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diff --git a/26384.txt b/26384.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b7152a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/26384.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2195 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Separation and Service, by James Hudson Taylor + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Separation and Service + or Thoughts on Numbers VI, VII. + +Author: James Hudson Taylor + +Release Date: August 21, 2008 [EBook #26384] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SEPARATION AND SERVICE *** + + + + +Produced by Free Elf, Verity White and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +Separation and Service + +OR + +THOUGHTS ON + +NUMBERS VI, VII. + +BY +J. HUDSON TAYLOR. + + +London +MORGAN & SCOTT, 12, PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS, E.C. +CHINA INLAND MISSION, NEWINGTON GREEN, N. + + + + +PRINTED BY +WOODFALL AND KINDER, LONG ACRE +LONDON + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + Separation and Service. + + PAGE + Introductory 7 + + + PART I. + + SEPARATION TO GOD: Numbers vi, 1-21. + + Institution of the Order of Nazarites 11 + Implicit Obedience 13 + Entire Consecration 16 + Holiness to the LORD 19 + Unwitting Defilement 22 + The Heinousness of Sin 23 + Cleansing only through Sacrifice 25 + Acceptance only in CHRIST 27 + The Presentation of the Nazarites 33 + The Law of the Offerings 35 + The Burnt-Offering 39 + The Sin and Peace-Offerings 41 + + + PART II. + + THE BLESSING OF GOD: Numbers vi, 22-27. + + Why Found Here? 44 + The Real Meaning of Blessing 49 + The Three-fold Benediction 52 + The Blessing of the FATHER 53 + The Second Person of the Trinity 60 + The Blessing of the SON and BRIDEGROOM 63 + The LORD, the SPIRIT 70 + The Blessing of the HOLY SPIRIT 73 + Sealing with the Name of GOD 80 + + + PART III. + + PRINCELY SERVICE: Numbers vii. + + The Constraint of Love 89 + GOD'S Delight in Love-gifts 90 + Free-will Offerings 93 + Gladsome Acceptance 96 + According to his Service 101 + The Dedicatory Offerings 107 + The Display of the Gifts 109 + The Person of the Offerer 113 + The Importance of the Altar 117 + + + + +Separation and Service. + +Numbers vi, vii. + + +INTRODUCTORY. + +For many years these chapters had no special interest to me; but I have +never ceased to be thankful that I was early led to read the Word of GOD +in regular course: it was through this habit that these chapters first +became specially precious to me. I was travelling on a missionary tour +in the province of CHEH-KIANG, and had to pass the night in a very +wicked town. All the inns were dreadful places; and the people seemed to +have their consciences seared, and their hearts sealed against the +Truth. My own heart was oppressed, and could find no relief; and I awoke +the next morning much cast down, and feeling spiritually hungry and +thirsty indeed. + +On opening my Bible at the seventh chapter of Numbers, I felt as though +I could not then read that long chapter of repetitions; that I _must_ +turn to some chapter that would feed my soul. And yet I was not happy in +leaving my regular portion; so after a little conflict I resolved to +read it, praying to GOD to bless me, even through Numb. vii. I fear +there was not much faith in the prayer; but oh! how abundantly it was +answered, and what a feast GOD gave me! He revealed to me His own great +heart of love, and gave me the key to understand this and the previous +chapter as never before. May GOD make our meditations upon them as +helpful to others as they were then and have ever since continued to be +to myself. + +Much is revealed in these chapters in germ which is more fully brought +out in the New Testament. Under the Old Covenant many blessings were +enjoyed in measure and for a season, which in this dispensation are ours +in their fulness and permanence. For instance, the atoning sacrifices of +the seventh month had to be repeated every year; but CHRIST, in offering +Himself once for all, perfected for ever them that are sanctified. The +Psalmist needed to pray, "Take not Thy HOLY SPIRIT from me;" but CHRIST +has given us the COMFORTER to abide with us for ever. In like manner the +Israelite might vow the vow of a Nazarite and separate himself unto GOD +for a season; but it is the privilege of the Christian believer to know +himself as always separated to GOD. Many other lessons, which are +hidden from careless and superficial readers, are suggested by these +chapters, which the HOLY SPIRIT will reveal to prayerful students of His +most precious and most perfect Book. + +The portions we have selected consist of first a short chapter, and then +a very long one, which at first sight appears to have no special +connection with it. But on more careful reflection we shall see that the +order of the subjects referred to shows that there is really a natural +and close connection between them. We shall find that Separation to GOD +is followed by Blessing from GOD; and that those who receive large +blessing from Him, in turn render to Him acceptable Service: service in +which GOD takes delight, and which He places in everlasting +remembrance. + + + + +PART I. + +Separation to GOD. + +NUMB. VI. 1-21. + + +THE INSTITUTION OF THE ORDER OF NAZARITES. + +The first twenty-one verses of Numb. vi. give us an account of the +institution and ordinances of the order of Nazarites. And let us note at +the outset that this institution, like every other good and perfect +gift, came from above; that GOD Himself gave this privilege--unasked--to +His people; thereby showing His desire that "whosoever will" of His +people may be brought into closest relationship to Himself. + +It was very gracious of GOD to _permit_ His people to become Nazarites. +Israel might have been "a kingdom of priests;" but through their own sin +they had nationally forfeited this privilege, and a special family had +been set apart to the priesthood. GOD, however, still opened the way for +individuals who wished to draw near to Him to do so, and for any period +which their own hearts might dictate. + +But it is important to notice that though the vow might only be one of +temporary consecration, yet it involved while it lasted an + + ABSOLUTE ACCEPTANCE + +of the will of GOD, even in regard to matters which might appear trivial +and unimportant. So, in the present day, GOD is willing to give to His +people fulness of blessing, but it must be on His own lines. Though we +are not our own, it is, alas! possible to live as though we were; +devotion to GOD is still a voluntary thing; hence the differences of +attainment among Christians. While salvation is a free gift, the +"winning CHRIST" can only be through unreserved consecration and +unquestioning obedience. Nor is this a hardship, but the highest +privilege. + +Let us now look into the law of the Nazarite. + + +IMPLICIT OBEDIENCE: verses 3, 4. + + _"He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall + drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall + he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All + the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the + vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk."_ + +The first thing that we note is, that as the obedience of Adam was +tested in the Garden by the prohibition of one tree--a tree pleasant to +look upon, and good for food--so was the obedience of the Nazarite +tested. He was not forbidden to eat poison berries, nor was he merely +required to abstain from the wine and strong drink which might easily +become a snare; fresh grapes and dried raisins were equally prohibited. +It was not that the thing was harmful in itself, but that the doing the +will of GOD, in a matter of seeming indifference, was essential to his +acceptance. + +Not less true is this of the Christian Nazarite. Whether he eat or +drink, or whatsoever he do, the will of GOD and not self-indulgence must +be his one aim. Christians often get into perplexity about worldly +allurements by asking, Where is the sin of this, or the danger of that? +There _may_ be danger that the questioner cannot see: Satan's baits +often skilfully conceal a sharp hook; but supposing that the thing be +harmless, it does not follow that it would be pleasing to GOD, or +spiritually helpful. + +The fruit of the vine is a type of earth-born pleasures; those who would +enjoy Nazarite nearness to GOD must count His love "better than wine." +To win CHRIST, the Apostle Paul gladly suffered the loss of all things, +and counted them as dross and dung for the excellency of the knowledge +of CHRIST JESUS his LORD. The things he gave up were not bad things, but +good--things that in themselves were gain to him; and CHRIST Himself for +our redemption emptied Himself, and came to seek not His own, but the +will of Him that sent Him. + +The highest service demands the greatest sacrifice, but it secures the +fullest blessing and the greatest fruitfulness. CHRIST _could not remain +in His FATHER'S bosom and redeem the world; missionaries cannot win the +heathen and enjoy their home surroundings; nor can they be adequately +sustained without the loving sacrifices of many friends and donors. You, +dear reader, know the MASTER'S choice; what is YOURS? is it to do His +will even if it mean to leave all for Him, to give all to Him?_ + + +ENTIRE CONSECRATION: verse 5. + +_"All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come +upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth +himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of +the hair of his head grow."_ + +We have already seen that GOD tested the obedience of the Nazarite in +the matter of food: pleasing GOD was rather to be chosen than the most +tempting cluster of grapes. But in the foregoing words we find that his +obedience is further tested, and this in a way which to many might prove +a more severe trial. GOD claims the right of determining the personal +appearance of His servant, and directs that separated ones should be +manifestly such. To many minds there is the greatest shrinking from +appearing peculiar; but GOD would often have His people unmistakably +peculiar. We sometimes hear the argument, "all the world" thinks this, +or does that, given as a reason for our doing likewise; but that is an +argument that should have no weight with the Christian, who is commanded +_not_ to be conformed to the world. While we are not to seek to be +peculiar for its own sake, we are not to hesitate to be so when duty to +GOD renders it necessary, or when the privilege of self-denial for the +benefit of others calls for it. + +Further, this command again reminded the Nazarite that he was not his +own, but was utterly the LORD'S; that GOD claimed the very hair of his +head. He was not at liberty to cut or trim it as he saw fit, nor to wear +it as long or as short as might be agreeable to himself. So absolute was +GOD'S claim upon him, that not merely while his vow lasted was that hair +to be recognised as GOD'S possession, but when his vow was fulfilled the +whole of it was to be shaved off, and was to be burnt upon the altar. +Like the burnt-offering, it was to be recognised as for GOD'S use alone, +whether or not any utilitarian purpose were accomplished by the +sacrifice. + +So now, in the present dispensation, we are told "the very hairs of +your head are all numbered"--so minute is GOD'S care for His people, so +watchful is He over all that affects them. It is beautiful to see the +fond love of a young mother as she passes her fingers through the silken +locks of her darling child--her treasure and her delight; _but she never +counts those hairs_. He only, who is the source of mother-love, does +that! And shall not _we_, who are not our own, but bought with a price, +_gladly_ render to Him _all_ we are and have--every member of our body, +every fibre of our being, every faculty of our mind, all our will-power, +and all our love? + + +HOLINESS TO THE LORD: verses 6-8. + + _"All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall + come at no dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his + father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, + when they die; because the consecration of his GOD is upon his + head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD."