February 3, 2024
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Reading along with us in Leviticus? Here’s today’s reading:
Leviticus 17 (NIV)
Eating Blood Forbidden
1 The Lord said to Moses, 2“Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: 3 Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox, a lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of it 4instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord—……Continue Reading
Leviticus 17
Sacrifices were not to be made whereever you wanted whatever way you wanted. God’s tabernacle was set up for sacrifices to God and the priests were there to be sure it was done God’s way. When we try to do things in our own way we usually just make things worse and from this chapter we see how much it dissapoints God when we do not follow His path for us.
The emphasis on not consuming blood and the sanctity of blood in this chapter reminds us that God is the giver of life. The blood of Jesus gives us new life and life everlasting with the Father.
Levitacus 17
Leviticus 17
How important it was for God to establish a location for the Jews to sacrifice so as not to corrupt the function of the priest representing the people and the tabernacle as being a place set apart for that purpose. As in other cases, location does matter and it would reveal quite an independent spirit to think anything less than bringing it before God would be acceptable. And among the things that would be sanctified to God, is the blood of animals. Blood was the key to making things right before God, and without the shedding of it, there is no forgiveness of sins. So to treat it as common in other areas would compromise it’s significance in engaging with God. God wanted it to be special because of its special role in their interaction with Him.
”For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’“
Leviticus 17:11 NKJV
Leviticus 17