Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-08-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson VI.-Third Quarter, For
Aug. II, 1907.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Lev. x, 1-11--Mem.
DRY Verse, 8-Golden Text, Prov. Xxx,
documentary Prepared by Rev. D..
M, Stearns,

| documentary Prepared by Kew w.
M. Stearns.
copyright, 1907. by American Press Association
This book of Leviticus Is said to con-
tain more of the very words of the
Lord than any other of the sixty-six,
and yet it is perhaps one Of the most
neglected. 1t begins "And the Lord
called unto Moses and spake unto him
out of the tabernacle of the congrega-
ton" and it ends "These are the COM
mandments which the Lord command
ed Moses for the children of Israel In
Mount Sinai"
The great essentials are to know the
| Lord, to hear His voice. to live unto
| Him and to walk before Him. Ihls
we can do only in and through Jesus
| Christ, who is the only way to Goa
and through whom alone we can know
God John xiv, 6, 1-1S). The great
truth in Exodus Is that God came to
dwell in the midst of the people whom
| He had redeemed. and this Is repeated
in Levlticus also, II will set My tad
ernacle among you. and VIII
walk among you and will be your
God. and We shall be My people" LEV.
XVI, IL, 12), but the great truth In this
book seems to be the holy life that the
people should live because Of God be-
ing in their midst and how they should
draw near to such holy God
The burnt offering Chapter y pic
lures Him wholly given to God in de-
| voted self sacrifice The meat or meal
offering Chapter iii) pictures His per-
| feet sinless life as q man. The peace
Offering chapter iii represents Him as
bringing us peace from God, having
| made peace for us. The sin and tres
pass offering Chapters ", l, to vi, y
| tvpi6es Him as made sin for us and
bearing our sins in His own body on
| the tree The rest Of chapter vi and
chapter vii gives further laws concern
ing each of these offerings. Truth Is
set forth either as from Gods standard
down to our need or as meeting us in
our need and leading us up to God.
As Israel needed priesthood to offer
sacrifice for them and draw near to
| God on their behalf, so we find In
Jesus Christ not only the sacrifice for
our sins. but also our ever living High
| Priest before God for US. Chapter viii
| tells of the conservation Of Aaron and
his sons, imperfect types of our great
priest, and we have again the seven
| fold "as the Lord commanded Noses
| oversees 4, 0, 10, II. 81. 30. 36), indicat-
| ing his perfect obedience. In chapter
| tx we have the whole congregation
| drawing near with their sacrifices and
standing before the Lord while Aaron
offered the sin offerings and the burnt
| offerings for himself and for all the
people oversees 10 and placed the prop
err parts on the altar before the Lord.
Moses and Aaron then went into the
| tabernacle and came out and blessed
| the people, and the people all saw the
glory of the Lord, and fire came out
| from before the Lord and consumed
| the sacrifice upon the altar Gx, 22-2D.
So 1t was also at the dedication Of
SolomOn's temple Oh Chron. vii, 1-3)
| and at Carmel when Elijah stood for
God q Kings xviii. 3S), and have no
doubt but it was just the same when
God accepted Abel's offering Gen. w.,
| a. The fire must come from Cod ana
any attempt to initiate Gods work or
that which can come only through
Christ causes cutting off from the con-
gregation EEK. xxx, 80, 3S).
In the opening verses of tOday's les
son we see two Of the sons of Aaron
in disobedience, If not in defiance, using
fire before God which did not come
! from Him. They were to use only fire
| from off the altar before the Lord
xvi, ~. In tx, "a. fire came from the
Lord and consumed or accepted the
offering. but now the same fire con-
sumes these sinners. Compare Mum.
xvi, 50: II Kings /. 10, ~, in both of
which there was defiance of God. The
cases of Ananias and Sapphlra and the
SHINING church members at Corinth
ACTS V, 40: | Cor. xi. so, 81 are
probably similar to these Old Tesla
ment incidents, and all are written for
us that we may not sin as they did, but
learn to serve the living and true God
and worship Him in spirit and truth
There Is much righteousness and SO
called religious work that Is probably
of the devil for all that is not Of God
must be of the devil, and. as one has
recently said, his aim seems to be to
lift men up In their own estimation in
any way that he can apart from God
that he may cause their destruction.
God must be sanctified and glorlfied
before people in those who come nigh
to Him, and nothing sanctifies but His
truth and His Spirit John xvii, 10.
When God speaks In Christening, 1t be-
ZONES us to hold our peace, as Aaron
did (verse 81, however closely the chas-
tening may touch us.
We must say as David did: VI was
dumb | opened not my mouth be
cause Thou ddSt it" Cps. xxx, o.
The commands given to Aaron's other
sons i'm verses @, Z, make us think of
the restrictions laid upon Ezekiel in
the day of his bereavement (Ezek
xiv, 1919. In the verses 81 there
IS possibly hint of the reason why
Nadab and Abihu acted as they did
and yet 1t is possible to be drunk
en- and not with wine or strong drink
Qsa xxx. o. Let us beware of un
belief and pride. 1t is our privilege tC
t be Nazarites, and concerning such see
: Mum. vi. IA. 8. II. Let us be sepa
rated unto Himself ops. iv, 81 and filled
with His Spirit at any cost to self (Eph
v. 49,.
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