Leviticus 8-10

February 2

Leviticus 8-10

Through the establishment of the tabernacle and the sacrificial system God gave to Moses, God constantly reminded the Israelites of His presence and holiness and their need for regular atonement for sin. Atonement in simple terms it the restoration of the relationship between God and humanity. It is the removal of guilt through the payment of a penalty, namely the sacrifice.

 God is holy and people are sinful. The constant sacrifice of bulls and goats reminds the people that sin separates them from God and there is a cost to restore that relationship. As we read through the law, we are reminded that atonement was hard work. Animals had to be brought to the priest; the priest laid their hands on the animals to transfer their sin to the sacrifice. The animal was killed and cut up and burnt. The priest had to go through the ceremony prescribed by God. The sacrifice was costly in multiple ways.

On top of everything else, the sacrifices did not fix anything. They covered over the sin,  they paid for the sin, but the sin continued. The priest was also guilty of sin, so he had to make a sacrifice for himself before he could begin to make sacrifices for the community. Remember Aaron was the one who made the golden calf. The atonement for sin was a complicated process.

Also notice that everything was anointed with oil including Aaron. Anointing was symbolic of being set aside by God and for God. Anointed in Hebrew was mashiach (messiah), in Greek it is Christós (Christ). Jesus was anointed, set aside for God. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”" (Luke 4:18-19, NIV)

 He came as a new kind of high priest. "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NIV)

We no longer have to sacrifice bulls and goats. Jesus was the final and perfect sacrifice. His blood does not cover over our sin, it removes it. Our response is to give our lives to Him, to receive His sacrifice. “What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”