As we move through the offerings and the sacrifices in Leviticus, let’s go over again some basic instruction about them that will help us understand what is going on. We have seen that the Mishkan/Temple was called the Beit ha Mikdash” meaning “House of Kedusha” where the covenantal relationship was seen, and there is no place in the Sanctuary that brings out this concept more than the Shulchan Ha Lechem Ha Pannim, or “The Table of the Bread of the Faces.” Lev 24.8 refers to this bread as “an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel.” This bread on display is a covenant forever.
We have gone over the furniture in the Heichal and that is where the table of bread was located. This bread was replaced every Sabbath and this gives us the idea that this is an ongoing series of meals in the Temple. This bread symbolizes the covenant at Sinai and it is to be seen as a meal and celebration where the covenant is constantly renewed. The idea of feasting in the Temple as a avenue of worship will seem strange to many who are not familiar with the Temple, the korbanot or the zevachim, but it fits in nicely with what the Lord is trying to teach us.
We would think that the highest form of worship would center around what man could do, like prayer, music and meditation. We would think that speech would be be at the core of the avodah (worship), but it isn’t. The idea of feasting and the consumption of the korbanot is actually the highlight. Eating is an everyday thing and we think that it is removed from the “majesty” of worship. So, just how does feasting become such a highly regarded form of worship activity in the Temple? To stand before God in the Temple is to feel and know God’s “closeness” to us. It is his house and his shekinah was experienced everywhere. When a person is happy he celebrates with a feast. These meals, symbolized by the korbanot, were an expression of man’s joy at being close to the Lord in his Temple.
The next logical thing we are going to look at is the blood connection to Mount Sinai. The primary focus of the korbanot in the Temple was the blood of the animal. It had to be collected and sprinkled in the prescribed way and place or it was not valid. We have already listed the eleven steps when offering a korban in an earlier teaching. The sprinkling represented the life blood and the rededication of the nephesh (soul). Blood symbolizes man’s soul, his essence. As a result, blood symbolizes commitment. There is a saying about breakfast. When you eat eggs it shows that a hen was involved, but eating the bacon shows that the pig was committed.
When a person commits to someone, they are not only agreeing to do certain things, they are committing to give entirely of himself. His “soul” (nephesh) is defined by the object of their devotion. This transforms the nephesh, or soul, and there is no other symbol that more dramatically illustrates this transformation than the blood, which symbolizes the soul. A covenant between two parties represents such commitment. In the Bible, it is the blood that signifies the level of commitment. The Torah given at Mount Sinai was ratified in blood (Exo 24.3-8) and Yeshua ratified the Brit Chadasha (the Renewed Covenant) with his own blood.(Luke 22.20).
The Temple avodah (service) gives us greater insight when we see it in relation to the events that happened at Mount Sinai. Sprinkling the blood was very important and it was symbolic of the commitment between God and his people. In our verses in Exo 24.3-8, we see that the blood was first sprinkled on the altar (v 6) and then it was sprinkled on the people (v 8), showing their commitment. The term “zerika ha dam” (sprinkling of the blood) at Sinai is the only time this term is used outside of a Temple avodah (service) context. So, the sprinkling of the blood in the Temple has the same symbolism as the sprinkling of the blood at Sinai. When the blood of a korban, no matter what kind, is sprinkled on the altar it represents the owner. This applies if it is an individual or an entire people. It is a renewal of the covenantal relationship between God and the one offering the korban.
We have mentioned before that the korbanot give us two interpretations of the Temple avodah. First we talked about expiation, or the removal of guilt, and secondly, they illustrate the action of parties who have entered into a covenant. These are are related in the fact that the Temple is a place of expiation and it is a function of a covenantal center. Sin not only causes the status of the sinner to decline, but it affects the covenantal relationship. God equates disobedience with the breaking of the covenant. If sin damages the covenant, then the rituals associated with the korbanot help heal that breach to the covenantal relationship.
