Read Leviticus 6:8–7:21
Questions from the Scripture text: How does Leviticus 6:8 begin the section? What is he to do to Aaron (Leviticus 6:9)? And to whom else? What was he about to give them? How long was the ascension to be where? What was to be kept going? What must the priest wear (Leviticus 6:10, cf. Exodus 28:39–43)? What was he to take up? And put them where? What does he then change (Leviticus 6:11)? To do what? What was still to be kept going (Leviticus 6:12-13)? How? Who was to offer the Tribute, where, before Whom (Leviticus 6:14)? What procedure is repeated (Leviticus 6:15-16, cf. Leviticus 2:2–3)? What can’t the tribute be baked with (Leviticus 6:17)? To whom has God given it? Whose is it originally? Why can only the priests eat it? Like what else? Who from the priestly family can eat it (Leviticus 6:18)? For how many of their generations as priest? What stipulation does verse 18 end with? How does Leviticus 6:19 begin a new subsection? Concerning whom (Leviticus 6:20)? What is the high priest to offer to Whom? Starting when? How much? How often? Split into what portions? How is it to be prepared (Leviticus 6:21)? Which priest (Leviticus 6:22)? How much is to be burned? How does Leviticus 6:23 emphasize this? How does Leviticus 6:24 introduce a new subsection? Concerning whom (Leviticus 6:25)? What does this law govern? What is killed where, and takes on most-holiness? Who shall eat it (Leviticus 6:26)? Where? Why (Leviticus 6:27)? What might happen, and then what must happen? How is it to be prepared, then with what clean-up (Leviticus 6:28)? Who, only, may eat it (Leviticus 6:29)? Why? Which sin offerings cannot be eaten (Leviticus 6:30)? What subclass of sin offering does Leviticus 7:1 begin treating? What procedure does Leviticus 7:2-5 repeat? Who, only, may eat it (Leviticus 7:6)? Why? Of what is it a subclass (Leviticus 7:7)? Governed by what law? What alone can a priest have from the ascension (Leviticus 7:8)? What may he have of the tribute (Leviticus 7:9)? But what is the difference in dividing it (Leviticus 7:10, cf. Leviticus 7:7)? What does the law in Leviticus 7:11 govern? What are the circumstances under which it may be offered (Leviticus 7:12, Leviticus 7:16)? If it’s thanksgiving, what must be offered with it (Leviticus 7:12)? Including what sort of bread (Leviticus 7:13)? How shall it be brought near to YHWH (Leviticus 7:14)? So that it will then belong to Whom? When must it be eaten (Leviticus 7:15)? What is the difference if it is peace with a vow instead of peace from thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:16-17)? What happens if this is not followed (Leviticus 7:18)? What cannot be done with unclean flesh (Leviticus 7:19)? But what if the clean food is eaten by an unclean person (Leviticus 7:20-21)?
What does YHWH especially reserve for His priests? Leviticus 6:8–7:21 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these forty-four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that YHWH reserves for His priests that which is made most holy.
We can see the bookends of this unit of the instruction because in Leviticus 6:8-9, YHWH now begins giving Moses instructions for “Aaron and his sons.” In Leviticus 7:22–23, he will get back to instructions for “the children of Israel.” So, that marks off our section as Leviticus 6:8–7:21. As YHWH gives Moses laws (instruction) for the priests, He gives them an important duty, but primarily emphasizes their special provision.
Priestly Duty: keep a channel open. The fire by which that which is to ascend goes up must burn always. YHWH “keeps a channel open” to Himself from His people. The Ascension (“burnt offering”) itself goes up all night (Leviticus 6:9), and the priest wears holy garments to tend to the altar (Leviticus 6:10), before changing again to carry the ashes outside the camp (Leviticus 6:11). New wood is then prepared, the Ascension (and fat from the other offerings) are presented upon it all day (Leviticus 6:12), and then the procedure is repeated. Leviticus 6:13 summarizes the point of the section: “a fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out."
They are also to offer half an ephah of flour in the morning and half in the evening that is wholly burned and belongs entirely to YHWH (Leviticus 6:19-23). It is different from the Tribute, which is addressed in Leviticus 6:14-18. It seems to imply a portion for YHWH, perhaps indicating a fellowship like in the Peace.
Priestly Provision. No one may eat of the Ascension, though the priest may have the skin (cf. Leviticus 7:8). The males among Aaron’s sons may eat the remainder of the Tribute, in a holy place. It is a holy of holies (Leviticus 6:17). The priest who offers the Sin (or Trespass) is given the meat, to boil and eat in the court of the tabernacle (Leviticus 6:26), because it is also a holy of holies (Leviticus 6:25). If the garment gets blood on it, it has to be washed, and the pot either broken for recycling or scoured clean (Leviticus 6:28). The only exception is if the priest himself had been polluted by sin, in which cases the blood was taken into the tabernacle (cf. Leviticus 4:3–21), and he is disqualified from eating it (Leviticus 6:30).
We learn now that the Peace had an attendant offering of cakes and leavened bread (Leviticus 7:12–13) to be enjoyed by the worshiper with his portion of the meat. This offering was called a Contribution (“heave offering” in NKJ), and one of the cakes would belong to the priest (Leviticus 7:14). If it is a Peace of thanksgiving, the worshiper must eat in the same day, and if it is a Peace of a vow or free-will they may eat on the second day.
After that, trying to eat from it makes it an abomination (a foul thing, Leviticus 7:18). This leads into several warnings and censures against anyone who eats meat that has been defiled (Leviticus 7:19) or eats holy meat while he himself is defiled (Leviticus 7:20-21). The latter is to be cut off from his people YHWH’s special provision must be eaten only in YHWH’s way.
So, in His instructions to the priests, the Lord shows how He has provided for them to be the servants who keep the way open and bring the Lord’s people to Him. And, the Lord shows how He has made special provision for these men of special calling.
Who keeps the way open for you now? What is the Lord giving Him? Who are His family now? Whom else does the Lord use to help you come to Him? How does He provide for them?
Sample prayer: Father, we thank You for giving us Your Son to be our Great High Priest. Grant that He may have His full portion: a new heaven and new earth that are filled with a multitude of the redeemed. We ask it in His Name, even Jesus Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP23 “The LORD’s My Shepherd” or TPH274 “Jesus, My Great High Priest”
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