SUNDAY READING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6936, 9 February 1884, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

: THE MEAT-OFFERING. " When any will offer a moat-offoring unto tho Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour."—Lev. ii. 1. Faith gleans rich lessons in the tabernacle's court. Rapid variety marks the scene. But every ohange still shows a changeless object. The varied rites have one grand purpose. Their several parts havo mind—and that the mind of God. Each has an end—to illustrate redemption. Each has an office—to unfold tho Gospel. Each is a witness to I life-giving truth. Scoffers are blind to Calvary's cross. It is no murvel that they find no Saviour here. But truly Scripture contains more of Christ than human eye has ever yet discerned. Reader, pausu now, and ponder the Meatoffering, 'Xb holds the second place in the display of theso Christ-teachiDg rites. May the great Spirit's rays so brightly shine upon it, that some new view of Jesus may appear! God's wisdom terms it "the Meat-offer-ing ;" and justly so, because its larger part supplied tha priest with food. Its substance and its use are the chief pointe which claim attention.

Its main material is flour (verse 1). Iβ there no meaning in this ohoice? Mark, God's own mind seleots it. His mind is the abode of wondrous thought. Examine flour. By what process is it formed 1 Earth yields the grain; repeated blows thresh it from the husks; the grinding-mill reduces it to powder. Reader, this thought glides easily to Christ. Hβ stoops to be poor offspriog of poor earth. He, whom no heavens canjhold, is born the woman's seed. And then what batterings assail Him ! The earliest prophecy predicts His bruised heels. Hell spares no blow. Earth's fury lashes Him with ceaseless rage. The strokea of Justice crush Him to tho duet of death.

Oh, iny soul, a suffering Jesus is your full salvation. A bruised God-man is your blessed hope. His wounds are your safe refuge. His stripes heal you. Hβ wa3 broken to make you whole. He was crushed to raise you up. He groaned to bring you ease. He died, that you may live. The quality of the flour is distinctly marked. It must be fine. All coarseness must be sifted out. No impure speck may stain it.

Reader, see the lovely beauties of the Lord. His charms bring comfort to the anxious soul. Let but one flaw bo found in Him, and salvation's pillar moulders into duet. Then cleansing would be needed for His own defects. No blood would then remain for others' guilt. But He comes forth in all the glory of pure Binlesßness. Thus Hβ can take the sinner's place, and pay the einner's debt, and cast a spotless mantle round His Church. Thus we are beauteous in His beauty ; fair in His fairness ; comely in Hie comeliness; robed in His graoe. The pure Moat-offering sounds the Gospel-noto, "He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might bo made the righteousness of God in .Him" (2 Cor. v. 21). Oil is added (Lev. ii. 1). Its many properties are emblems of the Spirit's grace. Christ's very name imports that all the Spirit was outpoured on Him. Hi 3 life atte3t3 thin truth. When He appeared in earthly frame, it; was the Spirit's workmanship (Luke i. 35). When He ascended from the streams oi Jordan, the Spirit, as a dove, descended on Him (Luke iii. 22). When He approached His direst conflict with the power of hell, the Spirit led Him by the hand (Luke iv. 1). When, on the altar of the cross. He gave His soul an offering for sin, the Spirit's might upheld Him (Heb. ix. 14). When He burst the fettera of the grave the quickening Spirit aided (1 Peter iii. IS). His lips dropped wisdom—His steps were goodness—His hand was boundlese power—His heart was overflowing love. It must be bo. The God-man was the Spirit's home. God gave not the Spirit by measure unto Him (John iii. 34). The meatoffering was rich in oil. Jesus abounded with the Spirit's grace. Believer, are you. conformed to your anointed head ? Are you the living temple of the! Holy Ghos*;? "Be filled with the Spirit," is His trumpet-tongued command (Eph. v. IS). Can He thus speak and not be ready to dwell fully in you ? Can He be ready, and will you exclude Him ? Oh ! grieve Him not—wrong not your needy soul. Admit Him in His every gift. He is no Christian who is unlike Christ. He is unlike in whom the Spirit works ao likeness. Frankincense is- sprinkled on the mass (Lev. ii. 1). Thus the Meat-offering scatters fragrance round, and fills the senses with delicious joy. And is not Christ the incense of delight, in Heaven, in earth? The precious merits of Hie work regale each attributo of God. He brings full honour to their every claim. No Christ-saved soul sits down in bliss but to add glory to Jehovah's name, and to bring brightness to Jehovah's crown, and to deck justice, mercy, truth in more resplendent rays. He, too, is perfume to His people's hearts. Say, ye who know Christ Jesus, is not His name "as ointment poured forth ?" Is He I not your bundle of myrrh?—your " clueter of carapbire?" (Song i. 13, 14). He blots out every sin. He bears away all curae. He heals all wounds. He dries all tears. He stills all conscience-fears. He shows God reconciled—hell vanquished—Heaven won. In Him the past has lost its terror. In Him the present is hope's clear watchtower. In Him the future is an expanse of glory. Can there be frankincense more gladdening than these refreshing truths? Keader, grasp Him, and refresh yourself iu this garden of sweet joy. No leaven and no honey may be brought (Lev. ii. 11). The first is quiok to change and taint the meal. It rapidly pervades. It casts a savour into every, part.' Hence it is evil's emblem. For sin admitted will run wildly through the heart. Its course pollutes. Its touch leaves all impure.

