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Leviticus 1-7
How to Offer
the Right Sacrifices
Psalm 16:7-11 Fullness of Joy
7.I will bless Yahweh, Who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.8.I have set Yahweh always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.9.Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.10.For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will You allow your holy one to see corruption.11.You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy. In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore."Observation
16:7-11.David blesses God for His guidance and counsel. Because he sets God before all other desires, he has stability and safety, and total joy. God will not allow him to suffer destruction (verse 10 was applied to the Messiah), but will deliver into His presence where there is fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore. What's not to like? Only the things that aren't good for you.
Application
Note the prerequisites to pleasures forevermore. Embrace them and get verse 11.
Prayer
Gracious and Great God, thanks for caring about my pleasure and desires, and creating them to be fulfilled in You; may I not be deceived into looking for them anywhere else. Amen.
Proverbs 5:1-8 Avoiding the Poisonous Hag
1.“My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:2.that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.3.For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,4.But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.5.Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol.6.She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn't know it.7.Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don't depart from the words of my mouth.8.Remove your way far from her. Don't come near the door of her house,"Observation
5:1-8.If we see sin as it really is, we wouldn't be attracted to it. That's why Satan has to dress up the hag as a princess. Proverbs warns against the real nature and consequences of sin, so we won't find it appealing, and will stay away from it.
Application
Take steps towards wisdom (like fearing God) and away from temptation.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, open my eyes to the deceitfulness of sin, so I may avoid it. Thanks. Amen.
Leviticus 1-7 How to Offer the Right Sacrifices
These chapters detail the various offerings a worshiper could give Yahweh. The first three offerings: burnt, grain, and peace, don't deal with sin, but rather dedication and fellowship. The last two offerings, “unwitting” sin and trespass (basically omission and commission), cover or atone for guilt and result in forgiveness so the worshiper could be back in fellowship with God. For about 1,500 years, these sacrifices allowed the Israelites a means to deal with their sin and get back in God's good graces.
See Digging Deeper for how Yahweh worship, appealing to the mind and will, contrasted with pagan worship, appealing to the senses and emotions in doing what came naturally. If you're short on time, that's the section to read. The main thing to note about the sacrifices is what they accomplished.
The Entire Book of Leviticus has a chiastic structure (A, B, C, D, d' c' b' a'), with The Day of Atonement (section D/d' Ch 16) being in the center, and thus emphasized. Leviticus 16 itself is arranged chiastically, with the entrance of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood, of the sacrifice for the people, on the mercy seat being the emphasis. The final chapters deviate from the chiasm, serving to highlight the consequences of following or failing to follow Yahweh's instructions.
A Ch 1-7 The Laws of the Sacrifices (corresponding to a' Ch 23-25 Laws of Feasts)
B Ch 8-10 The Laws of the Priests (corresponding to b' Ch 21-22)
C Ch 11-15 The Laws of Purity (corresponding to c' Ch 17-20 Laws of Holiness)
D Ch 16 The Laws of the Day of Atonement (D/d' = 16:15b-20a)
c' Ch 17-20 The Laws of Holiness (corresponding to C Ch 11-15 The Laws of Purity)
b' Ch 21-22 The Laws of the Priests (corresponding to B Ch 8-10)
a' Ch 23-25 The Laws of the Feasts (corresponding to A Ch 1-7 Laws of Sacrifices)
Ch 26-27 The Consequences of Obedience/Disobedience and Laws of Dedication.
Leviticus 1 The Whole Enchilada Offering
1."Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting...3.If his offering is a burnt offering he shall offer it a male without blemish. He shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before Yahweh.4.He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.5.He shall kill the bull before Yahweh. Aaron`s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting.6.He shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it into its pieces.8.and Aaron`s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar;9.but its innards and its legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall burn the whole on the altar, for a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh.14.If his offering to Yahweh is a burnt offering of birds16.and he shall take away its crop with its filth, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes:17.The priest shall burn it on the altar, It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh."Observations
1:1-17.The whole burnt offering represented a complete dedication of oneself to God. We saw it in the consecration of the High Priest in Exodus 29. You identified with the animal by laying your head on its head. You also killed, flayed, etc. The priest presented the blood and tended the fire. Note that there is no confession of sin nor mention of guilt nor forgiveness (Lev 4), but that the sacrifice was said to atone or cover you. Sin offerings were not said to be a sweet smell to God. It's possible that just as the High Priest garments and consecration covered potentially offensive body and mind parts, so the whole burnt-offering made the offerer acceptable and pleasing to God. Not all references to “covering” denote theological “atonement” (same Hebrew word).
1:9-14.
The nasty parts were cleansed or discarded before everything ascended to God in sweet smelling smoke.
Leviticus 2 No Honey, Do Pass the Salt
1."`When anyone offers an offering of a meal/tribute-offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it.2.He shall bring it to Aaron`s sons the priests; and he shall take his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor to Yahweh.3.That which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron`s and his sons`.11.No meal-offering, which you shall offer to Yahweh, shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.12.As an offering of first-fruits you shall offer them to Yahweh: but they shall not come up for a sweet savor on the altar.13.Every offering of your meal-offering shall you season with salt; neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal-offering: with all your offerings you shall offer salt.Observations
2:2.Meal offering is also translated as “tribute,” an acknowledgment that one exists and prospers only by the permission of a greater power.