_ + +Here we have a most solemn and important prohibition--to refrain from +all uncleanness caused by contact with death. Death is the wages of sin: +the consecrated one was alike to keep aloof from sin and from its +consequences. + +No requirement of GOD'S Word is more clear than the command to honour +and obey our earthly parents; but even for his father or mother a +Nazarite might not _defile_ himself: "he that loveth father or mother +more than ME, is not worthy of ME." + +But let no young Christian think lightly of the requirements of parents, +when these do _not_ conflict with GOD'S written Word. Young Christians +are sometimes distressed because their desire to preach the Gospel to +the heathen has been opposed by parents: such should be encouraged to +_thank_ GOD for the obstacle; and to seek by prayer its removal. When +they have learnt to move man through GOD at home, they will be the +better prepared to do the same thing in the mission-field. Where there +is fitness for the work, the way will probably be made plain after a +time of patient waiting. + +These verses teach us that mere contact with death is defiling: how vain +then is the imagination of the unconverted that by dead works--the best +efforts of those who are themselves dead in trespasses and sins--they +can render themselves acceptable to GOD! The good works of the unsaved +may indeed benefit their fellow-creatures; but until life in CHRIST has +been received, they cannot please GOD. + + +UNWITTING DEFILEMENT: verses 9-12. + + _"If any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head + of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his + cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. And on the eighth + day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the + priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the + priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a + burnt-offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned + by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. And he shall + consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall + bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass-offering: but the + days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was + defiled."_ + +A most important truth is here taught--that even unwitting contact with +death might bring sin upon the Nazarite. Sometimes we are tempted to +excuse ourselves, and to forget the absolute sinfulness of sin, apart +altogether from the question of premeditation, or even of consciousness, +_at the time_, on our part. The one who became defiled, _was defiled_, +whether intentionally or not; GOD'S requirement was absolute, and where +not fulfilled the vow was broken; the sin-offering had to be offered, +and the service recommenced. + + +THE HEINOUSNESS OF SIN. + +The teaching here, and that of offerings for sins of ignorance, is much +needed in this day, when there is a dangerous tendency in some quarters +to regard sin as misfortune, and not as guilt. The awful _character_ of +sin is shown to mankind by its _consequences_. Man's heart is so +darkened by the Fall, and by personal sinfulness, that otherwise he +would regard sin as a very small matter. But when we think of all the +pain that men and women have endured since the Creation, of all the +miseries of which this world has been witness, of all the sufferings of +the animal creation, and of the eternal as well as temporal consequences +of sin, we must see that that which has brought such a harvest of misery +into the world is far more awful than sin-blinded men have thought it to +be. + +The highest evidence, however, of the terrible character of sin is to be +found at the Cross; that it needed such a sacrifice--the sacrifice of +the SON of GOD--to bring in atonement and everlasting salvation, is +surely the most convincing proof of its heinous character. + +Death was brought into the world by sin; and, like all the other +consequences of sin, it is loathsome and defiling. Man seeks to adorn +death; the pageantry of the funeral, the attractiveness of the cemetery, +all show this. The Egyptian sought in vain to make the mortal body +incorruptible by embalming it. But we have to bury our dead out of our +sight, and the believer is taught to look forward to the resurrection. + + +CLEANSING ONLY THROUGH SACRIFICE. + +Let us not lose sight of the fact that the accidental death of any one +near the Nazarite--that the thoughtless putting forth of the hand +even--might violate his vow of consecration as truly, if not as +guiltily, as an act of deliberate transgression; in either case all the +previous time was lost, and the period of consecration had to be +recommenced after his cleansing. And that cleansing could only be +brought about through sacrifice; the sin-offering must _die_; the +burnt-offering must _die_; without shedding of blood there could be no +remission. So serious was the effect of transgression--and yet, thank +GOD, it was not irremediable. + +The bearing of this on the life of consecration to GOD in the present +day is important. Nearness to GOD calls for tenderness of conscience, +thoughtfulness in service, and implicit obedience. If we become +conscious of the slightest failure, even through inadvertence, let us +not excuse it, but at once humble ourselves before GOD, and confess it, +seeking forgiveness and cleansing on the ground of the accepted +sacrifice of CHRIST. GOD'S Word is, "If we confess our sins, He is +faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and _to cleanse us_ from all +unrighteousness." This cleansing must be accepted by faith, and a walk +"in the light" be at once resumed. And shall we not reverently ask and +trust the HOLY SPIRIT to guard and keep us from inadvertence, and to +bring to our remembrance those things which we may be in danger of +forgetting? + + +ACCEPTANCE ONLY IN CHRIST: verses 13-15. + + _"And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his + separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the + tabernacle of the congregation; And he shall offer his offering + unto the LORD, one he-lamb of the first year without blemish for + a burnt-offering, and one ewe-lamb of the first year without + blemish for a sin-offering, and one ram without blemish for + peace-offerings, and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine + flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed + with oil, and their meat-offering, and their drink-offerings."_ + +Having seen the character of the vow of the Nazarite, and of the +ordinances to be observed should the vow be violated, the case of a +Nazarite who has duly fulfilled his vow is next dealt with. He has +carried out all GOD'S requirements, and his conscience is void of +offence: before GOD and man he is blameless. May he not now congratulate +himself, and claim some measure of merit, seeing he has rendered to GOD +an acceptable service, and among men has borne a consistent testimony? +The offerings to be made on the conclusion of his vow give an impressive +answer to this question, and bring out the important difference between +being _blameless_ and being _sinless_. Having fulfilled the ordinances +he was blameless; but the necessity alike for sin-offering, for +burnt-offering, and for peace offering, remind us of the sin of our holy +things; and that not our worst, but our best, is only acceptable to GOD +through the atonement of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. + +While, however, the best services of the believer can neither give full +satisfaction to his own enlightened conscience, nor be acceptable to GOD +save through JESUS CHRIST, it is very blessed to know how fully all his +needs are met in CHRIST, and how truly he is accepted in Him, and +enabled to give very real joy to GOD our FATHER, which issues in the +bestowal of His richest blessings. Very imperfect--sometimes worse than +useless, is the attempt of a little child to please and serve its +parent; but where the parent sees an effort to do his will, and to give +him pleasure, is not the service gladly accepted, and the parent's +heart greatly rejoiced? Thus it is our privilege to be Nazarites, only +and always Nazarites, and through CHRIST JESUS to give joy and +satisfaction by our imperfect service to our heavenly FATHER. The +following anonymous lines, taken from a leaflet,[A] beautifully +illustrate this thought:-- + + I was sitting alone in the twilight, + With spirit troubled and vexed, + With thoughts that were morbid and gloomy, + And faith that was sadly perplexed. + + Some homely work I was doing + For the child of my love and care; + Some stitches half-wearily setting + In the endless need of repair. + + But my thoughts were about "the building," + The work some day to be tried; + And that only the gold and the silver, + And the precious stones should abide; + + And, remembering my own poor efforts, + The wretched work I had done, + And, even when trying most truly, + The meagre success I had won; + + "It is nothing but wood, hay, and stubble," + I said; "it will all be burned-- + This useless fruit of the talents + One day to be returned; + + "And I have so longed to serve Him, + And sometimes I _know_ I have tried; + But I'm sure, when He sees such a building, + He will never let it abide." + + Just then, as I turned the garment + That no rent should be left behind, + My eye caught an odd little bungle + Of mending and patchwork combined. + + My heart grew suddenly tender, + And something blinded my eyes, + With one of those sweet intuitions + That sometimes makes us so wise. + + Dear child, she wanted to help me; + I knew 'twas the best she could do; + But oh, what a botch she had made it-- + The grey mis-matching the blue! + + And yet--can you understand it? + With a tender smile and a tear, + And a half-compassionate yearning, + I felt her grown more dear. + + Then a sweet voice broke the silence, + And the dear Lord said to me-- + "Art thou tenderer for the little child + Than I am tender for thee." + + Then straightway I knew His meaning, + So full of compassion and love; + And my faith came back to its Refuge, + Like the glad returning dove. + + For I thought when the Master Builder + Comes down His temple to view, + To see what rents must be mended, + And what must be builded anew; + + Perhaps, as He looks o'er the building, + He will bring my work to the light, + And, seeing the marring and bungling, + And how far it all is from right, + + He will feel as I felt for my darling, + And will say as I said for her-- + "Dear child, she wanted to help me, + And love for me was the spur; + + "And, for the real love that was in it, + The work shall seem perfect as mine; + And because it was willing service, + I will crown it with plaudit divine." + + And there, in the deepening twilight, + I seemed to be clasping a Hand, + And to feel a great love constraining me, + Stronger than any command. + + Then I knew, by the thrill of sweetness, + 'Twas the hand of the Blessed One, + Which would tenderly guide and hold me, + Till all the labour is done. + + So my thoughts are never more gloomy, + My faith no longer is dim: + But my heart is strong and restful, + And mine eyes are unto HIM. + +[A: Published under the title, "The Voice in the Twilight," by Holness, +14, Paternoster Row, 6d. per hundred, post free.] + + +THE PRESENTATION OF THE NAZARITE. + +Let us now look into the law of the Nazarite when the days of his +separation were fulfilled. The first thing that strikes our notice is, +"He shall be brought," not, he shall come. Why is this? and why is it +that the law is so explicit as to every detail of ritual and service, +scarcely leaving any room for voluntary action?