|
Vayikra (Leviticus)
Vayikra 1:1-5:26(6:7)* |
Meaning
|
Day Two
|
Haftara
|
B'rit Hadashah
|
1 Our Father, we receive Your Words and hide Your commandments with us; 2 we incline our ear unto wisdom, and apply our hearts to understanding; 3 We cry after knowledge and lift up our voices for understanding; 4 we seek it as silver; and search for it as for hidden treasures; 5 We declare that we shall understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Declaration of Proverbs 2:1-5
Leviticus 2:1-3:17 (NASB)1
1 'Now when anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it. 2 'He shall then bring it to Aaron's sons the priests; and shall take from it his handful of its fine flour and of its oil with all of its frankincense. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke as its memorial portion on the altar, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. 3 'The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy, of the offerings to the LORD by fire. 4 'Now when you bring an offering of a grain offering baked in an oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil. 5 'If your offering is a grain offering made on the griddle, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil; 6 you shall break it into bits and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7 'Now if your offering is a grain offering made in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8 'When you bring in the grain offering which is made of these things to the LORD, it shall be presented to the priest and he shall bring it to the altar. 9 'The priest then shall take up from the grain offering its memorial portion, and shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. 10 'The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy of the offerings to the LORD by fire. 11 'No grain offering, which you bring to the LORD, shall be made with leaven, for you shall not offer up in smoke any leaven or any honey as an offering by fire to the LORD. 12 'As an offering of first fruits you shall bring them to the LORD, but they shall not ascend for a soothing aroma on the altar. 13 'Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. 14 'Also if you bring a grain offering of early ripened things to the LORD, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things. 15 'You shall then put oil on it and lay incense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 'The priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of its grits and its oil with all its incense as an offering by fire to the LORD. 3 1 1 'Now if his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he is going to offer out of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the LORD. 2 'He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slay it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar. 3 'From the sacrifice of the peace offerings he shall present an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 4 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. 5 'Then Aaron's sons shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire; it is an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. 6 'But if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD is from the flock, he shall offer it, male or female, without defect. 7 'If he is going to offer a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD, 8 and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slay it before the tent of meeting, and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 9 'From the sacrifice of peace offerings he shall bring as an offering by fire to the LORD, its fat, the entire fat tail which he shall remove close to the backbone, and the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 10 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. 11 'Then the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire to the LORD. 12 'Moreover, if his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD, 13 and he shall lay his hand on its head and slay it before the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 14 'From it he shall present his offering as an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 15 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. 16 'The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD'S. 17 'It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood.' "
Welcome to days two and three of the Torah Bites this week. As earlier noted, I'll be out of town the entire day on Tuesday and can't even be on the laptop. I will be leaving very early, about six am, and not returning until sometime in the very late afternoon or evening. Then, the following day at midweek, I expect I'll be home and “on track”! We’ve been introduced to the burnt offering, the name in Hebrew 'olah', meaning ‘what is brought up’, There is also the poetic term 'kalil', for “complete, and burned entirely” (Deuteronomy 33:10; 1 Samuel 7:9; Psalm 51:19). It's also the Greek 'Holokautoma', for “whole burnt offering” (Mark 12:33; Hebrews 10:6) alluding to the fact that, except the skin or feathers, it was wholly and entirely consumed. Now if you’ve never been through this section before, then you will have a different level of understanding than one who has been going through this for many years. If you don’t ‘get’ all this right off at the get-go please don’t fret and become discouraged. I can honestly tell you that it gets much better with the repeated study each cycle. Each year one grows a bit and is more open to the next year. Like the Rabbi’s say, you turn it over anew each time, and every time you ‘turn it over again’, you learn something new.
The giving of this particular sort of gift is man transcending the physical and material world. We’re so consumed with our physical and material comfort, needs, wants, and what have you. It becomes the highest communication with God when we leave all that behind, as signified by the complete burning. We have nothing that we can give Him that He doesn’t first give to us. He gives us the animal and not only that but He gives the fire which consumes the animal! When we read on further and the Tabernacle is inaugurated, we’ll see that the Lord sends fire down from the skies and sets the wood on the altar into flames as a token of His pleasure that all has been done in accordance with His specifications. There is nothing we can give him that He hasn’t given to us first. If Messiah says we should become as little children, then it is as He says! We come across the “child” verses one more time, this time from the Gospel of Mark:
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16.
