"ov reteleiras év ty dɣány." (Ver. 18.) He who still fears, and has suspicious doubts remaining, has not entered upon his consecration-day-has not fully entered upon the enjoyment of the privileges to which this love entitles him for this perfect love casts out all fear.*

* In "Jehovah Zidkenu," a small work by F. Sanders, Pastor in Barmen, this passage is explained in a similar way. "He by whom the love of God is so perfectly believed, known, experienced, and enjoyed, that he can comfort himself with it against all the condemnations of the law, against all the accusations of conscience, and against all the assaults of Satan, such a one is said in this respect to have boldness for the Day of Judgment. This 'perfect love' casteth out all 'fear.'” (P. 51.)

Naron's Entrance on his Office.

"BEING MADE PERFECT, HE BECAME THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION UNTO ALL THEM THAT OBEY HIM."-Heb. v. 9.

CHAPTER IX.

Ver. 1. "And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel."

THE priests were now "made perfect," that is, consecrated to their office. There is to be a specimen given. here of the high priest actually engaged in his office. The elders of Israel are special witnesses, that they may tell the people with what confidence they may now approach the altar; for Aaron is fully consecrated— "made perfect." And his four sons, also, stand by as witnesses.

Thus witnesses of Christ's completeness have assured us of his being a true and every way complete priest. They proclaim, "Being made perfect, he has become the author of eternal salvation unto all men that obey him." (Heb. v. 9.) The Father bears witness that he did consecrate him completely; and, on earth, saved souls bear witness that they have seen and felt the power of his priesthood, for they took their sins to him, and received atonement from him.

Ver. 2. "And he said unto Aaron, take thee a young calf for a sinoffering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish, and offer them before the Lord."

Aaron, now actually in office, is to begin his official acts before all the people, by again offering, as in chap. viii. 14, 18, a sacrifice of sin-offering and burnt-offering. He is ever to keep the people in mind that there must another priest arise, greater far than Aaron; for Aaron needs atonement himself. On all great public occasions, the high priest began by presenting these two offerings for himself. The consecration-offerings of chap. viii. 22, 26, he had, of course, no more to do with. Now, in so doing, he was "the voice of one crying" at the altar, Prepare ye the way of the Lord! of the Lord! I am not the Christ. There cometh one after me, mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose! One who shall not need daily, as I need, "to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's." (Heb. vii. 27.)

Vers. 3, 4. "And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt-offering; also a bullock and a ram for peace-offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord; and a meat-offering mingled with oil: for to-day the Lord will appear unto you."

The people bring all kind of offerings, except the trespass-offering, which, at the entrance of the priest on his duties, and while the congregation, therefore, were only beginning to be shown their duty in holy things,

*The young calf here, and the "young bullock" of Exod. xxix. 1, seems the same. The Hebrew in this chapter is, and in Exodus, 1. The Jews say it put Aaron in mind of the matter of the golden calf.

might not be needed. A trespass in holy things (see chap. v. 15) could scarcely have yet occurred. But all other kinds are brought. Foremost is the sin-offering, whereon they lay their individual special guilt. Then, a twofold burnt-offering,—a calf and a lamb,—to show their trust in the grand primary sacrifice. Next, the peace-offering, in its fullest form—a ram and a bullock (, ox)-to show the complete peace bestowed and reconciliation to God. Lastly, the meat-offering, mingled with oil-their own persons consecrated to God and his service.

The people were called to do this, on the ground that "the Lord would appear to them that day." As if Moses had said, "Thus shall you meet the Lord: His way to the sinner is through the shedding of blood; and the sinner's way to him is through the same." A glorious truth for the chief of sinners! "He has been to you a

God that hideth himself; but approach with the blood that has been shed for you; this day approach; and this day shall the Lord appear unto you!"

Vers. 5, 6.

"And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near, and stood before the Lord. And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you."

The congregation gathered themselves together in front of the tabernacle, with the offerings. Moses then

said to them, "This, which the Lord commanded, do" (see the original), and in so doing, expect that he will appear. As at ver. 4, we are taught that the Lord appears as our God, reconciled and gracious, when we are approaching him through the work of his Son.

Ver. 7. "And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the Lord commanded."

The people being ready, Aaron is now to offer for them. But, that they might know him to be only a type and shadow, and not "the Christ," the true anointed Priest, he first of all presents a sacrifice for himself. It being thus understood by all that he acts in the name of another yet to come, he goes forward to the work.

Vers. 8, 9, 10, 11. "Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin-offering, which was for himself. And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar. But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin-offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the Lord commanded Moses. And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp."

As soon as Aaron had slain his sin-offering, his sons caught its blood in the bowls of the altar; and as each of the four stood-perhaps one at each corner of the altar -Aaron bent down and dipt his finger in their bowl of blood, and sprinkled the horns of the altar. Thus, the four horns were seen by the people wet with blood, a loud voice of atonement thereby ascending to heaven, crying, "Pardon to the guilty! for this is his penalty." Then Aaron emptied out of the bowls, and out of the body of the animal, the blood that remained, till a torrent of red crimson blood flowed round the altar's base. In vers. 10, 11, the view is the same as chap. viii. 16.*

*The Hebrew in this place is different in the form of expression. The caul is said to be “from the liver;" and n 12, “from the sin-offering." This may be, q. d., the caul which he takes from the liver, from out of the sin-offering. So ver. 19.