Before we move on, we would like to bring out more concepts related to these sacrifices and offerings that have not been discussed. There is a book called “The Temple: Its Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now” by Joshua Berman and he brings out some very interesting concepts about this that we would like to use to bring out and correct certain attitudes people have today about what we are going over in Leviticus. These concepts are going to be brought out now before we move on to analyze other verses in this book. Remember, Leviticus is the book of Kedusha in the Torah
The idea that sin affects the covenantal bond and defiles the Temple shows us an important concept related to the sin offering for example. The word in Hebrew for sin is “chatat” and the Korban Chata’at has been discussed previously. We know that sin can taint a person and how the sinner would then be in need of being purified. As a symbol of washing and purification, the sprinkling of the blood for the Korban Chatat is more involved than any other korban.
Berman says that all the other korbanot demand that the altar be sprinkled two times. With a Korban Chata’at, it will demand four sprinklings, but on who or what? A leprous house is sprinkled and we have seen that washings for the purification of a person who had been ritually defiled by coming into contact with a dead body is performed by having the body of the defiled person sprinkled. The washings of the sin offering should be performed on the object that has been defiled, the sinner. The sprinkling of the blood on the altar is done at different places on the altar, but never on the sinner themselves.
When the laws of the sin offering say that extra sprinklings should be done on the altar, or in the case of a communal sin offering on the veil (paroket) of the Holy of Holies, it is because the covenantal center (Temple) has been tainted by the sin that caused the sin offering to be brought. The washings of the sin offering then restores the person and the Temple to their former status.
Let’s look at another aspect in the symbolism of the korbanot. We have read that the prophets at times taught about the evil of offering korbanot when Israel did not show proper respect to God. But, if we realize that the Temple avodah (service) is a symbol of the covenant, then we can see why the prophets spoke against such thing when the covenant was being violated. We know that the covenant is eternal and Israel’s behavior can leave that covenant in a nervous tension. When that relationship between God and Israel is full of tension, it would not be appropriate to bring zevachim, or feasts of celebration. It would be mocking God. That is why Jeremiah said what he said in Jer 7.21-23. Jeremiah was not against the korbanot system, but he was saying it was inappropriate to bring them when the people were in a state of breaking the very meaning of the covenant they stood for. Why bring a zevach to renew the covenant when the people were breaking that covenant. The korbanot served a very important symbolic function, but only when there was a proper action and attitude for them to be done.
Now, Berman says that many have said that the korbanot and the Temple system are a problem for them. It is troubling for some to accept the korbanot on moral grounds. This opposition can be seen in two areas. First, in western society, the killing and use of animals is accepted, but the use of animals for religious purposes seems over the top. Others are strict vegetarians and animal rights advocates and the idea that animals are used as korbanot is morally wrong and it goes against their notions that there is a relationship between man and the animals that puts both on the same level. So, let’s look at the animal rights and vegetarian position.
First of all, this is not a majority position. However, the premise has been expressed by those who aren’t vegetarians or an advocate for animal rights, too. By understanding the extreme positions we will be able to see the position of moderates. First, what we have is a confrontation of traditional religious positions and the liberal western tradition. To understand why animal offerings are so loathsome to some we need to look at how western people see the human-animal relationship.
In modern society we are seeing a contention between some on how they view life, death, marriage and family. There has been a revolution in these areas since the 1960’s. We have all seen documentaries about the environment, oil drilling, water, and air pollution. Today it is “climate change.” These issues tried to say that it is in our best interest to confront these problems. Tropical rain forests were called “jungles” years ago but now people say they should not be stripped because there are rare species there that could give us advances in medicine. This idea is applied to plants and animals. We cannot let any animal go extinct because we are harming ourselves, so the logic goes.
Along with this concern for the utilization of these species for our benefit goes the concern for nature and the animals on a moral level as well. They contend that we must preserve nature in its original condition, not only for ourselves, but it is the moral thing to do. Nature, they say, is an entity with a distinct and independent existence. Construction of dams or waterways are being fought by environmentalists because they are afraid a certain creature may go extinct. To agree with the elimination of a certain species is morally wrong.
By the late sixties, the environmental movement had spread and Congress passed legislation for endangered species and organizations had set up funds for the welfare of animals. This led to movements that were concerned with cruelty to animals. Movies and documentaries were done showing cruelty in harvesting fur and certain fur trades were stopped. Poachers in Africa are being pursued and how veal calves are treated brought an outcry. This led to some giving animals an almost human quality. Certain emotions that we have for humans were now being experienced in the same intensity for animals. Animal protection is now called “animal welfare” and translates the idea that animals have the same emotions and interests with those needing “human welfare.”