--we say _scarcely_, +because in the twenty-first verse there is one little clause, "Beside +that that his hand shall get," which does leave room for additional +tokens of gratitude and love. + +The answer seems to be, that the voluntary part of Nazarite service lay +first and chiefly in the surrender to become a Nazarite. In that +position he was not his own, as we have pointed out, and the MASTER whom +he served naturally and consistently directed the service. + +Again, does not, "He shall be brought" imply that, Nazarite as he was, +he still needed priestly ministration to present himself, and his +finished service, before the LORD? And our HIGH PRIEST, who is now able +to keep us from falling to the end of our surrendered service, waits to +present us with exceeding joy, "faultless before the presence of His +glory"--"holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight." + + +THE LAW OF THE OFFERINGS. + +When we come to the offerings enumerated in v. 14, we notice that they +are mentioned in the almost invariable _order of enumeration_--first the +burnt-offering, then the sin-offering, and lastly the peace offering; +but when in v. 16 we come to the offering up of the sacrifices, we +notice that _as always_ the sin-offering is the _first to be offered_. + +It is somewhat remarkable that the actual order of offering, and the +order of enumeration should not correspond; and it is likewise +noteworthy that the sacrifice which was always offered first, when +offered at all, was _comparatively_ insignificant in point of value, and +much less frequently called for in the services of the Levitical ritual. +For instance, in Numbers xxviii, xxix, the daily offering was a +burnt-offering of a he-lamb morning and evening, with the corresponding +accompaniments of fine flour mingled with oil, and a drink-offering of +wine. On the Sabbath Day an additional burnt-offering of two lambs with +their meat-offering and drink-offering was required. At the time of the +new moon, the additional offering was of two bullocks, one ram, and +seven lambs, with their meat and drink-offerings, for a burnt-offering, +while one he-goat sufficed for a sin-offering. The same offerings were +offered at the Feasts of Passover and Pentecost. On several other +occasions the offerings were nearly of the same proportions; while +during the Feast of Tabernacles the offerings commenced with thirteen +bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs for a burnt-offering to one +he-goat for a sin-offering. + +The same disproportion of number and value may be noticed on many +occasions between the sin-offering and the peace offering. A striking +example of this was the sacrifice of peace-offerings made by Solomon on +the dedication of the temple to the number of 22,000 oxen, and 120,000 +sheep. + +We cannot but see that teaching of the most important character is to be +gathered from these facts; and is it not clear that while the need of +forgiveness and cleansing is never to be lost sight of, it is _not_ +intended that a sense of the presence and defilement of sin should be +the prominent feature of the service of GOD? On the great Day of +Atonement Israel's sin was confessed _and put away_; and thenceforward +the daily and the Sabbath worship was that of whole burnt-offering. At +the special festivals a he-goat was sacrificed for sin; but, as we have +seen, the burnt-offerings, which speak of acceptance by, and devotion +to, GOD were the principal features. It is the purpose of GOD that in +the present dispensation His people should have and enjoy _full +assurance_ of salvation through the offering of JESUS CHRIST once for +all; and more than this, should know that He who "died for their +offences, and was raised again for their justification," henceforth +"liveth unto GOD;" _in order_ that His people may likewise "reckon +themselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto GOD, in JESUS +CHRIST our LORD." In JESUS CHRIST there is no condemnation. In JESUS +CHRIST, the law of the SPIRIT of life hath set me "free from the law of +sin and of death." By the will of GOD "we are sanctified, through the +offering of the body of JESUS CHRIST once for all;" and by "that one +offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." + + +THE BURNT-OFFERING. + +To return to the order of enumeration: the burnt-offering is always +mentioned first, because it is the highest in character, and gave most +pleasure to GOD. It was wholly the LORD'S; no part of it was eaten by +the priest who offered it, nor by the offerer who presented it, it was +all and only for GOD'S satisfaction. When Noah offered his +burnt-offering, the LORD smelled a sweet savour, and blessed him and +his posterity. When Abraham in purpose offered up his son Isaac, GOD +said, "By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast +done this thing, ... that in blessing I will bless thee, and in +multiplying I will multiply thy seed; ... and thy seed shall possess the +gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth +be blessed." + +The burnt-offering tells us of the perfect and accepted righteousness of +CHRIST, in virtue of which the imperfect believer and his imperfect +service are accepted by GOD. But it also reminds the believer of his +privilege to _surrender himself_ as a living sacrifice, holy and +acceptable unto GOD, which is to be the reasonable (intelligent) service +(that is, ritual or worship) of each day and hour. + + +THE SIN-OFFERING AND THE PEACE-OFFERING. + +The sin-offering, as its name indicates, recognized the offerer as +guilty and defiled, but obtaining forgiveness and cleansing through the +death of the victim in his stead. We see CHRIST as our sin-offering in +Isa. liii. 4-10. But guilt removed still leaves the believer needing the +imputed righteousness of CHRIST, and acceptance before GOD, which are +the aspects of CHRIST'S death foreshadowed, as we have seen by the +burnt-offering. + +Lastly, the peace-offering--part of which was consumed on the altar, +while part was the portion of the priest, and the remainder furnished a +feast to the offerer and his friends--shows us GODS and man feasting +together on the perfect work of CHRIST. He that sanctifieth and those +who are sanctified, find their full satisfaction in Him, and in Him +alone. He has made peace by the blood of His cross. He has given us His +own peace. We are called to let His peace _rule_ in our hearts. And if +we will but bring our burdens and cares to Him, we are promised that the +peace of GOD shall guard and garrison our hearts and thoughts in CHRIST +JESUS! + + + + +PART II. + +The Blessing of GOD. + +NUMB. VI. 22-27. + + +We have already seen the grace of GOD making provision that His people, +who had lost the privilege of priestly service, might draw near to Him +by Nazarite separation and consecration. And not as the offence was the +free gift: those who had forfeited the privilege of priestly service +were the males only, but women and even children might be Nazarites; +whosoever desired was free to come, and thus draw near to GOD. + +We now come to the concluding verses of Numb. vi, and see in them one of +the fullest forms of benediction to be found in the whole Word of GOD. +The thought naturally arises, + + +WHY IS IT FOUND HERE? + +And the reply is twofold. There is the Divine side. Flowing from GOD'S +heart of love first came the _privilege_ of Nazarite consecration; and +then, by the _act_ of consecration, His loving heart is so gladdened +that it further overflows in these rich benedictions. + +Looking, on the other hand, at the human side, we may learn that the +soul which is fully consecrated _always_ receives the blessing of GOD. +Where that blessing is not enjoyed, there is always something unreal or +defective in the consecration. It may be that we have separated +ourselves to carry out _our own will, or thought, or plan of service_, +instead of surrendering ourselves and _our_ will, to learn and to do +_His_ will. But it is real consecration _to GOD_ that puts us into the +position in which He can pour out His richest blessings upon us. + +The prodigal was a son of the father all the time; but when he preferred +_his_ will to the will of his father, _his_ way to the way of his +father, _his_ management of his share in the property to his father's +management, it issued but in ruin and misery--in hunger and nakedness +and shame. The fact that he was a son was of no avail to him in the "far +country," in the place of self-will and self-management. But as soon as +he arose, and with true repentance and submission came back to the +father's house, willing to serve, and to do his father's will, he found +himself restored to his father's heart, and to all the privileges of +sonship: the fatted calf was killed, the best robe was put upon him, +once more he had shoes on his feet and a ring on his hand, and joy and +gladness filled the home. + +How many Christians there are who, in their self-will and attempted +self-management, find themselves day by day full of sorrow, or full of +care. Trying to keep themselves they are not kept; trying to be happy +they are often unhappy; trying to succeed they fail; and they can but +confess that their life is very different from that ideal life described +in Ps. lxxxix. 15-18: + + "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: + They shall walk, O LORD, in the light of Thy countenance. + In Thy Name shall they rejoice all the day: + And in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted. + For Thou art the glory of their strength; + And in Thy favour our horn shall be exalted. + For the LORD is our defence; + And the HOLY ONE of Israel is our KING." + +Instead of this many practically know very little of peace "which +passeth all understanding," of joy that is literally "unspeakable"; +adjectives far more moderate would be found strong enough to express all +_they_ know of oft-troubled peace and intermittent satisfaction and +happiness. Many there are who fail to see that there can be but one +lord, and that those who do not make GOD _Lord of all_ do not make Him +_Lord at all_. The slightest reservation in our consecration shows that +we hold ourselves _as our own_, and consequently at liberty to give Him +as much or as little as we think fit. If we recognize Him as LORD and +MASTER, we have nothing to withhold, and nothing of our own, for we, and +all we have, are already His. But then, in return, all He has, and all +He is, become ours. Oh! blessed PORTION! Who would not wish henceforth +to have no private property in himself--in his members--in his +possessions--in his family--in his affections; but, in fullest +consecration, to acknowledge and recognize GOD'S right and to be no +longer a robber of GOD? + + _"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto + his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel + ... And they shall put My Name upon the children of Israel; and I + will bless them."