Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, took their censers and put fire in them, put incense on them and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He did not command them to do. So the Lord sent fire and devoured them and they died before Him. Moses told Aaron that the Lord said that those who come near Him must regard Him as holy and before all the people He must be glorified. So Aaron held his peace. Some googled sources suggest that Aaron did not complain against God in response to what Moses said because he knew that God’s judgment was always righteous. In addition, his silence was a sign of grief for the devastating loss of his sons. Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of their Uncle Uzziel, to carry the bodies from the sanctuary out of the camp. So, they came and removed their cousins’ bodies carrying them by their tunics out of the camp as Moses instructed them. Moses told Aaron and his other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, not to uncover their heads nor tear their clothes (signs of mourning), lest they die and wrath come upon all the people. So, they couldn’t even show grief regarding the death of their loved ones at the risk of all of the people being subjected to God’s wrath. However, the whole house of Israel could bewail the burning that the Lord had kindled. Can you imagine not being allowed to mourn the death of a child or sibling even if they were at fault in their own demise? One Google source states that as consecrated priests, they had to outwardly maintain God’s honor and bear visible testimony to the righteousness of Nadab and Abihu’s punishment. They could not go out from the door of the tabernacle of meeting, lest they died because the anointing oil of the Lord was upon them. So, they couldn’t even attend any funeral services for them. They did according to what Moses said.

Then the Lord spoke to Aaron and told him that neither he nor his sons could drink anything intoxicating when they went to the tabernacle of meeting, lest they die. This is to be a statute forever throughout their generations. This would distinguish them between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean so that they could teach the Israelites all the statutes God spoke to them through Moses.

Moses told Aaron and his two sons that were left, Eleazar and Ithamar, to take the grain offering that remained of the offerings made by fire to the Lord and eat it without leaven beside the altar. It is most holy. They were to eat it in a holy place, because it was Aaron’s due and his sons’ due of the sacrifices made by fire to the Lord. This is what the Lord commanded Moses. They were to eat the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering in a clean place. Their daughters were included too. This was their due from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel. The thigh of the heave offering and the breast of the wave offering were to be brought with the offerings of fat made by fire to offer as a wave offering before the Lord. This is to be Aaron’s and his sons’ by a statute forever, as the Lord commanded. Moses made careful inquiry about the goat of the sin offering and there it was, burned up. He became angry with Eleazar and Ithamar asking them why they didn’t eat the sin offering in a holy place, since it was most holy and God had given it to them to bear the guilt of the congregation to make atonement for them before the Lord? Moses said that it’s blood was not brought inside the holy place and they should have eaten it in a holy place as he commanded. Aaron said to Moses that they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering that day before the Lord and such things had befallen him (referring to the deaths of Nadab and Abihu). He asked that if he had eaten the sin offering on that day, would it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord? So, Aaron was there when Moses became upset with Eleazar and Ithamar. Even though Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar were not allowed to grieve openly, they were still mourning. So Aaron asked if God would have been pleased with him if he had eaten the sacrifice while feeling such sorrow and dejection. Basically, they carried out their duties as instructed that day and not eating the sacrifice was the one mistake they made due to not having appetites. Has there ever been a time when you were supposed to do something (for the Lord) and due to an unexpected occurrence, you just could not continue on as anticipated? When Moses heard what Aaron said, he was content. We must also remember that these are Moses’ relatives too. Maybe some of his anger with his remaining two nephews was an expression of grief in some form. I’m sure he was touched by their deaths too, but was trying to complete his duties.

Next week, it’s Leviticus 11. To God Be The Glory! Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting. Be Encouraged

On the eighth day Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel. He told Aaron to take a young bull as a sin offering and a ram without blemish as a burnt offering, and offer them before the Lord. The children of Israel were to take a kid goat as a sin offering and a calf and a lamb of the first year, without blemish as a burnt offering. They were also to take a bull and ram as peace offerings to sacrifice before the Lord. He also told them to take a grain offering mixed with oil because the Lord was going to appear to them that day. They all did what Moses commanded and brought everything before the tabernacle of meeting. All the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord. Then Moses said, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded you to do, and the glory of the Lord will appear to you.” Have you ever experienced the glory of the Lord once you did what He commanded you to do?

