If you read my story in "How the Bible Book Club Came to Be," you will know that I would DIE at Leviticus every time I did a Bible reading program. I used to dread it. Now, I actually like it. So, approach this book with 10 times more enthusiasm than you usually do, and come along with me for a very fun ride. It is not that much reading per day. Believe me, it is a very important book! I'll try to keep you engaged and excited throughout. Maybe I should have a prize at the end if you finish?
BACKGROUND for Leviticus
The title of this book comes from a Greek word Levitikon meaning "relating to the Levites." The entire book spells out the essence of Hebrew worship. It all centers on the principle theme of this book: The Holiness of God
My biggest encouragement to you is to not get bogged down in the details and try to look at its wider theological significance.
BACKGROUND
Leviticus 1: Burnt Offerings
The English rendering of "burnt offering" does not give the Hebrew word olah justice. The original word describes something ascending. Behind this is the concept that the entire animal was consumed. It was the complete self-surrender of the person offering to God. The best animal of the flock bore the sins of the worshipper and died in that person's place. The blood was sprinkled on the altar. Then, the animal was completely burned.
The Scarlet Thread of Redemption
Now, you might see why I think this book is so important. It has much to teach us about the Scarlet Thread!
We see Christ in the burnt offering. He offered himself completely to God for our sins. He was the "best of the flock" and bore our sins and died in our place. He was the substitute who died so that we might live a life of continual surrender and dedication to God (Romans 12:1-2). Isn't that wonderful?
Leviticus 2: Grain Offerings
The grain offering involved offerings from the things on earth needed to support life: flour and oil. Apparently, the final product was like pie crust because it did not have yeast or honey. It could be eaten by the priests after a handful was burned at the altar. The worshipper did not eat any part of his or her grain offering. If a priest made an offering for himself, he did not eat any part of it.
This offering was given to God in thankfulness. The Hebrew word for "grain offering" can mean "gift." We give gifts of thanksgiving and praise.
APPLICATION
While I may make suggestions for application, please ask God and listen to how He wants you to live His truth out in your life! But here is how God led me to apply this.
I looked up cross-references related to:
The Burnt Offering and the key themes of . . .
Surrender:
Psalm 51:16, 17
Matthew 26:39
Romans 12:1
Dedication:
Philippians 2:17
2 Timothy 4:6, 7
The Grain (Meal) Offering and the key themes of . . .
Giving:
Matthew 26:6-10
2 Corinthians 9:7-11
Praise:
Psalm 100
Hebrews 13:15, 16
Thankfulness:
Psalm 147
Philippians 4:6
I don't know about you, but when I read this chapter this morning, I was reminded of how much our Jesus Community (a gathering of like-hearted friends) has been transformed by starting out our time together in thanksgiving to God in prayer, recounting all He has been to us in the last week. I love that we start off that way rather than just sharing prayer requests. We give our offering of thanksgiving which leads to our praise throughout the whole time.
I love that it was all built-in for the Israelites. Sure, they made it rote and mindless, but we do not have to do that. Make it part of your everyday life and fellowship with other believers and see how it transforms you and your community!
It was a busy and exciting week, and I have not stopped to thank Him. So my "I will" is to do just that.
For me, I find a daily Examen prayer time helps me to review my day, recalling the things I am thankful for. The person who popularized the Examen was Ignatius of Loyola:
“By emphasizing gratitude, Ignatius was saying something about the nature of God, God is the generous giver, showering us with blessings like the sun shining on the earth. If we truly understood this, we would return God’s love with love. We wouldn’t sin. Gratitude is a good word for this fundamental quality of our relationship with God. Ingratitude, our blindness to who God truly is, is thus the root of all sin" (God Finds Us: An Experience of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, p. 61).
PRAYER
We bring a sacrifice of praise into Your house LORD. We want to give all to You in thanksgiving. LORD, we want to present our bodies as living and holy sacrifices, acceptable to You. We worship and love You. Amen.
4 comments:
Not sure how to say this and express what I mean... The animal sacrifices of the OT point to Christ and His sacrifice - the final and all sufficient sacrifice. And yet, as the passages you list here say, we, too are sacrifices. Jesus died for us and in trusting in His death and being raised to live for Him, we DIE to ourselves and our desires. (That broken and contrite heart mentioned in Ps. 51.) There have been times when it has truly felt like death to me. It isn't always easy to trust Him, to rely on Him, to believe Him, to obey Him. Over and over again He has showed me ways in which I haven't died to myself, when I still cling with pride to what I want and "who" I am. There have been times when everything in me has screamed, "NO! It's too painful. I want what I want. How can He ask me to die to that, too?" And over and over again He faithfully shows me the truth of the paradox that to die is to truly LIVE.
And I'm not sure that I've expressed adequately at all what I'm trying to say. At least you know I'm mulling over the passage!
Greetings to you. I, Dorothy, received a copy of the following poem when I was in high school and is rather lengthy, but made an impact on my walk.
DYING TO SELF -
When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight; but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, THAT IS DYiNG TO SELF.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient loving silence, THAT IS DYiNG TO SELF.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any unpunctuality, or any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly extravagance, spiritually insensibility..., and endure it as Jesus endured it, THAT IS DYiNG TO SELF.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God, THAT IS DYiNG TO SELF.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, THAT IS DYiNG TO SELF.
When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
Are you dead yet? In these last days the Spirit would bring us to the Cross. "That I may know Him. . .being made conformable to His death."
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." (John 5:30)
Thanks for this poem Dorothy. Wonderful!
Good reminder to encourage thanksgiving!
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