The thing about receiving the kingdom of God as a ‘child’ is that if we humble ourselves to do this, then that pride which breeds rebellion is absent and we have the great capacity to learn from God. When we place ourselves as His judge and demand that He answer for things that we see in the world, we can’t learn or even have a relationship with Him because we place ourselves above Him. This is not a good thing to do.
One thing to remember about these ‘meal’ offerings which the King James Version calls ‘meat’ offerings is that these bloodless offerings always accompany the burnt offerings. When the KJV was published it was in the language of their day. So, what we might call a 'meal' offering, they called a 'meat' offering. We’re reviewing back to chapter four of Genesis now. The scene is where the two brothers are giving an offering to God and the one which Abel gives is accepted while the one that Cain gives is not. I wonder that another reason besides Cain’s arrogance (pride) as to why he was rejected was because it was not accompanied by the blood offering. Cain took the first fruits of his fields while Abel took the firstling lamb. Had Cain secured a lamb from his brother’s flocks to offer along with his first fruits that chapter of Genesis might have had a whole different ending. God does not accept leftovers or junk offered when one has already taken the best for themselves. Nor is he pleased when one says to Him: “I know you said you like this firstling unblemished lamb here, but I think the first fruits of my field are better” This is the pride that is the ‘stuff’ of rebellion and it defeats the whole purpose of the offering. The offering is to bring God and man closer!
The book of Leviticus has a lot of the instruction of God that is for the priests alone, but the Israelite making this act of worship and reconciliation with the aid of the priest, have some instruction there also. May God enrich our understanding as we move along in our readings this week. It's good to have a recap of the offerings that we’ve seen so far in these readings.
Burnt Offerings—males of the herds and flocks, and turtledoves or pigeons
This offering is entirely consumed in the smoke on the altar…a token of dedication.
Meal Offerings—choice flour + oil + frankincense (as is, baked or pan-fried)
A token part of this offering was put to the fire and the rest became food for the Priests. They are the bloodless offerings.
The use of leaven and/or honey was prohibited. Hebrew sources state that any leaven always represents something sour or fermented, like beer, dough, and vinegar. Honey is ultra-sweet. Perhaps the injunction on honey was mostly because it was believed to have had widespread use in pagan rituals. Leaven, which is dough that has fermented and risen, represents self-inflation and pride, and there was and still is nothing more abhorrent to God the Father.
The use of salt in all offerings is commanded. The sages argue about the presence of the salt, whether it was merely practical or held a deeper meaning. Perhaps it is a bit of both, for we know that there are deep spiritual implications when we consider that salt is chiefly, a barrier against corruption. Then today we're introduced to the next offering:
Peace (well-being) Offering: these are also males or females without blemish from the herds.
These were divided offerings. A portion was to be put to the fire and then a portion, without fat or blood, was to be eaten by the one who brought the offering. Again, Hebrew sources state that the drinking of blood was a big component of pagan worship and so God used this prohibition to separate His people from those in the world. I'm amazed at how the meditations and studies of these chapters of Leviticus can reveal His holiness and His character. Is it just me? The more I undertake to study this book, the more I also see my inadequacy before the Lord in relation to His holiness. And that, in turn, magnifies my gratefulness and spurs me away from the gravity of my erring ways.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:12-15.
I was glossing over an Orthodox Jewish site where the notion was forwarded that Jesus did not represent the perfect sacrifice because the “salt” of the sacrifice had not been applied. As Messiah hung in the last hours, slowly suffocating, finding no respite from the pain and the terror of being left so alone, he cried out: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” I can believe that the salt in his tears was sufficient. I marvel at those tears being shed because Messiah had lost contact and the nearness of His Father’s constant fellowship! Can you see the patterns of fellowship and drawing near to God in our psalm today? The psalmist drew near with his sacrifices and invited all God-fearing men to do the same. I think, as believers, that we all qualify today as “God-fearing”.
The giving of this particular sort of gift is man transcending the physical and material world. We’re so consumed with our physical and material comfort, needs, wants, and what have you. It becomes the highest communication with God when we leave all that behind, as signified by the complete burning. We have nothing that we can give Him that He doesn’t first give to us. He gives us the animal and not only that but He gives the fire which consumes the animal! When we read on further and the Tabernacle is inaugurated, we’ll see that the Lord sends fire down from the skies and sets the wood on the altar into flames as a token of His pleasure that all has been done in accordance with His specifications. There is nothing we can give him that He hasn’t given to us first. If Messiah says we should become as little children, then it is as He says! We come across the “child” verses one more time, this time from the Gospel of Mark:
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16.
