Leviticus Overview Part 1 - “Blood” to See God’s Smiling Face

 

Those who know the Lord are blessed. They will definitely be successful tomorrow. Only those that God blesses now will they be blessed tomorrow. So how do we know that we are beloved and blessed now at the present moment? We know when we love Him and when we submit to Him. The more we love Him, the more assurance we have that we are in the guidance and conviction of the Lord. In today’s training, we must discover His love in our days right now. We must receive understanding of how to know that we are in His love and thus have joy that is with root and reason.

 

The plan of God is only to build His kingdom, and through Jesus Christ, to gather His people. In other words, God’s purpose is always in 3 words - Kingdom, King and People. Because Adam fell, all people died. In this chaotic world, God is searching for people who can accord to the purpose of kingdom, king and people, to get people so that the full appointed number could be satisfied. What do I exist in this era and society for in 70-80 years? I have come to earth to know Jesus Christ. My spirit has come to know God so that I can converse with Him. Through conversation, I can see and hear His perfect plan, and have our mouths and hearts in sync in praising God. We receive crown for our lifetime. Then one day, we will leave the world. This is the purpose God has for us on earth, so that He slowly entrusts and has confidence to commission us. There is no condition in us so that He chose us for this. God gave us our conditions, and gave us the background of having a small family, a small church to start with. In such a scenario, He has a plan to raise us up. Israel was small at first, but God raised her up in the midst of all nations. This is what God wants to do. Let us restore this vision.

 

The bible overview will bring us to know God, ourselves and all of His perfect will. We must know all of this clearly and not in parts. Our life of belief has three big ingredients - of reason, spiritual and emotional. The belief of reason is where we get to know God through words and the mouth. Through the belief of spiritual, we would have understood logically through words and the mouth about knowing God, and then we can then have faith. Evidences then come and our days become that which God loves. Finally, through the belief that of emotional, we love God. We must have our belief started correctly from hearing the word of God through reason, then to faith in spiritual, else we will not be able to experience God through emotions. God will raise those who have the heart to be equipped. Equipping and training is where God provides the word of God and accompanies it with problems in our life. Through fighting, battling and struggling, we can then know God’s word deeper so that we will not be shaken easily. Do not fear because God will give appropriate problems to clear our misunderstandings of our belief.

 

Recap for understanding Leviticus

 

Genesis

 

Genesis 3 shows us the principle of living. If we are not living in God, the only solution possible is 3:15, 21, which is the seed of woman, or garments of skin. Through this Genesis 3:15, 21, there are 2 clans that are born, those giving the sacrifice of blood (God’s people), and those giving sacrifice without blood (Gentiles, Gen 4:1-11). The ones that know blood humble their lives to die, submit and follow. Within the depraved and fallen background that fails totally and going towards death, God found Abraham. God gave him promises, and tells him to restore the sacrifice that sheds blood. This promise is the four big gospelizations - individual, family, regional and the era. This is fulfilled also in Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, who actually conquered the world. Genesis is not about having solved the fundamental problem only at the fourth generation of Joseph. In Abraham’s life, the promise is fulfilled totally when we see in the later part of his life. (King Abimelech asked Abraham for peace. When Abraham wanted to buy a portion of the land that was at the very center of their livelihood, the Hittites replied him that they preferred to give him the land, “What is that between me and you? Bury your dead.” (Gen 23:1-20) Abraham was treated like a prince among them where the inhabitants refused his money repeatedly.) Therefore, we must receive the blessings of four gospelizations now.

 

Exodus

 

In 70 years, Israel grew in numbers to 3 million. Exodus is about Israel being delivered out of Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, setting up the tabernacle, walking in the wilderness and conquering Canaan. Exodus is the Old Testament’s systematic theology about the doctrine of regeneration of believers, victory, how to converse with God (not demons), how to walk with God (not only at Passover, the fifteen of the first month), and how to conquer. If we have the heart to prepare message for 10 hours like the pastor, we can surely speak like this. Equip in such a way.

