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Charles Spurgeon's "Morning & Evening"
Devotional: February 24th
“He bare the sin of many.”
Leviticus 16:1-10 , Leviticus 16:15-22
Leviticus 16:1 , Leviticus 16:2
The death of Nadab and Abihu became the occasion of fresh instruction to Israel. We should always learn from the Lord’s judgments upon others. Aaron was taught that even he could only come to God as the Lord led him into nearness of access.
Leviticus 16:3 , Leviticus 16:4
He was to wear his plain ordinary garments, and his washing was meant to show his purity: even thus, in making atonement for us, our Lord Jesus laid aside his glory and became like unto his brethren, yet without sin.
Leviticus 16:5 , Leviticus 16:6
See how superior is our Lord, for he had no need to offer for himself.
Atonement is by substitutionary death.
Thus our great substitute bears away the sins of his people into oblivion.
Do we not see here our Great High Priest, alone, without a helper, making atonement for us.
The laying of the hand is very important, it represents faith which accepts the substitute. Have we this faith?
The first goat showed the Saviour suffering, and the second typified the effect of that suffering in the complete removal of Israel’s sin. Sin is gone, gone for ever, from the man who rests in Jesus.
I lay my sins on Jesus,
The spotless Lamb of God:
He bears them all and frees us
From the accursed load.
I bring my guilt to Jesus,
To wash my crimson stains
White in his blood most precious,
Till not a spot remains.
“Let us keep the feast.”
Leviticus 23:26-32 , Leviticus 23:37-43
Today let us consider two of the sacred seasons appointed by God, namely, the day of atonement and the feast of Tabernacles.
Sorrow for sin is a blessed thing. It cannot make an atonement, but it always goes with the reception of the atonement. If sin be sweet to us it will destroy us, but when we are afflicted in soul concerning it, the day of atonement has come.
Sin is not put away by works, for on the day of atonement, the sinner ceases to work with the idea of self-salvation.
No surer sign of destruction, than to have no soul affliction for sin. True sorrow for sin is deep. The Jews said that “a man had never seen sorrow who had not seen the sorrow of the day of atonement.”
This day of mourning led on to the gladsome feast of tabernacles. Sacred sorrow prepares the heart for holy joy. We must receive the atonement before we can enter into the joy of the Lord.
The Spirit of God lays great stress upon the joyful things, and recapitulates them carefully; the fruit of the Spirit is joy.
This was a very joyful season, so that the Jews said, “he who never saw the rejoicing of the feast of tabernacles, had never seen rejoicing in his life.”
Andrew Bonar says, “Imagine the scene thus presented to the view. It is an image of paradise restored the New Earth in its luxuriance during the reign of righteousness and peace and joy. ‘Every goodly tree’ furnishes its boughs for the occasion. The palm is first mentioned because it was the tree which had oftenest sheltered them in the wilderness, as at Elim.” Thus reminded of what divine love had done for them, the people spent a happy season beneath the boughs, no doubt feeling and saying, “it is good to be here.”
Sunny memories were refreshed in men’s hearts by so delightful an observance, and the whole matter illustrated the lovingkindness of the Lord, who when his people have sorrowed for sin would have their sorrow turned into joy.
The hill of Sion yields
A thousand sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heavenly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.
Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry:
We’re marching thro’ Immanuel’s ground
To fairer worlds on high.
the Sixth Week after Easter
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