Torah Portion: Leviticus 6:8-8:36
Tsav (‘command’)
This week’s portion of the Torah covers the Lord’s instructions through Moses to Aaron, the High Priest, concerning the five sacrificial offerings which the priests were to offer for the people before the Lord, on the bronze altar of the Tabernacle:
- The burnt offering (which was totally consumed: a life for a life - complete surrender);
- The grain offering (recognition of God’s goodness and provision);
- The sin offering (confession, atonement for forgiveness and cleansing);
- The guilt or trespass offering (restitution and cleansing); and,
- The fellowship or peace offering (thanksgiving).
This ‘command’ (tsav) to Aaron is better understood as a charge or instruction from a loving father to his son (Gen 18:19), from a farmer to a co-labourer, or from a benevolent king to his faithful servant. In this case, God’s command was intended to set in place a complex series of actions required for the offerings, ordained as part of Israel’s firmly-structured society.
God wrote the first covenant with His people Israel on tablets of stone. His Torah was for their instruction, guidance, direction, protection and blessing, and to lead them to their Messiah (especially through the sequence of features of the Tabernacle, their Tent of Meeting). Yet, like many today, the Israelites did not listen, but followed the stubborn inclination of their evil hearts, and made gods of their own imaginations (1 Sam 15:23b).
God’s Plan of Redemption
In God’s plan of redemption for mankind, under the first covenant there was a gracious provision through these propitiatory offerings and sacrifices for the atonement, the covering, of human sinfulness. Thus, while still sinful themselves, His chosen people could survive in the sight of a just and holy God.
As His plan unfolded, when the set time had fully come (Gal 4:4), God sent His Son - The Anointed One (haMashiach) - to redeem those under Torah law. He sent the Spirit of His Son into the hearts of those who received Him (including us), to bring forgiveness. His new covenant therefore offers remission of sin, through repentance and faith in the effectiveness of Jesus’ death and shed Blood (Matt. 26:28). What a covenant gift!
The offerings on the altar in the Tabernacle were thus a type or shadow of the propitiatory sacrifice of our Lord Jesus upon the Cross, for both Jew and Gentile, for this was Israel’s calling: to bring ‘My salvation’ to the ends of the earth (Isa 49:6).
Our Response
God blesses, and gives of Himself, to bring us into relationship with Him, that He may dwell in us. Our response is to worship Him alone and to share His gift with others. In this way we bless others in His Name (Deut 10:8; John 20:29), giving to those who will listen the words of our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus - the words of eternal life (John 6:68).
God’s estimate of value and having something to boast about is that all should understand and know Him, that He is the Lord (Jer 9:24). No wonder Paul considered everything a loss compared to the “surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” - to gain Christ and be found in Him (Phil 3:8-9).
May we desire to know Christ as Paul did! This season of Lent is a good time to start, and in God’s timing, Passover this year starts on Good Friday.
Author: Greg Stevenson