This morning I want us to consider for a title, The Sacrifices of God’s People. I will address three sub-titles: (i) The Sacrifices (ii) Their Need For The Pardon of Sin (ii) There’s No Favouristism Among God’s People
Last Sunday, we focused our attention on the phrase “The Tent of Meeting” in the verse 1. We learnt that the main reason God commanded the tent to be built was so that he will dwell among his people. We saw this in Exodus 25:1-8 when God first commanded the building of the tent.
The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[a]; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.
The tent of meeting therefore signifies God’s dwelling among his people. And rightly, when God dwells among his people, because he is a Holy God, he demands his people to be Holy. Leviticus then is predominantly about the holiness of God. The instructions to the Israelites about sacrifices then was to prepare them to relate with God.
The Sacrifices
In these opening verses, God lays out clear requirements about acceptable worship and conduct by his people: (v.2). We rightly see that God prescribes how he is to be worshiped. Note one peculiar fact about the sacrifices. They are to be from the livestock, that is animal reared at home. Something personal and costly to the worshiper. You don’t dash into the forest to get a wild animal to sacrifice. Your sacrifice must cost you. It must be something you are attached to. It is true we don’t offer animal sacrifices again. But the principle of offering ourselves spiritually to God holds (Romans 12:1). It will cost us time, discipline, fighting temptations…nobody leisurely walks into holiness: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Holiness demands work, sacrifice, time and effort.
Now here is the greatest truth of everything Leviticus is about. God’s offer of salvation for humanity’s sin was costly. He gave his only begotten son so that you will not have to pay for your sins by yourself. Isn’t this wonderful? God has provided what he required from us. Listen to a quote from John D. Currid in the Evangelical Study Commentary on Leviticus
The sacrificial system of the Old Testament has ceased for the people of God. It has been fulfilled in the coming of Christ. We no longer need sacrifices because Christ offered himself once and for all for the sins of his people… A High Priest is not needed because Jesus Christ now serves in that role… Christ’s work on the cross, his resurrection and ascension have made all these practices unnecessary. Yet it is important that the people of God today study the sacrificial laws in Leviticus because they are shadows and pointers to the work of Christ
The Need For Pardon Of Sin
Now, I want you to observe in the text how the same sacrifice for the atonement of sin is done with three different animals: (vv.3-5;10;14). Did you observe or noticed anything? Bull, Sheep/Goat and Bird. These animals points to the resources of the Israelites in the wilderness. If you like, it points to the economic strength of an Israelites. The richest can afford a Bull. Maybe the middle class can afford a sheep or goat. And the poorest can afford only a bird. God’s people are not the same in terms of resources and gifts. Yet, No one is exempted from the need of the pardon of sin. We all have The Need For Pardon Of Sin.
During the week, I heard our youngest son Kobby/Nathan singing
Life in this world is a great struggle,
for both the young and old.
And even those who have great riches,
have troubles of their own.
I was startled and asked him: “Where did you learn this from?” From Rafiki or your former school? I was startled because I sung this in primary school, in government school so I wanted to be sure. But the point in that song is that all of us have troubles. The rich, the poor, the young, the old…all of us have troubles. We all have struggles of our own. And there is a common trouble we all share. And that is the problem of sin. None of us—regardless of their status in life is free from sin: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).
Now the principle in this variety of animals is our one need for the atonement and pardon of sin. The poor cannot say because I am poor, I cannot offer a sacrifice for my sin. Poverty, doesn’t atone for sin. Neither do riches. God’s requirement for the atonement of sin, is not limited by economic resources. All of us must have our sin atoned for. The burnt offering was for the atonement of sin. And everyone was liable to offer sacrifices.
Turn with me to Chapter 5:7 let’s observe how God made concession for the poor to be able to atone for their sins: “But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two pigeons,[b] one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.”
Commenting on this verse, Andrew Bonar wrote
“From Chapter 5:7, we learn that the poorer class were to bring this sort of sacrifice. “To the poor the Gospel is preached” And ministers must be as solicitous [concerned] for the salvation of the poor as of the rich”
Dear friends, whatever your state is in life; rich, poor, healthy, sick, orphaned… every single one of us is a sinner who needs pardon for our sin. The poor is not pitied above the rich. There is No Favouristism Among God’s People (2nd point). God Doesn’t Show Partiality To His People
No Favouristism Among God’s People
The poor and the rich are all miserable sinful souls before God. To the rich, Jesus says “What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? None of us will be saved by our background, the family we came from. All of us need one thing, atonement for our sins. And Jesus has offered that.These three specified sacrifices — bull, sheep/goat, bird– is evidence that all must bring a sacrifice for their sins. All of us need atonement. And nobody can say because of my state, God will show mercy on me. No, God’s mercy is not shown on the basis of social status. God’s mercy is grounded in his love and work in Christ. You are either in Christ or you are not. Human beings tend to discriminate on the grounds of social class or societal status, but Scripture warns against that:
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1-4)
If God provided for everyone to be able to offer a sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sin, it is true then that God has provided for the sins of all of his people without consideration to their social class. See, no one is more saved than you are. No one is more loved by God than you are. Our social status doesn’t attract more of God’s favour than another. The sacrifice of the bull, sheep and bird all did the same job: they atone equally for sin. Don’t allow anyone to make you feel distant from God. Don’t compare yourself to anyone and think they have been favored more by God than you. No, out of his mercies we have all received his mercies and goodness.
Whatever social status you find yourself doesn’t determine God’s love for you. It is good and indeed desirable that we all seek to improve our lot. If you need to work harder to improve your life, please do. If you have to take further studies to improve your life, please do. Whatever legitimate thing you need to do to improve your current status in life, please do. But don’t ever get to a point in your life you get discouraged that because of your social status, God doesn’t love you.
See, if you are in Christ, racial, societal, gender and every form of social discrimination is broken down. We are all one in Christ. Jesus’ work on the cross, which is pointed to us by the sacrifices of Leviticus; atoned for the sins of all of God’s people. There is nothing preventing anyone from coming to Jesus to atone for their sins:
for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus
God’s people are one in Christ. He deals with us corporately as a church and he knows our needs as individuals also. That’s why there is that three tier provisions to cover everyone at every point of their life. Where are you in your life? You cannot go too far that God cannot redeem you. (Matthew 11:28-29)
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