goat's being dismissed. Then, as to the two strong objections alleged by some against this view, when examined, they have no force. For the first is, that if the clause, "the one lot for the Lord," intimate that the goat is appropriated to a person, so should the next clause, "the other lot for (NIE) Azazel," also signify appropriation to a person. But the answer to this is, that the proper sense is not appropriation to, or designation for persons; it is designation for use, viz., the first for the purpose of being killed at the Lord's altar; the other for the purpose of sending away to the wilderness. The second objection is more serious. It is said that the words in ver. 10, 3, never can mean, "make atonement with him," but must mean "for him," as the object. And it is on this ground mainly that Bush defends his strange idea of this goat being a type of apostate Israel. But, in reply, we assert that the words may have the meaning which our version gives them; and that, would probably have been used if "for him,” had been meant, seeing this is the phrase used all throughout this chapter to express that idea. In Exod. xxx. 30, the phrase (b) occurs twice in the sense of "atone over, or upon:" "Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in a year;" and "once in the year shall he make atonement upon it" (19). So here, the priest is to make atonement over the scape-goat, by putting Israel's guilt upon it ere he sends it away. And if one say, that surely it is strange that this mode of expression should occur so rarely, the answer is, the act described by it occurred rarely, and no other words could better express the act intended.

Probably, the root of all these objections has been the secret feeling that there was something quite unsatisfac

tory in explaining the passage as a type of death and resurrection. How the scape-goat could mean resurrection, has been secretly felt to be very puzzling. But this difficulty will vanish when we come to see that it does not mean resurrection. Let us proceed, therefore, to consider the whole transactions of that memorable day.

Vers. 11, 12, 13, 14. "And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sinoffering which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself: and he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: and he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat eastward: and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times."

All the victims having stood before the Lord-types of all our race standing before him, shuddering under the curse-Aaron, first of all, offers for himself and his house. He takes the sin-offering bullock, slays it on the altar, and pours out its blood. With the blood he fills one of the bowls of the altar.

Then, with this in one hand, he places in the other a pan of live coals from the very same altar-out of the very same flames that had fed upon his sacrifice and on this he sprinkles a handful of incense, whose sweet fragrance instantly fills the courts of the Lord's house. What a glorious scene for sinners! This sinner's offering is accepted! The sweet savor breathes over it and ascends to heaven. The very fire* that preyed upon the bullock till it was consumed into ashes,

*Notice, the fragrance is drawn out by the fire, to show that acceptance is effected by justice itself.

is that which causes this fragrance to be felt; the very righteousness that sought for an atonement ere it could forgive, delights to proclaim that the law is magnified, Jehovah glorified, the sinner justified. The holy law, having met with its requisitions, exults in declaring the sinner free!

But Aaron's next step is yet more wondrous. He advances to the Holiest of all, passing through The Holy place, blood and sweet incense all the time held up in his hand; yea, not only a censer full of incense, but a cup of it, besides, held in his hand. The light from the golden candlestick directs his reverent step to the veil, which he draws aside. Forthwith, the bright cloud of glory pours its full radiance upon him-too bright for his feeble eye, were it not softened by the cloud of incense. that arises from the censer in his hand. Thus enveloped, he sprinkles the blood on the mercy-seat seven times. But what a moment was this! It is his own sins that he is thus confessing; his own death, his own deserved wrath, is what is spread out before the Lord in that sprinkled blood! His tears drop on the floor as he again and again spreads out this symbol of his life forfeited. and of his life saved. It seems that offering of incense was always accompanied with prayer (Rev. viii. 4); it was so here. Elijah's prayer for rain, when seven times in succession he urged the plea that in the end prevailed, was not more awfully earnest than Aaron's now. When first he sprinkles the blood, oh, how deep his agony! "O God, be merciful* to me a sinner." Yet oh, how sweet his hope as he waves the censer over it, and feels the savor of life! Again and again he thus presents his

* The very word there used seems to point the finger to the “{Xaorpiov,” the mercy-seat. It is iλaconti pot, Luke xviii. 13.

He

atonement, till the seventh time ends the whole transaction, and he stands alone with God, justified, accepted, loved, and blessed. Happier man than Adam! More holy spot than Eden! Happier man, because escaped from the curse forever, and entered into an everlasting fellowship with the Almighty. More holy spot, because encircled with such amazing discoveries of the infinite perfections of holiness. In every way more blessed! for here are springs from the Godhead gushing forth as they never did in Paradise-new forms of love, joy, peace, blended with righteousness, and wisdom, and truth. It was thus with Jesus in atoning for others. all along carried the blood and the sweet incense* with him. If he is baptized in Jordan, lo! the cloud of incense ascends, "This is my beloved Son." If he talk of his decease, which he is to accomplish at Jerusalem, lo! again, "This is my beloved Son." If he is troubled in the temple, and the consuming fire be felt in his bones, lo! the incense again, "I have glorified thee, and will glorify thee again." He enters the sepulchre, rending asunder the veil; then, lo! the cloud of incense settles on his head! All is favor now; God meets with man, and man rests on God! "It is finished."

Christ's resurrection may have been typified by Aaron's

* " Incense," because of its smell being pleasing, is the type of service offered acceptably; see Rev. viii. 4; Ps. cxli. 2. But here notice, that in Rev. v. 8, the "golden vials” are not censers. The censer is, in the Septuagint, TO TUρETOV;" and "ra nupcia” (2 Kings xxiv. 15), are distinguished from “τας φιάλας.” Vials" are the bowels of the altar, or the like. In Rev. v. 8, the saints see Christ about to enter on his glorious reign, and forthwith take their harps to praise, and also hold up their bowlfuls of still unanswered prayers, because they will be fully granted now. As Ps. lxxii. 20. The saints here do not intercede for others; they have no censers; they only present their own prayers to the high priest.

coming out to the court again, after thus entering the holiest. He came forth, and once more stood at the altar. And now he prepared to offer for the people.

Vers. 15, 16, 17. "Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat. And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel."

He now kills the people's sin-offering, confessing over it their uncleanness, transgressions and sins. He enters. the most holy place, as before, to sprinkle the blood. This he does on the mercy-seat, and also on the floor before it, or on the side of it; thus filling the holiest with the cry of atoning blood. Over it he stands, confessing Israel's sin, with strong crying and tears; he enumerates their departures from the holy law, and spreads out before God, in the light of his countenance, their endless sins, their transgressions of every form, their uncleanness of deepest dye. But that blood sprinkled there raises its cry-the life of the Living One is taken for the guilty— and to this blood Aaron points for pardon. This is none other than a Gethsemane! The man of sorrows, bearing our sins, is here. "O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee." (Ps. lxix. 5.) Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." "The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all." And his precious life-the life of the true Living One

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