Sweet Savor Offerings 02.01.08
Hello My Friend/Guest,
It is Friday February 1, 2008 and today we are beginning our studies on the book of Leviticus. Please read, Leviticus 1 -- 3. In today's lesson we will read and learn about the several types of burned offerings; the meat (meal, grain) offering and the peace offering.
The book of Leviticus was written by Moses to the people of Israel. There are 27 chapters contained within the book and the purpose of it was to show Israel how to live as a holy nation in fellowship with God and to prepare them to extend the redemptive plan of God to all nations.
The first three offerings mentioned in the first three chapters of Leviticus are called sweet savor offerings, which means they were voluntary and pleasing to God. "And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him....an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD" (Leviticus 1:1-4,9b).
The first offering mentioned is called the burned offering (sacrifice). It symbolized the offerer giving his own life in full submission to God and without a selfish motive. The offering was to be a bull, lamb, goat, turtledoves, or pigeons, according to the financial ability of the offerer. "If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. 10And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. 14And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons." (1:3,10,14). If the offerer owned a herd, then he offered a bull. If, however, the offerer possessed only flocks, then his offering would be a lamb or a goat; for either of these men to offer pigeons would have been offensive to God. But, if the offerer were so poor that he did not own a herd or a flock, then an acceptable offering could be the less-expensive turtledoves or young pigeons.
The procedure for the burned offering was for the offerer to lay his hands heavily upon the head of the animal, symbolizing the transfer of sin from the guilty to the sinless, atoning for his sin. Often an ox that normally plowed in a field or pulled a cart was the sacrifice. It was chosen as a Burnt Offering sacrifice because it represented the most valuable of all clean animals. It was killed and then burned outside the gate and consumed to ashes. Only then, did it ascend to God as a sweet savour unto the Lord. There was a transformation that took place from the time the powerful ox was plowing the fields until the time it was reduced to ashes. The blood offered to God indicated that a life had been given as a substitute for the one who had sinned. This was a foreshadowing of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who became the ultimate sacrifice to atone for all of our sins.
We, too, are like the powerful oxen, proud of our talents and abilities. But they must be reduced to ashes to become a sweet savor unto the Lord. This does not mean that we can not enjoy what we have and do, it means that God must take place before them. We can have everything we need, want, and desire just as long as we put God first.
The second offering was meat of grain or unleavened bread, "And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon: And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire." (2:1-3). The third offering was meat offered as a peace offering, "And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD;" (3:1-2).
Surrendering our will to do God's will becomes our sweet savor offering unto the Lord. By voluntarily putting Him first brings great victory into our lives.
In today's lesson Jesus Christ is revealed through the grain offering which was made without leaven (symbolic of sin) (Leviticus 2:11). "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15).
Today's Psalm: 119:108
"Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments."
Today's Prayer: From Psalm 27
Dear Lord,
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." Thank you Lord, Jesus for becoming the ulitmate sacrifice to save me from my sins. In Your mighty name, Jesus I pray......Amen.
Have a great and wonderful day/night and weekend.
God Bless,
Christina
P.S. Due to schedule conflicts I will not be able to post tomorrows lesson until the evening, sorry for any inconvience.
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