Day 22 Reading Schedule : Leviticus 6-10

Leviticus 6: Priestly Duties for Each Offering 

[Overview]

This chapter is the conclusion of the five offerings mentioned in Leviticus 1-5. The first half is supplementary to the guilt offering mentioned in the previous chapter, mentioning the guilt offering that must be offered by someone who has violated the property rights of another person (verses 1-7). Next, unlike the first part, which mainly explains the types of offerings and the reasons for offerings, it mentions the procedures and methods for offering burnt offerings, peace offerings (verses 8-13), grain offerings (verses 14-23), and guilt offerings (verses 24-30). This chapter mentions detailed regulations not only for the reasons for offerings but also for the procedures and methods, showing that all of the lives of the Israelites are entirely according to God's will.

Leviticus 6 is the conclusion of the five offerings mentioned above. Verses 1-7 are additional explanations of the guilt offering in Leviticus 5, and the remaining verses are God's instructions on the various types of guilt offerings and other offerings. That is, the main chapter was composed in a supplementary format regarding the offering, the method of offering it, and the regulations accompanying it.

Leviticus 7: Additional Laws on the Sacrificial Law 

[Overview]

This chapter is the final conclusion to the five types of sacrifices, and it mentions the regulations on the handling of sacrificial offerings and the priests' portions. First, it explains the regulations on the sin offering and the guilt offering and the priests' portions (verses 1-10), and then it mentions the regulations on the meat of the peace offering and the priests' portions (verses 11-34). In particular, it emphasizes the prohibition that the unclean cannot eat the meat of the peace offering. Finally, God commands the Israelites to keep these sacrificial regulations for generations to come (verses 35-38).

Leviticus 7 mentions the regulations on the guilt offering and the peace offerings following chapter 6, but it also mentions the priests' portions and the regulations on eating the offerings. In particular, the meaning of the regulations on the sacrificial system teaches us that all sacrifices to God are very important.

Leviticus 8: The Priestly Ordination Ceremony 

[Overview]

This chapter contains records of the ordination ceremony of the priests who will be in charge of the sacrifices. The appointment of the priests was made through Exodus 29, but now that the tabernacle has been completed and the regulations for the sacrifices have been completed, the priestly activities are beginning in earnest. God commanded Moses to perform the ordination ceremony for Aaron’s family (verses 1-9). Moses poured anointing oil on Aaron and his sons and offered a guilt offering, a burnt offering, and a peace offering for the ordination ceremony (verses 10-29). After that, Aaron’s family spent seven days in the tabernacle and performed the ordination ceremony, completing all preparations for the inauguration of the priests (verses 30-36).

Leviticus 8 presupposes the regulations of Moses recorded in Exodus 29 and fulfills all the sacrificial regulations from Leviticus 1 to 7. In particular, this chapter describes in detail the ordination ceremony in which Aaron and his descendants were consecrated as priests. This ordination of the priests could not be performed until the sacrificial system had been established by the regulations Moses had received on Mount Sinai, so it was put on hold and performed after the tabernacle was built and the sacrificial system was completed.

Leviticus 9: Aaron's First Duty 

[Overview]

This chapter records the inauguration of Aaron and his sons as priests after completing the seven-day inauguration ceremony. Unlike the inauguration ceremony in which Moses performed the sacrifice, Aaron himself began to offer the sacrifice from the inauguration ceremony. Moses commanded Aaron to begin his duties as priest (vv. 1-7). Aaron offered a sin offering and a burnt offering for himself (vv. 8-14) and a sin offering and a peace offering for the people (vv. 15-21). At this time, God burned the offering and the fat on the altar with fire to give a sign of his inauguration (vv. 22-24).

This chapter is a continuation of the priestly duties introduced in Leviticus 8. After completing the seven-day inauguration ceremony, the priest offered a sin offering for himself and the people of Israel. This was the first sacrifice offered to God after the priests were commissioned, and it consisted of sacrifices for the priests, sacrifices for the entire congregation, blessings from Moses and Aaron, and the glory of Jehovah revealed through fire. Among them, the first sacrifice offered by Aaron signified that Aaron had begun as a mediator between Israel and God with divine authority.

Leviticus 10: The Wrong Offering 

[Summary]

Aaron and his sons received the blessed mission of being priests. However, the blessing was given when they obeyed God’s command. This chapter shows the meaning of the law to the Israelites through the tragic incident of Aaron’s two sons dying on their first day of inauguration. Two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, were burned to death while offering incense with fire that was not commanded (vv. 1-7). As a result of this incident, God commanded that priests should not drink alcohol during the sacrifice and that they should eat the holy food next to the altar (vv. 8-15). In addition, Moses rebukes Eleazar and Ithamar for not eating the sin offering and instead burning it because they were afraid of Nadab and Abihu (vv. 16-20).

This chapter provides a glimpse into the theme that runs through the entire history of Israel: the blessing of obedience to God’s command and the curse of disobedience. After the sacred inauguration ceremony, Aaron's two sons, Nadab and Abihu, were set apart as priests of God, but while they were burning incense, they were punished by God and died. This chapter records this punishment, the admonitions regarding priests' drinking that were enacted as a result of this incident, the regulations regarding grain offerings and peace offerings that were assigned to priests, and Moses' reprimand for the sins of priests Eleazar and Ithamar.