THIRD ARTICLE (BARTLEY)

All sacrifices in the worship of God show man’s alienation and separation from Him, as we have seen, and that it is only by Divinely appointed sacrifices sinners are restored to communion with Him.

Left to themselves, the separated sons of Adam and divided nations of the earth sought to restore themselves to the favor of God, or to propitiate their imaginary gods by means of their own sacrifices and works; and thus they wandered in ignorance before God proclaimed the Law of Sacrifices upon Mount Sinai by His servant Moses, and the Gospel of Service upon Mount

Zion by His Son Jesus. But now behold both in the Law and in the Gospel, God is seen as coming down to the estranged and wandering children of men as their Covenant-God, Himself providing and making known the way for their restoration, return and access unto Him, that they may come and kneel before and worship God who created them. The first is the vain endeavor of men to build a mud-tower to heaven and raise themselves up to God (and they yet have “endeavor” organizations); the last is God’s effectual way of “bringing again that which was driven away, and binding up that which was broken,” and of raising up to Himself the elect but fallen children and people of the Covenant; that they may acceptably worship Him in the mountain of His holiness, and commune with Him and He with them.

 

The burnt-offerings of the people of the Old Covenant, which in the order of nature were subsequent to their sin-offerings, were self-dedicatory, representing that their sins were atoned for and put away, and so they themselves in their persons and services were accepted with God and were His consecrated worshippers, giving themselves freely and wholly to Him in entire devotion, because He had redeemed and saved them, and had separated them from the nations, from their sins and their idols. The burntoffering, which was wholly burnt, was expressive of this sacred obligation of all the saved people, and was a symbol and pledge that they were the Lord’s, and that all they had and were belonged to Him. Joshua (type of Jesus) expressed this entire consecration and devotion to God when he said, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for the Lord our God, He it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” And so Moses, their leader out of Egypt and bondage, taught them to sing, “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help and the sword of thy excellency!” “Saved by the Lord!” Thus is set forth their absolute dependency upon Him who saved them, as also their supreme obligations to consecrate themselves entirely to the Lord their God, who had so graciously raised them up into holy communion with Himself, having put away their sins and blotted out as a thick cloud their transgressions which had separated them from Him. The burnt-offerings had this meaning, and impressed the saved people that the Lord was their all and they were His inheritance. All they were as the people of the living God, and all that they possessed, the Lord had made them and bestowed upon them. To Him they owed themselves and all their mercies and blessings; therefore, to Him belonged all their devotions, worship, and praise, so that it was just and right for them to be wholly consecrated to the service of the Lord, and that they should love Him with their whole heart and soul, mind, and strength, as a tribute of honor and glory to Him for what He had made them and done for them. In the light and view of this, the departures and idolatries of the Lord’s redeemed people were extremely hateful and displeasing, and brought upon them their worst calamities, as merited judgments, that so they might return to the Lord who had bought them.

 

Let us now apply all this solemn and wonderful meaning and lesson of the burnt-offerings to the people of the “New and better Testament,” that our minds and hearts may be suitably impressed with our most sacred and supreme obligations to be sincerely and entirely consecrated in humble devotion and service to the God and Father of our only Lord Jesus Christ, who has wrought so great salvation for us, and quickened us together with Christ, to the end that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him and behold His glory, that where He is there we shall be, and live because He lives.

 

These Scriptures will suffice to impress this at present: “He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.” “Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” “Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” “Now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” “Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me.” To be thus with the holy Son of God, they must first be transformed into His image of perfect holiness before God in love, and indeed consecrated unto the worship of the holy and blessed God, then His people gathered unto His holy sanctuary with their peace-offerings, which they freely offered up in devotional sacrifice and service, because God was their God and Savior, and had so greatly blessed them. Through their peace-offerings they said, “The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” So, these last offerings of the children of the Covenant were cheerfully given in the gratitude of their hearts, as so many offerings of thanksgiving and tributes of praise. Thus, they were a kingdom of priests unto God, and He dwelt among them. They were His footstool, the place of His feet, which He made glorious. How wonderful that God should come down and dwell among men! “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” So is the covenant that He makes with them.

 

Through the sin-offering their God has taken away their sins; through the burnt-offerings He has brought them into the bonds of the covenant as His “holy nation,” a people separated unto Himself from all other peoples and nations; and now, through the peace-offering, they make His praise glorious in His temple!

 

As applied to the New Testament people in their worship and service, the Supper of the Lord, which superseded the Passover, shows the suffering for sin unto death, as witnessed by all the sin-offerings until Christ died for our sins; then, Gospel baptism, in which is shown that our sins were burned up or consumed and we were cut off by death, as was Christ, and were also quickened and raised up together with Him, to live in newness of spirit and serve God in righteousness all the days of an endless life – baptism is the Spiritual realization of the whole burnt-offering. Thus, it is seen through the sacrifices under the Law that the people saved by the Lord are a regenerated kingdom, a people separated from their sins and raised up out of death into a new life, a new and living and holy people! This is very wonderful, and it is the Lord’s doing. It is all fulfilled and realized in our Lord Jesus Christ, in and with whom we are complete and united.

 

And now, henceforth and forever, our peace-offerings of thanksgiving and praise unto the God of our salvation are offered up with love and joyfulness through our consecrated and glorified High Priest, who lives in the presence of God for us. “This people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise,” saith the Lord. It is indeed their delight and joy to do so, because His love is in their hearts, and they walk in the light of His countenance, which is heaven to their souls. This was beautifully represented by the last of the three great yearly feasts of Israel – the feast of Tabernacles in the end of the harvest-year, a time of great rejoicing among all the people of God. At this feast the happy Jubilee was proclaimed through the priests by the blowing of trumpets; and all the people were made free to return home to their inheritance in the good land. O, my soul, rise up and praise and bless God for all these great things!

 

One lesson more is taught us by the peace-offerings, and it is important, and will close this consideration of sacrifices. The peace-offering, like the burnt-offerings and the sin-offerings, were of the very best that the offerers had to bring in sacrifice to God; and when brought and offered as a tribute of homage and gratitude, a part of this offering was burned on the altar in devotion to God, and the remainder was shared between the priests and ministers of the sanctuary and the worshippers who brought the sacrifice. Thus, the close and sacred relationship between God and His servants and people is shown, and that their interests and love and blessings are joined together and mutual. It is so in the Gospel kingdom and inheritance and service. Our adorable King Himself “came down from heaven,” and so God’s divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness; and in this fullness of salvation and heavenly riches and blessing every one of this holy priesthood is embraced together, as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, to offer up Spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Thus all this divine service of ministration and grateful honor and praise comes down from God out of heaven to those who offer praise unto Him, and it is sanctified unto His glory and ascends up to Him again in supplication and thanksgiving, as the incense of loving hearts. “For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God.” “They which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple, and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar” (of the sacrifices and offerings of their brethren); “even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel;” that is, of the grateful peace-offerings of their brethren in the gospel. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God; if any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it of the ability which God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Thus and in this manner the sacrifice of peace-offerings is fulfilled unto the glory of God by His worshipping people, as a royal priesthood, and His praise arises in His temple.

 

“But to do good, and communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Me,” says the Lord. “I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.” “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness; and put your trust in the Lord.” “I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.” “The voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for His mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.”

 

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.”

 

“Now once in the end of the world hath He appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.... And unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation.” “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; salvation, and glory and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are His judgments.”

 

“When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing His praise

Than when we first begun.”

 

David Bartley

 

Crawfordsville, Indiana,