Moses told Aaron to go to the altar and offer his sin and burnt offerings to make atonement for himself and the people. He was to offer the people’s offering and make atonement for them as the Lord commanded. Aaron went to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar. He also poured the blood at the base of the altar. The fat, the kidneys and the fatty lobe from the liver of the sin offering he burned on the altar as the Lord commanded Moses. The flesh and the hide he burned with fire outside the camp.

Then Aaron killed the burnt offering and his sons presented the blood to him, which he sprinkled all around on the altar. Then they presented the burnt offering to Aaron with its pieces and head and he burned them on the altar. He washed the entrails and legs and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar.

He brought the people’s offering and took the goat for the sin offering for the people and killed and offered it for sin, like the first one. He brought the burnt offering and offered it according to the prescribed manner. He took a handful of the grain offering and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt sacrifice of the morning. He killed the bull and the ram as sacrifices of peace offerings, which were for the people. Aaron’s sons presented the blood to him and he sprinkled it all around on the altar. The fat from the bull and the ram – the fatty tail, the fat covering the entrails and the kidneys, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver was put on the breasts. Then Aaron burned the fat on the altar. Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before the Lord just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them and came down from offering the sin, burnt and peace offerings. Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

We journey to Leviticus 10 next week.

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God told Moses to take Aaron, his sons, the garments, the anointing oil, a bull as a sin offering, two rams, a basket of unleavened bread, and gather all the congregation together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. He told the congregation what the Lord commanded to be done. Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. He put the tunic on Aaron and girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He girded Aaron with the intricately woven band of the ephod to tie the ephod on him. Then Moses put the breastplate on him and put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate. He put the turban on Aaron’s head. On the front of the turban, Moses put the golden plate, the holy crown as the Lord commanded him. Moses also took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it seven times on the altar, anointed the altar and all its utensils, the laver and its base to consecrate them. Moses poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him. Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons and put tunics on them, girded them with sashes and put hats on them as the Lord commanded him to do.

Moses brought the bull for the sin offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering and Moses killed it. According to Bible Study Tools, they probably laid their right hands on the bull’s head thereby transferring their sins to it, confessing them over it and acknowledging their guilt and that they deserved to die just like the animal would die. Then Moses took the blood and put some on the horns of the altar, all around with his finger, and purified the altar. He also poured the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it to make atonement for it. According to Easy English Bible, making atonement for the altar meant he made it holy and special for God. Moses then took all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver and both kidneys with their fat and burned them on the altar. The hide, flesh and offal of the bull, Moses burned with fire outside of the camp as commanded by the Lord. Then Moses brought the first ram as a burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram and Moses killed it. Then he sprinkled the blood all around on the altar. He cut the ram into pieces. Moses burned the head, the pieces and the fat. Then he washed the entrails and the legs in water. Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. Moses did just as the Lord commanded.  Then he brought the second ram, the ram of consecration. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the second ram and Moses killed it. He took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons and put some of the blood on the tips of their right ears, the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Moses sprinkled the blood all around on the altar. According to Unity.org, the right ear (to carefully listen to the people who come to them), the right thumb (to undertake their work with their hands) and the right toe (to stay grounded and balanced (foot) in their commitment to the priesthood and God). The right side rather than the left side, because the majority of the people are right-handed and the right was generally seen as the dominant side of the body.  Then Moses took the fat and the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, both kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. He took from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord, one unleavened cake, a cake of bread anointed with oil, and one wafer and put them on the fat and the right thigh. He put all these in Aaron’s and his son’s hands and waved them as a wave offering before the Lord. Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar, on the burnt offering. They were consecration offerings for a sweet aroma. That was an offering made by fire to the Lord. Moses took the breast and waved it as a wave offering before the Lord. It was his part of the ram of consecration, as the Lord commanded him. Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, his garments, his sons and their garments. He consecrated Aaron and his sons and all their garments.  Moses told Aaron and his sons to boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of consecration offerings as commanded. What remained of the flesh and the bread should be burned with fire. They could not go outside the door of the tabernacle of meeting for seven days, until the days of consecration were ended. They were to be consecrated for seven days and just as was done on the first day, the Lord commanded them to do to make atonement. They were to stay at the door of the tabernacle of meeting and keep the charge of the Lord, so that they may not die. This is what God commanded Moses. So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses. Next week we journey to Leviticus 9. To God Be The Glory! Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting. Be Encouraged