 

The purpose of Exodus is for Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

 

Leviticus

 

This book is about how to walk with God, establishing the tabernacle, how to walk with God so that God drives us to meet and talk with people around.

 

Numbers

 

Numbers is about Israel in the wilderness. It shows us why some people are in failures, and when success will happen. It also tells us how to be sanctified, not to complain, but to get up. It is then that the new generation will be raised up with the same promise that Abraham has.

 

Deuteronomy

 

The promise is repeated again so that it can be impressed upon and circumcised in our hearts. God does not do so by the sword (by force), but the impression is done by the Lord’s word.

 

The 5 books of Moses must be wholly understood by uniting and linking. All through the 5 books, there is the sacrifice of blood being shed. Did the people of Israel have this? Some often could sacrifice, but some could not do the sacrifice of blood even for 10 years. The crux is the discerning by blood, and the doings by remembrance of blood.

 

Today’s theme is about the sacrifice of blood shed. We can see the importance of sacrifice of blood that is shed everywhere in the bible. Let us look from the first three books of the bible.

 

In Genesis 3:15, 21, blood is shed through the seed of the woman and in producing the garments made of skin. In Genesis chapter 4, there are two lives, differentiated by whether the sacrifice they made has blood shed. In Genesis chapter 6, Noah has no sin but because of blood, he is perfectly righteous. In Gen 9:1-9, when Noah came out, he immediately made the sacrifice of blood. In chapter 12, once Abraham left his family, culture and world, he immediately made the sacrifice of blood. The spiritual meaning of sacrifice of blood that is shed is about, “You have died for me (You have used Your whole life) to make this covenant. Therefore, I am also using my whole life to do likewise.” The sacrifice is not about thanking God when He gives us prosperity such a promotion in our job. The sacrifice of blood is not only thanking God when my family has grown. Giving thanks for this is one of the few positive things that God may fulfill for us. It extends to even seeing and thanking God for the problems that are given to us. With this conquering everything, whether prosperity or problem, how can we choose whether to believe that God is with us by the conditions given to us? Though we may have gone through some physical pain at some point in time, if we have peace in Jesus Christ, we can win over every pain in the flesh. If there is no shedding of blood, anything can move our faith. If there is blood in our sacrifice, we can then by the whole of our mind and heart, and with one mind and heart, believe in God. In Chapter 15, God revealed what will happen in future for down to the 4^th generation and for 400 years to his descendants after Abram brought the sacrifices out. God made a covenant with him by passing Himself through the sacrifices, vouching by the life of God. In Chapter 17, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham and he and his whole household were circumcised with blood that was shed.

 

In Exodus, out of the 10 plaques that God did through Moses, none of them could bring Israel out from Pharaoh’s curse except the plaque that shed blood. Pharaoh’s heart must be hardened till Israel died and there was the shedding of blood.

 

In Leviticus, the whole book is about the shedding of blood. We must know the bible’s emphasis, then we can know where to walk to. Our hard work must be correct, else it will not only go down the drain, but we will go into religion. Only by having the correct effort, we can then not be affected and hurt by our environment.

 

 

(Passage reading: Lev 17:11, 19:2, 26:1-46)

 

Lev 17:11 says, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

-> Blood is life and everything is about life.

 

Heb 9:22 says, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.“

-> If there is no shedding of blood, accusations and guilt cannot leave.

 

Rev 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

-> It is written that the saints overcome the accuser Satan by blood and the testimony with blood.” Believers must have the smell of blood in their lives. But it is so sad that many churches of today have the smell of the world culture. It is evident from the timetable of a believer if we can smell the world in his life.

 

Lev 19:1-2 says, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.”

-> We must be totally holy. And it is only if we know blood can we use all our life to follow God. Then we will naturally follow God, and naturally be holy.

