COME NEAR AND BRING SACRIFICES

There were four phases to Hezekiah’s restoration of the tem­ple worship: (i) the consecration of the Levites and priests, vv. 4-14; (ii) the purification of the temple itself, vv. 15-19; (iii) the dedication of the sanctuary and altar, vv. 20-30; and (iv) the pre­sentation of numerous sacrifices and offerings by the people, vv. 31-36. Some of the people excelled by bringing ‘of a free heart’, not only peace offerings, including ‘thank offerings’, part of which formed the basis of a festive and joyful meal for the offerer and his family, but burnt offerings, which were wholly consumed on the altar and of which the offerer and his family received no portion whatever.

Today, every believer is a priest and, as such, through the Lord Jesus, has the right and title to ‘come near’ into the immediate presence of God. The offering of spiritual sacrifices ‘well-pleasing to God’ forms a basic and integral part of Chris­tian experience, ranging over the sacrifices of one’s: Person. ‘Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, accept­able (‘well-pleasing’) unto God, which is your reasonable (spiritual) service’, Rom. 12. 1. Clearly, the apostle saw his own life in such terms; ‘if I be offered (‘poured out’, as a drink offer­ing) upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all’, Phil. 2. 17. Just prior to his martyrdom, he wrote, ‘I am already being poured out’, 2 Tim. 4. 6 lit. Possessions. ‘To do good and to communicate (to share) for­get not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased’, Heb. 13. 16. The Christian is not to be selfish and insular, but to hold his possessions lightly. Indeed, Paul elevated the financial support which he had received as God’s servant to the level of a fragrant sacrificial offering; ‘having received … the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God’, Phil. 4. 18. Praise. As a ‘holy priesthood’, we ‘offer up spiritual sacri­fices, acceptable (‘well-pleasing’) to God by Jesus Christ’, 1 Pet. 2. 5. ‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name’, Heb. 13. 15.