying aside all malice,” 1 Peter 2:1, as “chosen”, “royal” and “holy”, and as “a peculiar people,” (that is, a people for God’s own possession), and as those who “show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light, 1 Peter 2:9.\u00a0 Darkness surrounded the top of Sinai when the Law was given, Hebrews 12:18, but believers have not been called by God into darkness, but rather, have been invited to draw near into the marvellous light of His glorious presence.\u00a0 What more dignified position could possibly be given them?\u00a0 And not only this, they have the holy privilege of seeking to display His excellencies.\u00a0 Priests under the law wore garments of glory and beauty, Exodus 28:40.\u00a0 How much more should priests under grace “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 13:14, having “put off all malice,” 1 Peter 2:1.\u00a0 So shall His glory and beauty be displayed in this world of shame and dishonour.<\/p>\n

So it is that in the full dignity of their office the priests handle the sacrifice and lay the parts in order.\u00a0 The two parts mentioned in this verse being the head and the fat.\u00a0 The head is that member which controls the rest of the body and therefore speaks of the mind and the intelligence, whereas the fat of an animal constitutes its stored-up reserves of energy.\u00a0 The word used for “fat” is not the same word as is used in connection with the peace offering, where particular concentrations of fat in the body of the animal are in view, but rather, the grease which occurs throughout the entire body.\u00a0 So we have in these two items that which affects the whole of the rest of the body.\u00a0 The mind governing the action and reaction of every part and the fat supplying reserves of energy to the whole.
\nDo we not see in Christ the perfect combination of intelligence and energy?\u00a0 His was no “zeal without knowledge” Romans 10:2, but He was ever governed by an intelligent insight into the will of His Father.\u00a0 How often we read in John’s Gospel of “Jesus knowing” and such references as John 2:24; 3:11; 4:1; 5:6; 6:15; 7:29; 8:14; 11:42; 13:1,3; 13:11; 18:4; 19:28, would well repay further study.\u00a0 The basis of this awareness was His knowledge of the Father Himself.\u00a0 John’s testimony was that “no man hath seen God at any time; the Only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him,” John 1:18.\u00a0 The verb John uses means to see with the eye or with the mind and both these meanings find their place here.\u00a0 For it is certainly true that no man has physically seen God at any time, nor has gained full insight into the nature of God, but this Christ claims to have, as the Only-begotten of the Father.\u00a0 In His earthly ministry He imparted this knowledge through the words He spoke, telling men things about God of which the Law could never have informed them, see John 1:17.\u00a0 As the Only Begotten in the Father\u2018s bosom He tells out the heart of God, and as the Word, He tells out God\u2018s mind.\u00a0 It is this knowledge of the Father that governed the activities of the Lord Jesus, as in the language of the type we are considering, the head and the fat were together.\u00a0 May the Lord grant that as His people, in our measure, we may combine knowledge with action, that Mary-like, we may sit at His feet and learn of Him, and Martha-like, may busy ourselves in service for Him, Luke 10:38-42.<\/p>\n

Let us never despise knowledge.\u00a0 It is true that the apostle Paul wrote “knowledge puffeth up,” 1 Corinthians 8:1, but the context will show that he meant knowledge without love.\u00a0 May the apostle’s prayer for the Ephesians be answered in us too, that the Spirit of God in His character as the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, may so affect us, that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened, as we develop in the knowledge of Himself, Ephesians 1:17,18.\u00a0 The word the apostle used for “enlightened” is the one from which the English language derives ‘to photograph’.\u00a0 Just as light passes through the ‘eye’ or lens of a camera onto the sensitive film at the back, producing an impression of the object focussed upon, so believers, as they concentrate on the things of God and as they allow the Spirit to do His work of revealing Divine things, 1 Corinthians 2:9,10, will find that their souls are flooded with the light of the knowledge of God, and permanent impressions are thereby produced.<\/p>\n

A further lesson is apparent from the verse under consideration, for we read that the head and the fat were to be laid in order.\u00a0 Does this not mean, in the absence of any indication otherwise, that these items were to be arranged on the altar in the same way as they were distributed through the animal’s body?\u00a0 Thus there was a Divine order about the sacrifice as it lay upon the altar, for the Creator of the animal had distributed the parts as He willed, and now they are found in that same order in sacrifice.\u00a0 It is well for Christian worshippers if they are able to intelligently review the person of Christ in God’s presence so that He is reminded afresh of those features in the life of Christ which were found there in an order and arrangement which satisfied His desire.\u00a0 This order was never disturbed, not even in death, for whilst all around there was uproar and turmoil, there was a calm repose about the bearing of the Lord Jesus, even when He was under the most extreme pressure of abuse, injustice and pain.\u00a0 Never at any time were Divine principles jettisoned, or Divine commands flouted.\u00a0 Always there was an energetic accomplishment of the will of His Father, in accordance with His perfect insight into that will as the Son.<\/p>\n

