Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Leviticus
Book: Leviticus
Chapter: 9
Overview:
The first offerings of
Aaron for himself and the people.
(1-21) Moses and
Aaron Bless the people,
Fire cometh upon the
Altar from the
Lord.
(22-24)
1-21 These many sacrifices, which were all done away
By the
Death of
Christ, teach us that our best services need
Washing in
his
Blood, and that the guilt of our best sacrifices needs to be
done away
By one more pure and more noble than they. Let us be
thankful that we have such a High
Priest. The priests had not a
Day's respite from service allowed.
God's spiritual priests have
constant work, which the duty of every
Day requires; they that
would give up their account with joy, must redeem time. The
Glory of
God appeared in the sight of the people, and owned what
they had done. We are not now to expect such appearances, but
God draws nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and the offerings
of
Faith are acceptable to him; though the sacrifices being
spiritual, the tokens of the acceptance are spiritual likewise.
When
Aaron had done all that was to be done about the
sacrifices, he lifted up his hands towards the people, and
blessed them.
Aaron could but crave a blessing,
God alone can
command it.
22-24 When the solemnity was finished, and the blessing
pronounced,
God testified his acceptance. There came a
Fire out
from before the
Lord, and consumed the
Sacrifice. This
Fire
might justly have fastened upon the people, and have consumed
them for their sins; but its consuming the
Sacrifice signified
God's acceptance of it, as an
Atonement for the sinner. This
also was a figure of good things to come. The
Spirit descended
upon the apostles in
Fire. And the descent of this holy
Fire
into our souls, to kindle in them pious and devout affections
toward
God, and such a holy zeal as burns up the
Flesh and the
lusts of it, is a certain token of
God's gracious acceptance of
our persons and performances. Nothing goes to
God, but what
comes from him. We must have
Grace, that holy
Fire, from the
God
of
Grace, else we cannot serve him acceptably, Heb 12:28. The
people were affected with this discovery of
God's
Glory and
Grace. They received it with the highest joy; triumphing in the
Assurance given them that they had
God nigh unto them. And with
the lowest reverence; humbly adoring the majesty of that
God,
who vouchsafed thus to manifest himself to them. That is a
sinful fear of
God, which drives us from him; a gracious fear
makes us
Bow before him.