Acceptable Offerings

 

Sunday School Lesson

December 13

Acceptable Offerings

Devotional Reading: Hebrews 11:4-16

Background Scripture: Leviticus 22:17-33; 23:9-14, 31-33; Deuteronomy 22:6, 7; Micah 6:6-8; Isaiah 1:10-20; Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Focal Verses
Leviticus 22:17-25, 31-33

Introduction

A. Standards Matter

Some years ago, one of my fellow employees drove across the street to pick up lunch. She got her food at the drive-up window then brought it back to her desk to eat. Imagine her surprise when she found a ring in her salad! (Fortunately, she noticed it before taking a bite.) The ring apparently had slipped off the finger of the individual preparing the salad, and the person had not noticed it was missing. Needless to say, my friend had second thoughts about getting food from that place again!

We naturally expect the food we purchase to meet certain quality and health standards. When such standards are not met, we are disappointed and even angry. (Lawsuits have been filed over such lapses.) We do not soon forget these incidents, and we are quick to warn others of our less-than-satisfactory experience.

Today’s lesson focuses on God’s concern for acceptable offerings. Standards matter to Him, for reasons that we will examine more closely in the course of our study.

Lesson Background

If a survey were taken of Christians regarding which of the 66 books of the Bible is the least appealing or most confusing, Leviticus would probably rank in the top three. Who knows how many well-meaning individuals have determined to read through the Bible in a year, only to find themselves bogging down when they reach Leviticus! They are bewildered (and perhaps a bit upset) by the constant references to the sacrificing of animals and to blood. Further, regulations about ceremonially clean and unclean foods seem far removed from life in the twenty-first century.

Rather than focusing on the details of the laws and regulations when studying Leviticus, perhaps it is more helpful to consider the book’s primary themes of sacrifice and holiness, both of which play prominent roles in the New Testament as well. Sacrifice is important because of Jesus’ supreme, once-for-all offering of himself on the cross (Hebrews 9:24-28) and because of the responsibility of His followers to offer themselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). Holiness is crucial because the holiness imperative in Leviticus 19:2 is repeated in 1 Peter 1:15, 16 in instructing Christians how to live. Both themes play important parts in today’s lesson text, from Leviticus 22.


17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the Lord for a burnt offering;

19 Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.

21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord.

23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

24 Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.

25 Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

The phrase the Lord spake unto Moses or one similar to it occurs dozens of times in Leviticus, emphasizing the divine origin of its contents. The final verse of the book summarizes the contents: “These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai” (Leviticus 27:34). Thus the Lord reveals to Moses not only the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai (the source of last week’s lesson) but also all the standards for holy living provided within Leviticus as well.
Aaron and his sons serve the people of Israel as their priests (Aaron as the high priest), though two of Aaron’s four sons died earlier because they “offered strange fire before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:1, 2). That tragedy sets a tone regarding the kinds of offerings that are acceptable and unacceptable to the Lord. Not only must Aaron and his sons be aware of the rules (since they officiate at these sacred occasions), but all who would worship the Lord must understand what they should and should not bring. We note that these regulations also apply to the strangers in Israel who desire to worship the Lord. This is the same group mentioned in last week’s study of Exodus 20:10.
The burnt offering is the first offering mentioned in this book (Leviticus 1:1-17). It is the most common of all the sacrifices, prepared each morning and evening (Numbers 28:1-8) and offered on holy days as well (28:26-29:40). A burnt offering is one in which the entire animal (except for its skin; see Leviticus 1:6; 7:8) is consumed by the fire on the brass altar located outside of the Holy Place, in the courtyard of the tabernacle (Exodus 38:1-7). The complete consumption of the offering symbolizes the complete devotion and surrender of the worshipper to the Lord.
The verse before us links presenting a burnt offering with presenting an oblation (another word for sacrifice or offering) for vows and freewill offerings. Regulations for making vows are given in Numbers 30 and Deuteronomy 23:21-23; the latter places strong emphasis on keeping one’s vow (see also Ecclesiastes 5:4-6). A vow is tied to a particular situation, usually one of desperation, in which one has promised the Lord that he or she will do something for Him if He helps the individual in a certain way. A good example is the vow Hannah made concerning her son in 1 Samuel 1:9-11. Bad things happen when vows are made in haste (Judges 11:30-40). A freewill offering, for its part, is given in response to a blessing from God that is unexpected and for which one has not asked.

31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord.

32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you,

33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.


The foundational event that establishes the Israelites as God’s covenant people is the exodus out of the land of Egypt. It is as foundational to ancient Israel’s identity as the cross and the empty tomb of Jesus are to the identity of Christians.
God’s covenant with His people includes many aspects, and one such is not to profane His holy name. Profanity is often thought of in terms of what is said. But when God’s chosen, covenant people fail to live holy lives that honor Him on a consistent basis, they are profaning the name that marks them as His. Holiness is to permeate every part of their lives during every part of their days.
Also noteworthy in these closing verses is the use of the verb hallow, which means “to make holy.” We are perhaps most familiar with this word as part of the Lord’s Prayer: “Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). God desires to have His holiness upheld by His people. But He also says I am the Lord which hallow you. While God commands His people to be holy, as we have seen, holiness is ultimately a privilege bestowed by God upon His people. He has set Israel apart by means of their deliverance from bondage, but they must now set themselves apart from their pagan surroundings by living lives of faithful obedience.