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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