• The law of the trespass offering (it is most holy): The trespass offering was to be killed in the same place the burnt offering was killed. Its blood was to be sprinkled all around the altar by the priest. He would offer from the trespass offering, all its fat. The fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, both kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys were to be removed. The priest would burn them on the altar as an offering made by fire to the Lord. This is a trespass offering. Every male among the priests could eat it in a holy place. It is most holy. The one law for both the trespass offering and the sin offering is that the priest who made atonement with it should have it.
• The priest who offered anyone’s burnt offering is the one who got to have the skin of that burnt offering for himself.
• Every grain offering that was baked in the oven, prepared in the covered pan or in a pan would belong to the priest who offered it. Every grain offering whether mixed with oil or dry, belonged to all the sons of Aaron, to one as much as the other.
• The law of the peace offerings that the priest should offer to the Lord: If the peace offering was for thanksgiving, then it should be offered with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, or cakes of blended flour mixed with oil. Besides the cakes, he should also offer leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offering. From it he should offer one cake from each offering as a heave offering to the Lord. According to Biblical Hermeneutics, the heave offering’s name is derived from the motion used in its presentation where the priest used an up and down motion – lifting it up to the Lord and receiving it back from Him. It would belong to the priest who sprinkled the blood of the peace offering. The flesh of the peace offering for thanksgiving was to be eaten the same day it was offered. None of it was to be left until morning. (No leftovers) If the sacrifice for the peace offering was for a vow or a voluntary offering, it should be eaten the same day it was offered and the remainder of it could also be eaten the next day. However, the remainder of the flesh was to be burned with fire on the third day. If any of it was eaten on the third day, it would not be accepted, nor imputed (credited/attributed) to him. It would be considered an abomination to him who offered it and the person who ate it would be guilty. The flesh (of an animal) that touches any unclean thing should not be eaten, but was to be burned with fire. As for the clean flesh, all who were clean could eat it. If an unclean person ate the flesh of the peace offering sacrifice that belonged to the Lord, he would be cut off from his people (put to death according to Biblical Hermeneutics). .
• Fat and Blood – God told Moses to tell the children of Israel that they should not eat any fat of an ox, sheep or goat. The fat of an animal that died naturally or was killed by wild beasts, could be used in any other way, but it could not be eaten. Whoever ate the fat of an animal that was an offering made by fire to the Lord, was to be cut off from his people. Also, they were not allowed to eat any blood in any of their dwellings, whether of bird or beast. If anyone ate blood, that person was to be cut off from his people.
• Aaron and His Sons’ Portions – God told Moses to tell the children of Israel that he who offers the sacrifice of his peace offering to the Lord should personally be the one to bring it with his own hands as an offering made by fire to the Lord. He should bring the fat along with the breast so that the breast could be waved as a wave offering to the Lord. The priest would burn the fat on the altar, but the breast would belong to Aaron and his sons. The right thigh was to be given to the priest as a heave offering from the sacrifices of the peace offerings. The one among Aaron’s sons who offered the blood of the peace offering and the fat should have the thigh for his part. God said that the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering, He has taken from the Israelites, from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and has given them to Aaron the priest and his sons by a statute forever. This was the consecrated portion for Aaron and His sons, from the offering made by fire to the Lord, on the day when Moses presented them to minister to the Lord as priests. The Lord commanded this to be given to them by the Israelites on the day that He anointed them, by a statute forever throughout their generations.
• This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the consecrations and the sacrifice of the peace offering which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day when He commanded the Israelites to offer their offerings to Him in the Wilderness of Sinai.

We’re off to Leviticus 8 next week.

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Lying Costs

The Lord told Moses if a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by lying to his neighbor about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, about a pledge, or about a robbery he is guilty because he has sinned. He is also guilty of sin if he has extorted from his neighbor, found something that was lost and lies about it or swears falsely. In each of these situations, he should restore its full value and add one-fifth more to it and give it to whomever it belonged to on the day of his trespass offering. The trespass offering to the Lord, by way of the priest, should be a ram without blemish from the flock with the valuation at the time. The priest would make atonement for him before the Lord and he would be forgiven for any one of those things he may have done in which he trespassed.

