Page 245 - NOTES ON EZEKIEL

CHAPTER XLIII. 239

Flemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish,
and thou shalt bring them near before Jehovah, and
the priest shall throw salt upon them, and they shall
offer them up a burnt-offering unto Jehovah. Seven
days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin-
offering. They shall also prepare a young bullock, and
a ram out of the flock, without blemish. Seven days
shall they atone for the altar, and purify it. And they
shall consecrate it. And when these days are expired,
it shall be on the eighth day and forward, the priests
shall prepare upon the altar your burnt-offerings, and
your peace-offerings, and I will accept you, saith the
Lord Jehovah.’* (Vers. 18-27.)
This is decisive. Not only do we hear of the priests,
but of these as Levites ; nor this only, but of the seed
of Zadok, intrusted with the duties of the altar. Sin-
offerings, burnt-offerings, thank-offerings, all follow in
due order. It is the renewal of sacrifice when the
earth and Israel come under the reign of Messiah, dis­
played in glory, and governing in righteousness and
peace. It is the apostasy, the Judaizing, of ritualism,
which seeks to introduce the sacrificial system now
that we are called to act in faith of the one offering of
Christ accepted in heaven. But we ought not to close
our eyes to the revelation of this future day for the
earth, when God sanctions priest and people, sacrifice
and altar, for Israel. If we cannot adjust the differ­
ences, we are bound at least to submit to the scriptures,
which are unanswerably plain in their import, both as
to ourselves now, and as to Israel by-and-by. Sim­
plicity of subjection to Christ and His word is the secret
of all intelligence that has price ia Hie eyas' God.