LEVITICUS 6:8 - 7:38

THE LAWS OF THE PRIESTS

            This is not simply a repetition of Lev. 1:1 - 6:7.  Lev. 1:2 states that God through Moses, is speaking to the Children of Israel concerning their part of the sacrifices.  This section applies to the instructions particular to the priest.  For example, in 1:1 - 6:7, it is the individual offering the sacrifice to make sure its inwards are healthy.  (It's every individuals responsibility to see the righteousness of Christ.)  The priest is only responsible for the healthiness of the trespass offering (7:3) because this is an offense between two Jews.

            The introduction to 6:8 - 7:34 is given in 7:35-38.  Verse 37 gives the six divisions of the passage.  We will study them in the order given in the text.

            Note:  Even though the priest are ruling in the administration of worship, they must also be ruled.  So it is with pastors.  We are not turned loose to rule by our own whim, but we must rule according to the laws of God.

I.   The law of Burnt Offering.

A.     The fire must be kept burning.

1.       9:24 - God started the fire, so it must be continued by the priest.

2.       It is necessary to work through the night to keep it burning.  It is necessary for us to work through hard times to remember Calvary.  It is not always easy.  Preach "in season and out of season".  Let us "not quench the Spirit", but "stir up the gift within us".

B.     The clothing

1.       The duties at the altar require the linen garments.  A sign of the righteousness of the saints (Rev. 19:8).  Pastors are required to be more righteous than those of the congregation.  How can they be an example to anybody if they do not strive to live better than they?  This is why a divorced man cannot be the pastor of one of the Lord's churches, but a divorced person can be a member of the church, and even take part in its services.

2.       The disposition of the ashes (a symbol of forgiven sins) must be taken care of without leaving any sign on Christs' righteousness.  There the clothes are changed.  This Christ did.  He removed all our sins yet remained completely pure.

C.     The ashes.

1.       Removed each morning.  It is good if we ask forgiveness each day for our sinfulness.  Our sins don't pile up" and get out of control.

2.       Ashes taken to a clean place - Christ buried in a new tomb that had never been used.

3.       Removed ashes keeps the fire burning better.

D.     This is the priests work.

1.       No duty is below him.

2.       He is in charge of all the worship of God, even to getting the wood for the fire.

3.       This is a symbol of the pastors work (the spiritual leader).

II.   V. 14-18 - The meat (meal) offering. (Compare to chapter 2)

A.     This follows the same order of chapter 2.

B.     Keep the feast with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

III.   V. 19-23 - The offering of Consecration.

A.     Applies only to Aaron and his sons.

B.     Fine flour - about 1/2 gallon of fine flour per day.

1.       Half in the morning and half in the evening.

2.       Fine flour represents Christ greatly "ground up" on behalf of our sinfulness.

3.       Oil represents the Holy Spirit, through which we are drawn to Christ and do all His work.

4.       Bake it in a pan.

a.      It is prepared for eating yet is totally burnt up.

b.      We ought to consecrate ourselves to God so that men will see we are totally God's.

1)      Matt. 5:16 - Men seeing our good works, and glorifying God.

2)      I Cor. 9:19-23 - Paul became all things to all men that he might by all means save some.

c.      It is not fitting that a person "eat" his own consecration.  Let our service cause another to rejoice.

5.       2:3 - The priest shall eat the meal offering of others, but not his own. (v. 23)

IV.   V. 24-30 - The Law of Sin Offering (that applied to the priest).

A.     The place of death - 1:11 - The burnt offering and sin offering was killed on the north side of the altar (typifying Calvary).

B.     The priest shall eat the offering (after the appropriate inwards had been burnt to the Lord, 4:8,9) showing they bear the iniquity of the congregation (10:17).  This is his "wage".

C.     V. 27,28 - The blood is most holy - for it represents the precious, sinless blood of Christ.

1.       Any blood sprinkled upon any garment must be washed out.  The purpose here is to show that this blood is not of itself a purifying agent.  It points or pictures to one who is pure.

