Leviticus 6:8-13 ~ 20160529 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
05/29 Leviticus 6:8-13; The Daily Burnt Offerings; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20160529_leviticus-6_8-13.mp3
We are in Leviticus 6, a section which deals again with the five sacrifices introduced in chapters 1-5.
Leviticus 1-7
A. Instructions for the People B. Instructions for the Priests
The Burnt Offering (ch.1) The Burnt Offering (6:8-13)
The Grain Offering (ch. 2) The Grain Offering (6:14-18)
The Priest's Grain Offering (6:19-23)
The Peace Offering (ch.3)
The Sin Offering (4:1-5:13) The Sin Offering (6:24-30)
The Guilt Offering (5:14-6:7) The Guilt Offering (7:1-10)
The Peace Offering (7:11-36)
Summary (7:37-38)
Where chapters 1-5 deal with the five offerings primarily from the perspective of a worshiper who brings his offering to the tabernacle, chapters 6 and 7 deal with these same offerings (with the addition of one) primarily from the perspective of the priest who is making the offering. Chapter 1 begins 'with the Lord speaking to Moses saying 'speak to the people of Israel and say to then, when any one of you brings an offering to the Lord...' This section in chapter 6 begins with the Lord speaking to Moses saying 'command Aaron and his sons, saying...'
The Burnt Offering
Leviticus 6:8 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 9 “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. 10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment and put his linen undergarment on his body, and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and put them beside the altar. 11 Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. 12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not go out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. 13 Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.
Ministry is Messy
There are several things to take note of here. First, notice the care taken in the disposal of the ashes. If you've ever barbecued, you know you have to deal with the ashes. If you don't, your grill will get clogged and no longer function. This is in regard to the whole burnt offering, reminding us that this particular offering went entirely up in smoke. Nothing was left but ashes. And even those ashes had to be cared for properly. It would be easiest and most efficient if the janitor just came in and cleaned the ashes out of the altar and disposed of them. But I haven't read anything about janitors in Leviticus. It is the anointed priest who is doing the cleaning out of the altar. Maybe there is a lesson for us here. We might be tempted to think that with a title and honor comes exemption from menial tasks. Someone called to serve in the ministry shouldn't have to do the menial things. Some things are simply beneath the dignity of my office. God is faithful to keep us humble. I will spare you the gory details, but guess who people come to when the toilet in the restroom is clogged and overflowing? Ministry is messy. In ministry we deal with people, and people are messy and hurting and broken. Life is messy. If you are called to ministry, be aware that you will have to wear different hats and fill different roles. And remember, we are all called to ministry!
God is Holy
Notice the change of clothing. The priest starts out wearing his linen garments. This priestly uniform is described in detail in Exodus 28, and it is designed for modesty. It is to cover well. Even the altar is designed without steps, according to Exodus 20:26, 'that your nakedness be not exposed on it.' This is designed to draw a clear distinction between the worship of the one true God and the pagan worship of false gods, which often included sexual immorality as part of the worship. The priest in uniform has to clean out the ashes from the altar and put them beside the altar. Then he has to go change out of his uniform and put on other clothes. The priestly uniform is not to leave God's court. It is holy. The priest is to put on other clothes in order to take the ashes outside the camp. We might think of this in terms of someone who works with hazardous radioactive material. There is a specific uniform designed to protect him, and there is a specific procedure for changing clothes to avoid contamination, to keep from transferring radioactive material out where it will harm other people. God is holy. God is dangerous. To come in contact with a holy God is dangerous. God is to be treated as holy, and even the uniform in which the priest approaches God is to be kept holy, separate, set apart. When he left the courtyard, he was to lay aside his holy clothes.
This reminds me of another who laid aside his clothes.
John 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Jesus, who was God from all eternity, stooped down to do for us what we were too proud to do.
Philippians 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus laid aside his glory to come and serve us. He did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. This is a reminder to us that we are not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.
The Fire is Not Quenched
Notice also that the fire on the altar is to be kept burning continually. This is restated multiple times in multiple ways in this passage.
9 ...The burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning,
and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it.
...12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not go out.
The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.
13 Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.
Where the burnt offering of chapter 1 dealt with a voluntary offering brought at will by a worshiper, here chapter 6 is dealing more specifically with the regular daily burnt offering proscribed in Exodus 29 and Numbers 28 which was the regular duty of the priests.
