mercy and faith) were omitted, yet they multiplied sacrifices, and though Israel forgot his

Maker, he built temples. Unless the Lord find a temple in the heart of His people, what temple on earth

can please Him, what society represent Him, what" church" manifest Him? Is Israel alone in this

mistaken zeal for sacrifice and temple? Are we not all liable to be taken up with externals, and the

tithing of mint? That the offering itself, when presented in the right spirit, is a type of a precious

experience is manifested by comparing the words of Hos. 9: 3 and 4:

"They shall not dwell in the Lord's land."

"They shall not offer wine offerings unto the Lord."

An accepted people can offer an accepted offering, but a wicked and disobedient people turn all

such symbols into abominations and cloaks for Pharisees. Amos says to Israel:

"Bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years, and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with

leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings, for this liketh you, 0 ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God. 1 also

have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places" (Amos 4: 4-6).

It was right to bring sacrifices every morning, for this was the law (Numb. 28:); it was equally

right to bring tithes after three years (Deut. 14: 28). Even the presence of the leaven in the thank-

offering was according to the law (Lev. 7: 13), all was in order; "the form of godliness" was intact, it

was "the power thereof" that was denied. So in the next chapter, "the Lord, Whose name is the God of

hosts," says:

"I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer Me burnt-

offerings. . . . I will not accept them.. . let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Have ye

offered unto Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, 0 house of Israel?" (Amos 5: 21-25).

They had apparently expressed a desire for the coming of the day of the Lord, for the same chapter

"Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not

light" (Amos 5: 18).

Here we perceive the difference between believing the "Second Advent," and "loving His

appearing," and the same distinction permeates the teaching of the prophets in connection with the

offerings. By the time Malachi uttered his message, even this external punctiliousness had disappeared.

The blind, the lame, the sick were used for the offerings. The table of the Lord was held to be

contemptible. They sacrificed unto the Lord a corrupt thing, meet exhibition of the corruptness within.

The sepulchres had ceased even to be whitened. The tithes had been withheld, and Israel was cursed

with a curse.

Whilst we have no ceremonial whatever, and whilst our all in all is Christ Himself, let us read the

epistles written for our instruction, and realize that though called with quite another calling, the flesh in

the redeemed member of the body of Christ is the same flesh that manifested itself without mercy in

Israel's sacrifices, and without the knowledge of God in their burnt offerings.