The relationship between expiation and the covenant will help us understand a strange theology associated with the Temple. This is the idea of “tum’at mikdash” or the idea that the Temple becomes defiled because of the sins of the people. We will see this when we look at the the Torah in Lev 20.3 which tells us that God is against a person who gives his offspring to Moloch. This idea is also seen in Lev 16.15-16 where the High Priest on Yom Kippur slaughters the goat of the korban chatat (sin offering). By doing this he “shall make atonement for the holy place because of the impurities of the sons of Israel, and because of their transgressions, in regard to all their sins.” Jeremiah refers to the idols and sins of Judah as bringing ritual impurity into the Temple (Jer 7.30).
The concept of defiling the Mishkan/Temple sounds a little strange when we think that the Beit ha Mikdash was the “house of kedusha.” How does sin defile the Temple and the vessels? The answer to that question is in the question. The Temple is God’s house, but that is not the only concept associated with the Temple. It is also the central point of the covenant between God and his people. As a result, any breach in that covenant has consequences in the Temple. When sin stains the covenant, its symbol (the Temple) becomes stained along with it. With these concepts in mind, let’s continue.
Lev 7.1-38 will tell us about more instructions for the kohanim and the Korban Asham (guilt); the portion the priests had in the Korban Olah and the Korban Minchah (bread); the law of the Korban Shelem (peace); the prohibition of the fat and blood; the portions the kohanim should have in the peace offerings; a review of the various things brought out in the previous chapters.
Holiness is…
v 1…”Now this is the law (torah, instruction) of the guilt offering; it is most holy (kodesh kodeshim; there are two categories of offerings, kodshai kodeshim are the guilt, sin, elevation, bread and communal peace offerings and can only be eaten in the sanctuary by male kohanim; the second category is kodshai kelim and these would include individual peace and thanksgiving offerings, and these can be eaten outside the sanctuary by anyone).
v 2…In the place where they slay the burnt offering (north of the altar-Lev 1.11) they are to slay the guilt offering, and he shall sprinkle (zerika) its blood around the altar (the upper part above the red line in the middle).
v 3…Then he shall offer from it all its fat; the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails;
v 4…and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe on the liver he shall remove with the kidneys (taken away).
v 5…And the priest shall offer them up in smoke (burned) on the altar as an offering by fire to the Lord; it is aguilt offering (Korban Asham).
v 6…Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place (the court of the Mishkan/Temple); it is most holy (kodesh kodeshim).
v 7…The guilt offering is like the sin offering, there is one law for them (Lev 6.27); the priest who makes atonement with it shall have it (he and his sons; except what was burnt).
v 8…Also the priest who presents any man’s burnt offering (olah), that priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has presented (unless it was burnt-Lev 4.11).
v 9…Likewise, every grain offering that is baked in the oven, and everything prepared in a pan (marcheshet) or on a griddle (marchevat), shall belong to the priest who presents it.
v 10…And every grain offering mixed with oil, or dry (the sin offering of the poor man who brought fine flour instead of an animal-Lev 5.11), shall belong to all the sons of Aaron, to all alike (equally divided).
v 11…Now this is the law (torah/instruction) of the sacrifice (zevach) of peace offerings (Korban Shelemim) which shall be presented to the Lord.
v 12…If he offers it by way of thanksgiving (todah), then along with the sacrifice (zevach) odf thanksgiving (todah) he shall offer unleavened cakes (challot matzot) mixed with oil (shemen), and unleavened wafers (rekikim matzot) spread with oil; and cakes (challot) stirred with fine flour (solet marchevet) mixed with oil.
v 13…With the sacrifice (zevach) of his peace offerings for thanksgiving (todah shlamayev) he shall present his offerings (karbano) with cakes of unleavened bread (lechem matzot).
v 14…And of this he shall present one of every offering (one cake of each sort) as a contribution (terumah) to the Lord; mit shall belong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings.
v 15…Now the flesh (basar, the same word where we get “gospel” in English) of the sacrifice (zevach) of his thanksgiving (todah) offerings, it shall be eaten on the day of his offering; he shall not leave any of it over until morning (after midnight).
v 16…But if the sacrifice of his offering is a votive (“neder” meaning he says, “I take upon myself to offer an animal” without specifying an animal) or freewill offering (nidavah meaning he says, “I will give this animal”), it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice; and on the next day what is left may be eaten;
v 17…but what is left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day (and not a night) shall be burned with fire.