 

Lev 26:1-13 says that if we abide by the shedding of blood, we will surely have evidences that follow us. Do our hearts, family and job have evidences? How do we know whether there are? This can be seen in the smiling faces of our colleagues, church and family members. However, if we see the face of God changed or see the face of God set against us, 7 times worse things will follow us. If we use blood all the time to walk heart in heart with God (all the time, we see the smiling face of God), evidences will definitely come.

 

Lev 26:1-46

 

1 " 'Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God.

2 " 'Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

3 " 'If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. 5 Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

 

Evidences will appear whether be it in our hearts and minds, our family, or in terms of financial power.

 

6 " 'I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country.

 

Nightmares will always come if we do not see God. If we do not walk with God, when we pick up the phone to hear some news, we will be fearful and our hearts will drop.

 

7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. 9 " 'I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. 10 You will still be eating last year's harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.

 

The old will be cleared to make way for new things. Today we use a Toyota Vois; it shall be that one day, we shall have an Accord, and then a Mercedes Benz following.

 

11 I will put my dwelling place [a] among you, and I will not abhor you.

 

This means that God will not set His face against us.

 

12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.

 

There is no need to be afraid! Nothing holds us and we just walk uprightly.

 

However, if we continue to be in submission, even if we know this...

 

14 " 'But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, 15 and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant,

 

Many Christians despise God’s decrees and laws.

 

16 then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.

 

Immediately upon disobeying!

 

17 I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.

 

When God sets His face against us, it is really a great suffering.

 

18 " 'If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.

 

If you do not repent, you will get “disease” in your heart - being negative always. If you still do not repent, you will work hard and suffer. If you still do not obey, you will sin 7 times over...

 

19 I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. 20 Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit.

 

Everything will be in vain.

 

21 " 'If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve.

 

If you still do not listen, and you totally do not care but hate God! Then...

 

22 I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.

 

23 " 'If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me,

 

If you still do not obey even when everything is not in the right place, and even Gentiles set 7 times more strength against you..

 

24 I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over. 25 And I will bring the sword upon you to avenge the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands. 26 When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied. 27 " 'If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me,

 

God’s anger was aroused...

 

28 then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. 29 You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. 30 I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you. 31 I will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings. 32 I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. 33 I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. 34 Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. 35 All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it. 36 " 'As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them. 37 They will stumble over one another as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies. 38 You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you. 39 Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their fathers' sins they will waste away.

 

40 " 'But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers—their treachery against me and their hostility toward me,

 

Yet, if you confess and repent:

 

41 which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, 42 I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.

 

God will restore! God’s discipline is slow, so that one will know little by little, step by step. However, if he is not humbled down, and even when God gives grace in the midst but yet he still does not repent, discipline will continue until God takes him home. This is why Israel had been destroyed leaving only Judah. In Hebrews 11-12, the ancients of faith all received discipline.

 

43 For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. 44 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the LORD their God. 45 But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD.' " 46 These are the decrees, the laws and the regulations that the LORD established on Mount Sinai between himself and the Israelites through Moses.

 

In the history of mankind, there are always rewards and discipline. What we must do is to take the disciplines of history and learn so that we walk gathering rewards.

 

 

1. How to meet God and converse with Him? [Life] Chapters 1-17

 

How do we meet God in the tabernacle and speak to Him?

 

1) To meet God through the 5 offerings (Chapter 1-7)

 

(Setting apart between worshipping demons and worshipping God)

 

To meet God through the 5 offerings means whether our prayers has the shedding of blood, which is Jesus Christ.

 

Burnt Offering = Offering of fire -- Living Sacrifice, Self Offering

 

Burnt offering is about burning everything with fire. It is about believing that all the life is given up and surrendered. Romans 12:1-2 talks parallel about this - living sacrifice, offering oneself for the service of the Lord, to Him, the dominion of my life. Understanding this, you will already realize that if “I live by my own will and decisions, I will suffer” and “I must follow Him in all things or I will be unlucky in all things.” If we have really met God, we will surely have such an expression of life. Sometimes, Christians say that they cannot give everything to God. Yes, it is possible that there may be some things that hold us back. However, during worship or when facing God in prayers, you heart must be totally willing to be burnt before God though you may be weak later. Some Christians immediately fall after worshipping, and they sin. This is because their thoughts fly around uncontrollably thinking about many things during prayers. Therefore, they fall immediately after prayers.

