LESSON NINE - EMPOWERED FOR A DESTINY

Discuss questions from assignment:

Introduction: 
Leviticus: “relating to the Levites,” concerns primarily the service of worship at the tabernacle, which was conducted by the priests. Included are the laws and regulations for worship, instructions on ceremonial cleanliness, moral laws, holy days, Sabbatical Year and Year of Jubilee.
 
Main concept: the holiness of God in relationship with us. Spiritual holiness is symbolised throughout by physical perfection of both the animals to be sacrificed, and the priests. 

Sacrifices are not something that we have, that we decide to offer to God, but rather something specified by God. Therefore they are infused with meaning through the Lord's covenant relationship with Israel. They include the idea of a gift presented to God, but also dedication, consecration, communion and restitution. 
Worship and atonement are at the heart of sacrifice. 
(See Eerdman's Handbook if the Bible p. 174- 175, or a Study Bible for types of offerings.)

Leviticus is filled with pictures of humanity being reconciled to God: 

A.	A manual for sacrifice (Lev. 1:3-7:38) - Five types of offerings with different meanings
•	Some were brought as gifts - act of adoration, thanksgiving, devotion, worship (Burnt offerings, Cereal Offerings)
•	Some centered on communion (Peace Offering): The worshipper entered into the shared fellowship of a meal with God. Focus is on a renewed, strengthened relationship.
•	Others were means of confessing sin, presenting what God required for atonement, receiving forgiveness (Sin Offering, for sins one was unaware of, and Guilt Offerings, for sin of which one was both aware and unaware). 
Not a means for people to deal with their own sin, but a public confession and turning to God.

1.	Sacrifice was not instituted by God, but was practiced by surrounding cultures and adopted by God because it was a familiar custom, and infused with new meaning. The significance is not merely in the sacrifice, but to whom the sacrifice was made. 
At the heart of all sacrifice is an innate need to recognise the power and reality of gods. In Israel that need is properly directed - God accepts and gives direction for sacrifice so that it will be only according to His will (not to appease or manipulate the gods).

2.	Sacrifice is no longer practiced by Jews or Christians:
•	Jews, because the temple was destroyed. God’s command was to sacrifice only in the tabernacle or temple. It is disputed among them what they would do were another temple erected.
•	Christians recognizes that the purpose of sacrifice in scripture was fulfilled in the death of Jesus. The O.T. sacrifices are a testimony pointing ahead to the work done for us in Jesus.

B.	Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) - "at-one-ment" – to atone is to cover sin, also the sense of ransom, paying a price. "You are not your own you were bought with a price" (1 Cor. 6:20). God gives us a vivid picture image of this reality in Hosea, as Hosea buys back his unfaithful, prostitute wife, Gomer. There is also an aspect of breaking down the walls between us and God.
     
1.	Our need for atonement is brought about by three things: 
a.	The universality of sin: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:10); "There is none that does good, no, not one" (Rom. 3:23, Ps 14:2-3). Not one of us can claim that we have not gone our own way rather than following God's way. Even when we desire to do His will we often find that we can’t do it (Rom. 7:18-25).
b.	The seriousness of sin: Sin separates us from God (Isa. 59:2, Prov. 15:29, Ps. 66:18). No sinner can come into the presence of God. We are spiritually dead: Rom. 5:10 calls us enemies of God. Hab. 1:13 says God cannot even look at us because of our sin.
c.	Our inability to deal with sin: We can't hide or erase our sin although we try. Moses warns Israel: "Behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and your sin will find you out" (Num 32:23). We can't cleanse ourselves - good deeds, and obedience to the law cannot do it. If we need to depend on ourselves we'll never be saved. Scripture says, “Our righteousness is as filthy rags” (Is. 64:6, Phil 3:3-9).