_ + +Here we have the blessing that GOD _delights_ to give to those who have +dedicated themselves and their all to Him. Before considering it in +detail, let us notice, first, how spontaneous and unsought is this +blessing from GOD--the LORD _commanded_ Aaron and his sons to bless +Israel, to put His Name upon them; and declared His own unalterable +purpose, "I _will_ bless them." And then, let us ask ourselves the +question, what is + + +THE REAL MEANING OF BLESSING? + +We frequently use the word so vaguely as to lose much of its +preciousness, and to overlook the primary meaning in some of its +secondary significations. For instance, we use it frequently as a +synonym of praise, and in speaking of blessing GOD, we think of praising +Him. But blessing does not merely mean praise, for GOD blesses us. +Again, sometimes we use it for some gracious gift, as when we speak of +the blessing of peace or of plenty. But blessing does not only signify +gift, for when we bless GOD we do not give to Him peace or plenty. +Blessing is _the moving of the heart towards an object of affection and +complacency_. The out-going of the heart is naturally _accompanied_ by +gift or ascription, as the case may be. When our hearts bless the LORD, +we sing a song of praise to Him for the great love wherewith He hath +loved us; but the blessing is not the song--it is the feeling that +prompts it. When the LORD blesses His people with peace and plenty, it +is His open Heart that moves His loving Hand. + +Again, blessing is always accompanied with joy; it _is_ a joy, and it +_gives_ joy, both to the giver and the receiver. A little child playing +with his toys may be both happy and satisfied. But it hears the mother's +footsteps, it sees the mother open the door, and instantly the toys are +dropped and forgotten; the little arms are stretched out, and the +little feet are running to meet the welcome mother. Nor is this all; the +great, motherly arms are as quickly stretched forth towards the child, +and with longer steps the mother hastens to meet the little one, and +clasps it to her bosom, the loving little arms entwining themselves +around her neck. + +But whose heart is the more glad? The little one's heart is _full_; and +the mother's heart is also _full_; but her capacity is greater, and so +her joy is deeper. And is not this true of our HEAVENLY FATHER? When His +heart blesses ours, and ours blesses HIM, _we_ are full of joy; but His +heart is infinitely greater than ours, and His joy in His people as far +exceeds all their joy in Him, as the infinite exceeds the finite. + +Let us always remember in connection with blessing that the deep +heart-feeling is the primary thought. "Bless the LORD, O my _soul_; and +all that is _within me_, bless His holy Name." The praise of the lip may +be insincere; the blessing of the heart cannot be. + + +THE THREE-FOLD BENEDICTION: verses 24-26. + + _"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:_ + + _"The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto + thee:_ + + _"The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee + peace."_ + +We have dwelt upon the meaning of blessing--the moving of the heart +towards an object of affection and complacency, and noticed that this is +naturally accompanied by gift or ascription, as the case may be. When +love overflows, loving words, loving embraces, or loving gifts +instinctively follow. + +In the light of the fuller revelation of the New Testament we can +scarcely fail to see in this three-fold benediction the overflow in +blessing of the FATHER, of the SON, and of the SPIRIT; and we may read +it as follows:-- + + "JEHOVAH, THE FATHER, BLESS THEE, AND KEEP THEE: + + "JEHOVAH, THE SON, THE BRIDEGROOM, MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE, + AND BE GRACIOUS UNTO THEE: + + "JEHOVAH, THE SPIRIT, LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON THEE, AND GIVE + THEE PEACE." + +So read, we see in these words fuller beauty and appropriateness. Let us +now notice the first clause in particular. + + +THE BLESSING OF THE FATHER. + +Considered as a father's blessing could anything be more appropriate +than "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee"? Is not this just what every +loving father seeks to do--to bless and keep his children? He does not +find it an unwelcome task, but his greatest delight. Offer to relieve +him of the responsibility and to adopt his child, and see what his reply +will be! Nor may we confine ourselves to paternal love in thinking of +this subject; but rather take it as parental love, embracing also the +love of the mother, for "Thus saith the LORD, ... As one whom his mother +comforteth, so will I comfort you." We all know how the mother-love +delights to lavish itself on the objects of its care. With a patience +that never tires, and an endurance almost inexhaustible, and a care all +but unlimited, how often has the mother sacrificed her very life for the +welfare of her babe. But strong as is a mother's love, it _may_ fail; +GOD'S love _never_. "Can a woman forget her suckling child that she +should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, +yet will I not forget thee." + +It was one of the objects of our SAVIOUR'S mission to reveal to us that, +in CHRIST JESUS, GOD is also our FATHER. How He delighted in bringing +out this precious truth the Sermon on the Mount bears witness: "Glorify +your Father." "Love ... bless ... do good, that ye may be the children +of your FATHER." Be "perfect, even as your FATHER." "Thy FATHER ... +seeth." "Your FATHER knoweth," etc., etc. And well may our hearts rest +in the thought which so satisfied His heart, that GOD is indeed our +FATHER. + +And what a glorious FATHER He is! the source of all true fatherhood and +motherhood. We have often walked in the fields in the early morning, and +have noticed how the rising sun has turned each dewdrop into a +glittering gem; one ray of its own bright light makes a little sun of +each of the million drops that hang from the pendent leaflets and +sparkle everywhere. But it is helpful to remember that the glorious orb +itself contains infinitely more light than all the dewdrops ever did or +ever will reflect. And so of our heavenly FATHER: Himself the great +Source of all that is noble and true, of all that ever has been loving +and trust-worthy--each beautiful trait of each beautiful character is +but the dim reflection of some ray of His own great perfection. And the +sum-total of all human goodness, and tenderness, and love is but as the +dewdrops to the sun. How blessed then to confide in the infinite and +changeless love of such a FATHER--our FATHER in heaven! + +How safe too! "There is none like unto the GOD of Jeshurun, who rideth +upon the heaven in thy help, and in His excellency on the sky. The +eternal GOD is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." +Ofttimes where the love of earthly parents has not failed, yet have they +been powerless to bless and to keep. The cruel tyrant has tortured the +parent in torturing the child; while there has been no power to deliver. +And in the presence of human want or suffering how impotent has the +strongest human love oft proved to be! Not so the love of our heavenly +FATHER: His resources and His power are as inexhaustible as His love; +and they are blest and kept indeed whom He deigns to bless and keep. + +May we not add "they only"? The foolish prodigal imagines that he can +secure greater happiness for himself when no longer curbed by his +father's presence and will; such always come to want, and, alas! do not +always return quickly to the home where reconciliation and blessing +alone are to be found. He is poorly kept who tries to keep himself; and +though the pleasures of sin may for a season gratify, they can never +satisfy![B] + +"JEHOVAH, the FATHER, bless _thee_, and keep _thee_." It is an +individual blessing: and it includes every form of blessing, temporal as +well as spiritual--"My GOD shall supply all your need"; and this +"according to His riches in glory in CHRIST JESUS," not according to our +consciousness of need. He is _able_ to bless, able to make all grace +abound--to so wonderfully abound towards us, that we always having all +sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: He is able to +keep--to keep us from falling, to keep us from all evil. And not only is +He able, but He has already "blessed us with all spiritual blessings in +heavenly things in CHRIST," and He wants us, His children, to know and +to enjoy the love that is the source of all blessing: the love that can +never by finite words express its fulness: the love that eternal ages +will never exhaust! + + "Best of blessings He'll provide us, + Nought but good shall ere betide us; + Safe to glory He will guide us, + Oh, how He loves!" + +[B: When we speak of GOD as a FATHER we must not forget that He is only +such in its full meaning to those who have become His children by faith +in CHRIST JESUS; and that the sad and solemn words of the loving Saviour +to the unconverted were, "Ye are of _your_ father, the devil." The +prodigal was a backslider: when furthest from home he could yet think +and speak of the privileges of his father's house.] + + +THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY. + +The second clause of the blessing is the blessing of the SON, which is +not less full and appropriate. Through eternal ages the SON of GOD, He +became, in the fulness of time, the SON of Man. The Brightness of His +FATHER'S glory, the SUN of Righteousness, He came to manifest, as well +as to speak of, the FATHER'S love. He became the LIGHT of the world, as +well as the LAMB of GOD; but in each aspect doing the will, as well as +the work of GOD, He thus revealed the wondrous love and grace of the +FATHER, and His own perfect Sonship. The FATHER'S will included CHRIST'S +glad reception of all who come to Him, His meeting all their +need--saving, sanctifying, satisfying, keeping, raising up at the last +day--His giving Himself for, and giving Himself to, all those given to +Him of the FATHER. + +He is indeed a wonderful Saviour! What light the incarnate WORD of GOD +(Who is Light) has thrown on the written Word of GOD! The law in its +legal requirements He has fulfilled, bringing in everlasting +righteousness, which is imputed to all those who are indeed in Him. He +has also fulfilled the Law in its manifold typical aspects--Himself the +Temple, the Priest, and the Sacrifice; Himself the Altar, the Offerer, +and the Victim; Himself the Lamp, and the Priestly Trimmer of the lamps +(as He is also the whole Vine, and yet the Life of each individual +branch of the Vine). Time would fail us to enumerate the various objects +and acts of typical service which were all fulfilled in Him. He too is +the BRIDEGROOM, from whose wounded side the Bride is being formed; and +He is waiting for His Bride, who will soon be caught up to meet Him in +the air. The true SOLOMON is He whose glory we shall share, and not only +so, but whose presence will be the ever-satisfying portion of His chosen +Bride. + + The Bride eyes not her garment, but her loved Bridegroom's face; + I shall not gaze on glory, but on my KING of grace; + Not on the crown He giveth, but on His pierced hand: + The LAMB is all the glory of Immanuel's land. + +May the HOLY SPIRIT give us more and more to realize the practical +bearing of all that is thus revealed of the glory of the Person, and the +fulness of the work of our SAVIOUR and