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SUBSEQUENT SACRIFICES

Those sacrifices which do not belong to the class we denominate the “Day of Atonement sacrifices,” illustrate offering and sacrifices which belong to the Millennial Age.

As in the type, the Day of Atonement sacrifices preceded all others, and were a basis of general forgiveness and acceptance with God for all Israel, but were followed by other sacrifices after that day, for individual sins, termed “Sin offering,” “Trespass offerings,” etc., so in the antitype. After the sacrifices of this Gospel Age shall have brought the world in a justified condition, there will still be sins and trespasses committed, which will require confession and reconciliation, making these after sacrifices necessary.

The Atonement Day sacrifices represent the cancellation of Adamic sin by the sacrifice of the Christ, but during the Millennium errors will be committed by the not yet perfected world, for which they will be in some measure responsible. For such they must make some amend, accompanied by repentance, before they can be again at harmony with God and Christ.

And consecration will be in order in the next Age, though owing to the changed condition of the world consecration will no longer, as now, mean unto death, but on the contrary it will be unto life, for with the close of Satan’s reign comes the end of pain, sorrow and death, except upon evildoers. Consecration must always be a voluntary presentation of one’s powers, and hence this is represented in some of the sacrifices after Atonement Day.

As the basis of all forgiveness of sins in the next age will be the “Day of Atonement sacrifices,” it would be appropriate in the type for the sinner to bring some sacrifice, which would indicate a recognition of those sacrifices, as the ground for forgiveness anew. And so we find that all offerings of the people after the Day of Atonement, were of a kind which pointed back to, or recognized the sacrifices of that day. These offerings might be of cattle, or sheep, or fowl (turtle doves or young pigeons), or of fine flour, the article offered depending on the ability of the offerer.

During the Millennial Age all men “will come to a knowledge of the truth” and be saved from the curse of Adamic death. (1 Tim. 2:4.) When we remember that this death includes all the sickness, pain and imperfection to which humanity is now subject, we see that God’s plan includes a full restoration to human perfection; but perfection will come gradually, and it will require the co-operation of the sinner’s WILL to ever reach it. He must do what he can to climb up again to perfection, and will have all the assistance necessary. This is shown by these sacrifices in general; they were to be according to every man’s ability. If very much degraded by sin and very imperfect, he must, when he comes to a knowledge of the truth, present himself to God. If thus poor and degraded he may bring a dove, or pigeon; when less degraded a goat; and when perfect as man his offering may be a bullock; just as a bullock was used to typify the perfect humanity (much fat) of Jesus’ sacrifice, and as a goat (wayward and lean) was used to represent our imperfect human nature in the sacrifices of this Atonement Day, so those animals similarly represent the offerers (Israel—the world) in their consecrations.

When the whole world has been brought to perfection there will be no longer any who are poor in this sense—all will be perfect men and their offerings will be their perfect selves; typified by bullocks. David speaking of this says: “Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness (of right doing), with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then shall they offer bullocks (perfect sacrifices) upon thine altar.” (Psa. 51:19.) Yet that David’s language should not be understood to teach the restoration of the literal bloody, typical sacrifices, is evident, for in the same connection he says, “Thou desirest not sacrifice,” (the typical) … “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” All these sacrifices must be of the free will and desire of the offerer. Lev. 1:3.

The completeness of consecration is shown by the death of the animal; that is, each member of the race must consecrate his will; but it will neither be followed by the destruction of the human nature (burning of the flesh outside the camp) nor by the taking of the life into a new nature,—into the Most Holy—only the High Priest enters there, as shown in the case of the Atonement sacrifices. No; when consecrated, they are accepted as human beings, their right to life as such having been purchased by the Priesthood. Their consecration represents their appreciation of their ransom and their acquiescence to the law of God as the condition upon which they shall continue to live everlastingly in harmony and favor with Him.

THEIR BURNT OFFERINGS

The burnt offerings of the Priests was to be kept up continually on the Altar, and the fire never suffered to die out. “This is the law of the Burnt Offering; it is the Burnt Offering because of the burning upon the Altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the Altar shall be burning in it. … It shall not be put out, and the Priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it. … The fire shall ever be burning upon the Altar; it shall never go out.” Lev. 6:9,12,13.