 

Grain Offering = Offering of grain = fine flour, oil, incense, salt, first fruits -- thanksgiving, serving

This offering is the only one without the shedding of blood. However, we must know that this offering is not the offering of Cain. In all Leviticus, grain offering must be done with any of the offerings of blood. For example, because of the blood that Jesus has shed, there is thanksgiving in the content of the oil symbolizing the Holy Spirit, the incense symbolizing the word, and the salt symbolizing fruits that come forth. Therefore, grain offering is a thanksgiving offering, but one that is with the meaning of the shedding of blood. Therefore, problems will not take away thanksgiving! When the family gives to God, God totally restores the family. Believers do not live in sorrows by thinking about their conditions, but they continue to come to meetings despite everything.

Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving is from God. And, because of the reason of the shedding of blood, there is thanksgiving.

 

Submission to ministry

 

When we lead small groups, we will not stop meetings when there are few people coming, but the leader will know how to set aside his time to serve when he understands grain offering.

 

Fellowship Offering = Sacrifice, Bread - Fellowship with God and man

 

Peace offering is about the sacrifice that we have to give in so that we will be reconciled with God.

 

Sin Offering = Repentance, Cleansing, Submission

 

If we cannot put our trust in Him, we will experience diseases right down to our flesh. Our spirit, soul and body will be in pain. It may happen that the neck and the body begin to ache. For me, when I am not reconciled with God, I wait upon the Lord, and then I go for a jog. In areas where there are sorrows because of not loving God enough or areas where I am not able to give to God, receive freedom. Do you experience this? We are so honoured, therefore, do not stay at not having peace. “Lord, You know this is not a coincidence. There is definitely an area of renewal that You have for me now. Why have You given me such a process?” Pray like this in detail. “Lord, since Caleb believed in You and He can chase after 10,000 people, why not me? Surely there is some sin or no submission within me?”

 

God is very willing to show Himself to us!

 

We have 2 new believers who have curses forgone from their lives. The work of sin and the result of sin are gone and when they believe, their fate is changed. Therefore, how blessed are those who have been counted out from the result of sin! In the past, one of them went from being sleepless to the extent of sleeping non-stop. The other one’s father is a gambler. Those who are released from the clutches of curse are so blessed so that such problems stopped and have a turn. Imagine those who have curses non-stop, and problems came one after another: mental problems, cancer, diseases continue to pass down. There are no more curses to the believers, but accidents, suicides come when they sin or continue to live in their weaknesses. God allows such incidents to appear more and more seriously.

 

However, when one repents, cleanses and submits to the Lord, “Lord, if You want to use me this way, let it be so!” This is natural when there is no more sin stuck on him. Israel did not understand this, and so they fell in the wilderness and became ceremonial in their worship to the true and living God. Repentance is a turn towards God. When we turn to God, we are clean so that we are rid of any strife with God. When this happens, good things, such as a good career, will surely follow us. There is no need to find, think and plan for our career, but when we are clean, not only career will come and find us, a wonderful family has found us .

 

Guilt Offering = Repentance, Cleansing, Compensate (1 + 20%)

 

God is wise at establishing the guilt offering. If one does not do the guilt offering with compensation, there will be a channel where there is a leak to the effect of offering. This means that if there is no fine of a fifth, your sin is not paid using your whole life of repentance. God says, “You say you repent. Okay, let me see the evidence!” This happens spiritually.

 

(1) Precious Blood (Death and Resurrection) God’s Wisdom

 

The Sacrifice of the blood (Worship, Prayer) = pre-figured Jesus Christ = Died and Resurrected = sacrifice self and submit (life, purpose, content, method)

 

No matter how wise the world is, it is not going to abandon our belief of, “Believe and you will receive everything.” Only blessed people can accept this. God is so wise to shame all such pride.

