Approaching God

Introduction

The trouble with rituals is that they become so ritualistic. We typically go through the motions and then the event loses its significance. This happens with our assemblies. It is possible to go through the events ritualistically and then the event loses its significance. Words to songs mean little because they are songs we have sung before. Sermons sound the same, not to mention taking the Lord’s Supper. Rituals can become ritualistic.

The more I study the Bible the more I become aware of how little I know. Studying through the first seven chapters of Leviticus has made me aware of some things in a fresh light. Having read Leviticus several times before, I had never really paid attention to the sacrifices. In the first seven chapters there are five different sacrifices mentioned and discussed: the Burnt Offering, Grain Offering, Peace Offering, Sin Offering, and Guilt Offering. Special care is taken to give the ritual by which each is to be offered. One requires the whole animal; some require only parts of the animal; three of the offerings require them to be eaten by someone; the grain offering only a handful is sacrificed and the rest is given to the priest.

Explaining Offerings

All of these sacrifices were necessary for relationship with God. Each one had a different purpose. The Burnt Offering was to reveal one’s dedication to God. It carried the idea of continual worship. The Grain Offering acknowledged the provision of God. It demonstrated that everything we have belongs to God. A handful is burned up and the rest is given to the priest.

The Peace Offering was an expression of the offerer’s deepest emotions which resulted in praise and thanksgiving. It symbolized being at peace with God. It was a communal meal. Part of the animal was burned up, part of the animal was given to the priest, and the rest was eaten by the offerer and his family. The Sin Offering was a sacrifice for unintentional sins, neglect or thoughtlessness. It covered a variety of sins and the elements used in the sacrifice differed according to wealth and status. Part of the sacrifice was given to the priest.

The Guilt Offering was for restitution when sins were against God or others. A ram was offered to God with part of the ram eaten by the priest and then the offerer made a money payment to the injured party for the full value of the item damaged or land harmed plus 20%.

Rituals are easy to read ritualistically. And we know the time came when the Israelites treated them as ritualistically as we do when we read about them. But can you imagine the significance and impact that these sacrifices must have had initially? Can’t you see Aaron and his sons offering these sacrifices with great decorum and pomp? Can’t you see the offerer sacrificing the animal with great care and emotion?

Here is what I never noticed before. At the outset I don’t want to leave the impression that what I am getting ready to say needs to be normative for us, but it is interesting and convicting to notice something about these sacrifices. Pay attention to the order of the sacrifices. Start with the Burnt Offering. It was offered first thing every morning and last thing every night. It was designed to forgive sins—general sins, everyday sins. You didn’t start the day without asking God to forgive you. You didn’t bring any other sacrifice before forgiveness was asked for and received. Then on top of that the fire for the Burnt Offering was never extinguished. According to Leviticus 6:9, 12, 13 the dedication fires were to never go out. Why? To demonstrate the continual worship and dedication of the people. Worship to God began with confession of sins and a claiming of forgiveness. There was no praise without forgiveness and there was no forgiveness without confession.

Does that make sense to you? God in his infinite wisdom wanted his people to be near to him. He wanted them to approach him, but in order for such an approach there had to be confession and forgiveness. Isn’t that the reality of our Savior’s sacrifice on the cross? In order for us to be near to God without all the sacrifices, God’s ultimate sacrifice had to be given—Jesus. And without Jesus there could be no praise. I have asked Michael to lead us in a set of confessional songs and then to move into a set of songs dealing with Christ’s sacrifice. We will then share in the Lord’s Supper together. We will approach our God recognizing our sin and asking for and receiving forgiveness, then there will be praise.

The Other Sacrifices in Order

After the Burnt Offering came the Grain Offering. After forgiveness and a promise of dedication came the giving. The grain offering was an acknowledgment that all things came from God. The worshiper came to God with an offering signifying God’s provision. Don’t we do that with our collection? Sure, it is a way of saying what we have belongs to God. But such an offering came after the sacrifice of forgiveness and dedication.

Then came the Peace Offering. This was an optional sacrifice. In other words, it wasn’t required daily. But those who came did so because of their great love for God. The offering signified the peace that the worshiper felt that he had with God. It was an expression of the worshiper’s fulfillment, completeness and wholeness. It was shared not only with God and the priest but was eaten in its entirety by the worshiper and his family. It was a communal meal—a meal eaten near the place of sacrifice in the presence of God testifying to the nearness of God and the sense of peace that the worshiper had with God.

Then the sin offering, most often seen on the Day of Atonement but occurring at any time, was a sacrifice of forgiveness for unintentional sins and sins of contamination. It was a purification sacrifice and was in addition to the Burnt Offering. Then the Guilt Offering was given when some violation of ownership rights had taken place. It was a sacrifice of forgiveness with restitution to the offended party.

What are the lessons? First, dedication fires are to never go out. While the other sacrifices occurred, they were used only when necessary. But the sacrifice of dedication, the Burnt Offering was every day without fail. The fires which burned the sacrifice were never to go out. Special care was to be taken that the fires of dedication were never extinguished. Are you dedicating yourself to God every day? Are the fires of dedication still burning in your life? The problem with rituals is that they become ritualistic. You know there were days when the priest didn’t feel very dedicated. There were days that the sacrifice seemed routine. But God had this Burnt Offering for a reason—the dedication and forgiveness of his people was to be continual.

Second, there is praise and rejoicing when there is peace with God. Jesus came to bring peace to God’s children. God wants you to have peace—not an ending to difficulties, but a sense of knowing that your relationship with God is secure and sure. Do you have that sense? Is there a tension between you and God? That tension is dealt with through Jesus. The Peace Offering was a communal meal. This offering took place when the worshiper was sure of his relationship with God. Are you sure about your relationship with God?

Jesus came to secure that relationship for you. Have you given your life to him? No longer do we have to maintain five different sacrifices, but the purpose of those sacrifices is still real. While they find their fulfillment in Jesus, it is really the heart of the worshiper which is reflected in the offerings. Is your heart set on being near to God?

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