Leviticus Chapter 1 Deep-Dive: The Burnt Offering

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Leviticus Overview – PUTTING THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED TABERNACLE TO USE … 

One of the most quoted books of the Torah (5 books of Moses) in the NT. Torah = law = shoot at/aim for/teach/instruct. Central book of the Torah/the 5 books of Moses – the foundation of the Jewish religion. Key to the book: Lev 19:2 You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Moses – the mediator between Yahweh and His people, Moses – a priest but not of the Levitical priesthood, Moses – the first true picture of Christ in the bible. Leviticus includes legal and sacrificial codes and historical narrative … similar to Exodus.

JESUS UPHELD LEVITICUS AS AUTHORITATIVE: Lk 5:12While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13And Jesus (GOD IN THE FLESH) stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses (LEVITICUS – THE LAW OF MOSES) commanded, for a proof to them.” THAT’S ALSO THE ONLY TIME JESUS MENTIONED THE MOSAIC SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM AND KEEP IN MIND THAT HE TOLD THE LEPER TO DO IT SIMPLY AS A PROOF, OR WITNESS, FOR THE PRIESTS. THINK OF ALL THE TIMES JESUS WAS IN THE TEMPLE TEACHING YET THERE’S NO RECORD OF HIM MENTIONING OR USING THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM.

We think of the Tabernacle and the holy furniture designed by God and built by Israel during the Exodus, along with the Levitical sacrificial system … as something the Israelites DID … they thought of it as something they ARE or WERE … the sacred furniture and detailed systemic instructions from God regarding ritualistic, bloody death were REQUIRED and CRITICAL for Israel in having a relationship with Yahweh. BLOODY DEATH REQUIRED BY GOD BECAUSE OF THE SPIRITUAL UNCLEANNESS OF MAN AND HIS SIN. EVEN WHEN A PERSON WAS NOT SINNING HE WAS STILL SEPARATED FROM GOD BECAUSE OF HIS SPIRITUAL “NASTINESS” AND IT WAS DANGEROUS FOR HIM TO OCCUPY SACRED SPACE. IT WAS A MESSY, NASTY, SMELLY, BRUTAL PROCESS FOR ISRAEL TO FOLLOW GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS. You could hear and smell the Sanctuary long before you saw it (bleating screams of the animals having their throats cut and the feces, offal and spilled blood as part of the process, the odor of the meat cooking mixed with the fragrance of the anointing oil and incense.

The New Covenant that Jesus brought is NOT the CORRECTION of the covenant we see in Torah, the Mosaic Law – it’s the FULFILLMENT of the “Old Covenant” … THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE MUST STUDY AND UNDERSTAND TORAH. Torah was the foundation of Judaism … it was what the rest of the old testament writers and prophets were thinking … it’s what the apostles were THINKING as they lived with Jesus then wrote the NT. It’s what Paul was thinking as he constructed the doctrines of the new covenant – the FULFILLMENT of Torah.

As we read through Leviticus THINK THIS WAY ...

ISRAEL IS NOW ABOUT 2 YEARS INTO THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT. THERE IS NO BIBLE & THE HOLY SPIRIT DID NOT INHABIT EVERY ISRAELITE. ISRAEL HAS FAILED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO FAITHFULLY FOLLOW GOD… OTHER THAN THE TIME THEY SPENT CONSTRUCTING THE TABERNACLE AND THE HOLY FURNITURE … WHILE IN EGYPT THEY GREW FROM A SMALL TRIBE INTO THE NATION OF GOD. THEY HAVE A LOT OF BAD SPIRITUAL HABITS THEY NEED TO SHAKE OFF AND GROW OUT OF … THEY NEED LAWS, SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AND A PRIESTHOOD … PUT YOURSELF IN THAT PLACE …

GOD IS HOLY BEYOND ANYTHING WE COULD EVER IMAGINE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY WE CAN “EARN” RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH ANY ACTION ON OUR PART OR SACRIFICE …

GOD OWES US NOTHING AND OWED ISRAEL NOTHING EVEN AS THEY FOLLOWED HIS REGULATIONS IN LEVITICUS.

THE LAW, OR TORAH, KEPT ISRAEL SAFE … BUT, SAFE FROM WHAT? FROM YAHWEH !!! AS WESTERN CHRISTIAN EVANGELICALS WE THINK OF LAW AS BAD OR DEATH, AND GRACE AS GOOD OR LIFE, BUT, LAW IS PART OF GRACE … IT’S GOOD … IT LEADS US TO REPENTANCE, THE DOORWAY TO GRACE

CLEAN = QUALIFIED/SAFE (FROM GOD’S WRATH) TO PARTICIPATE OR OCCUPY SACRED SPACE.

