Reflection for Vayikra
“Sacrifice of Praise”
Romans 8:1-13
Hebrews 10:1-14; 13:10-16
excerpted from TorahScope Apostolic Scriptures Reflections
This week with Passover steadily approaching, Torah students now turn their attention to the Book of Leviticus or Vayikra. In Leviticus, readers see an emphasis on the specific duties of the Levitical priesthood, in their service as intermediaries between God and the Ancient Israelites. This first parashah from Leviticus, Vayikra (Leviticus 1:1-5:26[6:7]), deals primarily with the various types of sacrificial burnt offerings which the priests were commanded to offer to the Holy One. While reading through the text, it should be noted that specific emphasis was made regarding the need for the different blood offerings to atone for the transgressions of the people. The transference of guilt to the special animals resulted in a blood sacrifice, while grain offerings of praise were presented to give thanks to the Lord.
During the desert sojourn of Israel, these sacrifices were offered before the Tent of Meeting, on the altars which were built with the materials donated by the people (cf. Exodus 35:21). Centuries later when Solomon’s Temple was built in Jerusalem, the Temple sacrifices became a focal point of worship for followers of Israel’s God—and the Temple worship was intended to attract outsiders to Him as well (cf. 1 Kings 8:41-43). Following the destruction of Solomon’s Temple and the deportation to Babylon, and upon the return of the Jewish exiles—the rebuilding of the Temple and reestablishment of the sacrificial system were of paramount importance. During the period of the Maccabees, and the defilement of the Second Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes, cleansing the Temple and restoring it to its splendor was an important rallying cry. Even during the ministry of Yeshua, the Second Temple (now having been refurbished by Herod the Great) served as an important place for Him to teach and instruct people.
Today in the Twenty-First Century, we often consider animal sacrifices to be strange or weird, not realizing that even during the time of the Messiah—neither the Jewish people nor their pagan neighbors, ever looked at animal sacrifices as being taboo. All major religions and cultures of the Biblical period sacrificed animals. With those who followed the Levitical sacrificial system, I would submit that the need for a more permanent blood sacrifice to atone for human sin was imbedded within the culture of Israel, who had been especially called out by the Holy One to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 42:6-7). The sacrificial system of Israel was not to be understood as just some provincial, parochial curiosity of a group of desert nomads turned nation builders, but was to serve as an important reminder of how more was to be revealed in God’s plan, via the agency of His holy nation to the nations.
When the Jewish Sages chose a Haftarah selection to meditate upon and discuss, they turned to Isaiah 43:21–44:23. The Prophet Isaiah might seem to be a little cavalier about sacrifices, in rebuking the people for not taking them as seriously as they should have, but he really was not. It is noted how the Lord was not pleased with what might have become a rote, external ritual—or worse, simply a ritual without any relation to the need for a heart recognition of the importance of the sacrifices:
“Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel. You have not brought me any of your sheep for burnt offerings, neither have you honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, nor wearied you with frankincense. You have bought me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled me with the fat of your sacrifices, but you have burdened me with your sins. You have wearied me with your iniquities. I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:22-25, WMB).
Even though the people had been offering empty sacrifices before God, what really burdened Him was the great amount of sin they possessed. Fortunately, even though God was angry with the situation, He declared “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25, NIV).
Believers in Messiah Yeshua look to how His sacrifice at Golgotha (Calvary), accomplished the ultimate blood atonement for sin. It was upon this work of salvation, that the Apostolic writers rested their case. They were empowered by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, to take this life-changing message to the rest of the world. They were able to function as vessels of light to the nations, so that all might be reconciled with the Creator.
Reading through the Apostolic Scriptures, one can definitely detect how the significance of the Messiah event has changed some things in regard to the Levitical priesthood and sacrificial system. Previously, faithful men and women of the Holy One of Israel had to look forward to the day when a permanent offering would be made for their sins. Following the sacrifice of Yeshua, Messiah followers can appreciate how the Levitical priesthood and sacrificial system foreshadowed His ultimate offering. Appropriating the significance of Yeshua’s offering up of Himself, the redeemed are to acknowledge their deadness to sin and their being filled with the Holy Spirit. This enables them to fulfill the instructions of the Torah properly, and live the life God has always wanted His people to embrace:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah Yeshua, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua made me free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it is not subject to God’s Torah, neither indeed can it be. Those who are in the flesh can’t please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Messiah, he is not his. If Messiah is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him who raised up Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:1-13, WMB).
It is a great blessing to know that there is no condemnation for those who are in the Messiah Yeshua! These are people who are to walk according to the Spirit, and set their hearts and minds on spiritual things. The Lord’s presence within us, requires that we test ourselves on a regular basis (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:5), so that we are no longer influenced by our previous, fleshly way of living.
The author of Hebrews elaborated upon the significant difference between the frequent offerings of bulls and goats, versus the permanent, single offering of the Messiah:
“For the Torah, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. Or else wouldn’t they have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, ‘You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me. You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Then I said, “Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God” [Psalm 40:6-8].’ Previously saying, ‘Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them’ [Psalm 40:6] (those which are offered according to the Torah), then he has said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will.’ He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Yeshua the Messiah once for all. Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet [Psalm 110:1]. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:1-14, WMB).
Because a permanent act of atonement for human sin has now been accomplished, it should necessarily result in a continual offering up of praise to God for ages to come:
“We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp. Therefore Yeshua also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate. Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach. For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come. Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name. But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:10-16, WMB).
When people come to recognize Yeshua the Messiah as Savior, and His atoning sacrifice as essential to be saved from eternal punishment—this should result in each of us continually presenting an offering of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. Such thanksgiving should also be manifested in us accomplishing works of goodness and kindness to others, as we live forth the imperatives of the gospel. Then others will be able to see how significant Yeshua’s sacrifice is, in changing lives and bringing fulfillment.
As living and active holy ones, or saints of the Most High, we should all be mindful how we have been called to be a part of a holy nation and kingdom of priests. We have been individually and collectively called to be a light unto the nations of the world, being representatives of the Creator to a world, which desperately needs His love. I pray that we would each take this to heart as we read through Vayikra this week—responding to its words in a way which can empower us to not only be born from above, but be able witnesses of God upon this Earth.