Thus the fat that the animal would ‘burn up’ to supply it with energy during life, is now burnt up upon the altar to assist the action of the fire. Correspondingly, the energy of the life and ministry of Christ are matched by the enthusiasm of His sacrificial death.\u00a0 In fact, one of the words used in the New Testament for sacrifice is “thusia”, from which comes the English word for enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

Again two parts of the animal are mentioned together, one being internal, the other external.\u00a0 In this respect they are like the head and the fat.\u00a0 Every aspect of the person of Christ was alike pleasing and acceptable to His Father, whether during thirty largely secret years or three and a half years of public ministry.\u00a0 Whether days of preaching and healing, or nights of praying.\u00a0 Whether closeted with His own in the Upper Room, or discoursing amongst the throng in the Temple Courts.\u00a0 Whether welcomed by the multitude with their hosannas, or hounded to death with their blood-thirsty cry.\u00a0 The ‘unseen years’ were pleasing to God, for at the end of them the word of approval came to Christ on the banks of the Jordan.\u00a0 And the public years were alike satisfying to God’s heart, for again there came the word from heaven to the Lord when He was upon the “holy mount”.\u00a0 His death too, met with Divine approval for He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, Romans 6:4.\u00a0 The Father’s glory demanded that such a person be raised from the dead.<\/p>\n

1:9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

What are we to glean from the fact that the water needed to be applied to both inwards and legs in the burnt offering, thus cleansing away any defilement that would make it unfit to offer?\u00a0 Was there defilement with Christ that needed to be washed away before He was acceptable as a sacrifice?\u00a0 Far be the thought!\u00a0 The reverse is the case, for He was “ready to die from His youth up,” Psalm 88:15.\u00a0 John the Baptist could look upon Jesus as He walked and say “Behold the Lamb of God!” for He was fit and ready even then, although the right time had not come.\u00a0 Peter, John and Paul when they allude to the sinlessness of Christ, do so in connection with His sacrificial work.\u00a0 “Who his own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree”, “Who did no sin” 1 Peter 2:24,22.\u00a0 “And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin” 1 John 3:5.\u00a0 “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin,” 2 Corinthians 5:21.\u00a0 So the writers of the New Testament are united in their testimony regarding the sinlessness of the appointed sacrifice.<\/p>\n

So what is the washing indicating to us, since it is not the idea that Christ had defilement needing to be purged?\u00a0 It is the lesson of contrast.\u00a0 When the animal provides a comparison with the person of Christ, then we may draw the comparison, but when a certain detail, because of the nature of things, supplies contrast, then the lesson must be drawn from contrast.\u00a0 We see this done constantly in the Epistle to the Hebrews, with its inspired commentary on the Levitical system.\u00a0 For instance, Aaron and Christ are both spoken of as priests, and as such are compared.\u00a0 But they are also contrasted, for whilst Aaron was of the Levitical order, Christ’s priesthood is after the order of Melchizedek.\u00a0 Again, both the bodies of animals and the body of the Lord Jesus are spoken of as sacrifices, thus affording interesting comparisons, but they are also seen in sharp contrast, both in nature and effect.<\/p>\n

Applying this principle, what do we learn?\u00a0 The ceremonial washing of the animal was to make it typically, what Christ was actually.\u00a0 He alone of all men that have walked upon the earth was both inwardly and outwardly pure.\u00a0 He was no whited sepulchre, appearing beautiful outwardly, but within\u00a0 full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness, Matthew 23:27.\u00a0 No defilement found its rise in His heart, nor could the pollution of this wicked world gain an entry from without.\u00a0 Conceived in the virgin Mary by the action of the Holy Spirit, He was free from that fallen nature which all other men inherit from their federal head Adam.\u00a0 Free also from the state of sin which possession of that fallen nature entailed, and free from its tendency to sin.<\/p>\n

So it was that the “Holy thing” which was born of Mary was called the Son of God, being totally separate from this world, Luke 1:34,35.\u00a0 Whilst all other men are “of this world,” He was “not of this world,” John 8:23,\u00a0 not sharing its corrupt life, not “of it” in any sense at all.\u00a0 This truth has its implications for believers as well, for the Lord Himself described believers as “not of the world, even as I am not of the world,” John 17:14.\u00a0 Crucified with Christ to cut them off from the life of Adam’s world, and born from above to give them a share in the life of heaven, they have the joy of fellowship with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ, Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20; 1 John 1:1-4.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THE BURNT OFFERING:\u00a0 PART 2 THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS CHAPTER 1, VERSES 4 TO 9. \u00a01:4\u00a0 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1:5\u00a0 And he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[226],"tags":[278,284,337,347,642,678],"class_list":["post-1039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-burnt-offering-part-2","tag-acceptance","tag-altar","tag-calvary","tag-christ","tag-priest","tag-sacrifice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1039"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1039\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiangospel.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}