Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Leviticus is a book that lays out procedures. It is the laws and methodology that the Levites needed to follow in order to perform the services of the priesthood. There are very few historical events that occur in it and some of it chronologically overlaps with the last chapter of Exodus.

Why do we care, then? Everything in the Old Covenant is a shadow, a pale imitation of the reality of the New Covenant we get to partake in through Messiah Jesus. There are lessons about why Jesus qualified for sacrifice. There is evidence that God used His trust in Jesus to accomplish spiritual things. There are lessons about our natural unworthiness and the need for a saviour. There are lessons about the truth that we need to do exactly as God tells us to – there is no other ground to stand on (Matthew 7:24-27).

Leviticus opens with God speaking to Moses from the Glory Cloud that had descended on the tent of meeting – perhaps audibly to more than just Moses because there was so much cloud Moses couldn’t enter the holy place (Exodus 40:35). Here is where God starts getting specific about what sacrifice entailed and how to go about it.

First, God started with VOLUNTARY burnt offerings. It had to be of the herd (cattle) or the flock (sheep/goats or birds). It had to be WITHOUT BLEMISH. This really just means the best. You couldn’t pawn off defective animals you couldn’t use for any other purpose (Also, it was always a picture of Jesus who was pure, innocent, and without ANY sin or ANY flaw). This wasn’t a SIN offering. It was a voluntary offering when a person wanted to enter the tabernacle and commune with God. It was offered at the door, not inside. You could NOT enter the tabernacle without a sacrifice that entailed blood (John 14:6).

The person bringing the cattle sacrifice placed their hand on the top of the animal, which symbolically transferred the individual’s shortcomings onto the animal. Then the person bringing the sacrifice would kill it. This was personal. This was a lesson that you are involved in the process . You are not removed from it. Now the priest would step in and collect the blood to sprinkle it around the altar near the door.

None of these sacrifices really took away sin (Hebrews 10:4). They were symbolic of the just (pure, innocent) dying for the unjust (actual sinners), which is a shadow of what Jesus did for us (1 Peter 3:18). That’s why we don’t sacrifice animals anymore. We don’t need to (Colossians 2:17). Whenever a sacrifice was made, God used His trust (Mark 11:22) Jesus would walk out on Earth (Isaiah 53:11-12) what Jesus had spiritually done in Heaven (Revelation 13:8).

Now the priest takes over. They skinned the animal, laid wood on the altar, removed the head, arranged the pieces, and burnt it. Now we know that overall, burning flesh is not that aromatic. But it was referred to as ‘sweet smelling’ to God. The reason had nothing to do with the physical pieces. This was obedience, offering from the best, costing them something, and all of THAT was sweet smelling. That was putting God first – His rightful place.

If the sacrifice was from the sheep or goats, it was to be male (Jesus was male) and it was to be killed on the north side of the altar (they believe Golgotha was on the north side of Jerusalem). This is the ONLY time this location is singled out for the killing of a sacrifice. The rest of the procedure was the same. It was the same for the birds. ALL of them were sweet smelling to the Lord. The amount of the offering didn’t matter. It was that the offering was being given at all.

Grain offerings were to be of FINE flour. Fine flour took a lot more effort to make. Offerings ALWAYS needed to be at a cost to us. Otherwise, they’re not really an offering (2 Samuel 24:24). This was a MEAL offering. A few conditions applied. First, no leaven/yeast. Leaven was symbolic for sin, so none of it could be in the offerings. Second, not all of it was burnt up. Some was kept back and given to the priests. This was their portion. It was for their upkeep because they didn’t grow their own food – they were ministering in the tabernacle. This portion of the grain offering was considered holy, like the rest of the offering. The only exception was when a priest offered a personal grain offering. Then it was completely burnt up because no other priest was involved. Third, all the grain offerings were to be seasoned with salt. Fourth, this garin offering was classified with the ‘meat’ offerings, as meal offerings.

“This is a lasting statute for your generations in all your dwellings: you must not eat any fat or any blood.’” (Leviticus 3:17)

Next we come to peace offerings (Leviticus 1 was burnt offerings and Leviticus 2 was meat offerings). These could be male or female, but still had to be without blemish. These were also VOLUNTARY offerings. There is more on peace offerings in Leviticus 7 and 19.

Your hand was still placed on its head and it was killed in the doorway of the tabernacle. The blood was sprinkled on the altar. The peace offering seemed to focus on the fat. Fat of entrails, kidneys, flanks, and the fatty lobe above the liver (none of this is appetising to me). It was to be burnt on the altar. It was the same practise for offerings from cattle, sheep, or goats (no birds this time). The fat was considered the best part, so it was given up. Sacrifice.

This section closes with an eternal statute. In every home, for all of time, you eat neither fat nor blood. Blood was forbidden as a symbol that the life of the flesh is in the blood. Fat was forbidden because it was a symbol of giving the best of the best to the Lord – keeping Him first. Restricting their diets was an ongoing lesson that we are submitted to God. It isn’t what seems right to US, but us submitting to HIM. Restricting ourselves simply because He says so. As a living sacrifice in order to acknowledge Him as God and Lord of our lives. While I in no way condone a return to the Law, there is something to be said of regular restriction for this spiritual purpose. In the New Covenant, we can accomplish the same spiritual lesson by fasting and prayer during that fasting time.

Summary

Key Players: God

Key Themes: Priesthood, Sacrifices and Offerings

Key Verse(s): Leviticus 1:1-2; 2:9-10; 3:17