The Offering of Food (Lev. 17:1-7)

10/5/2008 8:12 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                    Focus:  The offering of food

Bible Reading & Meditation     Reference:  Leviticus 17:1-7

            Message of the verses:  “¶  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2  "Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the LORD has commanded, saying, 3  "Any man from the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters it outside the camp, 4  and has not brought it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD, bloodguiltiness is to be reckoned to that man. He has shed blood and that man shall be cut off from among his people.  5  "The reason is so that the sons of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they were sacrificing in the open field, that they may bring them in to the LORD, at the doorway of the tent of meeting to the priest, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD.  6  "The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to the LORD.  7  "They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations."’

            I want to say a couple of things before commenting on these seven verses:  First there was a section in Dr. Wiersbe’s book from the last chapter that was on Zech. that I did not bring up in any SD, and second I am beginning a new chapter from Dr. Wiersbe’s book today, which is entitled, “Holiness is a Practical Thing.” 

            This first section deals with the sanctity of blood, and it covers all of chapter seventeen of Leviticus.

            Verses one through seven of Lev. 17 speaks of a law that prohibits the children of Israel to kill an animal inside or outside the camp unless it is at the doorway of the Tabernacle.  There are three reason why God gave this law to the children of Israel:  1.  They could not secretly kill an animal in the field and offer it to a heathen god or an idol.  2.  By this law the Lord dignified ordinary meals and made them a sacred experience.  When they killed the animal at the doorway of the Tabernacle the animal was not just meat, but it was a sacrifice to the Lord, which made it not only different, but special.  3.  When the offerer brought the animal to the doorway of the Tabernacle then both the Lord and the priest would get their proper portions.

            Dr. Wiersbe points out that the Jewish people did not just kill animals at any time because of this law and because their animals were important to them.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  After reading this section my thoughts have turned to vegetarians and that gives me a good idea why some of them may think that is a good route to go.  The theme of this chapter in Dr. Wiersbe’s book and in chapters 17-20 of Leviticus focuses in on holiness, the holiness of God, and also God deserving that His children be holy. This holiness, in this section has to do with the meals that the children of Israel ate, for even they are holy to the Lord.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. I think that is important to make meal time in our house a holy time to the Lord, for it surely has not been that as I usually eat in front of the TV to watch something that seems to be important to me, but this is much more important.

Memory verses for the week:                                  Exodus 20:12-14

12.    Honor your father and your mother, that the days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

13.    You shall not murder.

14.    You shall not commit adultery.

10/5/2008 8:40 AM