Lev 6:9 | KingComments | STEP | Here begins a section that again speaks about the five offerings. In the previous chapters the offerings are described as the offeror brings them to the altar to offer them to God. This description is more objective, i.e. it is mainly about the Object of God’s heart. The following description contains laws for the priest . This description is more subjective, i.e. it is more about the way in which the priest should deal with the offering. It’s about the effect it has to have on us when we are busy with it and how our hearts can get involved. In these regulations, the main issue is which parts of these offerings should be eaten and by whom, and under which conditions they should be brought. It is remarkable that these precepts are emphatically introduced, because the LORD tells Moses that he must command Aaron and his sons certain things with regard to the offerings. In the spiritual application we see that it is a privilege to offer to God (Leviticus 1-6:7), but that God also prescribes how those offerings should be brought (Leviticus 6:8-7:21). About these two sides the Lord Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman. About the privilege He says to her: “An hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” He also indicates immediately thereafter how God wishes to be worshiped: “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” ( ). The order in the laws of the offerings is different from the order in the first five chapters. The laws first describe the burnt offering and grain offering, then the sin offering and guilt offering and finally the peace offering. Here too, first comes what for God is a soothing aroma. But then comes the side of man who must be clean of sins, and finally, in the peace offering, the fellowship that exists between God and His people and between the people among themselves is expressed. The peace offering directs out attention at the Lord’s Table. The emphasis of the law of the burnt offering is that the fire must not go out ( ). This precept indicates that from the altar of burnt offering there is constantly a soothing aroma going up to God. It means that God wants His people to be constantly surrounded by that fragrance, that is, He wants the people to be aware that they are pleasing to God, not in themselves, but that He has made them pleasing “in the Beloved” ( ). When we are in God’s glory in eternity, we will be there on the same basis as on which we are now accepted. For God, the fragrance of His Son’s work remains lovingly forever and the basis of all that has been brought into connection with Him. That fragrance will remain forever as fresh to God as it was when Christ accomplished the work. God does not lose sight of the value of His Son’s offering for a moment and He does not want us to lose sight of it either. He wants us, who are priests, to constantly tell Him this. In this which is a precept for Israel, a special blessing from God lies for us. God tells us herein as it were that we are constantly thinking about who we are for Him in the Lord Jesus. Surely, the result will be that we worship Him for it, isn’t it? We perform this priestly task at night ( ; cf. ). In the night of this world ( ) we may see Who the Lord Jesus is for God and speak about Him with God. We may go through a dark world with worship in our hearts. It also applies to Israel now. God preserves the pleasant fragrance of Christ’s offering with Himself, while His earthly people forget Him. One day He will fulfill all His promises to that people on the basis of the offering of His Son. The priest is also deals with the ashes. This in picture shows that the believer living in God’s presence is occupied with how perfectly the offering has been consumed by fire, how perfectly the Lord Jesus has done His work at the expense of Himself. Nothing has been spared him. God did not spare Him ( ). God has completely disposed of and consumed the old man, that which I am naturally in my flesh, by making Christ sin. The Lord Jesus became obedient “to death, even death on a cross” ( ). We see the practical consequence of this in the linen robe. This represents the righteous deeds ( ). They will be seen in the life of the believer who has been occupied with the ashes. The priest puts on other clothes when he takes the ashes out of the camp. That represents another aspect of our lives. “Outside the camp” ( ) means to take a place of shame. It means that we openly admit that we have taken the side of a rejected Lord. Both in our position, that is outside the camp, and in our deeds, of which the linen robe speaks, we will be a testimony of Who the Lord Jesus is.

‏ Leviticus 6:9

The Law for the Burnt Offering

Here begins a section that again speaks about the five offerings. In the previous chapters the offerings are described as the offeror brings them to the altar to offer them to God. This description is more objective, i.e. it is mainly about the Object of God’s heart.

The following description contains laws for the priest. This description is more subjective, i.e. it is more about the way in which the priest should deal with the offering. It’s about the effect it has to have on us when we are busy with it and how our hearts can get involved. In these regulations, the main issue is which parts of these offerings should be eaten and by whom, and under which conditions they should be brought. It is remarkable that these precepts are emphatically introduced, because the LORD tells Moses that he must command Aaron and his sons certain things with regard to the offerings.

In the spiritual application we see that it is a privilege to offer to God (Leviticus 1-6:7), but that God also prescribes how those offerings should be brought (Leviticus 6:8-7:21). About these two sides the Lord Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman. About the privilege He says to her: “An hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” He also indicates immediately thereafter how God wishes to be worshiped: “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:23-24).

The order in the laws of the offerings is different from the order in the first five chapters. The laws first describe the burnt offering and grain offering, then the sin offering and guilt offering and finally the peace offering. Here too, first comes what for God is a soothing aroma. But then comes the side of man who must be clean of sins, and finally, in the peace offering, the fellowship that exists between God and His people and between the people among themselves is expressed. The peace offering directs out attention at the Lord’s Table.

The emphasis of the law of the burnt offering is that the fire must not go out (Lev 6:9 ; 12 ; 13). This precept indicates that from the altar of burnt offering there is constantly a soothing aroma going up to God. It means that God wants His people to be constantly surrounded by that fragrance, that is, He wants the people to be aware that they are pleasing to God, not in themselves, but that He has made them pleasing “in the Beloved” (Eph 1:6).

When we are in God’s glory in eternity, we will be there on the same basis as on which we are now accepted. For God, the fragrance of His Son’s work remains lovingly forever and the basis of all that has been brought into connection with Him. That fragrance will remain forever as fresh to God as it was when Christ accomplished the work.

God does not lose sight of the value of His Son’s offering for a moment and He does not want us to lose sight of it either. He wants us, who are priests, to constantly tell Him this. In this which is a precept for Israel, a special blessing from God lies for us. God tells us herein as it were that we are constantly thinking about who we are for Him in the Lord Jesus. Surely, the result will be that we worship Him for it, isn’t it?

We perform this priestly task at night (Lev 6:9; cf. Psa 134:1). In the night of this world (Rom 13:12) we may see Who the Lord Jesus is for God and speak about Him with God. We may go through a dark world with worship in our hearts. It also applies to Israel now. God preserves the pleasant fragrance of Christ’s offering with Himself, while His earthly people forget Him. One day He will fulfill all His promises to that people on the basis of the offering of His Son.

The priest is also deals with the ashes. This in picture shows that the believer living in God’s presence is occupied with how perfectly the offering has been consumed by fire, how perfectly the Lord Jesus has done His work at the expense of Himself. Nothing has been spared him. God did not spare Him (Rom 8:32). God has completely disposed of and consumed the old man, that which I am naturally in my flesh, by making Christ sin. The Lord Jesus became obedient “to death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8).

We see the practical consequence of this in the linen robe. This represents the righteous deeds (Rev 19:8). They will be seen in the life of the believer who has been occupied with the ashes. The priest puts on other clothes when he takes the ashes out of the camp. That represents another aspect of our lives. “Outside the camp” (Heb 13:13) means to take a place of shame. It means that we openly admit that we have taken the side of a rejected Lord. Both in our position, that is outside the camp, and in our deeds, of which the linen robe speaks, we will be a testimony of Who the Lord Jesus is.