March 8

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them. 3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering. 4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD. 5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation. 6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the veil of the sanctuary. 7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense be-

fore the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt-offering, which is of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin-offering, the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards.

9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

10 As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt-offering.

11 And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung.

12 Even the whole bullock shall be carry forth without the camp up to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.

The Sin-offering was for "sins of ignorance," or involuntary sins. The sin hidden to man is not hidden to God, and while He can forgive everything, He can let nothing pass. The sin-offering is a type of Christ bearing our sins in His own body on the tree. As we read in 2 Cor. vi. 21, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." "It is the especial aspect of sin in us, that is here brought out, the sin of our nature. What we are, rather than what we do. And it teaches us plainly, that it is not our own conscience, nor our measure of light, but the truth of God, that is the standard by which sin is to be measured. But it also teaches that in the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, perfect provision is made for it all.

In the Sin-offering we come to the blood. "When the Sin-offering was presented, a portion of blood was offered to the Lord by being put on the horns of the altar, and the rest, except on certain occasions, was poured away at the base of the altar. The blood was the life: to offer the blood was typically to die: in emblem the sinner slew himself."

Closet Promise.—And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.—1 John ii. 1, 2.

Before the cross of Christ in prayer The soul may leave its load of care; And whatsoever its guilt may be, Secure a Saviour's pardon free.

None may despair; His latest breath, In the strong agony of death, Mingled with Mercy's accents true— "Forgive; they know not what they do."

Even for hands that caused to start The life-blood from his breaking heart, His soul with gracious pity moved— God's sign how fallen man was loved

And we who, though not in the flesh, Have crucified the Lord afresh, Have pressed the thorns about His brow— O! dare we sue for mercy now?

And is His voice, with accents sweet, Still pleading at the mercy seat? Still lives He there to intercede For all who feel a Saviour's need?

Yes, seraphs in the light above Record the triumphs of His love; Still He forgives, as none forgave, The soul that trusts His power to save. —Rowland Brown.