The Way to the Holy One
By Dr. Fernando Cabrera
newlifebx@msn.com
The book of Leviticus is a fascinating book. It is divided into two main sections. In chapters 1-10, we find the Way to the Holy One. In chapters 11-27, we find the Way of Holiness. In the first part we find a God who says, ¡§I am holy¡¨. In the second half, we find a God who says, ¡§therefore, you shall be holy¡¨.
But what is the way to the Holy One. We find the first answer to the question in chapters 1-7. We find in chapters 1-7 that the Way to the Holy One is through sacrifice. The second answer to the question is found in chapters 8-10. The Way to the Holy One is through the Priesthood. In chapter 1-7 we discover that these offering can be categorize into two groups:
„X The first three were offerings of dedication, while the last two were offering of expiation
„X The first three were Godward, while the last two were manward
Let us look at the first three offerings:
1. Burnt Offering (chapter 1)
a. It was the most common
i. It was offered every the morning and evening
ii. Since the burnt offering was the first offering of the day in normal worship, we are reminded that our forgiveness of our sins is the first step toward genuine and authentic worship
b. The word burnt offering means ¡§ascending¡¨, as ascending to God in smoke
c. What was dedicated in the Burnt Offering?
i. There were three types of animals which were sacrifice in the Burnt Offering
1. Cattle (1:6-9)
2. Sheep or Goats (1:10-13)
3. Birds (1:14-17)
a. Please take notice how organized this book was written. It follow a sequence, which made it easier to remember and follow.
d. How were the animals dedicated?
i. First the worshipper laid his hands on the head of the animal
1. Laying of hands symbolizes a ¡§transfer¡¨ (v.4)
a. It was symbolic of transferring his sins
b. The word ¡§lay¡¨ literally means ¡§to press¡¨ (see Is. 59:16, Ez. 24:5; Amos 5:19)
c. It is very possible that the worshipper would either pray or sing a psalm (Psalms 20:4, 40:7, 50:8). He would probably share with the priest why he brought the offering
i. Psalms 20 or 50 may have been the priestly reply indicating the acceptance of the sacrifice.
ii. The worshipper would then kill the animal himself (v.5)
1. The word ¡§slay¡¨ used in the passage is the Hebrew word shahat. It was a special word used for the type of sacrificial slaughter that involved the total draining of the blood.
iii. The blood was collected by the priest in a basin and sprinkle (v. 5) on the sides of the altar
1. The word ¡§sprinkle¡¨ was a word used of pouring liquids (Ex. 24:6)
iv. The worshipper would then skin it, gut it out and chop it (v.6)
1. the back of the legs (see 11:21) were cleansed from any excreta at the laver
v. The priest would then burn it piece by piece.
1. the skin would be the only thing not burnt
vi. Special treatment when it came to the sacrifice of birds
1. The bird would be split open so it could burn faster
a. But it was not completely divided into two
b. The word ¡§tear¡¨ in verse 17, is the same word used in Judges 14:6 to describe Samson tearing a lion
i. In Genesis 15, we find Abraham following this same pattern.
e. What is the spiritual significance of this sacrifice?
i. Acceptance - Peace with God (v.4a)
1. In verse 4, we are told that the offering was to be ¡§accepted¡¨. God wants to reconcile us unto him. He is a God of love, acceptance and forgiveness.
ii. Atonement ¡V Reversing the Curse (v. 4b)
1. It is interesting to note that the word atonement appears 50 times in the book of Leviticus, more than any other book in the Old Testament.
2. The word ¡§atonement¡¨ means to pay a ransom. God pay a debt we could not pay and averted the undiluted, unadulterated judgment of God. What was the price? Blood for a life (Leviticus 17:11).
iii. Aroma ¡V Worship (v. 9)
1. What type of sacrifice is God takes delight on?
a. Sacrifice had to be costly (2 Samuel 24:24)
i. Meat was a luxury in the middle east!
b. Sacrifice had to be from the herd (v.2)
i. It had to be from the ¡§house¡¨
c. Sacrifice had to be the best (1:3, 10; 22:18; Mal. 1:7, 13)
i. God takes pleasure in the sacrifice that Jesus made for us: costly, because it took his life; from the house, by becoming human; and the best, for he was the Son of God.
1. With the same attitude and heart of devotion of Jesus, we too should count the cost, serve him as from the household of faith and give him the best!
2. Cereal Offering (chapter 2)
a. Ingredients: flour, oil, salt and incense
b. It could be uncooked (v. 1-3) or cooked (v.4-10)
i. There were three ways to cook it
1. bake in an oven (2:4)
2. cooked on a griddle with a flat plate, like a frying pan, with very little oil (2:5)
3. or cooked in a pan and fried it (2:7)
c. No leaven
i. Leaven was only used with the loaves of first fruit (Lev. 23:17, 20; 2 Chronicles 31:5)
1. It made sense to be used with the loaves of first fruit, since it spoke of multiplication of souls into the kingdom
ii. But here, as in most of the bible, yeast represented corruption, since yeast ferments
1. Also, consider that yeast is a living organism and only dead things could be burned at the altar
d. Salt
i. It symbolizes covenant (2:13 ¡§salt of the covenant¡¨; Num. 18:19; 2 Chron. 13:5)
1. In the O.T., salt could neither be destroyed by fire or time
a. You can be assure that neither the test of life¡¦s fire or the longevity of your circumstances can ever separate you from God. You can count on the God of the covenant.
e. What is the spiritual lesson represented in this offering?
i. Now that you have been forgiven (Burnt offering), consecrate your labor to the Lord
ii. Second, never forget to provide for those who labor in the ministry among you (2:3; I Cor. 9:13-14; Luke 10:7)
3. Peace Offering (chapter 3)
a. It was different from the previous two sacrificial offerings because:
i. It was optional (7:2)
1. only during Pentecost it was required (23:19)
ii. the worshipper was allowed to eat part of it (Deut. 12:7)
b. Which type of animal were presented?
i. Cattle (3:1-5)
ii. Sheep (3:6-11)
iii. Goat (3:12-17)
c. Three types of Peace Offering
i. Confessional offering (Ps. 56:13-14)
1. It was given after a deliverance
2. or seeking after deliverance from enemies
3. or after a deliverance from sickness (Judges 20:26;, 21:4; 2 Sam. 24:25)
ii. Vow offering
1. This is a vow to the Lord that if he would helped then he would do something for God
a. Jacob (Genesis 28:18) pour out oil
i. Purify himself and offer the sacrifice (Genesis 35)
b. I Samuel 1:3 ¡V Hannah¡¦s husband distribute the meat
i. Verse 11 she made a vow and afterwards she gave a lavish peace offering of three bulls, ephod of flour and a skin of wine.
iii. Freewill offering
1. spontaneous act of love and tangible giving
d. What is the spiritual significance of this
offering?
i. Please take notice how the two kidneys with the fat and the lobe of the liver were to be offered to the Lord
1. these were considered the seat of emotions (Job 19:27, Ps. 16:7, Jer. 4:14; 12:2)
a. Principle: God wants the best and deepest desires and emotions of our hearts