The thing about receiving the kingdom of God as a ‘child’ is that if we humble ourselves to do this, then that pride which breeds rebellion is absent and we have the great capacity to learn from God. When we place ourselves as His judge and demand that He answer for things that we see in the world, we can’t learn or even have a relationship with Him because we place ourselves above Him. This is not a good thing to do.
One thing to remember about these ‘meal’ offerings which the King James Version calls ‘meat’ offerings is that these bloodless offerings always accompany the burnt offerings. When the KJV was published it was in the language of their day. So, what we might call a 'meal' offering, they called a 'meat' offering. We’re reviewing back to chapter four of Genesis now. The scene is where the two brothers are giving an offering to God and the one which Abel gives is accepted while the one that Cain gives is not. I wonder that another reason besides Cain’s arrogance (pride) as to why he was rejected was because it was not accompanied by the blood offering. Cain took the first fruits of his fields while Abel took the firstling lamb. Had Cain secured a lamb from his brother’s flocks to offer along with his first fruits that chapter of Genesis might have had a whole different ending. God does not accept leftovers or junk offered when one has already taken the best for themselves. Nor is he pleased when one says to Him: “I know you said you like this firstling unblemished lamb here, but I think the first fruits of my field are better” This is the pride that is the ‘stuff’ of rebellion and it defeats the whole purpose of the offering. The offering is to bring God and man closer!
The book of Leviticus has a lot of the instruction of God that is for the priests alone, but the Israelite making this act of worship and reconciliation with the aid of the priest, have some instruction there also. May God enrich our understanding as we move along in our readings this week. It's good to have a recap of the offerings that we’ve seen so far in these readings.
Burnt Offerings—males of the herds and flocks, and turtledoves or pigeons
This offering is entirely consumed in the smoke on the altar…a token of dedication.
Meal Offerings—choice flour + oil + frankincense (as is, baked or pan-fried)
A token part of this offering was put to the fire and the rest became food for the Priests. They are the bloodless offerings.
The use of leaven and/or honey was prohibited. Hebrew sources state that any leaven always represents something sour or fermented, like beer, dough, and vinegar. Honey is ultra-sweet. Perhaps the injunction on honey was mostly because it was believed to have had widespread use in pagan rituals. Leaven, which is dough that has fermented and risen, represents self-inflation and pride, and there was and still is nothing more abhorrent to God the Father.
The use of salt in all offerings is commanded. The sages argue about the presence of the salt, whether it was merely practical or held a deeper meaning. Perhaps it is a bit of both, for we know that there are deep spiritual implications when we consider that salt is chiefly, a barrier against corruption. Then today we're introduced to the next offering:
Peace (well-being) Offering: these are also males or females without blemish from the herds.
These were divided offerings. A portion was to be put to the fire and then a portion, without fat or blood, was to be eaten by the one who brought the offering. Again, Hebrew sources state that the drinking of blood was a big component of pagan worship and so God used this prohibition to separate His people from those in the world. I'm amazed at how the meditations and studies of these chapters of Leviticus can reveal His holiness and His character. Is it just me? The more I undertake to study this book, the more I also see my inadequacy before the Lord in relation to His holiness. And that, in turn, magnifies my gratefulness and spurs me away from the gravity of my erring ways.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:12-15.
I was glossing over an Orthodox Jewish site where the notion was forwarded that Jesus did not represent the perfect sacrifice because the “salt” of the sacrifice had not been applied. As Messiah hung in the last hours, slowly suffocating, finding no respite from the pain and the terror of being left so alone, he cried out: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” I can believe that the salt in his tears was sufficient. I marvel at those tears being shed because Messiah had lost contact and the nearness of His Father’s constant fellowship! Can you see the patterns of fellowship and drawing near to God in our psalm today? The psalmist drew near with his sacrifices and invited all God-fearing men to do the same. I think, as believers, that we all qualify today as “God-fearing”.
13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, 14 Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah. 16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. 17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Psalm 66:13-20.
1 Scripture reading from the NASB www.lockman.org and KJV unless otherwise stated.
*The Torah and Haftara chapter/verse numbering taken from the Hebrew Bible (Christian-published chapter/verse numbering indicated within parenthesis)
*The Torah and Haftara chapter/verse numbering taken from the Hebrew Bible (Christian-published chapter/verse numbering indicated within parenthesis)
Daily Torah Bites ©