Saturday & Sunday, 19th & 20th September - Leviticus 1-7

                Leviticus 7: 37-38 brings to a conclusion the instructions regarding the different sacrifices the Israelites were to bring to the Lord.  I hope that each day we have learned something new about the character of God through these passages.  They teach us that devotion to God means wholehearted obedience, which should work into the details of our everyday lives.  We have learned how inclusive His invitation is no matter how meagre our offering might seem (2:1-16).  Throughout these passages it is evident that the Lord is strengthening His community through these rituals (3: 1-17, 11-21), and the passages demonstrate what it means to be part of His community (6:1-7).  Even in Levitical times we can see that there is absolutely nothing that the worshipper could do to restore their relationship with God, it was always God who provided the way (4: 1-21).  Furthermore the way that He provided accomplished complete forgiveness and dealt with the consequences of any sin an Israelite committed (4: 22-35, 5: 1-13).  Even the place of worship was protected in all the requirements for sacrifices (5: 14-19), and the priests were provided for in the offerings (7: 1-10).  Lastly we learned that there was no hierarchy of offerings (sin, guilt, peace, or thanksgiving), they all had to be treated with equal importance.  The countless sacrifices of different kinds with different requirements may have seemed confusing at times over the past two weeks. Isn’t it amazing that only one sacrifice, one time accomplished all of these things once for all.  Through Jesus sacrifice our relationship with God can be restored, our sins forgiven, and the consequences dealt with.  Bought with the blood of Christ we are His community, and we can give Him praise and thanksgiving in abundance.  Praise God!