The video version is available at: https://youtu.be/nVnxVuQ9EqI
Scripture
reading: Leviticus 1:3-9, 2:1-3, 3:1-5, 5:14-26
By
Dan and Brenda Cathcart
When
God’s presence entered the tabernacle that the children of Israel built as a
dwelling place for God, no one could come near to God. This was a problem since
God’s purpose was to dwell among His people.
Exodus 25:8 NKJV 8 "And let them
make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
As
the book of Leviticus opens, God calls out to Moses from the tabernacle and
gives Moses instructions on how to approach Him. Anyone who wanted to draw near
to God was to do so through an offering God calls a “bring near.” The “bring
near” allows someone to “draw near.” The blood of the offering provides
atonement which means “protective covering” for the one bringing the offering.
It is only through the protective covering of the offering that anyone can
safely approach God. Yeshua, our Messiah, is the ultimate offering whose blood
provides us with continual protection allowing us to approach God. Atonement is
not the purpose of the offering; it is the means by which the purpose is
achieved. The purpose is so that man could approach God and have a relationship
with Him!
To
understand the concept of how the children of Israel were to draw near to a
holy God a bit better, we first need to get a clear picture of the sacrificial
system of the Tabernacle and the five different types of offerings and their
purposes.
Leviticus 1:1-3 NKJV 1 Now the LORD
called to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, 2
"Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When any one of you
brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of the
livestock-of the herd and of the flock. 3 'If his offering is a burnt sacrifice
of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own
free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD.
Contrary
to popular belief, not all the offerings brought before the LORD were sin
offerings! This first offering in the book of Leviticus is the burnt offering. The
phrase “burnt offering” comes from the Hebrew word “olah,” #5930 in the
Strong’s Concordance which means a step or stairs as ascending or rising. It
refers to the smoke of the burnt offering rising to God. We call it a burnt
offering because it is completely burned on the brazen altar that contains the
fire of God. The olah offering is to be brought voluntarily, that is, with
delight! This offering has nothing to do with sin! The one bringing the
offering does so with delight because he wants to come into the presence of
God!
Also,
contrary to our modern understanding, or assumptions, it was not the priests
who sacrificed, or slaughtered the offering. It was the person who brought the
offering who slaughtered it.
Leviticus 1:4-5 NKJV 4 'Then he shall
put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his
behalf to make atonement for him. 5 'He shall kill the bull before the LORD;
and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all
around on the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
The
person bringing the offering was to put his hands on the head of the animal.
The Hebrew word translated as put in verse 4 is saw-mak, number 5564 literally
meaning to take hold or lie hard. He wasn’t just to touch the head of the
sacrifice; he was to set self or lean hard on it. The implication is that the
person brining this offering is imparting himself into, or upon the animal.
This sacrificial animal is then slaughtered in his stead so that he can draw
near to God at that time.
The
instructions about what constitutes this offering are very specific.
Leviticus 1:10-11 NKJV 10 'If his
offering is of the flocks-of the sheep or of the goats-as a burnt sacrifice, he
shall bring a male without blemish. 11 'He shall kill it on the north side of
the altar before the LORD; and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle its
blood all around on the altar.
The
Olah offering was to be entirely burnt on the altar before the LORD. It is
described as a sweet aroma to the LORD.
Leviticus 1:12-13 NKJV 12 'And he
shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat; and the priest shall
lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar; 13 'but he
shall wash the entrails and the legs with water. Then the priest shall bring it
all and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by
fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.
The
next offering mentioned in the book of Leviticus is an offering that is
sometimes a little confusing because our English Bibles translate it as a meat
offering or, at other times, a grain offering. This is because its detailed description
in Leviticus describes it as being an offering of flour or grain.
Leviticus 2:1 NKJV 1 'When anyone
offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. And
he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it.
The
phrase “grain offering” is the Hebrew word “mincha,” #4503 meaning a portion,
donation, or gift. This offering, like the olah offering, is voluntary. The
mincha offering is brought as a gift to God. While the olah offering is
entirely burnt on the altar, only a portion of the mincha offering is burnt on
the altar. What is burned goes up to heaven bringing the soul of the offerer
into the presence of God. The rest of the offering goes to the priests where it
must be eaten in the holy place which includes the courtyard and outer room of
the Tabernacle. This shows us that the altar, which is in the courtyard, is the
“table” of God. The mincha offering is a shared meal between God and His
priests.