Only a handful/portion of the grain offering went up in smoke to God. The priests ate the rest.
2:11.
No yeast nor honey. Yeast is usually a symbol of the pervasive corruption of false, worldly thinking (results in spreading sin). Pagan gods were said to like honey; giving them something sweet bribed them to be nice to you. Probably made up by a pagan priest with a sweet tooth.
2:12.
You could offer honey and cake as “first-fruits” offering (upcoming), but they didn't go on the altar and up in smoke.
2:13.
Salt of the covenant is mentioned three times in Scripture (Num 13:19; 2Ch 13:5). Salt was considered enduring, since it doesn't burn nor rot. Perhaps it symbolizes the enduring nature of a relationship with God. We're not explicitly told what it means.
Leviticus 3 Burnt, Grain And Peace Offerings
1.If his offering be a sacrifice of peace-offerings; if he offer of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before Yahweh.2.He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting: and Aaron`s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood on the altar round about.3....the fat that covers the inwards... kidneys...5.Aaron`s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering...a sweet savor to Yahweh.16.... all the fat is Yahweh`s.17.It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.Observations
3:1.The Peace or Fellowship offering was an optional sacrifice to celebrate God's goodness or answer to prayer, highlighting the nature of the relationship between God and the redeemed and dedicated worshiper.
3:3.
The kidneys were considered the seat of emotion and affection. Our passion must be dedicated to God.
3:17.
Life was in the blood; calories in the fat.
Application
Even if you want to do something beautiful for God, it must be done in accordance with His revealed will and rules.
Prayer
Romans 12:1-2 for how to offer yourself to God. (No skinning required.)
Leviticus 4 Sin Offering for Witless Priest, Assembly, Ruler, Individuals
1.Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,2.Speak to the children of Israel, saying, If anyone shall sin unwittingly/ignorantly, in any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and shall do any one of them:3.if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bull without blemish to Yahweh for a sin-offering.4.He shall bring the bull to the door of the tent of meeting before Yahweh; and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before Yahweh.5.The anointed priest shall take of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the tent of meeting:6.and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Yahweh, before the veil of the sanctuary.7.The priest shall put blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Yahweh, which is in the tent of meeting; and all the blood of the bull shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering...8.All the fat...10.the priest shall burn on the altar of burnt offering.11.The skin of the bull, and all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, and its inwards, and its dung,12.even the whole bull shall he carry forth outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire13.If the whole congregation of Israel err, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and are guilty;14.when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin-offering...15.The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before Yahweh; and the bull shall be killed before Yahweh.16.The anointed priest shall bring the blood to the tent of meeting:17.dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Yahweh, before the veil.18.He shall put of the blood on the horns of the altar (of incense)19.All the fat...20.Thus shall he do with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin-offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.22.When a ruler sins, and does unwittingly any one of all the things which Yahweh his God has commanded not to be done, and is guilty23.he shall bring for his offering a goat..25.The priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the blood of it shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering .26.All the fat of it shall he burn on the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin, and he shall be forgiven.27.If anyone of the common people sin unwittingly...guilty;28.offering a goat, a female without blemish31....and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.32.If he bring a lamb35....and the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.Observations
4:1.The word for "sin" means to go astray or miss the way. These sacrifices are for unwitting or ignorant sin, not-paying-careful-attention-to-what-God-has-said kind of sin. For willful, “I want what I want when I want it” transgressions of what God said, these don't apply. You'll have to wait for Yom Kippur, the annual Day of Atonement, to get back in fellowship (a high price to pay).
4:3.
The sin offering for the priest and the collective people are almost identical, with the blood being sprinkled on the veil.
4:15.
The elders are representative of the people.
4:22.
The ruler gave a goat (no blood on horns of incense nor veil)
Leviticus 5 Trespass Offering - Sins of Commission
1.If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible. (NIV)2.Or if anyone touch any unclean thing...4.Or if anyone swear rashly with his lips...5.It shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these, that he shall confess that in which he has sinned:6.and he shall bring his trespass-offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned, a female from the flock...7.If his means aren`t sufficient for a lamb, then he shall bring...two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to Yahweh; one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt offering.10.He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.11.But if his means aren`t sufficient for two turtle -doves...bring...the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin-offering: he shall put no oil on it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon; for it is a sin-offering.12.He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as the memorial of it, and burn it on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire: it is a sin-offering.13.The priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he shall be forgiven:15.If anyone commits a trespass, and sin unwittingly, in the holy things of Yahweh; then he shall bring his trespass-offering to Yahweh, a ram16.and he shall make restitution for that which he has done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and he shall be forgiven.17.If anyone sins, and does any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done; though he didn`t know it, yet he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.18.He shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass-offering, to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he erred unwittingly and didn`t know it, and he shall be forgiven.19.It is a trespass-offering: he is certainly guilty before Yahweh.Observations
5:1.The NIV has a better translation, underscoring our social responsibility for justice and truth.