 

<Worship> If you dwell into spiritual things and find yourself tiring or sleepy, you must restore “precious blood”. Do not hurt yourself just because the message is a little bit longer.

 

<Prayer> Prayers that are ritualistic, where you ask and wait repeatedly, are religious prayers. If you are not in a state of expectation of what God can do for you, restore “precious blood”. Then you will like to pray, and like to confirm, test and approve, and submit. By this, we will be able to pray, “Lord, use me in this company to shine!”

 

-> To restore the love and righteousness of God, be sure of oneself, have mercy and bless others

 

Those who restore “blood” will receive love, righteousness, and will be sure of themselves, have mercy and be able to bless others.

 

-> To restore the life and living that is spiritual, cleansed, liberated, authoritative

 

When we restore “blood”, our motives and flesh can then die and we will restore God’s word. Being spiritual does not mean to speak a lot of words with faith, but one that is spiritual will be concerned of life. Naturally, they will therefore love a clean and free life (not receiving accusations), and a life with authority.

 

* To confirm: Do I restore a new self after worship and prayer each time?

 

Sometimes, we may have no faith. However, when we tell God, “I cannot accomplish this. You do it instead”, immediately, anointing comes. Many times, there are no secrets to such an anointing. Those who know blood will not remain in anguish because they are not stubborn to God. Immediately, they are willing to search for their role in their family and seek for God’s will in that. If you are hurt because you feel that the pastor looks down on you, just stand before God! The smell of blood can be sensed from some believers. Sometimes when the pastor speaks wrongly, even if such believers misunderstand, they will not be hurt. Such believers are really blessed.

 

We receive the word and life together in discipleship training. Only the precious blood can bring forth life, and power brings forth power of speech and fruits (joy and loving men).

 

(2) Depth of Conversing: Courtyard -> Holy Place -> Most Holy Place

 

The depth of communicating with God: Courtyard -> Holy Place -> Most Holy Place -> Ark of Covenant (The Mercy Seat = The Atonement Cover)

 

When you pray or ask, the depths in terms of the reliance, looking up to and faith on the “Name of Jesus Christ” is all different.

 

Ark of Covenant

 

Those who really enter the “place of atonement” will surely receive the “place of grace”. If you confess by fear, you will not receive freedom, but this is about confession due to loving the Lord. Shall we confess just because ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication - a prayer guide accepted by many) says so? Yes, we must repent, however, we must do so in love. We must go into the depth of the problem or issue and repent that. The accomplishments of the precious blood of Jesus Christ are expounded in <Heb 8,9,10>, therefore, we shall not repent as if the precious blood has not been in effect at all.

 

(3) Sequence

 

The Sequence of communicating with God: Atonement (Sin offering, Guilt offering) -> Set Apart (Burnt offering, Grain offering) -> Communication (fellowship offering)

(i) Atonement (Sin offering, Guilt offering)

 

Our prayers are not successful because of sin offering and the guilt offering. Our problem is that we do not know how to let go of ourselves. Therefore, our hearts are strangely heavy, and we do not want to listen to His word. What God wants us to let go off at that particular time, we cannot get it.

 

(ii) Offering Our Bodies (Burnt Offering, Grain Offering: Thanksgiving)

 

If sin is still around, how can we offer our bodies? Even Satan will know that our heart has not connected to God if sin is still lying around in our lives.

 

(iii) Converse (Peace Offerings)

 

Leviticus says, “If anyone is willing to...”. Therefore, peace offering is voluntary.