2.	Meaning of the Day of Atonement: God's gracious arrangement by which our relationship with Him was renewed and maintained 
a.	The focus: it is the most important of all the holy ordinances in Leviticus, so important that in later Jewish tradition it was just called "The Day." An entire book of the Mishnah was devoted to it. Atonement for all the sins of all the people was made. It stands apart from all other private or public commands re: the worship of Israel.
b.	It was the only day of the year for which fasting was required (16:29): "You shall afflict yourselves," humble yourselves. Arrogance, self-sufficiency, self-will characterized Israel from the beginning - a "stiff-necked people." Fasting was an outward sign of repentance and sorrow, not just going without food, but mourning, confession of sin, self- chastening (read Is. 58:1-8, Amos 5:21-24)
c.	Atonement is accomplished in two parts - no single act could fully typify Christ's sacrifice.
•	The sacrifice: God says of the atoning blood, "I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls." (Lev.17:11). Atonement is not secured because of any value inherent in the animal sacrificed, but because God appointed sacrifice as a means by which sins are forgiven. He said He would accept the life (blood) of an animal in exchange for our life (Life is in the blood) The sacrifices offered point to certain truths that help us to better understand Christ's sacrifice.
o	Unblemished - necessary for the sacrifice for us to be perfect, pure. Even priests had to be without physical flaw. First step in atonement was for the priest to make sacrifice for himself (Lev.1:10; Mal. 1:6-9). 
o	Costly - atonement is not cheap, sin is not to be taken lightly (2 Sam. 24:21-25).
o	Death of the animal - "The wages of sin is death." God graciously permitted the death of an animal to substitute for the death of the sinner. "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Heb. 9:22).
o	Unique – the sacredness of blood seen in the fact that it was taken into the Holiest Place (Heb. 9:11-14). That life is in the blood has been known from the beginning: Abel's offering of a lamb (shed blood) was acceptable to God (Gen 4:4); in Gen. 9:4 eating meat with blood in it is prohibited.  
Ex.: My friend was haemorrhaging - could feel life draining away as his blood drained away. 

Whenever "atonement" is used, it means paying a price, a ransom. Blood is a price sufficient to pay off a debt of sin to God. It is sacred. Therefore even in cases where animals were not intended for sacrifice, if blood was shed it had to be treated reverently, poured on the ground and covered. 

Summary of atonement: two goats were needed; one for the sin offering, killed and its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat in Holiest Place, its body burned outside the camp (Jesus - Heb13:11-13). This was the payment required. The second goat was sent away alive bearing sins away. Together it symbolized the removal of sin and its guilt.

What a powerful image for us when we are having difficulty accepting forgiveness, or feeling forgiven. Sin was not actually removed by sacrifices, but they served as a reminder of sin yearly, and pointed to the coming of Christ. Sins were "covered" in faith until His coming (Heb 10:1-18). 

C.	New Testament Atonement
The Day of Atonement becomes the primary way of interpreting the work of Jesus through His death. Christ fulfills what was prepared by God as a means for atonement. The cross is absolutely central to the NT - everything in the OT leads up to it (Promise to Adam – will crush Satan’s head, his heel will be bruised; Noah saved through God’s judgement of world; requirement of the Law, and provision of sacrifices.

Preparation for understanding Jesus’ sacrifice in the OT (expressed throughout Hebrews): 
•	As High Priest, Christ enters the Holy of Holies, the heavenly sanctuary and offers His own life; through the shedding of His blood he thereby makes payment for sin (Heb. 9:11-15, 20-28).
•	He substitutes himself for us, the just for the unjust, once for all. His death counts as ours (Rom 3:24-26, 5:9)
•	The temple veil separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the tabernacle was torn from top to bottom (God’s initiative, removing what had kept us from entering his presence). We can now enter the Holy of Holies too, no longer forbidden to enter God’s Presence (Heb 10:19-22).
•	The shed blood of Jesus is the guarantee that we are now forgiven, if we accept it in place of our own life. His life was given to pay for our sin, a substitute for our guilt-stained life (Heb 9:27-28)

AS WE ARE FORGIVEN WE BEGIN TO BE ABLE TO LOOK PAST OUR OWN NEEDS AND BEGIN TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS: "BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING"
Hebrews 13: 1-3; 20-21