KING! + + +THE BLESSING OF THE SON AND BRIDEGROOM. + + JEHOVAH, THE SON, MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE, AND BE GRACIOUS + UNTO THEE. + +The first clause of the three-fold blessing told of the going out of the +heart of the invisible FATHER; now, when we come to the blessing of the +SON, we read, "The LORD _make his face shine_ upon thee," or, in other +words, make visibly _manifest_ His favour towards thee. The SON of GOD +is the KINSMAN who has the right to redeem, the FRIEND who sticketh +closer than a brother, the ONE who has come, not only to be the LIGHT of +the world, but in an especial sense to be the LIGHT of His own redeemed +ones. + +There was no need in Israel of a kinsman-redeemer in times of +prosperity; but when bereavement and poverty afforded opportunity to +the creditors to seize the possession, then a kind and wealthy +kinsman-redeemer was a blessing indeed. We are reminded of the beautiful +history of Ruth: how sweetly the gracious words of Boaz fell on the ear +of the young stranger, and what blessing that kinsman brought into her +heart and life! The FRIEND that sticketh closer than a brother is +precious at all times, but never so valued as in times of adversity; and +the very expression, "THE LIGHT of the world," tells us of the darkness +that sin has brought in--a darkness, alas! not only around, but also +within. The shining of the face of JEHOVAH, the SON, dispels the +darkness and the gloom, manifests the presence of the FRIEND in need, +and shows us the REDEEMER, who not only delivers, but becomes the +BRIDEGROOM of the soul. + +"Make His _face_ shine upon thee." The face is perhaps the most +wonderful part of the wonderful human body. Of all the faces that GOD +has made no two are exactly alike, even when quiescent; and though we do +occasionally meet with those that bear a very close resemblance, +intimate friends, who know the play of the countenance, never mistake. +And why is this? Because GOD has so ordered it, that the face shall +_reveal_ the character and feelings of the individual. And it is the +purpose of GOD that the heart of CHRIST shall be revealed to His people. +That heart might have been full of love, and we might never have known +it; but it is the will of GOD that "the light of the knowledge of the +glory of GOD" should be _revealed_ to us "in the face of JESUS CHRIST." + +How well we know in actual life what the light of the countenance means! +How the mother's smile brings light and gladness into the heart of the +child! How the welcoming look of a friend is at once understood! In +Daniel ix. 16, 17, the prophet prays, "O Lord ... I beseech Thee, let +Thine anger and Thy fury be turned away from Thy city, Jerusalem; ... +and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary that is desolate." Where +there is the shining of the face we know there is more than forgiveness; +there is favour and complacence. In the thrice-offered prayer of Psalm +lxxx, "Cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved," the salvation of +Israel is counted upon as the result; and in Psalm lxvii, we find that +the shining of GOD'S face upon His people is further to issue in His +way being "known upon earth, His saving health among all nations." + +It is, however, when we consider Him in the relationship of BRIDEGROOM +and KING that the tenderness and preciousness of this blessing are most +fully seen. A truly royal BRIDEGROOM: "in His favour is life," and to +Him we can approach at all times, without any fear that He will hide His +countenance, or that He will not hold out to us the golden sceptre. +Queen Esther might tremble for the result of her boldness, but our KING +ever welcomes the approach of His Bride. + +When her heart cries out, "Let him kiss me with the kisses of His +mouth," He is ever ready to bring her into His chambers; indeed it is +often the BRIDEGROOM who has to allure the Bride,[C] rather than the +Bride who has to seek the favour of the BRIDEGROOM. It is only when she +has treated him with neglect or disobedience that she finds herself in +darkness. And what is not His favour to a loyal and true-hearted Bride! +To a subject, the favour of the KING is "as dew upon the grass," but to +a bride is it not everything? "JEHOVAH, the BRIDEGROOM, make His face +shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee!" + +What a wonderful view of the light of His countenance the favoured +disciples must have had, who were witnesses of His transfiguration: we +are told that His face did shine as the sun. To the proto-martyr Stephen +the heavens were opened, and the face of the LORD shone upon him: and +when he saw Him he became so like Him, that his dying utterances +corresponded with those of his LORD on the Cross. When Saul, likewise, +saw the glory of his risen SAVIOUR, on the way to Damascus, the vision +at midday was of a light above the brightness of the sun shining round +about him; and the effect of that heavenly vision changed the whole +current of his life, making him a follower of the CHRIST, who pleased +not Himself, and making the spirit manifested in his first cry, "LORD, +what wilt _Thou_ have me to do?" the spirit of his life ever after. And +so when the LORD makes the light of His countenance to shine upon any of +His people, in the measure in which with unveiled face they discern the +beauty of the LORD, there is a moral and progressive change into His +likeness, the work of the LORD, the SPIRIT. + +[C: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away."--Cant. ii. 10; "Come +with Me from Lebanon, My spouse."--Cant. iv. 8.] + + +THE LORD, THE SPIRIT. + +We have considered the bountiful overflow of the FATHER'S love; and our +hearts have burned within us as we dwelt upon and felt the glow of the +love of the SON. Now, as we think of the blessing of the LORD, the +SPIRIT, may He reveal Himself to us through these holy Words, which were +written by His inspiration and which can never be fully understood and +enjoyed save by His own illumination. The Bible is a supernatural book, +a divine revelation: the HOLY SPIRIT is the supernatural, the divine +GUIDE to its meaning. From the "wise and prudent" its teachings are +hidden;--hence the questionings of some of the learned only confirm its +truth; but to "babes"--to all those, whether learned or unlearned, in +whom the HOLY GHOST has wrought the child-like spirit, it is an opened +book: they love it, and feast upon it, and grow thereby. + +It is very important to have clear thoughts about the third person of +the Trinity. Many Christians fail in this respect, and lose much in +consequence. He has as distinct personality as has the SON of GOD; and +we must not think or speak of Him vaguely, as though He were an +influence merely and not a person. Our SAVIOUR teaches us that _we_ +should _know_ Him, "for He abideth with you, and shall be in you." But +are there not many of the LORD'S people to whom He is not yet "a living, +bright Reality"? + +So important are the presence and the work of the HOLY GHOST, that our +LORD assured His disciples that it was expedient for them that _He_ +should go away, in order that the COMFORTER should come. And we see the +mighty change that was wrought in the disciples when the outpouring of +the SPIRIT actually took place at Pentecost. The timid became +courageous; the scattered and persecuted disciples went everywhere +preaching the Word; the HOLY SPIRIT wrought conviction of sin, and +revealed the risen SAVIOUR as the object of faith; and many were added +to the LORD. The same SPIRIT is still present with us; may we too be +filled, and largely used as channels of blessing. + + +THE BLESSING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. + + "JEHOVAH, THE SPIRIT, LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON THEE, AND GIVE + THEE PEACE." + +The blessing of the SPIRIT is essential to the completeness of the +benediction. We are struck, however, with the similarity of this +blessing to that which precedes it; nor is the similarity surprising. +For, as the SON came to reveal the FATHER, so the SPIRIT has come to +reveal the SON. CHRIST was a true COMFORTER; but His personal work on +earth being finished, He ascended on high to minister for His people as +their HIGH PRIEST in the presence of GOD. The HOLY SPIRIT is the other +COMFORTER, sent by the FATHER in CHRIST'S name, that He might abide with +the Church for ever. CHRIST is the indwelling SAVIOUR: the HOLY SPIRIT +the indwelling COMFORTER. On whomsoever CHRIST makes His face to shine, +the HOLY SPIRIT will surely lift up + + +HIS COUNTENANCE. + +"Lift up His _countenance_ upon thee." We have already dwelt on the +significance of the face or countenance (the same original word) as +revealing the emotions of the heart. We see from these words that it is +the purpose of GOD that the presence and the love of the SPIRIT should +be made known to those in whom He dwells. When He lifts up His +countenance upon us, we walk in conscious security and freedom; but if +the SPIRIT be grieved, the light of His countenance is hidden from us, +and we walk in darkness. And, oh, how dangerous is this walking in +darkness, how surely we shall wander from the way, and fall into some of +the snares of the devil! There is only one safe course, to confess the +sin that has grieved Him, and take no rest till communion is restored: +this may always be done most easily by _immediate_ confession and +turning to Him, who is our Advocate with the FATHER, and whose shed +blood cleanses from all sin. When sin is put away the SPIRIT again lifts +up His countenance upon us, and peace fills the heart. + + +THE PEACE OF THE SPIRIT. + +The LORD JESUS, when on earth, said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I +give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your +heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." But here it is the SPIRIT +who is spoken of as bestowing peace: why is this? Because the SPIRIT of +GOD makes real things real to _us_, and enables us practically to enjoy +the blessings procured for us by the death and resurrection and priestly +ministry of the LORD JESUS. Many a believer to whom CHRIST has left +peace, knows little of it; but those who are filled with the SPIRIT are +filled with peace. They have peace with GOD; they have also heart-peace +in the midst of conflict and turmoil; and the peace of GOD, which +passeth all understanding, guards their hearts and thoughts. The fruit +of the SPIRIT is love, joy, peace. + +Are _we_ practically enjoying this blessing, and experiencing this peace +which passes all understanding? Are we _finding_ that when He makes +quietness, none can make trouble? And if not, what is the hindrance? Is +there any known sin unconfessed, or not put away? Has wrong been done, +and restitution to the extent of our ability not been made? Is there any +matter in which GOD has a controversy with us? Or are we indulging +ourselves in anything about which we have doubt? Are we withholding +anything from GOD which is His due--ourselves, our property, our +children; or, it may be, our testimony? Or, if none of these things are +hindering us, are we failing to _accept_, by faith, the filling of the +SPIRIT; perhaps only asking, but not receiving also? Is it that we are +neglecting the prayerful study of GOD'S Word, and thus grieving the +SPIRIT by whom it was inspired? Paul asked GOD to give the Ephesian +Christians the SPIRIT of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of +CHRIST, that they might know the hope of His calling and the exceeding +greatness of His power toward them _that believe_. We do