Friday, March 14, 2008

Leviticus/Vayikra Thoughts

Thought 1

Vayikra "And he called", Leviticus 1:1–5:19

"The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting..."
Leviticus 1:1

This week at home group we talked about what caught our attention in this section. One thing I am eternally grateful for is the fact that this is not a dead book to me anymore. Hard to read sometimes? Yeah. Completely pointless to daily life? Not at all!

I see God and His plan in all the details of this section. One of our group members said something along these lines: "I saw that the sacrifices weren't so much about death and blood as about life. Something/someone has to give up it's life for an offering to be sufficient." The death and blood are important parts, but the sacrifice of life is pivital.

Just last week we were singing a hymn about the blood of Christ. I turned to My Favorite and mentioned how creepy it might be to walk into a church service and hear something like that if you didn't understand it. He looked at me and said, "That is why most churches never mention it." (again, that was not a word for word quote). Usually we think blood = death. But really, blood = life. Dead, useless things don't bleed. The sacrifice of innocent life, be it a bull of the Temple times or Yeshua is what the blood signifies. Hence this point HaShem makes a few chapters later:

"For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."
Leviticus 17:11

"...because the life of every creature is its blood."
Leviticus 17:14

Hmm, now that is all running around jumbled in my head...a lot to think about.

Thought 2

They aren't all sin offerings. This section is about offerings and sacrifices and I had always understood from what I heard that all sacrifices were for sin. Now, maybe that wasn't what the pastors and speakers intended, or maybe I just never thought about it, but there it is nevertheless. But they aren't all sin offerings!

The first 3 offerings/sacrifices are these: burnt, grain, and peace. They are at their simplest form, time to come before HaShem and offer what you have that is pleasing to Him. And this is another thing that struck me. Offerings to the Creator of the Universe? What do we have to offer Him? But He knew we would desire to come before Him, He put in us a desire to know Him, and He knew we could never do it empty handed. And knowing we have nothing to offer Him, He gave detailed directions on what would be "a pleasing aroma" to Him. He knew we would want to give gifts and loved us enough to tell us exactly how to please the god who has everything.

They are food sacrifices. He created a time of fellowship with Him, as well as the people around us (by us I don't mean we do this now, but here is His intent) and His priests.

Okay, so many thoughts, but I need to go to sleep. I will post this knowing I very well may never get back to it. See, I am learning...maybe.

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