UNCLEAN = DISQUALIFIED/UNSAFE TO PARTICIPATE OR OCCUPY SACRED SPACE … THINK OF A 10 YEAR OLD BOY PLAYING OUTSIDE ALL DAY IN THE SUMMER … HE NEEDS A BATH BEFORE DINNER, UNCLEANNESS IS SIMILAR TO THAT … IT’S NOT REALLY SIN, IT’S A TYPE OF SPIRITUAL “NASTINESS”

LAYING HANDS ON THE ANIMAL TO BE OFFERED = THIS IS NOT USUALLY A TRANSFER OF GUILT, IT’S SIMPLY DESIGNATING THAT ANIMAL TO NO LONGER BE A PART OF THE HERD – IT’S NOW CONSECRATED FOR SACRED USE – BELONGING TO THE LORD.

OFFERINGS WERE PRESENTED TO GOD – A GIFT TO PROVIDE ATONEMENT / PROTECTION FROM GOD, USUALLY COMPLETELY BURNED UP

SACRIFICES WERE SHARED WITH GOD THROUGH A MEAL

BLOOD & FAT ARE NEVER TO BE EATEN, THEY ARE ALWAYS OFFERED TO GOD … FAT BURNED, BLOOD POURED ON THE GROUND AT THE FOOT OF THE ALTAR.

ATONEMENT = PRIMARILY A SPIRITUAL RESET – WIPING DOWN THE HIGHCHAIR AFTER FEEDING THE 2 YEAR OLD, HAVING YOUR SPIRITUAL DIAPER CHANGED BY PROTECTING THE WORSHIPPER IN HIS BASIC HUMANITY FROM DIVINE WRATH … SOME EXAMPLES FROM TORAH:

• Ex 29:31“You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. 32And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 33They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy. NO SINFUL ACTS HERE

• Ex 29:36 and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it.37Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy – NO SIN INVOLVED IN CONSECRATING A PHYSICAL OBJECT, THE ALTAR.

• Ex 30:15 (WHEN A CENSUS IS TAKEN) The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for your lives – NO SINFUL ACT v16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for your lives.” CENSUS TAKEN – HALF SHEKEL PAID BY EACH MAN – FOR THE SERVICE OF THE TABERNACLE, AND, TO BRINK THE PEOPLE TO GOD’S REMEMBRANCE AND PROTECT THEIR LIVES.

• Ex 32:30 GOLDEN CALF INCIDENT The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” … v33 But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. (GOD CONTROLS WHO’S IN AND OUT OF THE BOOK) … 35Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf … AND GOD HAD BEEN PREPARED TO DESTROY THE WHOLE NATION. SO, WAS ATONEMENT MADE? THEY REPENTED OF THEIR SIN AND HAD THE MOST PRODUCTIVE 12 MONTHS IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL … CONSTRUCTING THE HOLY FURNITURE, THE TABERNACLE AND THE PRIESTLY GARMENTS.

THE ASSUMPTION BY GOD AS HE PROVIDES THE SACRIFICIAL RULES IN LEVITICUS IS THAT THE ISRAELITES WILL VOLUNTARILY FOLLOW HIS LAW … THIS IS A BIG-BIG-BIG DEAL AND CONTRARY TO THE WAY WE AS EVANGELICALS THINK ABOUT SIN. THIS IS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING TORAH – GOD EXPECTED OBEDIENCE. THERE IS LITTLE PROVISION IN LEVITICUS FOR DELIBERATELY BREAKING A COMMANDMENT … IN MOST OF THOSE CASES THE GUIDANCE WAS EITHER DEATH OR EXILE. AN ISRAELITE COULD NOT BREAK THE SABBATH AND THEN “PAY THE PRICE WITH A SPECIFIC SACRIFICE” AND BE OK WITH GOD. HERE’S AN EXPLANATION FROM GOD AND AN EXAMPLE:

Num 15:30 A PARALLEL PASSAGE TO LEVITICUS – GOD GIVING MOSES INSTRUCTION REGARDING UNINTENTIONAL/ACCIDENTAL SIN. But, the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. 31Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.” AND HERE’S AN EXAMPLE … 32While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. 34They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him. 35And the Lord said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as the Lord commanded Moses. THERE WAS NO SACRIFICE HE COULD OFFER TO “COVER THIS” OR PROVIDE “ATONEMENT” FOR HIM … GOD SAID, STONE HIM TO DEATH !! KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS THE ONLY RECORD IN SCRIPTURE OF A PERSON BEING EXECUTED FOR BREAKING THE SABBATH.

