The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-02-11

rob us Of the best things Of our life, OF
all that would make life worth living. But
il is a possible thin: for US to drive them
all away. Just as we find Abram did in the
text with which we started: And when
the fowls came dow upon the carcasseS
Abram drove them away"
These offerings are the same as those
commanded to Moses, and If We put them
all together we have q perfect ILLUSTRATION
the power OF His blood to make clean. I
shall not consider the offerings in their or
der. but give them to you in this chapter
as they have impressed themselves upon
my own mind.
"Aad he shall take two goats and pre-:
sent them before the Lord at the door OF
the tabernacle of the congregation. But
the goat on which the lot fell to be the
scapegoat, shall be presented alive before
the Lord. to make an atonement with him,
and TO let him go for a scapcgoat into the
Very few services in the Old Testament
Scriptures are more interesting in the past,
and more powerful as we study them IN
the p-csent. because Of the light shed upon
the ~atonement, than the offering OF the
goats. There were two in number. and IN
this there lies the very deepest thought OF
God as touching sin. What must d! DC 70
be saved?" has been the heart-cry OF many
a poct lost soul. who no sooner utters It
| than the evil birds begin to fly about his
head. suggesting oil sorts Of answers to the
question.
One whispers Reform" and the poor,
tempted one makes an effort, but what q
struggle he has. for he finds that when he
has cut of one sin the strength OF 1t
seems to 20 in the channel in which an
| other has been flowing, and reformation,
even If j. be complete (which it rarely ~,
only touches the present. and possibly the
future. and never for o moment makes pro
vision for ones awful past.
Another bird suggests that we simply
be good. One great evangelist says, Quit
| your meanness;" another. equally. great:
''Do right. and q will he a Christian"
With all due r.,,ect for these men. who
have been counted great, ! submit that
they are wrong; for one might quit his
m~eanness" to-day, but what about yester'
day: And one may possibly do right to-
morrow. but who il to make provision Tor
the deeds Of to-day?
Mans way has miserably failed. Let rs
swer to the question.
The 6rst goat was slain for the Lord,
and this side OF msn's sin must never be
FORGOTTEN. In the transgressions OF mar
God has been ~dishonored, His truth has
been scorned, His authority has been set
aside, His majesty has been sighted. His
law has been broken. His name has been
despised. No reformation Of man can
ever make this wrong right. Thus. in the
Old Testament the goat was offered to
meet Gods demands. which were just, and
to satisfy His holy law: And thus in the
New Testament Jesus Christ came to suit
fer and to die. Nowadays there is much
teaching abroad. which magnifes the life
Of Jesus. but the clear teaching. of the
word Of God is that only by the shedding
OF His blood IL there remission OF SINS;
the blood Of Jesus Christ His Son cleansetb
from all sins. Much 10 said to-day about
Jesus being q teacher. but He said Himself
that the Spirit, when He is come, would
teach us all things. Jesus Christ came 70
do just . thing. namely. to die; that
through His death an avenue might Be
opened up for man to come back to his
God. reconciled forever unto God.
But this is not all. The second goat was
led forth, with o scarlet cord about hi.
! neck. The hands of the priest were laid
| upon his head. and then the sins OF the
| people were confessed, and by the hand
OF q fit person the ~scapegoat was led unto
n land that was not inhabited. In this he
becomes a proper illustration of the Lord,
Jesus Christ. The Lord hath laid on Him
the iniquity OF US all" and He has carried
! our sins away. as far "as the east is from
the west" It is an inspiration for US ts
know that when Jesus Christ died on Cal
vary He not only died to set us free from
the penalty Of sin in the sight of God. but
| by His death we are set free from the pow.
er of sin in our " lives.
When one becomes discouraged and finds
that he of himself cannot keep from sin,
the evil bird comes to whisper once again:
"You need expect it. You have been born
with a tendency to sin You have been
cursed with an appetite. Your old nature
IL still: with you"
All Of which We know and believe, II We
| are faithful students Of our own nature
! and Of the word Of God. But this is no Ii
| cense to sin, for il we confess our sin
| Gods word is out that He will be faith
full and Just to forgive Us our SINS" that
il, He will be faithful to Christ, who has
carried our sin away.
For every evil bird that comes to dis
| courage Us or to discredit Gods word
| there is a sure way by which they may be
driven from US. The word OF God - our
defense, and You have but to hold up &c
Satan, whose agents these evil birds arc;
| the expression 1T is written" and he viii
be overcome.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses and
| unto Aaron, saying: And he that gather
| eth the ashes oil the heifer shall wash his
| clothes and be unclean until the even; and
| it shall be unto the children OF Israel, and
unto the stranger that sojourneth among
them, for . statute forever" Numbers
XIX: !. 10.
If n were to give this passage OF
Scripture a casual reading he might find in
it very little to arrest his attention, but ii
ne studies it carefully and compares Scrip.
only 10 it one of the most intensely inter.
esting studies in all the Bible, but that il
sheds light upon the gospel story, and
makes both plain and powerful one phase
OF the work accomplished by our blessed
Lord.
There wac something in the color Of the
heifer, for it was not allowable to have one
single white hair-all must be red. Surely
this 10 Just a little hint that in the sacri6.
cial life and death of Jesus Christ there
was not one single bright ray.
The offering must be without blemish;
il there was the least spot OF weakness
about it it was to be rejected. And He
was without spot or wrinkle. or any such
thing. too-absolutely perfect was the Son
Of God, our Saviour.
The red heifer was to be taken out oil
the camp, and there put to death. And
Jesus was taken outside the city and cru.
cited upon the green hill which we call
Calvary.
When the heifer was burned, into the
flames was cast scarlet, which Il supposed
was used to :ypify the sins Of Israel, fol
both theirs and ours are red like crimson,
or scarlet. Cedar wood and hyssop were
also cast in. The cedar was the proudest
tree in the oldsn times, the king OF the
forest, while hyssop was the common,
leSery-day plant which could be found out.
Z the door of every cottage. Taking the
UssnD IN the nm eide and tha nad,r m