the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the
high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the
spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones (Isa. lvii. 15). Our
Lord Jesus Christ's teaching was, as we have seen, that the acceptableness of worship
depends not on the place, but on the spirit of the worshipper (John iv. 21-24). We have
also seen that, after Christ had offered at Jerusalem the one perfect sacrifice of
Himself, there was no longer any room for such sacrifices as had previously been offered.
Hence there was no longer anyone special spot on earth appointed to offer them at. The New
Covenant has admitted believers in Christ, of whatever nation they may be, to
participation in all its blessings and privileges. It is necessary for each true Christian
to offer himself to God, not in one special place, but in one special Person,
that is to say, in Christ, to be a living sacrifice unto God. Thus the old command
regarding sacrifice has been fulfilled with a new and higher meaning. And this took place
at the moment when obedience to it, in its literal sense, was no longer requisite,
beneficial, or indeed possible.
In the Torah three special festivals were appointed to be observed by the Jews, and it
was commanded that their males should in this way, thrice every year, present themselves
before the LORD in the pace which He should choose to set His Name there (Exod. xxiii. 14,
17; Deut. xvi. 16). But when the Jews in process of time came to fancy that the more
outward observance of these festivals, and the performance of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem,
quite apart from inward reverence and holiness, was acceptable to God Most High, and that
such things were means of storing up merit, then His Prophets were commissioned to declare
them to be thus rendered things abominable in His sight (Isa. i. 14-17; Amos v. 21).
Spiritual approach to God was the one thing really needful. That is attained in the New
Covenant through a living faith
|