The Law of the Burnt Offering

The Lord told Moses to command Aaron and his sons about the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering was to be on the hearth on the altar all night until morning. The fire of the altar should be kept burning on it. The priest should put on his linen garment and his linen trousers and take up the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire consumed on the altar and put them beside the altar. Then he should take off his garments, and put on other garments and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. Again, the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it and never extinguished. The priest was to burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offering in order on it. He shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. For the third time it’s stated that a fire should always be burning on the altar and should never go out.

The Law of the Grain Offering

The sons of Aaron were to offer it on the altar before the Lord. The priest was to take from it his handful of the fine flour of the grain offering, with its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering. It was to be burned on the altar for a sweet aroma, as a memorial to the Lord. Aaron and his sons were to eat the remainder of it with unleavened bread and eat it in a holy place, in the court of the tabernacle of meeting. It was not to be baked with leaven. God stated that He had given it as their portion of His offerings made by fire. It is most holy like the sin and the trespass offerings. All the males among Aaron’s children could eat it. This would be a statute forever in their generations concerning the offerings made by fire to the Lord. Everyone who touched it had to be holy. God told Moses, that beginning on the day when he was anointed, Aaron and his sons were to offer to the Lord, one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a daily grain offering. Half of it was to be offered in the morning and the other half at night. It was to be made in a pan with oil. When it was mixed, it was to be presented with the baked pieces offered for a sweet aroma to the Lord. The priest from among Aaron’s sons, who was anointed in his place should offer it. This was to be a statute forever to the Lord. It was to be wholly burned. Every grain offering for the priest was to be wholly burned. It was not allowed to be eaten.

The Law of the Sin Offering

God told Moses to tell Aaron and his sons about the law of the sin offering. The sin offering was supposed to be killed in the same place where the burnt offering was killed before the Lord. It was most holy. The priest who offered it for sin was to eat it in a holy place, in the court of the tabernacle of meeting. Everyone who touched its flesh had to be holy. When its blood was sprinkled on any garment, the garment was to be washed in a holy place. The earthen vessel in which it was boiled was to be broken. If it was boiled in a bronze pot, it was to be scoured and rinsed in water. All the males among the priests could eat it. It was most holy. No sin offering from which any of the blood was brought into the tabernacle of meeting, to make atonement in the holy place, was to be eaten. It was to be burned in the fire.

Next week we journey to Leviticus 7.

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Circumstances for Trespass Offerings

1. If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath and is a witness, regardless of whether he saw the matter or just knows of it and does not tell the truth, he bears guilt. In other words, the person is required to make the truth known even if they just knew about the lie (a cover up). Failing to speak up with the truth made them guilty.
2. If a person touches any unclean thing, whether it’s the carcass of an unclean beast, livestock, or creeping things and he is not aware of it, he will also be unclean and guilty. If a person touches human uncleanness, regardless of what caused the person to be defiled, and he is not aware of it, he will be guilty when he realizes it. According to Enduring Word (enduringword.com), this is ceremonial uncleanness, therefore, one would have to be ceremonially cleansed. Enduring Word also states that guilt was established when the sin was committed and when he realized it, then he was responsible for dealing with the sin.
3. If a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips, whether it’s to do evil or good by oath and he’s not aware of it, he is guilty when he realizes it. According to Enduring Word, a promise was a promise to be kept even if it was a careless one before the Lord. If the promise wasn’t kept, it had to be atoned for by a sin offering. When we are aware of our broken vows, we must repent of them. An example of this could be telling someone that you will pray for them and then you forget to do so.
4. When a person realized his guilt in any of the above matters, he was to confess that he had sinned in the matter. Note that the trespass offering required a confession of the sin before presenting the offering.

The trespass offering to the Lord for a sin committed, was to be a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats as a sin offering. The priest was to make atonement for him concerning the sin. If the person wasn’t able to bring a lamb, then for his trespass, he should bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the Lord – one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. The trespass offering for a poor Israelite was two in one. The sin offering to make atonement for the sin of trespass and the burnt offering to express renewed complete commitment to walking within God’s boundaries. (Source: Enduring Word)

The offering was taken to the priest, who would offer the sin offering first by wringing off its head from the neck, but not divided completely. Then the priest would sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar and the rest of the blood would be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. The second offering would be offered as a burnt offering in the prescribed manner. The priest would make atonement on behalf of the person for the sin he committed and he would be forgiven.

