Leviticus is a book of
rules. Its primary focus is on the rites
and rituals the Israelites were to perform to be purified, to atone for sin, to
give thanks to God, and much more. It’s
called Leviticus because it was the Levites – the descendants of Levi – who
were to oversee the application of these ceremonies.
The Hebrew name for
this book is, “And He Called,” which translates the first word of the Hebrew
text. I think that this Hebrew title is
important for us to keep in mind as we read Leviticus. The statutes and observances described herein
are God’s. We no longer offer sacrifices
because they have been fulfilled in Jesus.
As He, Himself, says, “Do not thing that I have come to abolish the Law
and the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) However, that does not preclude us from
reading and loving this Word from the Lord.
It deepens our understanding of what Jesus has done for us as it depicts
God’s work among those He called long ago, walking with them, giving them forgiveness,
and meeting them in worship.
Today’s reading
focuses on grain offerings. Two things
jump out at me: the prohibition of using
leavening agents in offerings and the command to use salt in the offerings. What’s up with that?
One of my hobbies is
brewing beer. Yeast is an essential part
of that process. The time and effort
that brewers put into getting the exact right yeast is amazing. These days you can get many strands of yeast
that will affect your fermentation time, flavor, and alcohol content. Great care is taken in brewing to make sure
that everything is sanitized, so that the yeast that is at work is the yeast
that will yield the desired results. However,
wild yeast abounds. It’s in the air all
around us, on surfaces, and almost inescapable.
It likes to live on grapes, and it is often in honey – especially
unrefined honey. (The word translated
honey here also means fruit syrup, which the Israelites made by reducing grape
juice.) Sometimes these yeasts do not
cause bread to rise or beer and wine to ferment; they cause spoilage.
Yeast and other
leaveners, then, became symbolic of corruption, sin, decay, and even sickness
and death. These offerings were about
life, either in forgiveness or in the joy that moved the offering, therefore they
did not belong on the altar.
Salt, on the other
hand, is a preservative. This salt
probably bore little resemblance to the tiny white crystals we shake on our
eggs. It was harvested by evaporating
sea water. This was valuable stuff. The preservative nature and the value of salt
reminded the Israelites of the value of God’s salvation. It reminded them that they were preserved by
God’s covenant with them, and not by their own might or cleverness.
Salt reminds us as
well of God’s preserving power. God
preserved His people Israel through so much.
From Adam to Noah, and from Abraham to Moses, from Joshua to David, and
from Solomon until finally Jesus, God preserved His people as His way of
bringing salvation to the world. He
still preserves us in faith even today – not through salt, but through Jesus’
body and blood given for us.
Jesus now tells us
that we are the salt of the earth, the lifesaving preservative that brings His
salvation to others. Much as Abraham was
blessed to be a blessing, we are preserved to be preservative as we share the
good news of God’s salvation.
Father in Heaven, thank you from calling us to be
Your people. Help us to bring the life
You have given us to others, and preserve the eternal lives of many for Your
glory. In Jesus’ name; Amen.
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