So Moses set up the tabernacle and all the parts of it as God had instructed him to do on the first day of the first month in the second year. Then a cloud settled over the Tent of Meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. This cloud was to be a sign to the Israelites to stay put if the cloud did not lift, and to go if the cloud lifted. During the day there was a cloud over the tabernacle and at night it was a firey cloud.
Now God had a place to dwell among the Israelites and enter into a new relationship with them.
Leviticus! VEGETARIAN WARNING: This section contains information about the sacrifice of animals as burnt offerings to the Lord. This blood offering was atonement for sin.
The priests were to build a fire of wood on the altar to receive burnt offerings.
Note: I've tried to do my best on this part. I think I need a chart because there are differences in the kind of offering, the animal offered, and the details of what is to be done with the carcass, and I find it difficult to keep it all straight...so here goes...
Chapter 1 - The Burnt Offering - From the herd (a young bull) without defect was to be presented at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to be acceptable to the Lord. He (the offeror) is to lay his hands on the head of the animal and symbolically transfer his sin to the animal and kill it. The priests were to present the blood and sprinkle it on the altar. The animal was skinned and cut into pieces and burned on the altar.
If the offering was from the flock (sheep or goat) a male without blemish (perfect) was necessary. The offeror would kill it on the north side of the altar. The blood would be sprinkled around the altar. The animal was skinned, cut into pieces and burned on the altar.
If the offering was a bird (turtledoves or young pigeons) the priest would wring it's head off, drain out the blood, remove the feathers and crop (I assume this means guts) tear it open by the wings without severing it completely and burn it on the altar.
A grain offering was also acceptable. Finely ground grain was to be mixed with oil and incense, and brought to the priests. They burned a handful (called the memorial portion) and the rest was for Aaron and his sons. Offerings of grain could be baked like a cake, or wafers spread with oil, or cooked on a griddle, or cooked in a pan. No offerings could be burned that contained yeast or honey as these aid fermentation and were symbolic of corruption in the human heart.
A fellowship or peace offering from the herd (bull or cow) was similar as described earlier, except the kidney and liver portions with the fat surrounding them were also burned on top of the rest of the offering.
From the flock, the lamb was presented and sacrificed as described earlier, except that the fat tail and other fat was burned with the kidneys and liver. The goats were sacrificed in a similar manner.
The Lord commanded the Israelites not to eat any blood or fat.
Chapter 4 talks about unintentional sins.
If the anointed priest sins unintentionally, the sacrifice is more elaborate. The animal is presented in the same way and killed. But the blood is carried into the Tent of Meeting, sprinkled 7 times before the Lord, and put on the horns of the incense altar. The rest of the blood is poured at the base of the altar just as the blood for all the other sacrifices is. The fat, kidneys, and liver are burned on the altar, but the head, hide, flesh, legs innards and dung are all taken to the ash heap outside the camp to the clean place and burned.
If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally then the elders bring a sin offering, and perform the sacrifice as described above.
When a leader sins unintentionally he brings a goat as a sin offering. The sacrifice is performed in the normal way.
When a member of the community sins unintentionally he must bring a female goat or lamb as a sacrifice in the normal way.
Tomorrow read Leviticus 5-7
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