Leviticus 7 – 9

Verse 7:1 opens with the guilt offering instructions:

Here are the instructions for the ritual of the guilt offering; it is most sacred. 

As I read the instructions to each of these offerings, it does not seem as clean as just cutting a lamb’s throat.  After draining the blood, splattering it around and then dealing with the fat and organs, it must be horribly bloody.  This is especially the case when it is done for the people and each of their offerings. My sister took some pictures of sacrificial offerings somewhere in the Middle East, it was very bloody.

Verse 7:19 in the middle of this gives a very important instruction:

Do not eat meat that comes in contact with any impure thing. Burn it up completely. As for any remaining meat that is pure, people who are ritually clean may eat it.

Today we assume the power of antibacterial soaps and refrigeration will keep us safe but food borne illness is still a common cause of death today. The Israelites figured out cleanliness and ensuring their food was as safe as it could be. You look at their dietary and cleanliness laws and you see why the nation was often targeted. Ironic that instead of adopting their diet, hygiene or farming (like in modern day Israel) the enemy will attack to destroy the nation. If Europe had learned from Israel in the Middle Ages the Black Plague would not have been as bad.

Verse 8:12 has Moses anointing Aaron and his sons:

Moses poured some of the oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to set him apart as head of the priestly order.

Anointing with oil is something I still do not understand much. I have been anointed a few times, had oils spread around the home and other places yet I don’t understand why it’s done. Well I do see God asks us to do it and that should be good enough, but I wonder why a special blend of oil. Do most who anoint these days ensure they get that blend or do they just use vegetable oil? I understand the meaning of being set aside for God, just don’t understand why it is oil.

Verse 9:23 is something I pray for often:

Moses and Aaron entered the congregation tent. When they returned, they blessed the people, and the Eternal One’s glory appeared to all the people.

How much easier explaining God would be if He appeared to the people. We could easily point to God and say “see He is real”. As we see over and over again, when God does this it helps that generation, but is quickly lost in future generations. God needed to bring us the Holy Spirit with Jesus in order for us to understand personally. Unfortunately it is not a definitive light in the sky, but it gives each and every one who receives Jesus an understanding of God. So pray for God to reveal himself, but don’t expect it to happen in a grand display, but rather a subtitle display.