The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-11-30
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Chronicles, xxx, 1s-31-Golden Text,
I Samuel H., 3o-Memory Verses. 22-
24-Commentary on the Days Lesson.
I. The temple cleansed Tvs. ls, 1917. IS.
Then" Hezekiah began the work of
cleansing the temple on the first day of
the first month-the month Abb, or Nj
san. This was the first New Years Day
after he became king. The work occupied
sixteen days Tvs. l6, ~. As soon as the
work was completed they reported the
fact to the king. "Cleansed all the house."
The accumulated filth of years was carried
out and cast in the Kidron Valley. The
affairs were renewed, the lamps trimmed
and lighted, and the whole service set in
motion. Compare the cleansing of the tenn
pie by Christ Matt. 2I:l2; John 2:l4).
The temple of our hearts and the temple
Of the church are defled by sinful habits
worldllness of spirit, by lusts Of the flesh,
by selfish ambition, by wrong temper, BY
sins Of every kind. These not only dseflee
the temple, but keep others from worship
ing and loving God. ".Altar of burnt offer
lng:", This was the great brazen altar
which stood in the priests court in front
of the temple proper. Vessels thereof"
Its furniture consisted of a pan for ashes,
shovels, basins for the blood, forks, flesh
hooks and censors. "Shrew bread table"
This was in the sanctuary, or holy place,
on the right or north side of the room.
The table was provided with dishes, spoons,
Hagons and bowls.
"Have we prepared .Ahaz had taken
away the "bases" or supports on which the
layers rested and had removed the molten
sea from the twelve brazea oxen Compare
2 Kings 1917 with l Kings T:23, %, 3S).
These had now been restored and every
thing was in readiness for the proper vor-
ship Of Jehovah.
II. Many sacrifices offered Tvs. 2O-24),
20. "Rose early" He waJ anxious to en-.
ter upon the temple service: with all posi-.
Bile dispatch. q. Seven bullocks," etc.
See Lev. 4. This was more than the law
required. Ahaz had broken the covenant
and Hezekiah's sin-ofIering was intended
to atone for the breach. Animals Of the
kinds used IN sacrifice were offered by sew
Ems, that number indicating completeness.
In case of one particular sin of ignorance
committed by the people there was but one
bullock to be offered, but here the sins
were many and presumptuous. For the
kingdom" Thelpriests were to offer sacri-
fees Of atonement for the sins of the king
and the royal family. The sanctuary
For the sins of the priests and for the pol
luton and dissertation of the temple.
For Judah" For the, people who were
involved in the guilt of the national apos-
tasy. We should note with what empha-
sis it is stated in verse "a that an atone
ment and sla.oIferilg were made for "all
Israel" as If at this new dedication of the
temple they would obliteratc the memory
of old national %strifes. and divisions and
consecrate the whole nation as an unbrc-
bon oorpro,,nt+1, +o Cd
p. "Sprinkled it." The blood was
sprinkled in accordance with the law. See
Lev. lis, etc. BY the sprinkling Of blood
an atonement was made for sins. The
blood was the life of the beast, and it was
always supposed that life went to redeem
life. %. Laid their hands,. Imposition
of hands signiied that they offered the life
OF this animal as an atonement for their
sins, and to redeem their lives from that
death which, through their sinfulness, they
deserved.
"a. Burnt ~offeriag-sin Offering" There
were many different kinds of offerings.
DR.. Clarke enumerates twenty-one. The
burnt offering was wholly consumed. In
most of the other offerings the priest or
the ~offerer, or both, had a share, but in the
whole burnt offering the entire victim was
given to Cod. This was "a very expressive
type of the sacrifice of Christ, as nothing
less than his complete and full sacrifice
could make atonement for the sin of the
world" The sin.offering signifed that the
otferer acknowledged his guilt, and at the
same time promised to return to. God.
III. The king and the people Worship
Tvs: $500. %. "Cymbal." A musical in.
strument consisting of two broad plates OF
brass, of . convex form, which being struck
together produce q shrill, piercing clangor.
They are still used by the Armenians.
"Psalteries." The p~saltery appears to have
been the name given to various large in.
struments of the harp kind. "Harps." The
harp Is frequently mentioned il scripture.
They were of various shapes and sizes.
Josephus says they had ten strings.
Cad" Referred to as David's seer in 2
Sam. 24:ll. Nathan" The prophet who
reproved David for his sin e. Sam. l2.I.,
26. instruments of David" Moses had
not appointed any musical instruments to
be used in the divine worship. There was
nothing Of the kind under the first taber-
nacle. The trumpets or horns then used
were not for song or for praise, but were
used as we use bells, to give notice to the
congregation of what they were called to
perform. But. David introduced many in
struments of music into Gods worship, for
which he was solemnly reproved by the
prophet Amos (chap. 6:l-6). Here. how
ever, it is stated ". 25) to have been the
commandment Of the Lord. But the Syriac
and Arabic give this a different turn. 1t
was by the commandment of the Lord
that the Levites should praise the Lord,
n it was by the order of David that so
many instruments in the old dispensation
was no doubt of human origin, and certain
ly their Use then can be no reason why
they should be used in Christian worship.
The worship which God accepts to-day is
a spiritual. worship. What He desires is
heart worship, not beautiful melodies from
organs and horns.
Is. "The singers sang" Music has a
most humanizing effect. The cultivation
Of the art has a favorable influence upon
public morals. 1t furnishes a source of
pleasure in every family. 1t gives home q
new attraction. 1t makes social intercourse
more cheerful. Gods people are a singing
people, and the song service ought to be a
part of all our religious worship.
". The people bring their offerings Tvs.
1885,. A large number of sacrifices were
brought by the people. so that it was i'm
possible for the priests to slay and fay all
the victims, and it became necessary for
Ne Levites to assist. We are also in
formed that the Levites were more upright
and prompt to purify themselves from past
deflement than the priests. 1t is common
ly supposed that the priests had been more
implicated in the idolatrous practices Of
.Ahaz than the Lcvites, and therefore many
of them were slow of heart to respond to
Hezekiah's call to sanctify themselves.
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