“Bring it (the animal) to the entrance of the Tabernacle so you may be accepted by the Lord…
and the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him.”
Leviticus 1:3-4
Reading Leviticus reminds me of the words from my country’s Pledge of Allegiance. However, instead of promising liberty and justice for all, God offers relationship for all. Even though God pursued man from the beginning, not until the Tabernacle was finished, did He finally have a place in which to dwell. Relationship between God and man changed forever the day God came to live with HIS people in the House they built for Him.
From the perspective of relationship, the Leviticus rules take on new meaning. Each instruction can seem tedious unless I remember that the God who wants relationship is holy, and man is not! The purpose of these meticulous rules was to purify man so he could be accepted by the Lord…in other words, accepted into relationship!
The procedures for the Burnt Offering prove that God wanted relationship to be available to ALL. If someone was too poor to own animals for sacrifice, they could offer a bird instead. The animal or bird simply had to come from THEIR own herd or flock. The gift they presented took THEIR place and paid for THEIR access to relationship with God.
From the sacrifices in the Tabernacle to His final sacrifice on the Tree, God continually pledges to man…relationship for ALL.
With hand on my grateful heart, I accept His loving offer!
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