We learned yesterday that God is very demanding (and rightly so) about the location for sacrifice. In the days after the Tabernacle was built, dedicated and placed in use. Sacrifice must be made “at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation,” on the brass altar erected there.

We today shall learn that God is every bit as particular (still, rightly so) about the proper handling of blood!

BLOOD is significant to Almighty God!

Even to this point, God speaking: “And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, THAT EATETH ANY MANNER OF BLOOD; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.” Leviticus 17:10, a more specific statement of a “prohibition” already taught Israel, though in briefer form. “It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye EAT NEITHER FAT NOR BLOOD.” Way back in Leviticus 3:17.

That is … do NOT do as King Saul’s soldiers once did, in blatant disobedience! “And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people DID EAT them WITH THE BLOOD.” 1 Samuel 14:32

God is that “jealous” over blood! And for the third time I must say it, “Rightly so!”

Why?

The very next verse of Leviticus 17 tells us, verse 11. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

Blood, and blood only, makes a man right with God, covers or purges or forgives his sin! In this special sense blood is “holy” (“set apart, consecrated”) unto the Lord.

But what if a man is out in the field hunting for game, for tonight’s supper? “And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.” Leviticus 17:12

God is specific here!

Here’s the principle behind all this blood legislation. “For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.” Leviticus 17:14

“THE LIFE OF THE FLESH IS IN THE BLOOD.” Again quoting verse 11 above. Thus blood is unique. Therefore every man’s (or woman’s or child’s) blood, and (even) every little creature’s blood … is special, protected by God’s Fiat here!

Now this thought (the “point” of today’s Lesson) … blood being the agency for atonement … if Adam’s blood (and Eve’s) and every human’s blood since then … was “special, protected” by the Lord … how did He (God the Father) feel about His Own Son’s Blood?

About Jesus’ Blood?

That incorruptible Blood?

That innocent Blood?

That testifying Blood?

That purchasing Blood?

That propitiating Blood?

That justifying Blood?

That redeeming Blood?

That peace-giving Blood?

That sanctifying Blood?

That precious Blood?

That cleansing Blood?

That overcoming Blood?

That Blood, my friends, is of inestimable Value!

Have YOU been washed in that Blood? Trusted that Blood and the One Who shed it on Calvary for soul salvation?

Remember this … “and without shedding of blood is no remission of sin.” Hebrews 9:22

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Even Israel’s hunters were to be men of faith!

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Leviticus 17 begins as does most every other chapter in the Book, “And the Lord spake …”

But the following Paragraph is critical to any worshipping Jew. And beautiful typology to any believing Christian!

The prescription below applies to the Israelite who is presenting an animal sacrifice to the Lord, an act of adoration or thanksgiving or seeking forgiveness for wrong.

“This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying, What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, and BRINGETH IT NOT TO THE DOOR OF THE TABERNACLE of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people.” Leviticus 17:2-4

Essentially the Lord is here saying there is now ONLY ONE PLACE a man can offer a sacrifice! Not out in front of his tent (in the camp)! Not out in the field where he first saw that animal (out of the camp)! But bring it to the “door” of the Tabernacle!

THERE and THERE ALONE is blood to be offered to God!

And a penalty exists for disobeying this injunction. “Excommunication” of some kind. Being asked to leave the encampment, the place of safety, and wandering in the wilderness! (Some experts even say being “cut off” means “put to death!”)

Clearly some of the people had begun to offer their own sacrifices out in the fields, for some reason! “To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they (now) offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.” Leviticus 17:5-6

And that reason may have been related to false worship! “And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.” Verse 7 of Leviticus 17 … They obviously got into serious trouble with the Lord by NOT bringing their animals to the RIGHT PLACE to worship Him. And that trouble dealt somehow with “devils” (demons) and abominable worship!

Then another stern warning … “And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice, and bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.” Verses 8 and 9, which end the Paragraph. Where “cut off” is translated “destroyed” four times in the King James Bible, “karath” in Hebrew.

Wow!