Leviticus 2:4-6 NKJV And if you bring
a sacrifice of a food offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes
of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. 5 And if
your offering is a food offering on the griddle, your offering shall be of fine
flour unleavened, mixed with oil. 6 You shall break it in pieces and pour oil
on it. It is a food offering…
Skipping
to verses 9 and 10.
Leviticus 2:9-10 NKJV 9'Then the
priest shall take from the grain offering a memorial portion, and burn it on
the altar. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD. 10 'And
what is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron's and his sons'. It is most
holy of the offerings to the LORD made by fire.
After
burning the LORD’s portion on the altar, the priests were to eat the remainder
of the offering in the court of the tabernacle. They were to eat the offering
in the presence of God. The priests shared a meal with God! God received the
portion burnt on the altar and the priests received the rest. Although the
mincha offering described in this passage is of grain, it can also be of an animal
of the herd. All firstfruits offerings are mincha offerings. For example, Able
brought a mincha offering of the firstfruits of his flock.
Genesis 4:4 NKJV 4 Abel also brought
of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and
his offering (mincha),
With
the mincha offering, one is in fellowship with God. Another very important
aspect of the mincha offering is that it is salted.
Leviticus 2:13 NKJV 13 'And every
offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow
the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering.
With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
Salt
is a preservative and like unleavened bread, it is about stopping the decaying
process. Yeshua says that we will be salted with fire. Fire is a purifying act,
so salt purifies as well as preserves.
The
book of Chronicles refers to God’s covenant with David as a salt covenant.
2 Chronicles 13:5 NKJV 5 "Should
you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David
forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?
The
salt refers to the enduring nature of the covenant. It is forever. Whoever eats
of the Bread of Life enters into the enduring covenant of life. Yeshua is our
offering of bread, anointed, unleavened, with salt, enduring forever.
The
next offering is called the peace or fellowship offering.
Leviticus 3:1 NKJV 1 'When his
offering is a sacrifice of a peace offering, if he offers it of the herd,
whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.
In
Hebrew, this is called the “Shelem” offering. The word “shelem” is #8002
meaning requital, something given in return or in compensation. The word shelem
comes from the word “shalem,” #7999 meaning to be safe or complete. Shalem is
also the root word for shalom meaning peace. This is why the offering is
sometimes referred to as the peace offering. This offering, like the olah and
the mincha offerings is also a voluntary offering. Only a memorial portion is
burned on the altar; the rest of this offering is to be eaten by the one
bringing the offering with his family and friends on the day that it is
offered! In other words, this offering is a celebration of thanksgiving for
what God has provided!
This
offering differs in that the offerer retains a share. The fat is burned on the
altar as God’s portion and the breast and right thigh go to the priest offering
the blood. The one bringing the offering shares the rest with family and
friends as long as they are ritually pure.
Leviticus 7:30-33 NKJV 30 'His own
hands shall bring the offerings made by fire to the LORD. The fat with the
breast he shall bring, that the breast may be waved as a wave offering before
the LORD. 31 'And the priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast
shall be Aaron's and his sons'. 32 'Also the right thigh you shall give to the
priest as a heave offering from the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33 'He
among the sons of Aaron, who offers the blood of the peace offering and the
fat, shall have the right thigh for his part.
This
offering is to be brought with bread and wine. It is also brought in
thanksgiving, in fulfillment of a vow, or as a freewill offering. It is a
shared meal with God, the priests, and family and friends.
This
offering is very similar to the original Passover sacrifice. The blood on the
doors and lintels is like the blood on the altar and shows that that household
has invited the presence of God into their home. The angel of death passed over
that household. The inhabitants of that household have passed from death into
life. The fat and inner parts, which are God’s portion, are roasted in the fire.
The rest of the offering belongs to the family, and thus, become a shared meal
with God. Like the peace offering in fulfillment of a vow, any portion left
over including the fat and inner parts was to be burned the next morning.
The
last two offerings are the sin offering and the guilt or trespass offering.
These two offerings are the only offerings that someone is required to make
when the circumstances dictate.
Leviticus 4:1-2 NKJV 1 Now the LORD
spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'If a
person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the LORD in
anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them…
This
passage continues with detailed instructions on bringing a sin offering based
on who the person is that committed the sin. This division includes the
priesthood, the ruler of the people, and the common people. There is also a sin
offering requirement if the entire nation commits a sin. Notice that this sin
offering is for a sin committed unintentionally. In fact, the word “sin” in
this passage is “chata,” #2398 meaning to miss the mark. We don’t intentionally
miss the mark that we are aiming for! When the person or people who have
committed the unintentional sin realize their mistake and confess it, they are
to bring a sin offering. So, the sin offering is brought when someone
accidentally transgresses the Torah of God, not when it is intentionally broken!
