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Leviticus 17（ESV）

 

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them, This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. 3 If any one of the house of Israel kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp, 4 and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people. 5 This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the Lord. 6 And the priest shall throw the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 7 So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.

 

8 “And you shall say to them, Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice 9 and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be cut off from his people.

 

REFLECTION

1. God has instructed the Israelites that all sacrifices were to be offered at the tabernacle. This rule set Israel apart from other nations, whose people offered sacrifices to pagan gods at many different shrines.  It gives the Israelites reasons to resist temptations not to follow the pagan customs.  Later on, the Israelites failed because “everyone did as he saw fit.”(Judges 17:6)
2. Following God’s instruction also reminds us of Jesus’ saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  If we are to come to God, we must approach Him in the one way He has ordained.

 

PRAYER

Have I embraced Jesus was the only way to God?  Or, do I prefer, sometimes, to go my own way?  Tell God about my true situation.  Talk with Him about the difficulties and ask for His help in guiding me back to His way.