Thus is presented to the mind of each offerer the fact that the Altar was already sanctified or set apart, and their offerings acceptable because of God’s acceptance of the Atonement Day sacrifices. To this Altar the Israelite brought his free will offering as narrated in Lev. 1. It was made in the usual way; the animal cut in pieces and washed, was laid, the pieces to the head, on the altar, and wholly burnt, a sacrifice of sweet savor unto the Lord. This would serve to typify a thankful prayer to Jehovah—an acknowledgment of His Mercy, Wisdom, and Love, as manifested in the broken body of the Christ—their ransom.

THEIR TRESPASS OR SIN OFFERINGS

“If a soul (being) commit a trespass and sin through ignorance in the holy things of the Lord; … if he sin and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the Commandments of the Lord, though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.” “And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock,” and money according to the Priest’s estimation of the trespass, with a FIFTH MORE, and this shall be their offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for him. And if any sin knowingly and damage or defraud his neighbor, He shall restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto (twenty per cent interest) and give it to the wronged one. And he shall bring a ram for the trespass offering unto the Lord. Lev. 5:15-19; and 6:1-7.

This teaches that for every wrong, restoration must be made with interest, and a repentance or asking forgiveness of the Lord through the Church (Priesthood); their recognition of their own imperfection and the value of their ransom, being shown by the ram presented.

But notice the difference between the treatment of this Sin-offering and the Sin-offerings of the Day of Atonement: The latter were offered to God (Justice) in the Holy as the ransom or purchase-price of sinners; the former were offered to the Priests who had on the Atonement Day purchased the people; the acknowledgement of the people was made to their Redeemer. The Priest took a part and offered it to the Lord as a memorial,

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or a recognition that the whole plan of redemption as executed on the Atonement Day [Gospel Age] was His, appropriating to himself (eating) the balance.

The offerings of the Atonement Day, we have seen, were always burned (Lev. 6:30, Heb. 13:11), but these Sin-offerings are not to be burned, but eaten by the Priests.—”This is the law of the sin offering: … The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: … All the males among the priests shall eat thereof.” Lev. 6:25-29.

The whole world, purchased with the precious blood (human life) of Christ, will present themselves, for forgiveness of trespass, to the Royal Priesthood who paid their ransom price; and their acceptance of it will be the forgiveness. To this agree Jesus’ words to his disciples: “He breathed on them and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain [to them] they are retained.” John 20:23.

While this “ministry of reconciliation” belongs in its fullest sense in the next age, when all the sacrifices of Atonement will have been completed, yet even now, any member of the “Royal Priesthood” may say to those who believe and repent, “Thy sins are forgiven thee”—as did our Head, by faith looking forward to the completion of the sacrifice for sins, which sacrifice he had begun.

THEIR PEACE OFFERINGS

This offering must be of the herd or flock, and it might be made in fulfillment either of a vow (covenant), or as a willing “thank offering.” Part of it was to be brought to Jehovah by the offerer—”His own hands shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire; the fat with the breast; it shall he bring,” and the priest shall burn the fat on the altar, and wave the breast before the Lord. But the breast shall be the priest’s, also the shoulder. The offerer must eat the sacrifice. Lev. 3 and 7:11-18,30-34.

This seems to show, that if any man would come into a condition of full peace and harmony (as all are to do or be cut off in the second death), they must eat or fulfill a covenant before God, of entire consecration to him. If, after being thus perfected, they again become defiled with sin, they must die, (second death) as shown by the touching of unclean things. Lev. 7:19-21.

With this sacrifice there was presented an offering of unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and anointed wafers, representing the offerer’s faith in Christ’s character, which he will copy; and leavened bread indicating his acknowledgment of his own present imperfection at time of consecration—leaven being a type of sin. Lev. 7:11-13.

MEAT OFFERINGS

These, of fine flour, unleavened cakes, with oil, etc., were presented to the Lord through the priest. They probably represent praises and worship offered to the Lord by the world, through his Church. “Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages.” (Eph. 3:21.) These were accepted by the priests: A sample being offered on the altar shows that it is acceptable to Jehovah.

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— July and August, 1885 —