Grains of Sand

Google Images The instructions for burnt offerings were not the only ones that the Israelites needed to keep in mind when they presented themselves before the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Leviticus 2 details what was necessary if an Israelite came to offer a grain offering to the Lord. One of the important items was never to offer anything with leaven in it. During the celebration of the Passover, unleavened bread was served in remembrance of the speed by which the Israelites had to leave Egypt—there was no time for the bread to rise! But leaven also came to represent sin, and in the tradition of the Passover celebration, the house would be searched from top to bottom to make sure that there was no leaven in the house. It is said that sometimes people would entrust their leaven to a non-Jewish neighbour and then collect it again after the eight days of commemoration. But something else comes up in this brief chapter in Leviticus. In verse 13, the author writes: “ Season ...

Google Images Now that the Tabernacle has been built and all the furnishings put in place, it is time for God to give Moses detailed instructions on the activities that are to take place in and around the meeting place where God will presence Himself among His people (Exodus 40:34-38) when they are not on the move. Leviticus 1 describes the procedure for the burnt offerings. Depending on the capacity of the supplicant, various offerings could be made: a bull from the herd, a sheep or a goat from the flock, or a dove or a pigeon for those who were very poor. The animal or bird was to be a male without defect. But it is the picture given to us in Leviticus 1:3b-5a that made me pause this morning. “ …He (the supplicant) must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (the Tabernacle) so that it will be acceptable to the Lord. He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. He is to slaughter the young b...

There was a commercial on television a while back that pictured people running around with their hands in the pockets of other people. I can’t remember what the commercial was trying to sell but the image returned to me this morning as I read Exodus 25. There are some who accuse the church of always having its hand out looking for money (which I guess is one notch better than having it in the pockets of the congregation). It was this perception that caused us as missionaries to be extremely careful how we handled teaching about tithing and taking up an offering for the ongoing ministry of the church. Here in Exodus 25 we find Moses receiving instructions from God about the building of the tabernacle, including how to collect the materials from which it would be built. He said: “ Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give ” (25:2, NIV). Stock.xchng There is plenty of teaching in the Scriptu...