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5.4 KiB
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<p>Soon after the day of atonement, that day in which men were to afflict their souls, followed the feast of tabernacles, in which they were to rejoice before the Lord; for those that <i>sow in tears</i> shall soon <i>reap in joy</i>. To the former laws about this feast, which we had, <a class="bibleref" title="Lev.23.34-Lev.23.44" href="/passage/?search=Lev.23.34-Lev.23.44">Lev. 23:34-44</a>, here are added directions about the <i>offerings by fire</i>, which they were to offer unto the Lord during the <i>seven days of that feast</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Lev.23.36" href="/passage/?search=Lev.23.36">Lev. 23:36</a>. Observe here, 1. Their days of rejoicing were to be days of sacrifices. A disposition to be cheerful does us no harm, nor is any bad symptom, when it is so far from unfitting us for the duties of God’s immediate service that it encourages and enlarges our hearts in them. 2. All the days of their dwelling in booths they must offer sacrifices. While we are here in a tabernacle-state, it is our interest as well as duty constantly to keep up communion with God; nor will the unsettledness of our outward condition excuse us in our neglect of the duties of God’s worship. 3. The sacrifices for each of the seven days, though differing in nothing but the number of the bullocks, are severally and particularly appointed, which yet is no vain repetition; for God would thus teach them to be very exact in those observances, and to keep an eye of faith fixed upon the institution in every day’s work. It likewise intimates that the repetition of the same services, if performed with an upright heart, and with a continued fire of pious and devout affection, is no weariness to God, and therefore we ought not to snuff at it, or to say, <i>Behold, what a weariness it is to us</i>! 4. The number of bullocks (which were the most costly part of the sacrifice) decreased every day. On the first day of the feast they were to offer thirteen, on the second day but twelve, on the third day eleven, etc. So that on the seventh they offered seven; and the last day, though it was the great day of the feast, and celebrated with a holy convocation, yet they were to offer but one bullock; and, whereas on all the other days they offered two rams and fourteen lambs, on this they offered but one ram and seven lambs. Such was the will of the Law-maker, and that is reason enough for the law. Some suggest that God herein considered the infirmity of the flesh, which is apt to grudge the charge and expense of religion; it is therefore ordered to grow less and less, that they might not complain as if God had <i>made them to serve with an offering</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Isa.43.23" href="/passage/?search=Isa.43.23">Isa. 43:23</a>. Or it is hereby intimated to them that the legal dispensation should wax old, and vanish away at last; and the multitude of their sacrifices should end in one great sacrifice, infinitely more worthy than all of them. It was on the last day of the feast, after all these sacrifices had been ordered, that our Lord Jesus stood and cried to those who still thirsted after righteousness (being sensible of the insufficiency of these sacrifices to justify them) <i>to come unto him and drink</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="John.7.37" href="/passage/?search=John.7.37">John 7:37</a>. 5. The meat-offerings and drink-offerings attended all the sacrifices, <i>according to their number, after the manner</i>. Be there ever so much flesh, it is no feast without bread and drink, therefore these must never be omitted at God’s altar, which was his table. We must not think that doing much in religion will be accepted if we do not do it well, and after the manner that God has appointed. 6. Every day there must be a sin-offering presented, as we observed in the other feasts. Our burnt-offerings of praise cannot be accepted of God unless we have an interest in the great sacrifice of propitiation which Christ offered when for us he made himself a sin-offering. 7. Even when all these sacrifices were offered, yet the continual burnt-of
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