well to note +the words "that believe," for unbelief lies at the root of every form of +hindrance. + +As the SPIRIT reveals CHRIST, so does CHRIST bestow the SPIRIT; and by +faith in CHRIST and in His Word we appropriate the gift. We shall never +forget the blessing we received through the words, in John iv. 14, +"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him + + SHALL NEVER THIRST," + +nearly thirty years ago. As we realized that CHRIST literally meant what +He said--that "shall" meant shall, and "never" meant never, and "thirst" +meant thirst--our heart overflowed with joy as we accepted the gift. +Oh, the thirst with which we had sat down, but oh, the joy with which we +sprang from our seat, praising the LORD that the thirsting days were all +past, and past for ever! For, as our LORD continues, "the water that I +shall give him shall be _in him_ a well of water, springing +up--overflowing--unto everlasting life." Perhaps, however, we should +draw attention to the words of CHRIST, "whosoever drinketh"; not +drank--once for all--but "drinketh," that is habitually: as in chap. +vii. 38, 39, where, after promising that out of him "shall flow rivers +of living water," it is significally added, "this spake He of the +SPIRIT, which they that believe"--_i.e._, keep believing--should +receive. + +Is it not sad that so free a gift should be so little esteemed, so often +neither enjoyed nor sought after? It is intended for _each one_ of +us--"lift up His countenance upon _thee_, and give _thee_ peace." Would +that each reader would accept the gift _now_, and evermore enjoy it, to +the glory of GOD. + + +SEALING WITH THE NAME OF GOD: verse 27. + + _"And they shall put My Name upon the children of Israel; and I will + bless them."_ + +With these words this wonderful chapter closes, and the great object of +GOD in bestowing His blessing upon His people is revealed: "They shall +put _My Name_ upon the children of Israel," or, in other words, shall +cause them not only to become the people of GOD, but also to become +manifestly such. + +In olden time names were not meaningless, but were descriptive of +character or relationship. The various names of GOD are all full of +significance, and each is always used designedly in the Bible: failing +to recognize this, learned, but spiritually-ignorant men have imagined +the Old Testament writings to have been mere compilations from the works +of different authors, and have failed to see the beautiful +appropriateness of the various names of GOD as they are used in +different connections. + +In the preceding benediction the thrice repeated Name of JEHOVAH has +revealed to us the triune GOD in His gracious relations with His +redeemed people, and has also reminded us that in these relationships He +is the unchanging One, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; for all +this is contained in the Name JEHOVAH. And thus the expression, "They +shall put _My Name_ upon the children of Israel," implies the purpose +of GOD that in His people should be manifested, not only the _beauties_ +of His Divine character, but also the _unchanging relationship_ in which +they stand to Him. Israel of old was, and still is, GOD'S witness in the +world. In all their unfaithfulness, their very existence as a separate +people is a standing miracle, witnessing to the truth of prophecy. But +had they been faithful they would have been much more than this; for the +beauty of the LORD their GOD would have been upon them; and receiving +His blessing themselves, they would have become a blessing to the world. +We who are now the children of GOD--Christians upon whom the Name of +CHRIST has been called--are intended to be witnesses for our MASTER, and +to show forth the beauties of Him who has "called us by His own glory +and virtue." (2 Peter i. 3.--R.V.) + +There is an interesting parallelism between the passage we are +considering and the commission given by our LORD to His people to +disciple all nations, baptizing them into the _Name_ of the FATHER, the +SON, and the HOLY GHOST. True Christians are _kept_ by the power of GOD +("the LORD bless thee and _keep thee_"), in the grace which is in CHRIST +JESUS ("the LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be _gracious unto +thee_"), and receive the illumination of the HOLY GHOST ("the LORD _lift +up His countenance upon thee_"), in order that _they_ may shine as +lights in the world, and become living epistles, known and read of all +men. + +It is deeply interesting also to connect the sealing of this passage +with that of Rev. vii and xiv. In the former passage (Rev. vii. 1-3) we +see the powers to whom the plagues are committed restrained until the +sealing of the servants of GOD is completed. The hundred and forty and +four thousand are all sealed--a mystical and symbolical number of the +mystical and symbolical Israel, not of Israel according to the flesh. +For in this book of Revelation the LAMB does not mean an animal, but the +LAMB of GOD. The beast does not mean a literal wild beast, but the +spiritual wild beast who destroys the children of GOD. So the twelve +thousand of the tribe of Judah refers to the praising ones of CHRIST'S +fold; the sealed of Asher to the happy ones, who bless the LORD at all +times; those of Naphtali, to those satisfied with favour, full with the +blessing of the LORD; those of Reuben, to the once unstable as water, +but now fully saved ones; &c., &c. + +In Rev. xiii we find the great tribulation in progress, and those still +left on the earth persecuted sorely, many of them to the death, by the +beast. But the hundred forty and four thousand of Rev. xiv are not among +them; they were caught up before the tribulation commenced, having been +accounted worthy (Luke xxi. 34-36), to escape the things coming on the +earth, and to stand before the SON of MAN. Such are not only virgins, +undefiled by spiritual adultery with the world, but also wise ones, +filled with the SPIRIT: they are not only waiting for the coming of the +Bridegroom, but ready for that coming; whereas the unwise have to go and +buy oil, and so miss their opportunity. In Rev. xiv we see that GOD'S +Name is written on the foreheads of these wise virgins, and that in +their mouths is a song which no one else can sing. They are a +first-fruits Bride united to the first-fruit's Bridegroom, and were +redeemed (not from among the Jews only, but from among men), unto GOD +and the LAMB. Other believers, then in the tribulation, shall join them +later and form the harvest unto GOD (Rev. vii. 14-17), and will come +with the Bridegroom and Bride when our LORD is revealed from heaven in +flaming fire to take vengeance on the ungodly (2 Thess. i, 6-10). The +harvest is not only separated from the first-fruits in Rev. vii and xiv, +but also in Rev. xx. We may read verses 4-6 more clearly if we render +the second clause of verse 4, "I saw also the souls of them, &c.," +instead of "and I saw, &c." and the last clause, "They also lived and +reigned with CHRIST a thousand years." We thus see the enthroned +Bridegroom and Bride and the harvest, the Body of CHRIST, forming the +first resurrection, and together reigning in glory. + +_"And I will bless them."_ A word of encouragement to Aaron and his sons +in pronouncing the blessing, as well as to the people who received it. +The blessing was preceded by GOD'S command ("Speak unto Aaron ... On +this wise ye shall bless"), and followed by the promise quoted above; +even as our SAVIOUR in giving His last commission to disciple all +nations, preceded it by, "All power is given unto Me...: Go ye +therefore;" and followed it by the assurance and promise, "Lo, I am with +you alway." In the word of a King there is power; and when His servants +carry out His commands, our KING is present to authenticate them, and to +ensure the result. + + + + +PART III. + +Princely Service. + +NUMB. VII. + + +We learned from Numbers vi, GOD'S requirements of those who desire to +take the privileged position of separation to Himself. We found also in +the conclusion of the same chapter the overflow of GOD'S love in the +rich and comprehensive blessing which so appropriately follows, and +forms the connecting link between Nazarite separation and the princely +service set forth in Chap. vii,--one of the longest in the Bible, and +one full of repetition. We now propose to consider more fully why this +service of giving finds such lengthy record. + + +SERVICE THE CONSTRAINT OF LOVE. + +Is it not that just as separation to GOD issues in blessing, so does +blessing from GOD constrain to service, and especially to the highest +form of service, that which is most GOD-like, that of _Giving_? GOD so +loved the world that He _gave_; CHRIST so loved the Church that He +_gave_; the HOLY SPIRIT so loves the Church that He _gives_; and +redeemed ones, created anew in CHRIST JESUS unto good works, when led by +the SPIRIT, first _give_ themselves unto GOD, and then delight in such +other free-will offerings as the LORD may enable them to present. This +we believe is the reason why the chapter is found here, and is the true +connection between its subject-matter and that of the preceding one. + +But why is it so long, so repetitious, and so tedious? The Bible is a +wonderful book; it not only gives the history of the past, and guidance +for the present, but in prophecy we have the history of ages yet to +come--the course of events until the grand climax when GOD shall be all +in all. Why, in a book so marvellous in its comprehensiveness, is so +much space given to this record? + + +GOD'S DELIGHT IN LOVE-GIFTS. + +Is it not in order to reveal the heart of GOD? to show His delight in +the loving offerings of His servants? The record is _not_ tedious to +Him; and it becomes marvellously interesting to us, when we get the key, +and are brought into sympathy with the heart of Him who finds infinite +satisfaction in each gift, of each one of His children, which is the +outcome of gratitude and love. + +In the days of our LORD'S life on earth, when the shadow of the cross +was already upon Him, one only amongst all His followers--a woman, +Mary--had understood and really taken in His repeated declaration of the +sufferings that awaited Him; and when she came to anoint Him beforehand +for the burial, and broke the precious alabaster box _she had reserved +for this very purpose_, the thief who kept the bag had only angry words +of criticism and reproach. How sweet to her wounded spirit was her +MASTER'S commendation, "She hath done what she could!" And He added, +"Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, +this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." + +On an earlier occasion, likewise, as He sat over against the treasury, +many that were rich cast in large sums of silver and of gold, but He +turned from them and their gifts to draw attention to a certain poor +widow who brought two mites and cast them in. She had gladdened the +heart of Him who was the Creator of all wealth, and the real Owner of it +all. She, said He, had given more than they all: for she _of her want_ +had given _all_ that she had! And of her, as of Mary, it is true that in +whatsoever language the Word of GOD is translated, in whatsoever clime +it is read, the MASTER'S commendation is made known. + +There is a day coming, in which before assembled worlds He will make +manifest the loving gifts and the secret service of His redeemed ones. +Then we shall not weary as they are recounted and rewarded; and as we +see His joy in them all, we shall better understand the length of +Numbers vii. + + +FREE-WILL OFFERINGS: verses 1, 2. + + _"And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the + tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it ... and all the + vessels thereof, ... that the princes of Israel, heads of the house + of their fathers, ... offered."