Leviticus
22 contains a review of ceremonial purity and a warning against
trusting in an imperfect sacrifice. We are reminded that God’s
standards are immutable. The chapter begins, “Respect
the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to Me, so they will
not profane My Holy name. I am the Lord“.
Our focus when giving is on how much we are giving up, yet God’s
sole focus is on reverence to Him. As discussed in earlier chapters,
we are reminded of the things that cause a priest to be ceremonially
unclean. The Jewish day began at sunset, and a priest could “bathe
himself with water. When the sun goes down, he will be clean“.
What a great reminder to us, that God’s mercy is “new
every morning“.
We do not have to wallow in our past; every day is a new day in the
Lord. “If
we confess our sins He is faithful and righteous forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us form all unrighteousness”
(1 John 1:9).
The
chapter next outlines the acceptable gifts that are to be brought
before the Lord. “Do
not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be acceptable
on your behalf“.
They were prohibited from bringing blind, lame, sick or old animals
to be offered as a sacrifice. God does not want our garbage,
leftovers or extras; He wants our best and first fruits. We must
first accept that all that we have comes from God. Our talent, our
wealth, our wisdom, our strength, our health, all come from God.
Until we accept that we cannot give our best with joy. Remember the
righteous indignation Jesus had when he drove the moneychangers from
the temple. It was not because they were selling animals for
sacrifice, but because they were selling animals with defects. They
were stealing the blessing God wanted to give those that were giving
with joy. Jesus said, “You
have made it a robber’s den”
(Mark 11:17). Anything less than a perfect sacrifice is
unacceptable. Some of us foolishly try to earn our way to heaven by
our own good works, but our own efforts fall short of perfection and
are not acceptable. To believe in your own righteousness, is to deny
Christ. Ephesians 1:7 declares, “In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of His grace“.
The
chapter ends very directly, “Keep
My commandments and follow them. I AM the Lord. Do not profane My
holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I AM
the Lord who makes you holy and brought you out of Egypt to be your
God. I AM the Lord.”
God does not reason with us, nor does He give us options. Take it
or leave it. Accept God and His commandments, or reject God and His
commandments. There is no middle ground.