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THE KING’S BUSINESS
' CONSECRATION Blood consecrating our standing. “And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congre gation seven times.” The people were to approach ; but like us they could only stand upon “redemption ground.” Even the priest could only; standyinslde theltaJ»eifiacÎé upon élis footing. Ç“And*the priest that is ânoint- ed~ shall fake of -the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congre gation: ând the priest shall dip his finger ifi (the bloéd, ; and sprinkle of the blood SeVèn times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary” (Lev.' iv:6). It was even necessary upon the altars. “And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the con gregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door ,of the tabernacle of the congregation” (Lev. iv:7). No Worship, no service^ no offering of gifts, not even the- sweet incense of prayer .and praise, except there be blood. Blood on the priests. These were the special men in Israel; but all God’s spirit ual Israel are priests1; so that the priestly blood-marks are for every believer. “Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about” (Ex. xxix:20). i The ear cleansed from what it has heard wrong in the past, and consecrated to hear aright in thé future. The thumb : that with which we grip hands and lay hold of objects; this needs cleansing and consecrating. The toe: a little member; but one which points the direction of the walk. When the lion invited the fox to enter his den and dine, the fox examined the footprints around, and as the toes all pointed inward, he concluded that those who entered did
WHAT THE BLOOD DID Distinguished when God passed through. It sheltered, so that God passed over. It was a witness to all, who passed by. And opened a door by which Israel passed out. The people were thus led away from serv ing task-masters to serve the living God, who gave them His orders jTIlx. xxiy), which Moses wrote in a book^ (y:.A)|> Then: came blood shedding. “And he took tne book of the covenant and read in the audi ence of the peojle^and they said, Ail, tha^t the Ldrdj laath :said.'will' weido,.-.and'; be obedient." And 'Mdses 'to©k*tlfe blodd^ 'and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Be hold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words” (vs. 7 and 8). > It was a consecration meeting, and in their zeal the people vowed, “All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.” But like the best of God’s consecrated ones today, they needed the blood. Here we have: Blood on the people. God’s people, fairly out of Egypt; and looking forward to a life df obedience. But in the Hebrews we read o f: Blood on the book. “For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people saying, This is the ■blood of the testament which God hath en joined unto you” (Heb. ix:19). Thank God for blood Sprinkled upon the law, which would otherwise condemn even the most obedient; and for that yet better blood of the better covenant. “Likewise also the cup after supper saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is' shed for you” (Luke xxii:20). God had brought forth this people and made a covenant with them, that the_y might worship Him; hence a tabernacle was or dained; but how could sinners approach a holy God? The answer is in Numbers xix :4, where a red heifer having been slain we find:
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