5:5.
"Confess" in Hebrew comes from a root that means to throw, and with various prefixes can range from praise to confession. The NT word means to speak the same thing, i.e., agree, or call sin what God calls it. If we don't own our sin, we can't get rid of it.
5:11.
No one was too poor to offer a sacrifice that covered his sin. It's interesting that no blood is shed in this offering.
Application
God provides a solution to our sin; we just need to do what He says to obtain forgiveness and restore the relationship.1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Prayer
God who sits above the mercy seat, thank You for providing a way to cover and forgive my sin, so I can continue my relationship with You. Amen.
Leviticus 6 Restitution and Housekeeping
2.If anyone sins, and commit a trespass against Yahweh, and deal falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or have oppressed his neighbor,3.or have found that which was lost, and deal falsely therein, and swear to a lie; in any of all these things that a man does, sinning therein;4.then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took...5.and shall add the fifth part more thereto6.He shall bring his trespass-offering to Yahweh7.and the priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh; and he shall be forgiven concerning whatever he does so as to be guilty thereby.9.Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: the burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night to the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning thereon.10.The priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put on his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes whereto the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.11.He shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes outside of the camp to a clean place.18.Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of (the meal offering)...whoever touches them shall be holy.23.Every meal-offering of the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.30.No sin-offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt with fire.Observation
6:1-7.Restitution plus 20% plus the expense of the trespass offering made illegitimate profit unprofitable.
Leviticus 7 Priestly Cut
1.This is the law of the trespass-offering: it is most holy.7.As is the sin-offering, so is the trespass-offering; there is one law for them: the priest who makes atonement therewith, he shall have it.8.The priest who offers any man`s burnt offering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered.9.Every meal-offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is dressed in the frying-pan, and on the baking-pan, shall be the priest`s who offers it.22.Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying25.whoever eats the fat of the animal, of which men offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, even the soul who eats it shall be cut off from his people.27.Whoever it be who eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.37.This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meal-offering, and of the sin-offering, and of the trespass-offering, and of the consecration, and of the sacrifice of peace- offerings;38.which Yahweh commanded Moses in Mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their offerings to Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sinai.Observation
7:1.If the priests taught the people the law so that they obeyed, then God would bless, and the priests would benefit for their portion of the offerings. However, the priests were still subject to the rules God had for everyone else. No one is above the law.
Digging Deeper
Observations: In pagan cults, one worshiped the gods primarily for fertility of herds and crops to ensure survival. The pagan went down to a beautiful temple, fragrant with incense, and offered a bowl of fruit or flowers. Then with drums rhythmically beating, he or she, as the ultimate act of worship, acted out for the gods what they wanted, by having sex with a temple prostitute (male or female). In most pagan accounts, creation was not the result of Someone speaking “Let there be...” but a by-product of sex. Consequently, “worship” was a re-enactment of creation.Excavations at the Corinth temple of Aphrodite/Venus revealed evidence of over a 1000 temple prostitutes. In Ephesus, the temple of Artemis/Diana had over a thousand chambers for male and female temple prostitutes. The oldest writing discovered, the Epic of Gilgamesh mentions temple prostitution. (The “scholarly” feminist revisionist viewpoint on Wikipedia, and elsewhere, denies that sacred prostitution existed. Don't believe everything you read. We'll actually uncover more evidence of it in 2 Kings.)
In Yahweh worship, you selected your finest animal, tossed a rope over its neck and took it down to the Tabernacle. As you got closer, you had to drag the animal, since they sensed the sounds and smells of impending slaughter and the aroma of burning flesh and dried blood. When you finally got it there, you slit its throat and watched the blood spurt out into a basin; you skinned it; you washed its guts, and you watched the entire animal go up in smoke on the altar. Why would you ever do such a thing. That was prime BBQ! The only reason is because God commanded it, and you were responding in faithful obedience.
Pagan worship appealed to your senses and emotions, and made you feel good on a natural sensual level. Not much different from a concert.
Yahweh worship appealed to your mind and will, and made you feel good on a spiritual cognitive level, as you realized you were obeying and pleasing God (according to His Revelation).
Question: Would most of what passes for “worship” today be characterized as pagan or Biblical? Where is the response to revelation that results in sacrificial obedience?
God in a nutshell: God specifies what is sin, and specifies the solution as well. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. He is pleased by sacrifices which demonstrate our commitment to Him and His worth and value. He offers atonement and forgiveness so we can have an enduring intimate relationship with Him. He wants us in fellowship with Him, not only for His glory/reputation's sake, but because that is what is best for us.
Us in a nutshell: We like to do what comes easily and naturally. Unfortunately that is frequently the route to destruction and cursing. Careful and constant attention to God's revelation is necessary for blessable obedience. When we do things God's way, we can enjoy Him and His blessings.