We’re at the place one probably dreads the most when one thinks about reading through the Bible. But we will forge ahead, and we will read Leviticus, and hopefully gain some profound insights. Years ago, the pastor of the church I was attending preached a lengthy sermon series from Leviticus, amazing the entire congregation with the unforeseen blessing the book turned out to be. I don’t recall specific lessons from the series, but I’m sure it changed me and thus became a part of me, as it did all of us. References to that sermon series became part of the culture of our church.
We might be tempted to skip over this unpleasant part of the Bible, believing that it doesn’t apply to us anyway. Once again, we need to consider why God has preserved these provisions of the Old Testament Law for us. Since He has, we must conclude that He has something for us in them. What might that be? It isn’t immediately evident; it takes some prayerful seeking. Do you believe that God will reveal it to you?
The idea of animal sacrifice is horrifying to me. I believe God intends for it to be horrifying to us. For insight here, I spoke to a friend who has much experience raising domesticated animals, and was interested to find that familiarity doesn’t make it easier to kill an animal; in fact, it makes it more difficult.
Imagine what it would be like. In that culture, herds and flocks were the measure of wealth. Those people were as diligent in building and preserving their wealth as we are today. They cared for the animals with much effort and time. Killing one for a sacrifice would be like burning cash. My friend shared that with the bulls she raises, offering one would be the equivalent of burning $5000. It also would mean the loss of any additional provision or income the animal might have brought. That their offering generally was required to be a young animal meant that they would have fed the animal from birth to the point that it could begin giving a return on that investment, and then they would have to kill it, eliminating any chance of ever gaining any return. Given that the chosen animal was required to be the best of the herd or flock, without defect, animal sacrifice was financially very costly.
There was an emotional cost as well. As they cared for the animals, they likely grew to know them as individuals, and perhaps grew attached to at least some of them. Young animals are so darling; how could one not get attached? You can easily find photos of year-old lambs, goats, and calves on the internet; find one, and imagine choosing that one to sacrifice for your own sin. When asked to give of the best of the herd or flock, the best is obviously the favorite. What a dilemma! Is giving of anything less than the best true worship?
Beyond the choosing of the animal is the bringing. Offering of sacrifices was to take place at one location: the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle. Imagine leading that animal there, placing it on the altar.
Then there is the killing. My animal-raising friend says that it is never easy to put an animal down. And it’s not just a girl thing; her husband has to ask a detached neighbor to put down an ill or injured animal, and ensures that it is done in the most quick and painless manner, with a gun. Can you imagine offering a sacrifice, placing your hand on the head of that animal and applying that knife?
I point all of this out to ensure that we get from the descriptions of the animal sacrifices what we should get: it was horrible. We generally enjoy the luxury of not having to think about it. But not thinking about it has made us careless about the horribleness of sin – of our sin. Today’s reading confronts us with the opportunity to consider how awful our sin is.