4.5.25
Good morning!
Vayikra (and He called) is the first reading In the book of Leviticus/Vayikra. It’s a natural continuation of what we concluded in the book of Exodus. The Mishkan, or Tabernacle, has just been completed and is now “open for business“. The book of Vayikra begins by spelling out all of the operational procedures for the Tabernacle describing what kind of offerings/korban may be brought, the parameters for these offerings, and how they are to be offered in order to draw near to the One Who's presence is so glorious that not even Moses could draw near (Ex. 40:34,35). Within these descriptions are various kinds of offerings, all of which require the blood of animals except for a handful of offerings from the produce of the field (Lev. 2).
When most people think of the 'sacrificial system', they immediately see the whole function of these animals is a means of dealing with sin. However, as we learn about these offerings/korbanot, the topic of unintentional sin doesn’t come into the picture until much later (Lev. 5).
In the list of various offerings described in the book of Leviticus, The Korban Olah, or the whole burnt offering, is the very first on the list. It is typically described as a whole burnt offering because it is entirely burnt up.
"If anyone brings an offering/korban to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock. It is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of the meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord… And the Priest shall burn it all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, the offering with the pleasing aroma to the Lord." (Lev. 1:2,3, 9)
As we can see by the very first of these instructions, the primary function of the offering is simply to draw near. But, some may object that these sacrifices are indeed associated with sin, especially since atonement is explicitly mentioned in the instructions...as you may recall from the March 16, 2025 study, there are at least 7 different forms of atonement/covering in Scripture; only one utilizes blood...
"For he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it should be accepted for him to make it to atonement/kaphar for him. (Lev. 1:4)
The problem with a limited view on atonement is that kaphar was made, not only for people, but also for objects within the tabernacle (Ex. 29:37; 30:10). Does this mean that objects sinned? No, it simply means that they need some kind of covering. Kaphar, simply means a covering in order to enter into the presence of the Almighty. Does this mean that the blood of the animals was a protection against the wrath of God as many teach? Actually, the concept of sacrifice, as many would express it, is a slaughtering of animals in order to appease God's wrath...nothing could be further from the truth (more on this in today's zoom call.
If the death of these animals wasn’t for sin and it wasn't to appease God‘s wrath, what did it accomplish? First, we need to understand that the point of the offering was not the death of the animal. That’s right, killing an innocent animal doesn’t do anything on my behalf. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Unfortunately, however, the death of the animal is a byproduct of the true reason these animals were slaughtered in the tabernacle and in the temple. The Torah spells out the purpose of ritual slaughter a little later in Leviticus (Lev. 17:11). It says
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I’ve given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement for your life." (Lev. 17:11)
The entire reason animals had to be slaughtered wasn't for death, but for life. Before the animal was slain, the petitioner had to place his hands on its head and invest his identity upon the animal (Heb. 6:1,2). Once the animal was slaughtered, the blood, the life of the animal was splashed against the sides of the altar. The altar functioned as a type of bridge or gateway that linked heaven and earth. The altar can be seen as a portal that leads from one dimension to the other. As the blood of the sacrifice was splashed on the altar, it was as if the soul of the petitioner had walked straight into the presence of the Holy One of Israel. It brought him into oneness with his God. From this perspective, the blood of Bulls and goats, which were never able to take away sin (Hebrews 10:4), was the link between man and God, giving the petitioner an opportunity to do something only the high priest was able to do when he entered the Holy of Holies once a year (Lev. 16). It was an opportunity for the average person to experience the presence of the Most High (Exodus 29:42, 43), which we covered in great detail last night on our zoom call: “why would anybody want to voluntarily bring an offering to an altar?"
When most people think of the 'sacrificial system', they immediately see the whole function of these animals is a means of dealing with sin. However, as we learn about these offerings/korbanot, the topic of unintentional sin doesn’t come into the picture until much later (Lev. 5).
In the list of various offerings described in the book of Leviticus, The Korban Olah, or the whole burnt offering, is the very first on the list. It is typically described as a whole burnt offering because it is entirely burnt up.
"If anyone brings an offering/korban to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock. It is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of the meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord… And the Priest shall burn it all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, the offering with the pleasing aroma to the Lord." (Lev. 1:2,3, 9)
As we can see by the very first of these instructions, the primary function of the offering is simply to draw near. But, some may object that these sacrifices are indeed associated with sin, especially since atonement is explicitly mentioned in the instructions...as you may recall from the March 16, 2025 study, there are at least 7 different forms of atonement/covering in Scripture; only one utilizes blood...
"For he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it should be accepted for him to make it to atonement/kaphar for him. (Lev. 1:4)
The problem with a limited view on atonement is that kaphar was made, not only for people, but also for objects within the tabernacle (Ex. 29:37; 30:10). Does this mean that objects sinned? No, it simply means that they need some kind of covering. Kaphar, simply means a covering in order to enter into the presence of the Almighty. Does this mean that the blood of the animals was a protection against the wrath of God as many teach? Actually, the concept of sacrifice, as many would express it, is a slaughtering of animals in order to appease God's wrath...nothing could be further from the truth (more on this in today's zoom call.
If the death of these animals wasn’t for sin and it wasn't to appease God‘s wrath, what did it accomplish? First, we need to understand that the point of the offering was not the death of the animal. That’s right, killing an innocent animal doesn’t do anything on my behalf. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Unfortunately, however, the death of the animal is a byproduct of the true reason these animals were slaughtered in the tabernacle and in the temple. The Torah spells out the purpose of ritual slaughter a little later in Leviticus (Lev. 17:11). It says
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I’ve given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement for your life." (Lev. 17:11)
The entire reason animals had to be slaughtered wasn't for death, but for life. Before the animal was slain, the petitioner had to place his hands on its head and invest his identity upon the animal (Heb. 6:1,2). Once the animal was slaughtered, the blood, the life of the animal was splashed against the sides of the altar. The altar functioned as a type of bridge or gateway that linked heaven and earth. The altar can be seen as a portal that leads from one dimension to the other. As the blood of the sacrifice was splashed on the altar, it was as if the soul of the petitioner had walked straight into the presence of the Holy One of Israel. It brought him into oneness with his God. From this perspective, the blood of Bulls and goats, which were never able to take away sin (Hebrews 10:4), was the link between man and God, giving the petitioner an opportunity to do something only the high priest was able to do when he entered the Holy of Holies once a year (Lev. 16). It was an opportunity for the average person to experience the presence of the Most High (Exodus 29:42, 43), which we covered in great detail last night on our zoom call: “why would anybody want to voluntarily bring an offering to an altar?"
As we head into the Sabbath day, may we can continue to keep growing in our relationship with him and draw near into his presence by voluntarily, offering up our lives as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1,2), imitating our Messiah as He was a sweet smelling savor to His heavenly Father (Eph. 5:1,2); following the protocol that allows us to enter into his presence.
Happy feast season
Shabbat shalom
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