SHORT PAPERS ON THE OFFERINGS.

V.

THE MEAT-OFFERING.

LEVITICUS II.

IF we have learnt the meaning of, or God's: thoughts revealed to us in, the burnt-offeringthat all through this dark night, until the break of day, we are identified continually with Christ in all the sweet savour of His offering, once offered; for ever perfected-it will then be truly blessed to see what is the next thing presented. to us as believers, for our food along the journey. This is the meat-offering. We desire to write simply for the least babe in Christ. For it is the law of the meat-offering, that so "shall all the sons of Aaron have one as much as another." The sons of Aaron have thus, again, a privilege which the people do not enjoy—carrying out the figure of the sons of Aaron being a type of the church as the brethren of Christ. They have the privilege of feeding in enjoyment on Christ. that the people of Israel will not have, even in millennial days. It is the will of our God and Father, then, that all the redeemed brethren of Christ shall feed on Him, in blest enjoyment, "one as much as another."

The sons of Aaron were redeemed from Egypt. We have redemption through His blood. They

were the recognised priests of Jehovah. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." The sons of Aaron had not to eat the meat-offering in order to get to be priests, or to get salvation and deliverance from Egypt. Neither have we to take the so-called holy communion to get to be saved, or to obtain redemption. If we have redemption, how can we have to do any thing to get it? We feel more and more the importance of bearing in mind, that all these offerings are for those who have redemption. Truly all point to Christ, and reveal the rich provision of our God and Father. Perhaps you say, But must I not take the Lord's supper? Certainly, if you can truly give thanks because you have redemption, but not without this certainty; it is mere mockery and unbelief to do so.

If, then, we can say we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, and that we are perfected, in unchanging continuity, by His one sacrifice-identified with Him, taken into favour in the Beloved, in all the sweet savour of what He is to God, as seen in the burnt-offering-we may now look at the next thing, the meat-offering. Here, mark, there is no death, no atonement. "His offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon." (Lev. ii. 1.) This is

evidently Christ in His incarnation, the spotless humanity of Christ; what He was in His life. down here below; the bread that came down from heaven. In verse 2 we have what Christ was to God, and in verse 3 what He is to us. The handful of flour and oil, with ALL the frankincense, was burnt at the altar by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

In His birth He was begotten of the Holy Ghost in sinless purity. As a child, He was "filled with wisdom, and the grace [favour] of God was upon him." (Luke ii. 40.) Yes, from the moment He was born of the Virgin, He was this sweet savour unto the Lord.

Fine flour, mingled with oil, and anointed with oil. And when He, in grace, identified Himself with the remnant of Israel, in the baptism of John, "Lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. iii. 16, 17.)

He knew no sin; there was no stain of inward corruption in Him, to hinder the Spirit of God descending on Him, the beloved Son of God the Father, in whom was all His delight—the meatoffering that satisfied the whole heart of God. He could say," in whom I am well pleased." Oh, how the Father delighted to say, in a voice out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son." And,

not only was He the food, the delight of God the Father, but surely, as all the sons of Aaron had their portion of the meat-offering, one as much as another, so have we our portion, our food, in Christ.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.... And of his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace" [or, favour upon favour].

There was a striking illustration of this on the day of the dedication of the altar. (Num. vii.) It is shewn in that chapter that the offerings of the twelve princes of the tribes of Israel were exactly alike, pointing to Him who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Now, as to the meat-offering, take the first, the offering of Nahshon, the son of Aminadab. "And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl, of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour, mingled with oil, for a meat-offering." Yes, in the meat-offering God had His portion, and all the sons of Aaron their portion. And both large and small silver vessels were full of the meat-offering. Thus Jesus, as Man, anointed with the Holy Ghost, fills the infinite heart of God: "and of his fulness have all we received."

Yes, surely that which satisfies the infinite, must satisfy the finite.

Fine flour; yes, there was no unevenness in Him. See Him crushed and bruised by the sorrows that oppressed Him during His life. But all infinite loveliness, divine perfection-ever presented unto God for a sweet savour; and the nearer He came to the cross, the sweeter the savour. It was when Judas went out, He said, "Now is the Son of man glorified." He was betrayed by His own disciple. The Pharisees and priests consulting to put Him to death, the powers of hell seeking to crush Him; and the more He is crushed and bruised, the sweeter the savour ascending up to His Father. Oh, precious Jesus, food of my soul! Oh, to be more like Thee!

Verse 11. "No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto the Lord shall be made with leaven, for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the Lord made with fire." Leaven, in scripture, is the well-known type of evil; leaven of Herod, of malice, and wickedness, &c. In Jesus was no evil, no root of sin. In Himself He was ever the perfect, sinless offering to God -sinless humanity-and, as such, anointed with the Holy Ghost.

The hand was never laid on the meat-offering -no, sinful humanity could not be identified with the holy, sinless, perfect One: He must die, or remain for ever alone. There is no hand of