The sin offering brings atonement, protective covering, for the one bringing
the offering and fellowship with God is then restored.
The
guilt or trespass offering is similar to the sin offering and is brought when a
transgression of the Torah occurs that may be a necessity of life such as
touching the body of an unclean animal, touching a dead human body, or when
someone sins against another person.
Leviticus 5:5-6 NKJV 5 'And it shall
be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he
has sinned in that thing; 6 'and he shall bring his trespass offering to the
LORD for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a
kid of the goats as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him
concerning his sin.
The
phrase “trespass offering” is the Hebrew word “Asham” #817 meaning guilty. The
person is guilty of the offense. If the offense caused harm, restitution had to
be made. After restitution is made, the trespass offering is then brought, and
atonement is made for him. He can once again go safely into the presence of
God.
So,
what is the purpose of all these offerings? Does the sacrifice of animals and
offerings of food and drink really provide atonement for those bringing these
offerings?
In
all cases this system of offerings and sacrifices is to allow someone to draw
near to God, whether it is a voluntary offering in pure delight in God,
bringing a gift to God, and offering thanksgiving to God, or for the purpose of
repairing a broken relationship with one’s neighbor or with God. God set up
this system for His people so He could truly dwell among them and be their God.
The
sacrificial system was not for anyone who wasn’t one of God’s people. It wasn’t
designed to be practiced by the Canaanites, the Egyptians, or any other people
or nation; it was for the people the LORD brought out of Egypt and took for His
own! It was for the people who were already in covenant with Him! Did you catch
that? The sacrificial system was not instituted to bring someone into covenant
with God; it was for those already in covenant with Him!
But
if the offerings at the altar of God are for those who are already in covenant
with Him, how do we enter into covenant with God today? With no Temple and
priesthood in place, how is atonement and restoration achieved? It all returns
to the beginning of God’s plan when He rescued the children of Israel from
their bondage in Egypt and vowed to take them as His people. It all begins with
that original Passover!
The
sacrificial system was only a shadow of things to come. Ultimately only God can
afford the redemption price and restore our relationships with each other and
with Him. The writer of the Book of Hebrews gives us the answers to these
questions.
Hebrews 9:11-15 NKJV 11 But Christ
came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more
perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not
with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most
Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the
blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean,
sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God,
cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for
this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the
redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are
called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Yeshua
has paid the ransom price for all men who identify themselves with Him. In this
sense, Yeshua is our guilt offering. Isaiah wrote of the suffering servant who
would be the guilt offering.
Isaiah 53:10-11 NKJV 10 Yet it pleased
the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an
offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the
pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of
His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify
many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Paul
tells us that Yeshua was the one who fulfilled this prophecy.
1 Timothy 2:3-6 NKJV 3 For this is
good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one
Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom
for all, to be testified in due time,
Yeshua
is found in each of the offerings and sacrifices first established in the
wilderness when God took the Children of Israel as His own special people.
Yeshua is our olah offering, completely dedicated to God. He is our mincha
offering, the free gift and the bread of life. He is our peace offering, that
ends our separation from God and restores our fellowship with God. And He is
our sin and guilt offering paying the price we could not pay and restoring our
purity before God and allowing us to come into His presence.
Study
Questions:
2.
The mincha
offering is most generally a grain offering often, but not always, baked,
unleavened cakes that are salted and with oil. Read again Leviticus chapter
2. What part of it is burned on the
altar? What part goes to the priesthood? Why is this offering only shared
between God and the priesthood?
3.
How is the peace,
or shalem offering different from the other offerings in its practice and
purpose? How are we to understand it as a shared meal between God, the
priesthood, and the offerer?
General
Portion Questions
4.
What is the
difference between the sin offering and the guilt offering? Did these offerings
really take away sin?
5.
What is the
context of the Book of Leviticus? Why does it open with a detailed description
of the five major types of offerings that are brought before the LORD?
6.
What other insights did you gain from this teaching? What
indicators are there in this Torah Portion that point to Messiah Yeshua?
Bonus:
Going back to the mincha offering; why is it presented with salt? Why is it
that salt and unleavened bread are coupled together?
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2023 Moed Ministries International. All rights reserved.
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