2.       Earthen vessel broken, brazen vessel cleansed - like washing the garment.

3.       This is most sanitary, stopping diseases caused by dried blood, fewer flies and other insects.

D.     V. 30 - This verse shows the difference between the sin offering for (1) the ruler and common people and (2) the priest and whole congregation.  (See notes on chapter 4.)The sin offering for the ruler and the common people were to be eaten by the priest while the sin offering of the priest and whole congregation was to be wholly burnt.  (The priest and whole congregation doesn't receive any benefit from their own sin.  Note: none of the congregation receives any benefit from their sin.)

V.   7:1-10 - The law of the trespass offering.

A.     These laws are restated so the priest will be sure he offers the trespass offering according to the laws of God.

B.     The only additional information from that given in 5:1-19, 6:1-7 is found in verse 8.  The skin of the burnt offering belongs to the priest that offered it.  He shall do with it as pleases him.This passage alludes to Gen. 3:21 where God made coats of skin for Adam and Eve.  It's very possible that God established the laws for sacrifices in the Garden of Eden, giving the skin to Adam and Eve for a covering.  (This declared Adam to be the priest of that family.)

C.     V. 9 - The priest that offers the baked meat (meal) offering, receives the meal offering.

D.     V. 10 - All the priest share equally of the uncooked offering.

VI.   V. 11-34 - The law of the peace offerings.

A.     The three types of peace offerings. (v. 11-21)

1.       V. 11-15 - A Thanksgiving Peace Offering.

a.      Three kinds - unleavened cakes, wafers, and cakes mingled with oil - without sin.

b.      Oil - The Holy Spirit.

c.      A picture of being thankful for the entire Godhead.

d.      Leavened bread - The only time leaven (a type of sin) is accepted.  Even when we're thankful to God and at peace with Him, we still have sin.  There is no such thing as sinless perfection.

e.      One of the whole oblation - none of this shall be burnt.  The one part is a heave offering - given to the priest taking care of the sacrifice.

f.       All of the flesh of the peace offering will be eaten on that day.

1)      So the holy flesh won't spoil.

2)      Teach us to be generous with that which God has provided.

2.       V. 16-21 - Peace offering as a (1) vow or (2) voluntary offering.

a.      V. 16-18 - Eat all the flesh in two days or burn it.  Pictures that Christ body will not be corrupted. (Ps. 16:10)

b.      V. 18 - To do otherwise causes both the peace offering and the individual to be an abomination - He bears his own iniquity.  Even in times of joy and peace, God accepts only those that are properly lead (and follow) the Holy Spirit.

c.      V. 19-21 - A one way street - The unclean spoils the clean, yet the clean doesn't purify the unclean.

1)      Stops a big debate about who touched who first.

2)      These sacrifices are a symbol, not the actual thing.

3)      Teaches the people not to trust the symbol, but to look to the one the symbol pictures.

4)      In real life - Christ the clean touches the unclean and they are pure.  If the unclean touches Christ, they are pure.  So the opposite is true when the symbolic meaning is removed.

B.     V. 22-27 - Eating requirements.

1.       V. 22-25 - Don't eat the fat of these animals.  To preserve a remembrance of God's altar.

a.      This law seems to apply only to the sacrificial animals.  This fat belongs to the Lord, not man.

b.      The fat of the same animal, not used for sacrifice could be eaten.

2.       V. 26,27 - Don't eat blood - To preserve a remembrance of the cleansing blood of Christ.

a.      Don't eat it because the life is in the blood - This sacrificial blood is a symbol of Christs pure blood.

b.      The body doesn't digest blood, so it's a healthful law.  (God always gives us the best and withholds nothing that is good for us.)

C.     V. 28-34 - The priest share of the peace offering.

1.       His own hands - the individual himself must appear - not by proxy.  Nobody can be thankful for somebody else.  Each person is thankful and gives glory to God.

2.       Wave offering - move it back and forth in front of him as far as he can - shows a willingness to give to God.

3.       The priest gets the breast and right shoulder - reflecting the affections (giving life to another) and strength (the shoulder muscles move the animal  around).