LEVITICUS ILLUSTRATES THE HOLINESS OF GOD IN COMPARISON TO OUR BASIC HUMANITY – HOW DANGEROUS GOD IS IN HIS HOLINESS. GOD ASSUMES HIS PEOPLE WILL OBEY HIM AND HE PROVIDED WAYS ISRAEL COULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AS THEY OBEYED HIM. BEING “RIGHT” WITH GOD STARTS WITH FAITH & OBEDIENCE … THEN MOVES BEYOND THAT !!

THERE REALLY IS NO COMPARISON BETWEEN WHAT JESUS DID FOR US ON THE CROSS COMPARED TO ANY OFFERING OR SACRIFICE DESCRIBED IN LEVITICUS … THIS IS WHY THE CLAIMS OF JESUS AND THE EARLY CHURCH WERE SO SCANDALOUS TO AN ISRAELITE. THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST WAS INFINITELY MORE THAN ANYTHING DESCRIBED IN LEVITICUS … EVEN BEYOND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT: IN CHRIST ALL SIN IS FORGIVEN, EVERY BELIEVER IS PART OF THE BODY OF MESSIAH, THE BRIDE OF MESSIAH, EACH MEMBER THE TEMPLE OF GOD INHABITED BY THE HOLY* SPIRIT – WHO IS THE LORD/YAHWEH, AND EACH BELIEVER IS A PRIEST OF GOD AND SITS ON MESSIAH’S THRONE WITH HIM, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD LED BY JESUS, THE MESSIAH, AND YAHWEH … THIS IS WHAT MESSIAH DID FOR ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD, WHEN HE WAS CRUCIFIED … THESE CONCEPTS “BLEW THE MINDS” OF THE EDUCATED JEWS WHO WERE CONTEMPORARY TO JESUS … TORAH GAVE THEM BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPTS, THEN JESUS’ CLAIMS STARTED WITH TORAH AND WENT INFINITELY FURTHER …

WE WILL NOT BE DOING A DEEP DIVE INTO THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM IS COMPLEX AND SCATTERED THROUGHOUT LEVITICUS, NUMBERS & DEUTERONOMY.

Ch 1 Laws for Burnt Offerings – “DEAR GOD, I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT WITH YOU … FOR FELLOWSHIP / WORSHIP / A REQUEST …” NOT FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN. THE TEACHING IS – PROXIMITY TO GOD IS DANGEROUS – PROVIDE A GIFT FOR ATONEMENT IF YOU WANT TO DRAW NEAR!

1:1 The Lord called Moses (SUMMONED MOSES) and (YAHWEH) spoke to him from the tent of meeting (THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED TABERNACLE), saying, 2“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock (THAT GOD PROVIDED!)

3“If his (THE ONE MAKING THE OFFERING) offering is a burnt offering from the herd (A BULL), he shall offer a male (WHY A MALE? UNCLEAR IN SCRIPTURE … VALUE? POWER? GENERATIVE? A PICTURE OF CHRIST?) without blemish (VALUABLE). He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord. ONLY PRIESTS ENTERED THE TABERNACLE AREA 4He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering (IDENTIFYING THE ANIMAL FOR SACRED USE … BEFORE THIS IT WAS A COMMON PART OF THE HERD, NOW IT’S DESIGNATED AS AN “OFFERING” TO GOD), and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him (A SPIRITUAL WIPE-DOWN, RESET, DIAPER CHANGE) 5Then he (THE ONE MAKING THE OFFERING-STILL AT THE ENTRANCE) shall kill the bull before the Lord NO SPECIFIC WAY OF KILLING IS MENTIONED … IT’S NOT RITUALIZED, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting (THE BLOOD IS DRAINED, THEN THROWN AGAINST THE SIDES OF THE ALTAR AND THE REST IS POURED OUT AT THE BASE OF THE ALTAR … YOU CAN’T ENTER OR LEAVE THE SANCTUARY WITHOUT SEEING AND SMELLING BLOOD). THERE SHOULD BE NO BLOOD LEFT FOR ANYONE TO MISUSE … STRICT GUIDANCE AGAINST EATING BLOOD … THAT GOES BACK TO NOAH) 6Then he shall flay the burnt offering (THE SKIN OR HIDE WAS NOT BURNED) and cut it into pieces, 7and the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8And Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; 9but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water (WASH OFF THE FECES AND OFFAL … NO PLACE FOR MUDDY LEGS OR ENTRAILS LEAKING FECES). And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord (SACRIFICIAL LANGUAGE THAT SHOWS GOD ACCEPTS THE SACRIFICE)