 

* Duty-Bound Offering: Sin offering, Guilt offering

 

Voluntary Offering: Burnt offering, Grain offering, Fellowship offering

 

However, what is duty-bound is the offering to be done on the tenth day of the seventh month. If we cannot offer our bodies or have peace with God, sin offering and guilt offering are definitely duty-bound offerings. (2) Burnt Offerings, Grain Offerings, and (3) Peace Offerings are done naturally because our hearts are touched with the grace of God. Even if you say you have the heart to do (2) and (3), the angels and you yourself know that your heart has not opened yet. This is the reason why Evangelism Doors are not opened. If we do not use sin and guilt offerings, God will set His face against us. With time, our offerings of prayer will become ritualistic. However, if we let go of the things the Lord tells us to let go of, then for (2), it is easy and is immediate and natural to say, “Lord, You know.”

 

-> Such a sacrifice is then a pleasing aroma to the Lord!

 

When the offering bag is passed around on Sunday Worship, prepare and offer up your prayer topics into the bag. If you pray and sin is still at your doorstep, even if it is 2 to 3 am already, we must solve it. At the altar or pulpit, we must get rid of the anxious heart and have a clean and bright heart. Our hearts must be touched with the grace of God before the altar message. We must be more earnest and serious about this matter. Sometimes, it is after 30 minutes that we wake up, but if we do the offering with blood, we will be able to see the Lord. If we continue to do worship without blood, our state will worsen and we will fall in the wilderness. Do not look at the pastor or anyone, but to God for blessings. I bless you to acquire (1) His mercy, (2) offer your bodies, and (3) do peace offerings every day.

 

 

2) To meet God through “The High Priest” (Chapters 8-10)

 

(1) The Mediator = Jesus Christ = Totally Holy => Anointing then comes => Intercession for others, Sacrifice for others

 

The Mediator = Prefigured Jesus Christ = Set apart as Holy, Anointing, Offer Sacrifices, Blessings = The evidence from establishing Covenant with God

 

Moses told Aaron and his sons, gave them the ephod, breastplate, and clothes in the midst of all. That was to let the congregation know that the high priests were set apart as holy, and anointed for the service to the Lord for all.

 

(2) From God

 

Surely must use “the fire that comes from God”, absolutely cannot use “unauothorized fire” -> Nadab and Abihu being consumed by fire = The serving that is God-driven

 

Chapter 10: Nadab and Abihu used <ordinary fire>.

 

Every time a sacrifice was made, the fire must come from God. Using ordinary fire is accursed, and represents the righteousness from the self. The church altar and pulpit must come from above, meaning that the word in church must be preached through seeing God. If the word is preached to bootlick some people, and used for political or economic agenda, such pastors really ought to die. Therefore, pray for me, as I preach the word from the altar!

 

Some pastors bootlick others by praising people as being spiritual. Such pastors will get diseases, their family will meet with accidents, and elders will drive them out from the church. Such cases actually happened. Pastors should be pleased by God and not by men. For you all, if praises come from the pulpit, quickly grab it unless you do not want them. Do not take the word from the pulpit lightly as from men.

 

The pastor, his wife, and the deacons must all be holy. This is God-driven. Their roles are blessedly called. Even if my authority is not yet restored among the congregation, I will not offer up ordinary fire. Eli did not hear God and his sons were evil. When the ark was taken away, he fell to the ground and died.

 

(3) Saint = High Priest (1 Pe 2:9) = Intercede, Evangelize, Heal others, Bless others

 

We must know the reason and God’s perfect will in our work, in having a family, and in our interpersonal relationships. In <2Co 5:17-18>, we are a new creation, already reconciled with God and are given the role as an ambassador of Christ. Joshua and Caleb abided by this and one day, they were raised among the entire congregation.

 

The saint does the following:

 

Intercession: At least fulfill your duty as a deacon by interceding for others. Be faithful in this and God will raise you up.

Evangelism

Heal others

Bless others

 

If you are not a deacon but you receive the entrustment from God to do the above, do for 1 to 2 years in front of God and people will see God working in you.

 

In our past, we may have complained a lot or felt bored about many things, and that comes naturally out of our old self. However, after we received this position that the Lord has entrusted us, slowly our heart will tell us that such feelings do not balance up to our honoured identity. This is how we shall view ourselves in front of God and men.