If the person wasn’t able to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then they could bring for the offering, one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a sin offering. He could not put oil or frankincense on it, because it was a sin offering. The priest would take his handful of it as a memorial portion. Then he would burn it on the altar in the manner of offerings made by fire to the Lord. It was a sin offering. The priest would make atonement for him regarding the sin committed in any of the matters and he would be forgiven. The rest would be for the priest as a grain offering.

Offerings of Restitution – If a person commits a trespass by sinning unintentionally regarding the holy things of the Lord, then he would bring to the Lord as his trespass offering, a ram without blemish from the flock with the valuation in shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, as a trespass offering. He would make restitution for the harm he did in regard to the holy thing and add one-fifth to it and give it to the priest. The priest would make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and he would be forgiven. If a person sins and commits any of these things which were forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, even though he did not know it, he was still guilty and should still bear his iniquity. He should take a ram without blemish from the flock to the priest, with the valuation, as a trespass offering. The priest would then make atonement for him regarding his ignorance in which he erred and didn’t know it. He would be forgiven. It is a trespass offering because he certainly trespassed against the Lord. So, Restitution Offerings were for offenses against holy things of the Lord that required a “money” payment as well.

Next week we journey to Leviticus 6.

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God told Moses to speak to the children of Israel about the soul that sins because of ignorance against any of His commandments by doing what they should not do.

If the person that sins is the anointed priest, bringing guilt on the people, then he should offer to the Lord for the sin, a young bull without blemish as a sin offering. He should take the bull to the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord, and lay his hand on the bull’s head and kill it before the Lord. Then he should take some of the bull’s blood and take it to the tabernacle of meeting. The priest should dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord, in front of the veil of the sanctuary. He should put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense, before the Lord in the tabernacle of meeting. The remainder of the bull’s blood should be poured at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. He should remove from the bull all the fat as the sin offering. The fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails, both kidneys and the fat on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys should be removed. This is done in the same manner as with the bull sacrifice of the peace offering. The priest should burn them on the altar of the burnt offering. The whole bull – its hide and all its flesh, including the head and legs, the entrails and offal – should be taken outside the camp to a clean place where the ashes were poured out and burned on wood with fire.

If the whole congregation of Israel is guilty of sinning out of ignorance against any of the Lord’s commandments and it’s hidden from the eyes of the assembly, when the sin becomes known, the assembly should offer a young bull for the sin. The bull should be brought before the tabernacle of meeting. The elders of the congregation should lay their hands on the head of the bull and kill it before the Lord. The anointed priest should take some of the bull’s blood to the tabernacle of meeting. Then the priest should dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, in front of the veil. He should put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the Lord in the tabernacle of meeting. The remainder of the blood should be poured at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. The priest should take all the fat from the bull and burn it on the altar. He should do with the bull for the congregation’s sin, the same as he did with the sin offering for the priest. He should make atonement for them and they will be forgiven. The bull should be carried outside the camp and burned just like the first bull. This is a sin offering for the assembly.

When a ruler is guilty of sinning out of ignorance against any of the Lord’s commandments, or if his sin comes to his knowledge, he should take a male kid of the goats without blemish and offer it. He should lay his hand on the goat’s head and kill it at the place where they killed the burnt offering before the Lord. This is a sin offering. The priest should take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. The goat’s blood should be poured at the base of the altar of burnt offering. The priest should burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the sacrificial peace offering, making atonement for the ruler concerning his sin. The ruler will be forgiven for the sin.

If any of the common people is guilty of sinning in ignorance against the Lord’s commandments, or if his sin comes to his knowledge, then he should bring a female kid goat without blemish and offer it for his sin. He should lay his hand on the goat’s head and kill it at the place of the burnt offering. The priest should take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. The remaining blood should be poured at the base of the altar. The priest should remove all its fat just as it was done with the sacrificial peace offering. It should be burned as a sweet aroma to the Lord. The priest should make atonement for commoner and he will be forgiven.