_ + +When the LORD gave the plan of the tabernacle and of the vessels, He +likewise gave to the people willing hearts to offer, and skill to +execute. There was no need to press them; the workers and contributors +were those whose heart stirred them up, and whose spirit was made +willing. The people brought more than enough for the service of the +work, and Moses had to make proclamation throughout the camp to +restrain them from bringing more. + +Is there not a lesson to be learnt here? Let the work only be one of +GOD'S planning, and executed according to His mind, and the hearts that +are in sympathy with Him will gladly respond with suitable and abundant +offerings. For is not the willingness to give as much a part of His +working as the skill to use that which is given? Then, in the givers and +in their gifts, in the workers and in their work, the Divine heart finds +infinite complacency. "For of Him," as the great Designer, "and through +Him," as the effectual Power for the carrying out of His purposes, "and +to Him," as the real Object of all service, "are all things: to whom be +the glory for ever. Amen." + +But divine service requires not only initiating, but also maintaining +worthily of GOD. It was not sufficient that the tabernacle and the +vessels of ministry were according to the divine pattern, both as to +material and workmanship, and that they were made by divinely qualified +workmen; but when all was completed and fully set up, both the +tabernacle and the vessels needed anointing and sanctifying; and _when +that was done_ the offerings needed to carry on the service could not +but be freely poured in. In like manner in all life and work, individual +or organised, only let GOD have His right place, and let there be _the +anointing_ of the HOLY GHOST, received by faith, as well as consecration +to Him, and everything will follow, as needful, for the carrying out of +GOD'S plan in the life or work. + + +GLADSOME ACCEPTANCE: verses 3-5. + + _"And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered + wagons, and twelve oxen; ... and the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, + Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the + tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shall give them unto the + Levites, to every man according to his service."_ + +It is interesting to note that the first offerings recorded were for the +purpose of assisting in the moving of the tabernacle; it was not GOD'S +purpose that it should be stationary. Nor is GOD'S work ever intended to +be stationary, but always advancing. + +The offerings themselves were remarkable: rude bullock-wagons, probably +rough both in material and workmanship, much like those we now are +familiar with in the unchanging East; they must have presented a +striking contrast to the beauty of the skilfully prepared vessels of +ministry. We may well imagine the thought to have passed through the +mind of Moses, Can such rude offerings be acceptable to the glorious +GOD? But GOD Himself dispels all doubt, by saying, "Take it of them." + +GOD is not hard to please, nor is true human love, for it is a dim +reflection of His own. We do not estimate our love-gifts by their +intrinsic value, but rather by the love they express. Well do we +remember a little incident which occurred some twenty-four years ago, +and which illustrates this truth. + +My little daughter, then about five years old, came to me on the morning +of my birthday with a curious little birthday gift in her hand,--"Papa, +I haven't bought you a birthday present," said she; "I thought you would +rather have something I made myself." How my heart went out to the +little darling, and how glad I was that she should think that something +she could make would be more precious to me than any purchased gift! But +what the curious little gift could be intended for I was quite at a loss +to divine, and I engaged her in conversation, hoping she might let some +clue slip that would help me to find out for what she meant it, for I +feared she would be disappointed if I did not recognize it. The little +pet had found a small piece of wood, and had bored a hole in it with her +scissors, in which she had inserted a peg, and on the top had hung half +a cockle-shell--certainly an uncommon birthday present! + +At last, unable to guess what it was supposed to be, I took my dear +child on my knee, and, kissing her, said, "Papa is so pleased to have a +birthday present of your own making; what is it my darling has made for +me?" "Why, don't you know, papa? I thought you would like best a ship to +take you to China!" + +The dear child was right; probably no gift I ever received gave more +pleasure, or was as carefully treasured, and as often thought of. When +that dear child had become old enough to engage in missionary work in +China herself, and was able to introduce me to the first two Chinese +women whom she had brought to CHRIST, I remembered the little ship; and +when the women were gone reminded her about it, and told her that the +joy of finding her now used of GOD in the blessed work itself was a +greater joy than her gift had been. She was surprised that I should +remember it; but it had never passed from my memory, and the +recollection of it is a pleasure still. It is not hard to please those +who love us.[D] + +GOD _wants our love_; "My son, give Me thine heart." He wants our +_sympathy_; He wants the gifts and offerings that are prompted by +_love_. Shall He look to us in vain? Our David still thirsts, not for +the waters of the well of Bethlehem, but for the souls for which He +died. Shall He not have them? He specially needs willing, skilful young +men, ready to break through the enemy's camp to deliver the captives of +the mighty one. Who that can will go? Who that cannot go at present will +help others to go? + +[D: While preparing these sheets for the press we learn from a telegram +that He whom my dear daughter had served in China since 1885, has called +her (and her baby of sixteen months) from her husband, the Rev. J. J. +Coulthard, and three surviving children, to the eternal home above.] + + +ACCORDING TO HIS SERVICE: verses 5-9. + + _"Thou shall give them unto the Levites, to every man according to + his service. And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them + unto the Levites. Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of + Gershon, according to their service, and four wagons and eight oxen + he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under + the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But unto the sons + of Kohath he gave none; because the service of the sanctuary + belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their + shoulders."_ + +The princes brought their offering to the LORD, and the LORD accepted +it. Having accepted it Himself it was His to give to whom He would; and +He chose to give it to the Levites, for they in a special manner were +His, and devoted to His service. + +The tribe of Levi was in one sense the poorest in Israel. In dividing +the land among the tribes, no territory was allotted to them. They will +have territory by-and-by, when the LORD comes (_see_ Ezek. xlviii. +12-14), but never have they had any yet. Cities to dwell in, and +suburbs, were given them here and there, in all the tribes of Israel, +but of earthly portion that was all. + +And yet they were the richest tribe in Israel, for the LORD Himself was +their inheritance. When one of the other tribes was taken into +captivity, he had to leave his inheritance behind; but the godly Levite +was as rich in Babylon as in Palestine: death itself could not rob him +of his portion. Happy indeed are they who share the Levite's lot! When +the LORD JESUS comes again, those, surely, who have stored most in +heaven, and have least to leave behind on earth, will render their +account with the greatest joy. + +_"To every man according to his service."_ The LORD did not say, divide +it equally among the families of Levi. There were six wagons, and three +families of Levites; but four wagons were given to Merari, two to +Gershon, "but unto the sons of Kohath he gave none." At first sight this +division appears unfair; but it was and still is the LORD'S plan to give +"to every man according to his service." It fell to the lot of Merari to +carry the heaviest materials of the tabernacle; the boards, the bars, +and the pillars with their heavy sockets of solid silver,[E] and all the +instruments; the pillars of the court, likewise, with their brazen +sockets and pins, and their cords,--these formed Merari's weighty +burden. + +[E: Weighing more than one cwt. each: the hundred sockets therefore +alone weighing over five tons of pure silver.] + +The duty of Gershon was to convey the curtains, hangings, coverings and +cords of the tabernacle, and the hangings of the court; for this +service, two wagons were as sufficient help as the four were for Merari. + +But what of Kohath? His burdens were not light: the ark, with its +covering the mercy-seat, and the cherubim of gold overshadowing it, the +table and the candlestick, the altars and the vessels of the sanctuary, +and all their coverings, these were entrusted to his sons. Heavy they +were indeed, but no help had they, "because the service of the sanctuary +belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders." + +Sometimes the children of GOD are tempted to murmur when their service +seems heavy and but little help is forthcoming: they may perhaps compare +their lot with that of others for whom larger provision has been made. +But GOD makes no mistakes; according to their service He divides the +help, and those who are called to the holiest service are those who can +have least assistance. Such are privileged to carry upon their own +shoulders sacred burdens that may not be shared with less privileged +ones. There was ONE Who trod the winepress alone, and of the people +there was none with Him; and one who was very like to his MASTER tells +us, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me.... +Notwithstanding the LORD stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me +the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might +hear." Those who would be near the MASTER in the glory must here drink +the cup of sorrow with Him and be baptized with His baptism. + +The burden-bearing of the Levites was not to last for ever: once in the +Promised Land that service ceased. Nor will our opportunity of +burden-bearing be for long; the glorious appearing of our great GOD and +SAVIOUR will soon summons the watchful and waiting ones to meet Him in +the air. A million a month in China are dying without GOD; now we may +seek to win them; now we may suffer to win them. May none of us lose the +opportunity of self-denial and service while it lasts! + + "'A little while'--He'll come again! + Let us the precious hours redeem; + Our greatest grief to give Him pain, + Our joy to serve and follow Him. + Watching and ready may we be, + As those who long their LORD to see. + + 'A little while'--'twill soon be past! + Why should we shun the shame and cross? + Oh! let us in His footsteps haste, + Counting for Him all else but loss. + Oh! how will recompense His smile + The sufferings of this 'little while.'" + + +THE DEDICATORY OFFERINGS: verses 10, 11. + + _"And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day + that it was anointed.... And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall + offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of + the altar."