These trends have brought forth a new way we view the animal-human relationship. In western society, it is now quite common to see people view each species with a certain sanctity that drives us to make sure they are safe. Then it went to having concern for individual members of every species. Any animal that was treated cruelly is viewed as a moral offense. The offender is judged in the same way as cruelty to a human would. The coming together of the sanctity of life for a species and the treatment of individual animals has brought forth another stage in the development of human concepts about the human-animal relationship. The next stage is the idea that animals, like humans, bear certain “rights.”
The idea of animal rights puts forth the notion that the use, killing or “murder” of any animal, even for medical research, is a moral offense. In 1977 there was an international symposium on this issue and 150 people signed a declaration entitled “A Declaration Against Speciesism.” It went on to say, “We condemn totally the infliction of suffering upon our brother animals, and the curtailment of their enjoyment, unless it be necessary for their individual benefit…We believe in the evolutionary and moral kinship of all animals and we declare our belief that all sentient creatures have rights to life, liberty and the quest for happiness” (“The Temple: Its Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now” by Joshua Berman, P.148).
What are the consequences of such an action? By saying “speciesism” they are saying that this is discriminatory, just like “racism” and prejudice is towards another race, or discrimination towards another sex is “sexism.” By saying “evolutionary kinship” they mean that humans are just another expression of the evolutionary process and is no different than the animal evolutionary process. By “moral kinship” they mean that animals have the same rights as humans.
Now, we know that these ideas are not in the majority in western culture, but there examples of this in western culture. The word “zoo” is short for zoology and it is a place where living beings live and can be seen. Animal rights activists oppose such terms because these “animals are being penned for our pleasure.” So, certain zoos have changed their names to wildlife conservation societies.
As a result, this gives us an idea as to why animal sacrifice, as prescribed in the Torah, is very upsetting to some. But this is not the only reason why animal sacrifices are opposed. Animals in recent years have attained an elevated status. Why have animals achieved such a status? How does one come to the conclusion that man and animals are equal? What has caused the estimation of man to decline to such an extent that this conclusion can be made to begin with? Its because most people are not coming from a biblical perspective.
Man has always had a superiority over the animal kingdom, but that is changing with many today. Some say man and animals are the same. But man has three areas where he is superior to animals. First, man was created in the image of God. Second, man has a superior intellect. Third, man has the ability to make moral decisions. The contentions most people have about the korbanot have only come about in the last generation or so. Man is not as great, and animals are elevated. However, many of the concepts and beliefs found in animal rights organizations can be found in the Bible. We are not to abuse animals, cause them pain physically (Gen 9.4) or emotionally (Deut 22.6-7). We are not to muzzle an ox when he is threshing. He cannot work his animals on the Sabbath (Exo 20.10) or the sabbatical year (Lev 25.6-7). Kindness to animals is an ongoing theme in the Scriptures.
We must realize that Yehovah is the king of the universe, and he has given authority to man on earth. But Yehovah has the final dominion Some say that man abuses his position over animals by killing them for food. But the korbanot show us that God has the final dominion and he has authority over everything in it. Some will ask, “Why should an animal be killed in order to worship the Lord?” But this question only has weight if they think that man is the center of the universe. But the Torah say that God is the center of the universe.
If man can use animals for food, clothes and medicines to benefit the physical, how much more can an animal be used for the benefit of the spiritual, in line with the commands of God, the king of the universe?
Lev 8.1-36 tells us about the consecration of Aaron and his sons as commanded in Exo 28; and directions are given as to their garments and consecration in Exo 29 and Exo 40.
Holiness is…
v 1…Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
v 2…”Take Aaron and his sons (order them to come) with him, and the garments (speaks of righteousness) and the anointing oil (the Ruach Ha Kodesh) and the bull for the sin offering (Yeshua’s voluntary death as a servant), and the two rams )type of the head of the flock) and the basket of unleavened bread (type of the word of God),
v 3…and gather the entire assembly (ha edah) to the doorway of the tent of meeting (Yeshua is the doorway).”
v 4…So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him. When the congregation was assembled to the doorway of the tent of meeting,
v 5…Moses said to the congregation (ha edah), “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded to do.”
v 6…Then Moses had Aaron and his sons come near, and washed them with water (completely; to enter the service of the Lord we must be clean; this is a one time event on the day of their consecration, later it was only their hands and their feet-John 13.5-10; in the future this will be done again when priests will be consecrated for the rebuilt Temple in Neh 7.61-65, Ezra 6.19-22; and seven days prior to Rosh Ha Shannah before the Natzal or Rapture; Yeshua will do this after he returns when priests will be consecrated for Ezekiel’s Temple-Ezek 40-48).