 

 

3) To meet God after being ‘cleansed’ (Chapters 11-17)

 

Chapter 11: Clean and Unclean

 

Which animals are clean and which are the ones unclean? Those that have split hoof and that chew the cud are clean. The horse is okay, but the rabbit, which does not have a split hoof, is unclean. The fishes that do not have scales are unclean and have more cholesterol. The birds are not clean too. Very simply, the animals that eat blood are unclean, and those that do not eat blood are clean.

 

=> You are to look at life with importance. However, since this is the era of grace, we can even eat the blood of pigs.

 

Chapter 12: Childbirth (Original sin)

 

If a woman gives birth to a son, she will be unclean for 7 days and she must wait 33 days to be purified. On the eighth day, the son must be circumcised (offered up to God). If she has given birth to a daughter, she will be unclean for 14 days and she must wait 66 days to be purified. This is double the time compared to the case if she has given birth to a son.

 

This is what I see in the significance. If you have seen childbirth, the blood that is shed at birth is a lot! Woman (Eve) is the first to sin, too. This symbolizes the likeness of original sin a lot. God wants to tell us to look at original sin with great importance.

 

Chapter 13-14: Those who are contaminated with mildew (Leprosy): Connected with Hidden Sins

 

Leprosy is connected with hidden sins. For example, if we steal, later on, we will want to steal more all the more. We can escape the law (e.g. not putting full parking tickets at a parking lot), but we cannot escape life. One day, if we continue to sin (hidden from all), the face and the skin will have snow and scales. The leprosy at that period and at the present time is different. Now at this present age, leprosy is spread through blood transfer. During the time of Leviticus, when a place was infected, everyone must be driven out from the area.

 

Hidden sins are very scary. If anyone has a likeness of such a disease, he must present himself before the high priest for examination. If the hair has turned white at the swelling place, he must definitely be driven out from the congregation. If not, he waits for seven days for re-examination by the high priest again. If we do not know how to resolve sins, and it continues on, everything will turn unlucky and come and find us. One day, we will be required to be isolated from people and not be able to live within the society.

 

Chapter 15: Those that have blood discharge

 

Woman has the disease of blood discharge because woman sinned first. All discharges are unclean. Here, it talks about blood again! Why do sisters shed blood every day? Blessed are sisters who take this to remind themselves of blood every time!

Chapter 16: The Day of Atonement

 

Atonement must be done every tenth day of the seventh month. On the bull and ram are atoned the sin and all the burdens of it of Israel. If there is no atonement done, 7 times of guilt and accusations will follow. If sins are solved, one will drive out 5, and 5 people will drive out 100. Otherwise, God will reject, and no matter how much strength we use, there will be no use. You will try to please people, but people will reject you.

Chapter 17: “Blood” = Life, Shedding of blood to atone for sins

 

Therefore, we must know that God looks at blood with so great an importance! Impress on your heart about this!

 

We must see Leviticus with Romans and Hebrews:

 

Romans 5:8	While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us! How great is His love!
Romans 6	We are to die and resurrect with Christ.
Romans 8	We have not received the law of sin, but the law of Holy Spirit guides us.
Romans 9-11	We can call upon God because we have believed, and heard. And this is predestined by God, who has died for us.
Romans 12	You are so honoured so that you are bought. Therefore you must offer yourselves as a living sacrifice. Use your whole life, lifetime to live in the Lord!
Hebrews 10	Jesus Christ is even higher than Moses and Aaron, and is at the level of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 11	Therefore, whoever believes in Him: Abel, Noah, and all who grasped the shedding of blood will believe. They do not follow the world but their hope is on the heavenly city above.
Hebrews 12	If you have held on to the shedding of blood and the 5 offerings, and there are difficulties and sufferings that come to you, do not be afraid. All these are done for atonement and for renewing us! We struggle against sins because we are sons and not illegitimate. Therefore, endure hardship as discipline!

Taken from Leviticus Overview Part 1, Discipleship Training on 14^th July 2006.