Bible Commentaries

Exodus 29:26-28

(with Numbers 15:18-21; Numbers 18:25-32)

The human race has for ever outgrown the Jewish religion; it was a most oppressive yoke. Its laborious ritual never was of any value beyond that of representing personal conditions. (1) As illustrating the state of the heart in those who truly offer themselves up to God, there is something impressive and beautiful in the ancient wave-offerings and heave-offerings. Waving is one of nature's universal laws. The whole creation, with its myriads of planets, suns, and heavens, lives because it waves to and fro the central life. The life of God waves to and fro between our spirits and Him. (2) In prayer our souls are heaved up towards the eternal Soul of our souls. The heaving and expansion of the soul and body before God are really the heaving of His life and love within the soul. Nothing heaves up the soul like a perfect love. Our daily heave-offering is a labour that has a great reward. Our aspirations, our inner heavings and upliftings, are the works which will follow us into the eternal world. They will follow us by being actually constituent elements of our future body. (3) Some persons think it strange that we should be exhorted to hasten the coming of the kingdom of God. But all who have a thrilling expectation of it may be sure that the vital element of the new coming is waving in upon them, and that as they heave up their souls and expand with desire to draw down the heavenly fire they are unconsciously hastening the coming of the day of God.

J. Pulsford, Our Deathless Hope, p. 241.

References: Exodus 29:38, Exodus 29:39.—R. Eden, Sermons for Sundays: Festivals and Fasts, 1st series, p. 470. Exodus 29:43.—Parker, vol. ii., p. 321; G. Matheson, Moments on the Mount, p. 34. 29, 30—Parker, vol. ii., p. 244.