Leviticus 6
McGeeCHAPTER 6THEME: Conclusion of rules concerning the trespass offering; law concerning the burnt offering; concerning the meal offering; concerning the sin offeringChapters 6 and 7 present the law of the offerings. Actually, the law of the offerings concerned the priests and their particular part in them and portion of them. It could be called the special rules for the priests who minister at the altar of God. This section opens with specific directions to the priests and a command for Aaron and his sons. Since the priests served at the altar, they were involved in all of the offerings that were made on the burnt altar. All of this is a shadow of the reality in heaven where Christ, our great High Priest, serves. “For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount” (Heb_8:3-5). There is another striking feature. Christ is not only the priest but He is also the sacrifice. He offered Himself. “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering often times the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb_10:5-12). We need to be so aware of this today. There are a great many religions which have elaborate rituals with marching and robes and candles and routines. I suppose in all our churches we do a lot of things that really are not worthwhile. God is a Spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. God gave us this great spiritual truth here in the book of Hebrews so that we would see that. You and I have a High Priest in heaven and He is just as busy as can be. When it says that He sat down, it means that redemption was complete. It is similar to saying that God rested on the seventh day because creation was complete. It doesn’t mean that He was tired and stopped doing anything. Just so, the Lord Jesus doesn’t sit down because He is tired and doesn’t want to do anything. He is busy! He died down here on this earth to save us. He lives up at the right hand of God to keep us saved. You and I ought to keep in touch with Him. This is reality! This is spiritual! The trouble today is that we are out of touch with the living Christ. He is no longer a reality to us. The greatest compliment I ever heard given about a preacher was for the one whom I succeeded in Nashville, Tennessee. A butcher in the market said to me, “I understand you are following Dr. Allen. You know, there is something about that man. Every time I meet him, I feel like he just left Jesus around the corner.” I want to tell you, friends, Dr. Allen meant business with Jesus. Jesus Christ was a reality in his life.
Leviticus 6:1
CONCLUSION OF RULES CONCERNING THE TRESPASS OFFERINGAgain, the sins listed are merely examples of a longer list of trespasses which could be given. They are sins committed against one’s neighbor in the daily run of affairs. This would appear to be a separate revelation from God, distinct from the preceding chapter. It shows that sin against a neighbor is a sin against God. That is why Jesus said, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Mat_7:12). Certain specific sins are mentioned here. Lying about borrowed articles and responsibility for articles left for safe keeping are mentioned. We find an example of this in 2Ki_6:5 when the students of Elisha lost the borrowed ax. “Fellowship” in this passage actually refers to a business partnership. “Taking by violence” would be a forced transaction such as Ahab taking Naboth’s vineyard in 1Ki_21:2-16. “Deceiving his neighbor” would mean lying to the neighbor in not reporting having found a lost article. May I say again, sins against one’s fellowman are also sins against God. We see here again that restitution had to be made with an additional penalty of one-fifth added. A fifth would be a double tithe. This was followed by the trespass offering. Again, it is the ram that is the victim. God is showing that He is no respecter of persons. The trespass offering was vital to the spiritual life of the individual Israelite. “Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour” (Pro_14:9). A sense of sin renders Jesus precious to the soul.
Leviticus 6:8
LAW CONCERNING THE BURNT OFFERINGThe fire on the altar was to burn continually, that is, while the tabernacle was set up and not on the wilderness march. The burnt offering was left on the altar all night and the fire was kept burning so that the whole offering would be consumed. This speaks of the continual consecration of Christ. It was the Lord Jesus who could say, " …I do always those things that please him" (Joh_8:29). He displays this love and obedience in His high priestly prayer, “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth” (Joh_17:19). Or listen to Him in Joh_4:31-32: “In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” This also speaks of the fact that we are to offer ourselves a living sacrifice to God (Rom_12:1-2). I find that when I crawl upon the altar and the fire gets hot, I crawl off. I don’t know about you, but I see a lot of folk doing that too. I wish I could say that I always do the things that please Him. The Lord Jesus could say it, but I can’t. There is a challenge to every believer today because God delights in the continual obedience of His children. That should give us real food for thought. Remember that this was the issue when Samuel rebuked King Saul. “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1Sa_15:22-23). Today you and I need to offer our own hearts and lives to Him, if we belong to Him, that is, if we are saved. God forbid that we simply make empty professions. What is it that God wants us to do? " …This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (Joh_6:29).
Leviticus 6:10
God gave instructions even to the detail of the garment the priest was to wear. He was not only to put on the long robe, which was common to all the priests, but also the linen breeches. Why? The flesh must be covered totally. God is teaching that He cannot accept the works of the flesh. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal_5:19-21). God cannot accept the works of the flesh. It is only the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is acceptable to Him. The Spirit of God must produce this in our lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal_5:22-23). The priest removed the garments he wore when he removed the ashes, and he put on a fresh suit. This was a continual reminder of the utter pollution of sin. The ashes of the altar spoke primarily of the judgment of sin, and even the ashes were contaminated. They must be taken out and put in a clean place. What a picture this is of the defilement of sin!
Leviticus 6:12
This is another reminder that the fire is to burn continually and is repeated again in verse Lev_6:13. A fresh supply of wood was to be made in the morning and a burnt offering made for the whole camp. This was the morning sacrifice. The peace offering was then put on the burnt offering. The continual burning on the altar should remind us that the fire of God burns continually. For those who reject Jesus Christ, this means the fire of God’s wrath. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (Joh_3:36).
Leviticus 6:14
CONCERNING THE MEAL OFFERINGAgain the instructions are directed to the priests. The offerer is a worshiper who stands before the altar rejoicing before God. The priest performs for him.
Leviticus 6:16
“With unleavened bread shall it be eaten” is translated in the Septuagint, “unleavened shall it be eaten.” The holy place where it was eaten was evidently the outer court of the tabernacle. It was holy because God was there. God’s presence makes any place holy. Remember Moses was told to take off his shoes because the ground on which he stood was holy ground (Exo_3:5). And Peter says that at the Transfiguration, they were with Him in the holy mount (2Pe_1:18).
Leviticus 6:18
All believers can participate in the enjoyment of the beauties and glories of the holy humanity of our Lord. My friend, you and I need to rejoice in Him more than we do.
Leviticus 6:19
The priests were not only to eat but also they were to offer a tithe of the meal offering. The priest who received a tenth was in turn to offer a tenth. All of the tithe must be offered. The priests must give as well as receive. Ministers today should set an example for their congregations in the matter of giving. The offering plate should be passed to the members of the church staff even if they are sitting on the platform during a service. We are all to have a part in giving.
Leviticus 6:24
CONCERNING THE SIN OFFERINGThe instructions are again given to the priests. The sin offering, which speaks of the work of Christ on the Cross, was to be offered where the burnt offering was sacrificed. The burnt offering speaks of the person of Christ. Christ must be holy, harmless, and free from sin to be a satisfactory offering for sin. He must be able to save. This is why the virgin birth is essential in the plan of salvation.
This is the One who was conceived by the Holy Spirit in a virgin. The sin offering was holy because Christ was free from sinthough He was made sin for us. It was my sin and your sin that caused Him to die, not His sin. He didn’t die simply because He was arrested by the Romans. He could have stepped off this earth at any moment. He told Peter that He could call for legions of angels, if He wished to do so.
He was made sin for us and He died in our place.