No. 4.
MY DEAR― The account of the consecration of the priests, in the last dispensation, gives us also typical instruction in two points, which should not be overlooked: 1St. As to the place of acceptance we are brought into before God; and 2nd. Our position here as the priests of God answerable to it. (See Lev. 8:18-2418And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 19And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 20And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat. 21And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savor, and an offering made by fire unto the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses. 22And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 23And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. 24And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. (Leviticus 8:18‑24).)
The sin-offering gives an aspect of Christ death which tells us of our sin condemned and purged. The burnt-offering shows us our acceptance with God― “accepted or graced in the beloved” (Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)); or, according to Lev. 1:44And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1:4), “It shall be accepted for him.” So that we stand before God in Christ in all the fragrance of His infinite worthiness, in all the acceptability of Christ Himself. Thus, nothing can touch our security, because Jesus has “given Himself an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor,” and He is at the right hand of God. We are on the ground of an already accomplished redemption. We have entrance into God’s presence, can rejoice in Christ Jesus, and worship the Father.
But the blood of the ram of consecration was sprinkled on the priests. This is another use of the blood of Jesus. It separates us off unto God. We are not our own, but are bought with a price. We are sanctified by the blood. So that we are to be wholly for the Lord. The blood sprinkled upon the conscience calls for a walk down here, answerable to our calling and standing up there. The blood is the ground of both. The Spirit testifies of its power. While then the burnt-offering teaches us that we are now justified by the blood of Christ, the ram of consecration teaches us that we are now sanctified or separated unto God for continual service and worship. We serve in happy liberty, and we worship too, as consecrated by the blood.
There were three different parts of the body sprinkled with the blood―the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot. These are important points to notice.
1. THE TIP OF THE RIGHT EAR may show us that the priests were to receive their instruction from God, and hearken only to Him. The eye and the ear are two of the great avenues by which Satan reaches the heart. When he found Eve ready to listen to his words, he suggested foul and distrustful thoughts of God; and when she saw the tree was good for food and pleasant TO THE EYES, she took of the fruit and did eat, and gave also to her husband. It is well, then, to be reminded that we are to listen only to the Lord. When we lend our ears to listen to unprofitable conversation, we give the enemy an advantage over us. But inclining our ear unto wisdom, we shall be able to speak and act in the fear of the Lord. It is said of the blessed Lord, “He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned;” and we also read, “The Lord God, hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.” (Isa. 1:44Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. (Isaiah 1:4).) It is well, then, to remember, that as a royal and holy priesthood we are to hearken to God, and receive our instructions from Him.
2. THE THUMB OF THE RIGHT HAND shows us that we are to labor for the Lord, to minister for His glory. We know who said, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;” while another, by the same spirit, admonishes us, whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, to do all for the glory of God. Our powers are to be consecrated to God, we are to be obedient children; not sometimes, but continually.
The blessed Lord could say, “I do always those things that please Him.” And it is when we are dwelling on the grace of God in not sparing His own Son, but delivering Him up for us all, that we can sincerely sing unto the Lord:
“Take thou our hearts, and let them be
Forever closed to all but thee;
Thy willing servants, let us wear
The seal of love forever there.”
3. THE GREAT TOE OF THE RIGHT FOOT instructs us that we are to walk, not in the way of the ungodly, but in God’s ways―to walk with God. The Holy Spirit leads us in this path. The Scriptures reveal to us the footprints of Jesus, and the soul delights to trace them in order to follow His steps. This is a narrow path indeed. He was not of the world. He pleased not Himself. He was always obedient. He never sought to do His own will. He was always a sweet savor unto God. There was not a moment ill spent by Him. He received not honor from men. He was indeed the “faithful witness.” It was a path of suffering, it is true, but of unbroken fellowship with the Father, until His soul was made an offering for sin, when He cried out in bitterest sorrow, “my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” In that part of the path we can never participate. But if the remembrance of that sorrow and death, even the death of the cross, be kept fresh in our minds and hearts, we shall be bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, and never forget that we are forever consecrated by that sacrifice unto the service of God.
May we often think of this; for in this way our hearts will be kept fresh and happy for worship, and we shall be steadfast in God’s ways, and faithful in the ministry with which the Lord would have us occupied.
Yours affectionately,
A CHRISTIAN, talking of his own death, said, “If I die, I shall be with Christ; if I live, Christ will be with me.