Bible Reflections From Scripture Union Volume OneSample

Overview of Leviticus 1–14 The dawn of a new era was on the horizon. A two-million strong people group began a journey towards their homeland. A pillar of led them by day and a pillar of fire by night. Once they were slaves of Egyptians pharaohs, but now they were free individuals. The Lord God had rescued them from oppression and made them His own people. He needed to guide and instruct them how to live and to reflect His holiness. Since He was their God, they had to be distinct from other nations. He expected them to ‘be holy, because He is holy' (19:2) As the Israelites camped by the foot of Mt. Sinai , the Lord God instructed Moses to build the Tent of Meeting. There He would meet His people. But since the Israelites refused to hear Him speak directly (Exodus 20:19), God needed the priests as His go-between. The book of Leviticus contains rules and regulations for the Levites, the tribe that was dedicated solely to serve God. Aaron and his descendants served as priests, and they led the people to relate to God. The offering of the various sacrifices enabled the people to come to God’s presence. Sins had to be dealt with, with proper offerings and penalties. Laws of clean and unclean matters protected the people’s spiritual and physical wellness. The story of Nadab and Abihu’s disobedience served as an example of the severity of God. What is the book’s relevance to us? The death and resurrection of Christ has fulfilled every demand of the Law, and therefore we are exempted from all the prescribed regulations of offerings. But as God’s children, we are obliged to be 'a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God….' (1 Peter 2:9) Devoted to You Read Leviticus 1:1-17 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. Leviticus 1:4 One day, out of the blue my young teenage daughter gave me a big hug. Immediately I responded, “What do you want?” She replied, “Nothing, I just want to love you.” That is what the Lord God of Israel wanted from the people He had just rescued from slavery in Egypt. He had made them His own people. With His mighty hand, He brought them to the foot of Mt. Sinai and taught them His commandments and laws. He desired a loving, sincere and respectful relationship from them. Therefore it is logical to find the first offering required of the people was the burnt offering. It was a symbolic expression of a person’s total devotion to his God. The regulations of burnt offering are such, that even the poorest will be able to afford it. They could just bring a dove or a young pigeon (v 14). God stated that the animals must be male and from their livestock. The animals had been reared with love, and they would have to shed their blood for the owner’s sins as well. The person who brings the offering shows the sincerity of his repentant heart by participating in the slaughtering, skinning, chopping and washing the organs and legs of the sacrificed animal. Then the priest will put it on the altar and burn it as ‘an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord’. Because Christ has become our perfect sacrifice and burnt offering, we do not need to bring burnt offerings to God. But being His disciples, we ought to surrender ourselves fully to Him. Pray for willingness 'to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God'. What can we do to be ‘a pleasing aroma’ to God and our society?