v 7…And he put the tunic on him and girded him with the sash, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the artistic band of the ephod with which he tied to him.
v 8…Then he placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and Thummim.
v 9…Then he placed the turban on his head, and on the turban, at its front, he placed the golden plate, the holy crown, just as the Lord had commanded Moses (all of this had to take place in the court of the Mishkan because these garments were not to be worn outside when anointed).
v 10…Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle (Mishkan) and all that was in it, and consecrated them (gave them their kedusha).
v 11…And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times (this would happen for seven days) and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin (kior) and its stand, to consecrate them (give them their kedusha).
v 12…Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him and consecrated him (gave him a kedusha as high priest; a type of Yeshua being anointed by the Ruach; a renewed mind).
v 13…Next Moses had Aaron’s sons come near, and clothed them with tunics and girded them with sashes and bound caps on them (a type of a believer putting aside their dirty garments for the righteousness of God) just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
v 14…Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull (a “semicha” signifying the bull was coming from them) of the sin offering.
v 15…Next Moses slaughtered it and took some of the blood and with his finger (on his right hand next to the thumb), put some around on the horns (power) of the altar (Yeshua’s death was for God’s glory first; the power of Yeshua’s blood covers the four corners of the earth), and purified the altar. Then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar (secondly, his blood was for the sins of man), to make atonement (restore a covering) for it.
v 16…He also took all the fat that was on the entrails and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and Moses offered it up in smoke (burned) on the altar.
v 17…But the bull and its hide and its flesh and its refuse, he burned in the fire outside the camp (Yeshua suffered outside the camp), just as the Lord had commanded Moses (4.12).
v 18…Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering , and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram (signifying it came from them).
v 19…And Moses slaughtered it and sprinkled the blood around on the altar (like the bull in Lev 8.15).
v 20…When he had cut the ram into pieces, Moses offered up its head (Yeshua was the head of the flock) and the pieces and the suet in smoke (he “rightly divided it”).
v 21…After he had washed the entrails (Yeshua’s inner life man could not see) and the legs (his outer walk; what man could see) with water (a type of the word that governed his life), Moses offered up the whole ram in ssssmoke (burned) on the altar. It was a burnt offering (Korban Olah) for a soothing aroma (God was pleased with their faith and obedience); it was an offering by fire to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
v 22…Then he presented the second ram, the ram of ordination; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram (to signify the ram came from them).
v 23…And Moses slaughtered it and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right (right symbolizes strength, power and mercy) ear (to hear the word of God) and on the thumb of his right hand (to do the word of God) and on the big toe of his right foot (to walk in the word of God.
v 24…He also had Aaron’s sons come near, and Moses put some of the blood on the lobe of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot. Moses then sprinkled the rest of the blood around the altar (on the four horns).
v 25…And he took the fat, and the fat tail and all the fat that was on the entrails, and the lobe of the liver and the two kidneys, and their fat on the right thigh (speaks of strength to do good works).
v 26…And from the basket of unleavened bread (matzot) that was before the Lord, and took one unleavened cake and one cake of bread with oil (lechem shemen) and one wafer (rekik), and placed them on the portions of fat and on the right thigh.
v 27…He then put all these on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons, and presented them as a wave offering (tenufah-up, down, forward, back, right and left) before the Lord.
v 28…Then Moses took them from their hands and offered them up in smoke (burned) on the altar with the burnt offering. They were an ordination (miluim) offering for a soothing aroma (God was pleased with their faith and obedience); it was an offering by fire to the Lord.
v 29…Moses also took the breast (affection, faith) and presented it for a wave offering (tenufah) before the Lord; it was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination (to eat), just as the Lord had commanded Moses (Exo 29.26).
v 30…So Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar (wiping it off) and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, on garments of his sons with him.
v 31…Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering (a meal consecrated to God; a Lord’s Supper), just as I commanded saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’
v 32…And the remainder of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn in fire.
v 33…And you shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled, for he will ordain you through seven days (as a precaution against contracting impurity).
v 34…The Lord has commanded to do as has been done this day, to make atonement (to restore a covering) on your behalf (these rites that have been done on this first day were to be repeated for seven days).
v 35…At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, that you may not die, for so I have commanded.”
v 36…Thus Aaron and his sons did all the things which the Lord had commanded through Moses (obedience to the blueprint is a must).
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