The latter is most luscious' to tho palate. "But is it harmless ? Nay, it soon proves a sickening and fermenting pest. Its sweetness tempts. But bitterness ensues. Here ie a symbol of sin's flattering bait. It seems to call to rich delights. It promises a honeyed feast. But ah? the juice is gall. The dregs are wormwood. Sin's smiles end in hell-pains. No suoh admixtures may defile this type. To paint tho sun, wo use our brightest tints. To show forth Christ, we must have pure and purifying signs. But salt must be infused (Lev. ii. 13). Its properties repel corruption and defy deoay. Where it is sprinkled freshness live 3. At its approach time drops its spoiling hand. Again behold tho Lord. His essence and His work are purity's bright blaze. Ho soars above defilement, high as tho heavens excel the earth. He washes, and His Biiints are cleansed. He breathes within them, and corruptions stay. Believer, you, too, aro called to be this vile earth's salt (Mat. v. 13). When you go forth may purity walk hand in hand! When your lips speak may purity's best seed be dropped! May your whole life bo counteractive of sin's taint! May many an error die whon you are near. Salt, too, pourtrays tho perpetuity of grace. Boliover, you know that Jesus loves you. You read it in His cross. You see it in His Word—that mirror of His heart. You hoar it in His Spirit's call. Know, that this love is as eternal as Himself. Tho covenant of salt precedes the birth, survives the death, of time.

The Meat-offering is thus significantly formed. Ite use is next distinctly shown. The offerer " shall bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests; and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof; and of all tho oil thereof, with all the frankincenso thereof; and the priest shall burn the numorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire of ft sweet savour unto tho Lord" (Lev. ii. 2), A part is cast upon tho altar's hearth. Tbo fire enwraps it in devouring folds. It i» the prey of the conBurning blaze. Faish knows full well the Gospel of this act. It sees wrath falling on the spotless and anointed victim. The burning meal exhibits Jeeus in '(The furnace of keen anguish. What awe, what peace, live in this wondrous night! What awe ! Here is full evidence of sin's deserts. . Sin rouses the just vengeance of our righteous God. It is an outrage to Hie honour, to His nature, and His name. It must have torment. An adamantino chain unites it to oxoruciating woe. If he escape, (Jod's majesty is wronged. Tho God-man in the garden and on the cross shows how God's anger deals with this foul foo. What peace ! Jesus consents to suffer all, each vial is outpoured on Him. The fire finda its prey, and spares not. Believer, see the meat-offering on the altar, and let your every fear subside ; gaze, and let tranquil peaoo lull every anxious thought. Wrath i ends in Jesus. It takes ita dues from Him,

I it loaves Him not till all is paid, its sting \ then dies. No penal woe remains for you, !j justice forbids that punishment should twice be asked. You may lock calmly on the fiery lako, a suffering Christ has quenched its flames for you. Happy believer, your sins, though many, have endured their death. Happy believer, where are hell's pains for you ? Your Surety has exhausted all. The meat-offering had further use. The remnant "shall be Aaron's and his sons; it is a thing inost holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire" (Lev. ii. 3). Here is another view of Christ. It shows most tender and providing love. The Gospel truth is tread of life to hungry souls. They, who serve Christ, sit down at a rich board. A feast is spread to nourish and to regale. Christ gives Himself—heaven's richest produce—as substantial food. Ho is the broad of life. His flesh is meat indeed ; His blood is drink indeod. The Spirit is ever calling to the banquet-house, " Eat, O friends," "Eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight ifself in fatnesa." Faith hears, faith hastens, faith partakes, and thrives, and feasts again, and gains recruited energies for now work.

Poor worldlings snatch at miscalled pleasures' husk. They eat, and fret, and pine, and perish. In preparing the meat-offering account was made of varying grades of outward circumstance. Diveree utensils were enjoined to meet diversity of rank and state. The rich must use their best. The poor must humbly bring from their more humble hearths, but rich and poor alike must offer (Lev. ii. 4, 5, 7).

One Christ is the one plea at Heaven's gate, the rich man's riches open not the door, the poor man's poverty has no moving voice. Hear this, ye rich. Earthly pelf is little now, and nothing to buy pardon. Bat Christ enriches in present and in endless time. His treasure is ennobling gain, enduring joy, a crown of life, a throne of glory. Bring this meat-offering, and you are rich indeed.

Ye poor, draw near. Especial welcomes beckon you. Yonr toil-worn hands may clasp the cross. Your lowly huts ma} , entertain the Lord of lords. Without Him poverty is hard indeed. But He makes you kings and priests to God. By His side work is light. In His arms rest is sweet. In His love life has few frowns. In His faith death sweetly smiles. Brint; this meatoffering, and you are no more poor. Spirit of God, great Teacher of the Church, blsssings be Thine tor thus revealing Christ.