Leviticus 5-7

February 1

Leviticus 5-7

Reading the rules and regulations laid out by God in Leviticus, we realize if we did not before, that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23, NIV) There were constant offerings being made on the altar. Lambs and rams, pigeons and dove, grain and oil were constantly being offered and burned on the altar. There was a constant reminder that God was in their midst. There was a constant reminder that God was holy and held His people to a high standard. There was a constant reminder that sin was costly, the blood of the sacrifices was constantly flowing. There was a constant reminder that sin leads to death.

The sin and the guilt offering are both to atone for unintentional sin. Notice these regulations do not allow for intentional sin. Elsewhere in the law, many of the intentional sins lead to death. God wanted to make sure the Israelites know that He was holy and He expected His people to live in obedience to Him. But when they made a mistake, He provided a way to restore them.

After the sin offering was presented before the Lord, the priest was allowed to eat it. He was to eat it in the courtyard of the tabernacle. But it says that “whatever touches any of the flesh will become holy.” (27A)

When Jesus was hung on the cross, He was the ultimate sin offering. He died so we could live. He became the high priest making the offering, but He was also the offering being made. He fulfilled the sacrifice so it did not have to be made again.

"The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" (Hebrews 9:13-14, NIV)

 

Jesus died so that we could be made holy and so that we can serve the living God; so great a gift given for us. No more blood sacrifices, Jesus now looks for us to present ourselves back to Him as living sacrifices. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1, NIV)