v 18…So if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings should be eaten on the third day, he who offers it shall not be reckoned to his benefit (it shall not be imputed; becomes null and void). It shall be an offensive thing (Hebrew “”piggul” meaning abhorred, stale sacrificial flesh), and the person who eats it shall bear his iniquity (the punishment of it).
v 19…Also the flesh (of the peace offerings) that touches anything unclean (ritually as it was carried from the Mishkan/Temple to their house) shall not be eaten; it shall be burned with fire (no profit might be gained by it). As for the flesh, anyone who is clean (ritually) may eat such flesh (this was to make them careful when carrying the flesh from place to place).
v 20…But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him (impurities caused by physical causes as stated in Lev 11 through 15), that person shall be cut off (karet) from his people (no access to the Mishkan/Temple; or cut off by death before his time; Paul allude to this concept in 1 Cor 11.29).
v 21…And when anyone touches anything unclean (ritually), whether human uncleanness (5.2), or an unclean animal (that is dead) or any unclean detestable (“sheketz”) thing (a creeping creature forbidden as food), and eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the Lord, that person shall be cut off (karet) from his people (see v 20).’ “
v 22…Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
v 23…Speak (“davar” meaning word) to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall not eat any fat (“chelev”-Lev 3.17; except when the fat is covered by the flesh) of an ox, a sheep, or a goat (the three sacrificial animals-see Psa 37.20 notes).
v 24…Also the fat of an animal that dies (of itself, called “nevelah”), and the fat of an animal torn (by beasts; “treifah”; carrion), may be put to another use, but you certainly must not eat it.
v 25…For whoever eats the fat of the animal (ox, sheep, goat) from which an offering by fire is offered to the Lord, even the person who eats shall be cut off from his people.
v 26…And you are not to eat any blood (Lev 17.10), either of bird or animal (of all sorts), in any of your dwellings (alludes to the concept that life is in the blood, and the only life that matters is spiritual life made possible by Yeshua, so bloos=d is guarded from even having the appearance of common use).’ “
v 27…Any person who eats any blood, even that person shall be cut off from his people (karet-v 20).’ “
v 28…Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
v 29…Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to the Lord shall bring his offering (the sacrificial parts) to the Lord from the sacrifice of his peace offerings.
v 30…His own hands (nobody can worship for us) are to bring the offerings by fire to the Lord. He shall bring the fat with the breast (speaks of affection, love, faith) that the breast may be presented as a wave offering (Hebrew “tenufah”-the part of the offering was placed upon the offerer’s hands, then the priests placed his hand beneath those of the offerer, then moved forward and back in all four directions, then upward and down, acknowledging that God is the giver to person offering) before the Lord.
v 31…And the priest shall offer up the fat in smoke (burned) on the altar, but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons (the best part reserved for the guest-1 Sam.9.24).
v 32…And you shall give the right thigh (speaks of strength, works; best part reserved for the guest-1 Sam 9.24) to the priest as a heave offering (lifted to heaven) from the sacrifices of your peace offerings.
v 33…The one among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings and the fat, the right thigh, shall be his as his portion.
v 34…For I have taken the breast of the wave offering (love and faith) and the thigh (strength, walking, works) of the heave offering from the sons of Israel from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their due forever from the sons of Israel (faith, the breast, without walking in the works/commandments of God, the thigh, is dead-Jam 2.26).
v 35…This is that which is consecrated (set apart) to Aaron and that which is consecrated to his sons (who follow after) from the offerings by fire to the Lord, in that day when he presented them to serve as priests to the Lord.
v 36…These the Lord had commanded to be given them from the sons of Israel in the day that he anointed them. It is their due forever throughout their generations.
v 37…This is the law (torah/instruction) of the burnt offering (olah), the bread offering (minchah), and the sin offering (chata’at) and the guilt offering (asham) and the ordination offering (miluim) and the sacrifice of the peace offerings (shelemim);
v 38…which the Lord commanded Moses at Mount Sinai in the day that he commanded the sons of Israel to present their offerings to the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai.
Leave a Reply