10“If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock (LESS EXPENSIVE OFFERING), from the sheep or goats, he shall bring a male without blemish, 11and he shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. 12And he shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar, 13but the entrails and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

14“If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds (LEAST EXPENSIVE), then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or pigeons. 15And the priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head and burn it on the altar. Its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. 16He shall remove its crop with its contents and cast it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes. 17He shall tear it open by its wings, but shall not sever it completely. And the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord

EVEN THE LEAST OF THE THREE TYPES OF OFFERINGS IS STILL PLEASING TO THE LORD. THREE TIERED STRUCTURE PROBABLY BASED ON THE WEALTH OF THE PERSON OFFERING THE SACRIFICE … SACRIFICES WERE COSTLY. COULD ALSO BE AN ISSUE OF THE HEART … BRINGING YOUR BEST TO THE LORD?

A RICH MAN COULD NOT SEND A SERVANT TO MAKE THE OFFERING – HE HAD TO DO IT HIMSELF AND IT WAS A BLOODY AND PHYSICAL PROCESS: WORSHIPPER: BRING THE ANIMAL, KILL, SKIN, GUT & BUTCHER THE BULL/SHEEP. PRIEST: PROVIDE/PREPARE WOOD FOR THE FIRE, SPRINKLE BLOOD ON THE ALTAR, PLACE DISMEMBERED BODY PARTS ON THE FIRE

SO, THIS OFFERING WAS MADE BY AN ISRAELITE SO THAT GOD WOULD NOT KILL HIM AS HE APPROACHED SACRED SPACE AND MADE A REQUEST OF GOD … IN CHRIST, WE ARE SACRED SPACE!

AND THAT WILL WRAP UP LEV CH 1

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Ch 2 Laws for Grain Offerings A MEMORIAL OF THE BINDING COVENANT BETWEEN THE ISRAELITES AND GOD “DEAR GOD, I REMEMBER THAT I HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES IN MY COVENANT WITH YOU …” SALT IS THE FOCUS AS A REMINDER OF THE BINDING NATURE OF THE COVENANT. THINK OF JESUS DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS THE BREAD OF HEAVEN ON WHICH WE MUST FEED AND DESCRIBING US AS THE SALT OF THE EARTH…

2:1“When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense (AN AROMATIC GUM RESIN FROM A TREE BURNED AS INCENSE) on it (MOST LIKELY ONLY ON THE PORTION TO BE BURNED ON THE ALTAR) 2and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. And he shall take from it a handful (A LARGE AMOUNT OF FLOUR OFFERED – MOST OF THAT GOES TO THE PRIESTS – ONLY A HANDFUL OF IT IS BURNED) of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion on the altar (SO THAT GOD AND YOU WILL REMEMBER THE COVENANT – THINK OF JESUS AT THE LAST SUPPER … DO THIS AS A MEMORIAL OF/TO ME), a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 3But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the Lord’s food offerings. MOST HOLY DESIGNATES THAT THE PRIESTS GET A SHARE

4“When you bring a grain offering baked in the oven as an offering, it shall be unleavened loaves of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers smeared with oil. 5And if your offering is a grain offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil. 6You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7And if your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8And you shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the Lord, and when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. 9And the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion (THE FISTFULL) and burn this on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 10 But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the Lord’s food offerings. LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO BAKE/COOK THE FISTFULL OF GRAIN … THE REST GOES TO THE PRIESTS.

11“No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the Lord. (SCHOLARS NOT SURE WHY BUT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MORALITY, MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THESE BEING OFFERED TO PAGAN GODS, OR IN LEAVEN CAUSING FERMENTATION, OR SOMETHING EXCRETED/HONEY) 12As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the Lord, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma. 13You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST SALT WAS USED IN COVENANT TREATY CEREMONIES, AS IN, SALTING THE LAND OF A PERSON WHO BREAKS A COVENANT … A CONSTANT REMINDER TO THE ISRAELITES THAT THEY NEED TO UPHOLD THEIR PART OF THE COVENANT. 14“If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain. 15And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16And the priest shall burn as its memorial portion some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a food offering to the Lord.

BIBLE BONES AND LIGAMENTS … THINK ABOUT HOW LEVITICUS SUPPORTS WHAT JESUS IS SAYING TO THE ISRAELITES WHO WERE WELL VERSED IN LEVITICUS …

Mt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”

Jn 6:51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

AND THAT WILL WRAP UP LEV CH 2

 

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