Priests: Their Work & Portions

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Priests

 

Wednesday 06/13/18 

Message – Priests: Their Work & Portions

Series: Thru the Bible

Podcast: Download (162.2MB)

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***Video is HERE***

 

Leviticus 6 & 7

These laws are largely repeats of all we have read only with special mention of the involvement of and the portions alloted to the priests. Also, what offerings are offered BY the priests on the Day of their placement into office.

 

Whenever it says that the males among the priests may eat of it – it means – Of the flesh of it, after the fat was taken off and burnt, the rest belonged to the priests and their sons, and to them only, not to their wives and daughters – it was eaten in a holy place within the courtyard. (We will see later in Leviticus that all males who had deformities or something physically wrong with them could not offer sacrifices NOR go into the holy place but they COULD eat of the offerings as the other priests. They were not unclean or unholy, but could not serve.)

 

Leviticus 6 

Vs. 8-13 – Law of the Burnt Offering

  • All of it is consumed over night
  • Fire is to NEVER go out
  • Priest in full garb to remove ashes
  • Priest take off and put on clean ordinary clothes to carry out to a clean place (ceremonially and naturally) – Christ was laid in a new and unused tomb OUTSIDE of Jerusalem wrapped in clean linen cloths.
  • New wood every morning
  • New burnt offering TOGETHER with the fat of the peace offerings whenever they were brought (for they were not REQUIRED everyday – they were voluntary – or by vow or at inauguration of Priests).
  • The continual burning of the fire is mentioned twice

 

Vs. 14-18  – Law of the Grain Offering

The officiating priest is to:

  • Take handful of fine flour and oil with ALL the frankincense which is ON the grain offering and place it on the altar to the Lord.
  • It was a sweet aroma to Him.
  • The remainder was a provision of God for ALL the priests from HIS offerings made by fire. The priests were to cook and eat the flour with oil without leaven in a holy place within the courtyard. Also, along with the bread made from the grain offering – they could not eat other leavened bread. That meal had to be 100% unleavened!
  • It was MOST holy – like the sin and trespass offerings.
  • Must be or becomes??

 

Vs. 19-23 – Grain Offering at inauguration of Priests

 

  • This offering BEGAN on the DAY they are anointed priests.

 

  • Was offered DAILY.
    • There is some disagreement about who this applies to. Either ALL priests or just the High Priest.
    • It DEFINITELY applied to all priests ON THE DAY of their ordination.
  • FINE FLOUR 1/10 and ephah  (approx. 3.5 lbs)
  • ½ @ morning…..then….. ½ @ night (12 in total like the showbread – 6 & 6)
  • It was to be cooked in pan being already mixed with oil.
  • Offered up and burnt entirely upon the altar – sweet aroma.
  • NONE of this particular type of grain offering is to be eaten but 100% consumed in the fire.

 

Vs. 24-30 Law of the Sin Offering

  • The Sin offering is MOST HOLY
  • Killed in the same place (between the altar and the Tabernacle door) just like the burnt offering.
  • The priest is offering this FOR his israelite brothers – NOT himself and is to eat a portion of it and therefore partake of and become one with both the giver and the sacrifice itself…Like Christ Who became both man and sacrifice.
  • Being MOST HOLY it had to be eaten in a holy place within the courtyard.
  • The officiating priest MUST be holy (ceremonially and as much as possible morally)
  • If it’s blood falls on any garment it is to be washed in a holy place.
  • The flesh on all occasions was boiled or sodden, with the exception of the paschal lamb, which was roasted [Exod. 12:8, 9];
    • If in a clay pot – break it so as to use it no more
    • If in brass pot – washed in water and polished
  • ALL MALES of that families of the priests may eat it – MOST HOLY.
  • The blood is to be burnt – never consumed by anyone ever.

 

Chapter 7

Vs. 1-7 Law of the Trespass Offering

  • Most Holy
  • Killed in same place
  • COMPLETELY BURNT upon the altar – All fat of entrails + two kidneys, fatty lobe attached to the liver
  • Every male among the priests may eat it in a holy place.

 

Vs. 8-10 All for one or all for all?

  • In most things ALL priests shared in common, but in regard to anyone’s burnt offering the priest actively performing the duty of sacrifice kept the skin to himself.
    • When a bull was offered however, the skin along with the dung and such were taken out of the camp and burned – he may not possess that.
    • These skins were more than likely used for leather and such for his family.
  • ALL fully prepared grain offerings belongs entirely to the officiating priest as well.
  • IF the grain offering was NOT prepared (brought as flour and oil – uncooked), then it was divided among all the priests and could be consumed.

 

Vs. 11-21 Law of the Peace Offering

If for Thanksgiving:

  • With the animal (like a cow, bull, lamb or goat) they were to offer a something of grain – either wafers or cakes of pure or mixed grains made with oil.
  • Also, he is to bring the priest LEAVENED bread – not for the altar but for the priest. (Lev. 2:11 –  no leaven was to be offered upon the altar)
  • One cake from each offering was heaved upward towards God and then given to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the sacrifice as his portion.
  • As for the meat…
    • shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; partly by him that brought the offering and his family, and partly by the poor he was to invite to eat of as well; and also by the priests and Levites, who were to have their share of it – this is further clarified in Deut. 12:11.
    • he shall not leave any of it until the morning so they were to eat hardily!

If for a vow:

  • Same rules apply but it may continue to be eaten the next day as well but NOT on the third day.
  • All who are clean may eat of it (not for those who were unclean by death or bodily fluids…etc.)
  • If it is eaten on the third day it is an abomination and the guilty will bear their own guilt and will be cut off from God’s people.
    • Jesus did NOT see corruption!

 

Vs. 22-28 Don’t eat of the fat or the blood

  • This is probably due to the fat representing the best of and the abundance (like the metaphorical phrase – ‘eating the fat of the land’ and was therefore dedicated portions of those sacrificial animals to God ALONE.
  • Blood was NEVER to be consumed.

 

Vs. 29-38 More on the Peace Offering

  • Bring your own sacrifice.
  • The fat with the breast may be waved before the Lord.
    • Fat for the Lord
    • Breast for the Priests
  • The thigh as a Heave Offering
    • Fat for God
    • Right thigh for the officiating priest
  • This was the command of God as a provision for the priests forever.

 

Next week I will teach from the ‘By Request’ box!

There is more information in the audio/video of the actual message. I hope you listen, learn and enjoy!

…Blessings! 

 

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Blessings!

 

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!