If the common person brings a lamb as his sin offering, it should be a female without blemish. He should lay his hand on the lamb’s head and kill it as a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is killed. The priest should take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. The remaining blood would be poured at the base of the altar. The priest should remove all the fat just as the lamb’s fat is removed from the sacrificial peace offering. Then he should burn it on the altar according to the offerings made by fire to the Lord. The priest should make atonement for him and his sin will be forgiven.

Many Bible translations use the word “unintentionally” instead of “ignorance”. According to bibletools.org, unintentionally does not mean unknowingly, but means “wander”, “err”, “make a mistake” and “go astray”. “The sin is done without a deep understanding of the seriousness of the sin involved. In other words, regarding this sin, the person did not know any better.”

When I read about all of these different sacrifices, all I can say is “Thank God for Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice!”

Our next stop is Leviticus 5.

To God Be The Glory!

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This offering should be a perpetual statute throughout all of the Israelites’ generations in all their dwellings. The Israelites were forbidden to eat fat or blood.

The Peace Offering is also referred to as the Fellowship Offering in some versions of the Bible such as the New International Version (NIV). According to Reformed Theological Seminary, (RTS) this is an offering given to the Lord in thanksgiving for the peace which He has established when there’s been some estrangement between the worshiper and his Lord. RTS also states that the fellowship offering would follow the offering of guilt or atonement, as an expression of thanksgiving that the relationship between the worshiper and God had been healed and fellowship had been restored and renewed.

Do you owe the Lord a Peace/Fellowship Offering? According to Bible Meditation Workshop, a portion of this offering could be eaten by the “offeror” and the priest, representing the Lord.

Next week, we journey to Leviticus 4.

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Be Encouraged

The King James Version of the Bible refers to the offering as a meat offering in Leviticus 2. Other Biblical versions refer to it as a grain offering. So, I googled. According to awalkingnewman.com, in Biblical days meat referred to food, usually grains. Meat did not just refer to flesh as it does today. This offering can also be referred to as the Meal Offering.

When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, it should be of fine flour. He should pour oil on it and put frankincense on it also. He should take it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. One of them should take from it, his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. The priest should burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. The rest of the grain offering would belong to Aaron and his sons. It is most holy of the offerings to the Lord made by fire.

If the grain offering was baked in the oven, it should be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. If the grain offering is baked in a pan, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil. It should be broken in pieces and oil poured on it; it is a grain offering. If the grain offering is baked in a covered pan, it should be made with fine flour with oil. The grain offering made of these things should be brought to the Lord. When it is given to the priest, he should take it to the altar. Then the priest should take from the grain offering a memorial portion and burn it on the altar. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. What is left of the grain offering would belong to Aaron and his sons. It is most holy of the offerings to the Lord made by fire. No grain offering brought to the Lord should be made with leaven. No leaven nor any honey should be burned in any offering to the Lord made by fire.

Offerings of the firstfruits should be offered to the Lord, but they should not be burned on the altar for a sweet aroma. Every offering of the grain offering should be seasoned with salt. The salt of the covenant of God should not be lacking from the grain offering. All the offerings were to be offered with salt. If the grain offering is of the firstfruits to the Lord, it should be green heads of grain roasted on the fire, grain beaten from full heads. Oil should be put on it and frankincense laid on it. It is a grain offering. The priest should burn the memorial portion: part of its beaten grain and part of its oil, with all the frankincense, as an offering made by fire to the Lord.

The grain offering was given in worship to God for His abundant provision of their (Israelites) “daily bread”.

So, whatever we are offering God in worship, whether it is praise, our talents, finances etc., we should do it to the best of our ability for His glory.

“Seasoned” in reference to food means add flavoring to, spice, pep up, or add zing with salt, herbs, pepper or other spices. (Oxford Languages)

“Seasoned” in reference to a person means having a lot of experience of doing something and therefore knowing how to do it well (Cambridge English Dictionary)

Out of curiosity, I also googled “seasoned offerings” to see what I could find. One of the definitions I found was regarding investments in which an existing publicly traded company offers (sells) more shares of its stock or debt instruments to raise additional capital. (Investopedia) So, before you take it back, add more to it. Why? God has been and is really good to us!

Next Week, it’s Leviticus 3.

To God Be The Glory!

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Be Encouraged

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