_ + +The offerings recorded in the early verses of this chapter were given in +connection with the setting up of the Tabernacle, and had reference to +its transportation. But the offerings now to be considered had reference +to the altar, and the sacrifices to be offered thereon. Their number, +their character, and their value are full of significance; and the +space accorded to their record by GOD shows the Divine estimation of the +altar, and of those gifts which pertain to sacrifice to Him. + +The altar points us to our incarnate SAVIOUR, the CHRIST of GOD, and +reminds us that _without shedding of blood there is no remission of +sin_. The altar sanctified the gift; the fire on the altar first came +down from heaven; all fire that did not come from the altar was strange +fire, and could only bring death to the offerer when used in worship, as +in the case of Nadab and Abihu. + +Do we not need to remember this in the present day, when false teachers +deny the atoning character of the death of CHRIST, and vainly imagine +that GOD can be served with the unhallowed fires of fleshly activity? + + +THE DISPLAY OF THE GIFTS. + +The twelve princes, the representatives of the Israel of GOD, brought +their offerings before the altar, and would have left them there: they +were all exactly alike, and the gifts might have been speedily accepted, +and briefly recorded, if recorded at all. But the LORD said unto Moses, +They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day,--or, literally, +_one prince a day_, a sentence which is expressed twice in the Original, +showing GOD'S regard for order and method in all things which concern +His service, and that He graciously receives and remembers the offerings +of each of His faithful. Accordingly all the offerings of each of the +princes are here registered by the HOLY SPIRIT in GOD'S Book, as an +encouragement to Christian liberality in all ages" (_Wordsworth_). + +Does it not seem as though the Divine delight in the offering of His +servants was so great that He would have His people also to dwell upon +them for twelve consecutive days? And not only does He spread them over +twelve days, but He spreads them over seventy-seven long verses in this +long chapter; first in minute detail, according as much space to the +gifts of the last offerer as to those of the first, and then totalling +up the aggregate amount, as though He would say, "Behold the love-gifts +of my people! How many and how precious the offerings of each, and how +great the value of the whole! Note, too, the persons of the offerers, +and that all their gifts were for the dedication of the altar, and show +their appreciation of the need for, and the blessed privilege of +sacrifice!" + +As we mentioned in our introductory chapter, it was through this +account, read in a time of great spiritual need, that our mind was +opened as never before to see GOD'S great heart of love. We seemed to be +reminded of the delight often taken by bride and bridegroom in spreading +out for inspection the love-gifts of their friends, that as many as +possible may share their gratification in them. Several may have sent +similar gifts; but each is set out to the best possible advantage, with +the name of the giver attached. And while the intrinsic value of each is +not lost sight of, it is the loving thought of which it is the +expression that is most prized. + +Again, we were reminded of the way in which, in our frequent absence +from home and children, wifely letters have cheered and interested us, +depicting with motherly tenderness the gifts the children had brought +her on her birthday, or other occasion, with a fulness of detail that +showed alike the pleasure of the writer and her consciousness of the +enjoyment with which the account would be read. Does not the full detail +of this chapter reveal, in like manner, the love and tenderness of Him +whose Book it is, toward each offerer; and bring out what we may +reverently call the mother-side of GOD'S character, Who has condescended +to say, "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you"? + + +THE PERSON OF THE OFFERER. verses 12-17. + + _"And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son + of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:" etc._ + +As we read of the offerings of the twelve princes, we note that, +valuable as they manifestly are, the offerer whose love prompted the +gifts, is made more prominent in the inspired Record. The person of each +offerer is brought before us, both as an individual, and in his +relationship to the tribe of which he is the representative, before any +enumeration is made of his gifts; and when the enumeration has been +fully given, we are again reminded of the offerer himself. Could the +Divine love and satisfaction be more expressively brought out? + +With this thought in view, let us read between the lines of the +Record:-- + +And he that offered his offering--for a glad free-will offering it +was--on the first day was Nahshon, Nahshon the son of Amminadab, Nahshon +the prince of the tribe of Judah; and his offering was one charger--a +silver charger, and a weighty one; the weight thereof was a hundred and +thirty shekels: one bowl, also of silver, of seventy shekels weight; not +the light shekels of commerce, but the weighty shekels of the Sanctuary. +Nor were these vessels empty: both of them were full--full of flour, +fine flour, and mingled with oil, destined for a meat-offering. + +One spoon was the next gift, yet more precious, a spoon of solid gold, +of no less than ten shekels weight. It, too, was full--full of incense. + +Next were brought one young bullock, one ram, and one lamb of the first +year--all for a burnt-offering. Any one of these might have been +offered; Nahshon, however, brought them all, and all to be wholly +consumed on the altar, for the enjoyment and satisfaction of GOD alone. + +But Nahshon was a sinner, and the tribe he represented were sinful men; +a sin-offering therefore was not neglected; and in the order of +enumeration this is next mentioned, though, as we have said before, it +was offered first--one kid of the goats for a sin-offering. + +And, lastly, a princely offering for a sacrifice of peace-offerings; two +oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the first year--sacrifices +on which GOD feasted, as it were, together with His people, and in which +the sacrificing priest, the offerer and all his friends had their full +share. + +And this, all this, was the offering of Nahshon, Nahshon the son of +Amminadab. + +Twelve times is all this detail repeated--a most emphatic evidence that +GOD never wearies in noting the service of each one of His people. But +even this is not all. In the 84th and following verses of this long +chapter we read:-- + +"This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, +by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver +bowls, twelve spoons of gold. Each charger of silver weighing a hundred +and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed +two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the +Sanctuary. The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing +twelve shekels apiece, after the shekel of the Sanctuary; all the gold +of the spoons was a hundred and twenty shekels. + +"All the oxen for the burnt-offering were twelve bullocks, the rams +twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat-offering; +and the kids of the goats for sin-offering twelve. And all the oxen for +the sacrifice of the peace-offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the +rams sixty, the he-goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. + +"This"--_all this_--"was the dedication of the altar, after that it was +anointed." + + +THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ALTAR. + +In this glad summing up of the great aggregate value of the offerings, +we not only get a further view of the Divine complacency in the +love-gifts of His people, and in the persons of the offerers, but the +object of the offerings is also brought into special prominence. As the +list of each prince's offerings was preceded and followed by reference +to the _person_ of the offerer, so the list of totals is preceded and +followed by the thought, This was the dedication of the altar in the day +when it was anointed. + +The importance of the brazen altar can scarcely be exaggerated. The +Tabernacle contained many precious things, each typifying most important +truths concerning our LORD and His ministry; the ark on which rested the +Shekinah, which enshrined the tables of the law, and was covered by the +mercy-seat, the table of shew-bread, the candlestick of gold, and the +golden altar were all most precious; but, apart from the brazen altar, +_there was no access to them for guilty man_; without shedding of +blood there is no remission of sin. Hence the recognition by the princes +of the importance of the altar; and hence the Divine emphasis placed +upon those gifts--an emphasis wholly without parallel in the sacred +Records. To the godly Israelite the brazen altar typified that which was +fulfilled at the Cross, and well may we exclaim: "GOD forbid that I +should glory, save in the Cross of our LORD JESUS CHRIST" (Gal. vi. 14). + + * * * * * + +Looking back over the two chapters on which we have been dwelling we see +in them a marvellous revelation of Divine love--even in Mosaic times. +First, an unrestricted invitation to draw near to GOD; woman or man, of +any tribe--whosoever will--may come and be wholly separated unto the +LORD--but only in GOD'S way. We learn, too, that in such consecration +there is no merit on which man may rest, or in which he may boast; we +are at best unprofitable servants, accepted only in the BELOVED, +complete only in Him. Yet such consecration gives joy to GOD, and opens +the way to wonderful revelations of blessing; blessing which when +enjoyed constrains to service, to gift, to recognition of the +preciousness of the Altar, of the Cross--a service in which GOD Himself +finds delight, and on which He never wearies to dwell. + +May GOD make our meditations very practical; and may we "thus judge, +that if ONE died for all, then were all dead; and that He died for all, +that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but +unto Him which died for them and rose again,"--or, as we may better +read it, "unto Him which died and rose again for them." + +Are we really thus living? GOD knows: eternity will show: what answer +does conscience give now? What conclusions do our brothers, sisters, +children, friends draw from our lives? Our true self-denial, +self-emptying, and giving for CHRIST'S cause practically show _our_ real +estimate of the value of the Cross of CHRIST, our real love for the +CHRIST who was crucified for us. + + +THE END. + + + +------------------------------------------------+ + |Transcriber's Note: | + | | + |Mismatched and inconsistent punctuation has been| + |retained as it appears in the original book. | + +------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Separation and Service, by James Hudson Taylor + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SEPARATION AND SERVICE *** + +***** This file should be named 26384.txt or 26384.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/3/8/26384/ + +Produced by Free Elf, Verity White and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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