CHAPTER XI.

THE EIGHTH DAY SERVICE.

LEVITICUS ix.

O soon as the seven days were completed, on the eighth day Aaron and his sons entered upon their duties, both for themselves and for the people.

But this eighth day is of great significance. Seven days is a term including our ordinary week. The eighth day is something beyond—something new— something out of the ordinary arrangements of time, and has, in consequence, great spiritual significance. On the seventh day our Lord rested in the grave. On the eighth day-the first of a new series of time -He rose from the dead as the Head of the new creation of God. It was after his resurrection that our Lord entered as High Priest within the veil. Thus we see the close connection between priesthood and resurrection. Thus Aaron and his sons entered on their priestly functions on the eighth day, and thus shows us that our true priestly functions are to be exercised in the power of the resurrection life into which we are brought by union with our risen Head. We are now to walk in "newness of life," and all our

priestly service is as those who have entered into the sanctuary on high with our risen Head. All our power to serve God and to serve others, all our power to walk as strangers and pilgrims here is the result of resurrection.

On the eighth day Aaron offered all the different kinds of offerings mentioned before, adding only one -a bullock and a ram for a peace offering. This was the concluding sacrifice. It brings before us the result of all the others. The sin offering, the ram for a burnt offering, and the ram of consecrations or filling of the hand, bring before us Christ as our sin bearer; Christ as our burnt offering—an odour of a sweet smell in the presence of our God; Christ as our daily food; and now this peace offering seems to say Christ is our peace: "having made peace through the blood of his cross:" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." Yes, peace with Godthis is the blessed result of all He has done for us.

And this word "peace" is in the plural number, to convey to us that in Christ we have, as the result of his finished work, all kinds of peace. Peace now, peace hereafter. Peace in life, peace in death. Peace for the conscience, and peace filling the whole soul from day to day. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace (peace, peace, see margin), whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in Thee." (Isa. xxvi. 3.)

Aaron, having offered this and the other offerings, lifted up his hand towards the people, and blessed them, and then went in with Moses into the tabernacle of the congregation. (Lev. ix. 22-23.) There

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is a beautiful fulfilment of this type in the history of our Lord in the New Testament. He had offered in his own person the sin offering, and burnt offering, and peace offering on Calvary; and taking his disciples out to Bethany, (see Luke xxiv. 50-53,) He was now about to lift up his hand as the true Aaronic High Priest and bless them, and then pass for a while into the tabernacle on high, "the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man." had gathered his band of loved ones around Him, and now He is seen ascending. But the last sight they catch of their loved Lord is his outstretched hands uplifted over them in blessing. Thus He entered the tabernacle.

He

But why were the outstretched hands of blessing the last form in which they saw Him? It was to show them that thus He would be engaged on their behalf in heaven; that though the human hands could not be seen they would be uplifted there, and faith could behold them from day to day. But observe, that after Aaron had been for a time hidden from view in the tabernacle, he came out again, and again blessed the people. This time "the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people" when he came out, and all the people "shouted for joy, and fell on their faces and worshipped." (Lev. ix. 23, 24.)

So will it be with our great High Priest. He has gone for awhile inside the tabernacle, but He will soon reappear. When He does the glory of the Lord shall appear to all the people. Then shall his people raise a wondrous shout of joy. ship so pure, so holy, so blessed

Then shall be woras the Church has

never yet offered. Yes, this is now our blessed hope. For this the Church waits. For this creation groans and sighs. "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Even so; come, Lord Jesus.

The form of the blessing with which Aaron on this occasion blessed the people, is recorded in Numbers vi. 23-27. It will be profitable to call the reader's attention to it ere I close. I will confine my remarks to two aspects of this blessing; first, the people blessed; and secondly, the source of blessing. First, then, the people blessed. Who are they that are thus blessed? Are they the Lord's children, simply as such, on whom this blessing is pronounced? If we refer to the portion of Scripture with which it stands connected, we shall see that it is not the people of God, simply as such, who are thus blessed, but the people of God in a particular character. The first six chapters of the Book of Numbers present us with that character. In the first chapter the children of Israel "declared their pedigree after their families." (Verse 18). This was the first step. So it is now. A man must be able to declare his spiritual pedigree. Is he "born again?" Is he related to the Lord Jesus by a new birth? Can he "Christ is mine, and I am his?" No spiritual pedigree without this. No being numbered with the true Israel without this. No "blessing" of the Lord without this.

Secondly, those who can declare their pedigree must "go forth to war." Fifteen times is this expression used of Israel in this first chapter. So is it

also with the spiritual Israel—with those who can "declare their pedigree "-they must go forth to war. "Fight the good fight of faith;" "put on the whole armour of God;" "I have fought the good fight." In fact, the whole of the New Testament rings with the sounds of battle. From the moment we are born again, can "declare our pedigree," from that moment the battle begins, and never ends till the Lord comes again. And he who would have the "blessing" of the great Captain of our salvation must "manfully fight under his banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end."

Thirdly, "Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard." (Chap. ii. I, 34.) Each child of God must know his own place, and keep it. What confusion would there have been in the march in the wilderness had the Israelites not known this! How it would have hindered their advance and progress! So must the Christian know it too. Whether sweeping a crossing or ruling an empire, let each one know the calling whereunto he is called of God, and keep it. Thus progress will be made. Thus God will be glorified. Let each one see, then, that in the march through this wilderness to the promised land, "he pitch by his own standard."

Fourthly, "Take the sum

of all that enter

into the host to do the work of the tabernacle

(chap. iv. 3), "to do the services of the tabernacle." (Chap. iii. 8.) In chapters three and four we are presented with the Israelites as "workers" for God.