CONSECRATION OF THE OFFERING

Passage: Leviticus 6:8-23

Key verse: 13

NIV

The Burnt Offering

8 The Lord said to Moses: 9 “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering(A): The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.(B) 10 The priest shall then put on his linen clothes,(C) with linen undergarments next to his body,(D) and shall remove the ashes(E) of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar. 11 Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean.(F) 12 The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood(G) and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat(H) of the fellowship offerings(I) on it. 13 The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

The Grain Offering

14 “‘These are the regulations for the grain offering:(J) Aaron’s sons are to bring it before the Lord, in front of the altar. 15 The priest is to take a handful of the finest flour and some olive oil, together with all the incense(K) on the grain offering,(L) and burn the memorial[a] portion(M) on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 16 Aaron and his sons(N) shall eat the rest(O) of it, but it is to be eaten without yeast(P) in the sanctuary area;(Q) they are to eat it in the courtyard(R) of the tent of meeting.(S) 17 It must not be baked with yeast; I have given it as their share(T) of the food offerings presented to me.(U) Like the sin offering[b] and the guilt offering, it is most holy.(V) 18 Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it.(W) For all generations to come(X) it is his perpetual share(Y) of the food offerings presented to the Lord. Whatever touches them will become holy.[c](Z)’”

19 The Lord also said to Moses, 20 “This is the offering Aaron and his sons are to bring to the Lord on the day he[d] is anointed:(AA) a tenth of an ephah[e](AB) of the finest flour(AC) as a regular grain offering,(AD) half of it in the morning and half in the evening. 21 It must be prepared with oil on a griddle;(AE) bring it well-mixed and present the grain offering broken[f] in pieces as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 22 The son who is to succeed him as anointed priest(AF) shall prepare it. It is the Lord’s perpetual share and is to be burned completely.(AG) 23 Every grain offering of a priest shall be burned completely; it must not be eaten.”

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Footnotes
  1. Leviticus 6:15 Or representative
  2. Leviticus 6:17 Or purification offering; also in verses 25 and 30
  3. Leviticus 6:18 Or Whoever touches them must be holy; similarly in verse 27
  4. Leviticus 6:20 Or each
  5. Leviticus 6:20 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  6. Leviticus 6:21 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Priests and the Offerings

8 [a] The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 9 “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. 10 And (A)the priest shall put on his linen garment and put his linen undergarment on his body, and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar and put them (B)beside the altar. 11 Then (C)he shall take off his garments and put on other garments and carry the ashes (D)outside the camp to a clean place. 12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not go out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it and shall burn on it (E)the fat of the peace offerings. 13 Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.

14 “And this is the law of (F)the grain offering. The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord in front of the altar. 15 And one shall take from it a handful of the fine flour of the grain offering and its oil and all the frankincense that is on the grain offering and burn this as its (G)memorial portion on the altar, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 16 And (H)the rest of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten unleavened (I)in a holy place. In the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it. 17 (J)It shall not be baked with leaven. (K)I have given it as their portion of my food offerings. (L)It is a thing most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. 18 Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it, as decreed forever throughout your generations, from the Lord's food offerings. Whatever touches them shall become holy.”

19 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 20 (M)“This is the offering that Aaron and his sons shall offer to the Lord on the day when he is anointed: a (N)tenth of an ephah[b] of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening. 21 It shall be made with oil (O)on a griddle. You shall bring it (P)well mixed, in baked[c] pieces like a grain offering, and offer it for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 22 The priest from among Aaron's sons, who is anointed to succeed him, shall offer it to the Lord as decreed forever. (Q)The whole of it shall be burned. 23 Every grain offering of a priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten.”

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Footnotes
  1. Leviticus 6:8 Ch 6:1 in Hebrew
  2. Leviticus 6:20 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
  3. Leviticus 6:21 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

There are specific laws to guide the priests when making the offerings. The burnt offering for atonement must be burnt slowly all night until morning (9). This slow burning away of the offering is a consecration of the offering. This represents the consecration process in our own lives. Our sins take a long time to burn away and for us to become a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. (Ro 12:1). We need the fire of the Holy Spirit to consecrate us and break down our will.

The fire must be kept burning through the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings. The fire must never go out (13). We keep the fire of the Spirit alive in our hearts when we maintain a heart of repentance and thanksgiving to God. Is the fire of God burning in your heart?

A portion of the grain offering must be given to the priests and his sons. It was holy and must be eaten in the sanctuary. This offering of thanksgiving must be shared with God’s servants. We must practically show our thanksgiving to his servants. Have you? The priests also must make a grain offering and this was burnt completely (23), meaning it belonged to God. They must offer their lives to God as a pleasing sacrifice for his glory with thanksgiving.

Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus who sanctifies me through the Spirit. Consecrate me, burn away my sins, and accept my life as a pleasing sacrifice.

One Word: Consecrated to God for his glory