Exodus 29:38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. 39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. 40 And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. 42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. (cf. Num.28:3-8)
The Fire of God's Wrath
There was to be a burnt offering every morning and every night, and in between it was the responsibility of the priests to keep the fire burning continually.
This is a graphic and gruesome reminder of our sin. There was around the clock an animal going up in smoke. This is a reminder that 'our God is a consuming fire' (Heb.12:29). Jesus talked about 'hell, the unquenchable fire, where there worm does not die and the fire is not quenched' (Mk.9:43-48). God is just. He will punish all sin. My sin deserves death. If you are in Jesus, the full fury of God's wrath was poured out on Jesus in your place. But if you are found apart from Jesus, you will be sent 'into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' (Mt.25:41). Fire most frequently in Scripture is a picture of judgment. The perpetual fire burning on the altar would be a constant reminder of my sinfulness, of God's absolute justice, and of my desperate need for a substitute.
A Reminder of Grace
But it would also be a reminder that I do have a substitute! This constant flame on the altar would be a reminder that God has provided a way for this sinner to be forgiven. God has made a way for my guilt to be transferred to another, and for a substitute to die in my place. This would be a constant reminder not only of God's absolute justice, but also of his unfailing love! God is merciful and gracious. He does not give me what my sins deserve. He poured that out on Jesus! He freely gives me what I did not earn; he credits me with the perfect righteousness of my Lord Jesus! What a treasure, to look at the flame, a means of judgment, and be reminded that God's just judgment does not fall on me! What a treasure to look to the cross, a cruel instrument of torture, and be reminded that Jesus bore my sins in his body on that cursed tree.
Peace With God
Notice also, verse 12 tells us that the fat from the peace offering is to be placed on top of the burnt offering. The burnt offering is first. Remember from chapter 1 that the offerer laid his hand on the head of the animal, leaning on the animal, confessing his sins.
Leviticus 1:4 He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
The whole animal was burnt on the altar. On top of this offering, the fat from the peace or fellowship offering would be placed. Peace with God, fellowship with him must be founded on sacrifice. There is no other way. Jesus said “no one comes to the Father except through me” Jn.14:6).
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand...
Peace with God, access to God, fellowship with God only comes through the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The fire of God's judgment for my sin must fall on Christ so that I can now experience peace.
Maintain the Flame
I think we can find another picture here. The priests were not responsible to initiate the fire, but only to maintain the fire. We will see at the end of chapter 9, after the consecration of the priests, that:
Leviticus 9:24 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
The fire was divine fire. It came out from before the Lord. It was the responsibility of the priests to tend this fire, to maintain this fire, to feed this fire, but they did not initiate the fire. Outside fire was not allowed. We have a picture here we can learn from.
John the baptist said:
Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
It is not our responsibility to light the fire. This is a divine fire only God can ignite. It is our responsibility to tend the fire, remove the things that would eventually quench the fire, to feed the fire. We are told:
1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.
Paul tells Timothy:
2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
Think for a minute. What are some practical ways you can maintain the fire, avoid quenching the fire, fuel God's holy fire in your own life? What are some ways you can fuel the fire in other and seek to build them up?
A Royal Priesthood
You may be thinking 'this all sounds good, but I am not in ministry, so this does not apply to me. I am not a priest, I am just a worshiper. I identify with the first chapters, where the average worshiper brings his offering, but this section with instructions for the priests is not for me.' If that is what you are thinking, you could not be more wrong. The Apostle Peter addresses believers, those who are born again, and says:
1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ...9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
We are all priests to God! Men, women, children, all who are believers in Jesus, are called 'a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood.'
In Revelation, John addresses the saints. He says:
Revelation 1:5 ...To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Notice who the 'us' is. Are you loved by Jesus? Have you been freed from your sins by his blood? Then you are part of the 'us', and he has made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father.
Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (cf.20:6)
Notice, the priests in Revelation are no longer from a particular tribe and a particular lineage. They are those who are ransomed by the blood of Jesus, people from every tribe and language and people and nation, priests to God.
So this priestly instruction is for you, for me. As a holy priesthood, we can offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. You can proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light!
Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org