The Condescension of God, and the Privileges of Man
W. Jones. Numbers 7:10-89 And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed… I. THE GREAT CONDESCENSION OF GOD. 1. The sacred place in which He speaks. It was in the Holy of holies in "the tabernacle of meeting." It was in this place that He had promised to meet with His servant. He specially manifests Himself to man in His house. 2. The grand medium through which He speaks. The mercy-seat: an illustration, perhaps a type, of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the true Mercy-seat (Romans 3:25). By the shedding of His blood the great atonement for the sins of the world was made. In Him God draws near to man and communes with him. He is the true Divine Oracle; through Him the most precious revelations of God have been made; in Him we hear the voice of God most clearly and graciously (Hebrews 1:1-3). 3. The gracious purpose for which He speaks. In this instance, the voice from between the cherubim doubtless announced to Moses the gracious acceptance by Jehovah of the cheerful offerings of the princes of the tribes; and intimated that He had taken up His abode in their midst. All the utterances of God are for the benefit of man. II. THE GREAT PRIVILEGES OF MAN. 1. We may speak unto God. In time of grief or gladness, of perplexity or penitence, of doubt or dread, of triumph or tribulation, we may speak unto God in praise or prayer, or in the silent language of the heart, which He perfectly comprehends, assured that He will hear us graciously, and bless us generously. 2. We may receive communications from God. We receive messages from Him through the sacred Scriptures, through the operations of His providence, and through the mysterious and gracious ministry of His Spirit. And how precious and helpful are His communications! Pardon to the guilty, peace to the penitent, joy to the sorrowful, direction to the perplexed, hope to the despondent, &c. III. THE CONSEQUENT DUTY OF MAN. 1. To wait upon God in His house. 2. To address God in His house. 3. To listen for the voice of God in His house. (W. Jones.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar. WEB: The princes gave offerings for the dedication of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes gave their offerings before the altar.