And the “point” of all this today?

There (still) is only ONE PLACE where a man or woman can come to get real forgiveness (atonement) from the Lord!

And that Place is the foot of the old rugged Cross!

That’s exactly what the brazen altar at the door of the Tabernacle represented, Calvary!

To try to worship God (in any man made way) … apart from the Cross … is certain doom! Eternal damnation!

What symbolism!

What “typology!”

No wonder Paul wrote in Galatians 6:14 … “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Amen!

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE CROSS?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The immediate Leviticus chapters leading up to the Day of Atonement focused on “cleansing.” And so do the chapters immediately after the Day of Atonement. It’s all about “Holiness” in Leviticus!

Chapters 1-15 … getting ready to worship!

Chapter 16 … leaning HOW to worship!

Chapters 17-27 … maintaining that worship/fellowship/communion relationship with the Lord God!

See the order, the logic, the beauty?

This is the Section of the Book that will give Israel her “Calendar” for the rest of her days. The proper Times to come and worship the Lord! (And what an amazing Calendar it is! It sure surpasses our paltry man-made Holidays, pitiful in comparison!)

I think if one should summarize the Contents of these remaining Leviticus chapters (again 17-27) … it might be experiencing/enjoying “Life with God! In some ways this Block/Portion of Leviticus is the “most intimate” of all the Book!

After the giving of the Five Offerings (previous Lessons cover each of these) in chapters 1-7, ordaining the Priests for their worthy Ministry in chapters 8 and 9, the horrible sin of Nadab and Abihu in chapter 10, distinguishing between the clean and the unclean in chapters 11-15 … ALL PREPARING FOR THE DAY OF ATONMENT EVENT in chapter 16 … we spend the rest of Leviticus learning to distinguish between the “holy” and the “profane!” Learning to live in God’s Presence, chapters 17-27.

Now to be a little more precise.

Chapters 17-22 give us “holiness Laws” of various kinds. Because “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness?” Exodus 15:11

Maybe Leviticus 19:2 is more poignant. “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.”

Then chapters 23-25 give us the “Appointed Times” for worshipping this Holy God, that Calendar of which I spoke.

Chapter 26 then issues a list of “blessings” or “curses” for following God’s Laws … or disobeying them.

And chapter 27 is sort of a conclusion, an appendix to the whole divinely inspired Book!

Well, I fell like we are beginning again! Wading into the final “third” of Leviticus.

What a Book of Scripture!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Watch this please, carefully.

Follow my reasoning.

When NOAH stepped off the ark, into a “freshly cleansed” world … he offered a burnt offering unto the Lord. “And Noah went forth out of the ark. And Noah builded an ALTAR unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered BURNT OFFERINGS on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake.” Genesis 8:18-21, God pleased and the curse removed! This happened, by the way, on a mountain (Ararat)!

ABRAHAM too was asked to ascend a mountain (Moriah) and offer a sacrifice unto God. His only Son Isaac to be precise! God to Abraham: “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of MORIAH; and offer him there for a BURNT OFFERING upon one of the MOUNTAINS I will tell thee of.” (Genesis 22:2) But, still at God’s behest: “Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a BURNT OFFERING in the stead of his son.” Genesis 22:13, Abraham serving as a priest, on a mountain!

Yet again in the Pentateuch (recall the Lesson title) MOSES, after the golden calf debacle in Israel … climbed the MOUNTAIN (SINAI) and OFFERED HIMSELF (or certainly was willing to do such) as an ATONEMENT for Israel his people! (That is certainly priesthood in action!) “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will GO UP unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an ATONEMENT for your SIN. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt FORGIVE their sin–; and IF NOT, BLOT ME, I pray thee, OUT OF THY BOOK which thou hast written.” Exodus 32:30-32, amazing!

Now with those three examples in mind (Noah and Abraham and Moses) … each associated with mountains and sin and atonement/forgiveness … might it be possible to suggest that one more Pentateuchal figure (ADAM) might have done something along the same line … when his wife Eve sinned?

