Day 535: Leviticus 1- Return To Relationship

The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock.
3 “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord. 4 He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5 Then he shall kill the bull before the Lord, and Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 6 Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces, 7 and the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 And Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; 9 but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
10 “If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall bring a male without blemish,11 and he shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron's sons the priests shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. 12 And he shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar,13 but the entrails and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
14 “If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or pigeons.15 And the priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head and burn it on the altar. Its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 He shall remove its crop with its contents and cast it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes. 17 He shall tear it open by its wings, but shall not sever it completely. And the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
 
Meditation
God gives grace to return to relationship. Leviticus begins where Exodus ends, following the cloud of glory that descends into the newly erected tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38). Leviticus is a clear path cut on the ground of grace for us to return to the garden place of walking with our Creator.
 
God speaks and His people listen (1-2). Divine dialog is how the book begins and a seedbed for fruitful relationship to continue. What is the subject of conversation? Steps for sacrifice to stay in good standing with the Lord.
 
Burnt offerings are the first of five unique provisions God graciously gives His people, all to be managed by the priests (5, 7, 9, 11). Burnt offerings come from the herd (2), the flock (10), or a single bird (14). Burnt offerings were personal and costly, totally consumed by fire from the altar. One hundred percent of the offering went to atone for sin (4) as an accent for the prayers of the people, a pleasing aroma to the Lord (9,13,17).
 
The total sacrifice points to the complete death of Jesus as the ultimate atonement for sin. By one single sacrifice the death of Christ makes believers eternally holy (Hebrews 10:14)! The total sacrifice of the burnt offering also points to a right response to the work of Christ, seeing God’s mercy as motivation to sacrifice our life through totally living for God’s glory (Romans 12:1-2).
 
Thanks be to God for His grace that gives ground for us to begin again, to walk with Him in relationship!
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you see Leviticus as a burden or blessing? Will you take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to help you to appreciate His grace through studying this book?
 
-What stands out to you about the burnt offerings?
 
-How does seeing Jesus as the fullness of the burnt offerings fuel your faith and empower your confidence to return to Him in relationship?
 
Key verse
The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them…