Leviticus 06
Book of Leviticus #06
What conduct must we have in the presence of the Lord? How should we behave when presenting an offering at the gate of the tent? What role does the officiating priest play? Can we be forgiven without the priesthood?
These are the questions that Leviticus 6 covers. The Lord tells Moses to "Command Aaron and his sons..." that is the priestly line. They are to officiate at the tent following the Torah -- instructions -- that God lays down for them. But to dwell on the formal sets of rules without considering that these formal rules are meant to express God's mercy is to miss the entire point. Indeed, the Israelites had to avoid two opposite temptations: tampering with the law to suit their needs and on the opposite pole, adhering to the law with their lips but not with their hearts.
God is merciful and kind, and because he is merciful and kind, he provided for the Israelites. He cared for their well-being, their physical need, and their spiritual food. The Torah is the expression of his mercy. Indeed, his mercy unveils in the details of the Law. It would be a grave mistake to believe that God is so above us that he does not care about the trifles of the Law; in fact, he cares all too deeply about them because their observance should flow from a loving heart.
When we love someone, we wish to please him the way he wants to be pleased and in this Chapter, God begins to reveal to Israel how they ought to conduct themselves when they worship him, so that his blessings may come upon them.