Remember Paul here … “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And ADAM WAS NOT DECEIVED, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:13-14) There were a few minutes or seconds or some space of time … when Eve was a sinner and Adam was not! Plus … Eden also is spoken of as a “mountain” in Scripture. (See Ezekiel 28:13-14 where Eden is called “the holy mountain of God.”)

Might ADAM have offered blood sacrifice that day for his bride? On the mountain, as a priest for his family? (He in fact being the first priest in the Bible!) If so … the Jewish High Priest Aaron on the Day of Atonement reversed what Adam failed to do! (Remember that the Abode of God, the Tabernacle/Temple, is always pictured in Scripture as a “mountain!” As in “LORD, who shall abide in thy TABERNACLE? who shall dwell in THY HOLY HILL?” Psalm 15:1)

Wow!

Now AARON as an “Adam” figure, as “Priest” … making atonement (not only for a bride) for a WHOLE NATION!

And this brings me to the Lord Jesus Christ our great HIGH PRIEST (Who also is seen in the Pentateuch again and again) Who One Day (in a sense, the very fulfillment of the great Day of Atonement) ascended a MOUNTAIN (Golgotha, Calvary, just as well say MORIAH) and OFFERED HIMSELF a burnt offering and peace offering and sin offering and trespass offering to atone for our iniquity!

Hallelujah!

And the Pentateuch, with its central Book of Leviticus … is boring, drab, some say?

No way!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Yes, to my satisfaction a Pattern has been established! “Without shedding of blood is no remission of sin.” Hebrews 9:22

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I noticed this Truth several days ago, preparing to write these Leviticus Lessons. Then last night late it “impressed” me again.

“And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself. And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and HIS HANDS FULL OF SWEET INCENSE BEATEN SMALL, and bring it within the vail: and he shall put the INCENSE upon the fire before the LORD, that THE CLOUD OF THE INCENSE may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not. And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.” Leviticus 16:12-14

Particularly notice the “incense” here! (A Hebrew word meaning “to burn,” but translated “perfume” 3 times in the King James Version of the Bible!)

Not just a “handful” but “hands full!”

Lots of it!

Then two adjectives … “sweet” and (beaten) “small!”

This “incense” is normally burned on the “Golden Altar” nearest the Veil that separates the holy Place from the Most holy Place. But on that Day (the Day of Atonement) it is to be carried by Aaron into the very Throne Room of God (so to speak, Leviticus 16:2c) … a requirement, lest Aaron die.

This is indeed “burning sweet incense,” a double portion looks like … creating “smoke” (not the best word, a “cloud”) of protection for Aaron! Shielding him from the Very Glory of God … “which no man can see, and live.” (Exodus 33:20)

Now much could be said about this incense, but today I want to emphasize this: Aaron was to meet God “in the clouds!”

The clouds of sweet smelling smoke that “censer” would emit! (“A censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small. And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not.” Going back to verses 12 and 13.)

Today’s “point” …

Aaron was to meet God “in the clouds!”

And when Jesus comes back again to “receive us unto Himself” … we also shall meet Him “in the clouds!” As Paul taught in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 … “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them IN THE CLOUDS, to meet the Lord in the air.”

Wow!

What a striking parallel!

We, as priests, shall meet the Lord (Who shed His incorruptible Blood for our Atonement) “in the clouds,” just as Aaron (Israel’s Priest) met the Lord so long ago. And both “meetings” are possible only through Blood offered unto Almighty God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20, often called “the Bible’s last prayer!”

That incense “beaten small” and so very “sweet smelling” to the Nostrils of God … is likely a picture of Jesus our Lord as Intercessor on our behalf at the Right Hand of the Father. His Prayers being comparable to His many “requests” lofting upward for our sakes! (Beaten? And burned, the incense? Yes, symbols of Jesus’ suffering and pressure suffered here on earth … even prior to Calvary, during His earthly Life (as our Meat/Meal Offering, Leviticus chapter 2.) Not just “beaten,” but “beaten small!” Pulverized!

Wow!

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