S) "17 Then he shall tear it by its wings, but shall not sever it. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord."
Leviticus 1:17 (NASB)
O) There is some amount of mystery in this verse. The LORD is telling Moses and the priests, how they are to prepare various sacrifices. There are basically three categories, which form a sort of hierarchy. This last, was the sacrifice of a pigeon or a turtledove. The first thing that caught my eye, was that the priest was told not to sever the bird. The only other reference to this, that I could find, was when Abraham set out sacrifices to God in Genesis 15:10. There is little description as to why he did not sever the bird then, either. When I read Matthew Henry's commentary, he brought up an interesting point, though. These three forms of sacrifice were, in essence, the rich, middle-class, and poor. Of the three forms of sacrifice described in this chapter, the sacrifice of the poor was the most labor-intensive for the priests. It could be, that God wanted as much attention and service to be given to the poor, as it would be given to the rich. God consistently calls for His people to care for the poor, and this could be another subtle example of that.
A) Whatever the reason, I can still be sure that God does have a heart for the poor. This verse will serve as a reminder to me, at least, to give every attentive service I can, to the poor around me. It will also remind me that we serve a particular God, not an arbitrary God. He has exact ways, not opinions. Some of the details may be hidden from me, but that shouldn't stop me from seeking to know Him better, and His ways. If I am made aware, then I will praise God for that knowledge, and pray that it informs my behavior all the more. If He keeps this type of detailed information from me, I will not let it paralyze me, but I will still do what I know: caring for the poor, for example.
P) Father, in Christ Jesus, every sin has been cleansed. Reading through the Law of the old covenant, I stand in awe of the permanent sacrifice of Your Son on my behalf. You found me a poor wretch, unable to redeem myself, but You took care of me with great patience, detailed ministry, and lovingkindness. You treated me with the same grace given to much greater men. The depths of Your grace are still too much for me to fully know, but I am humbled by what You have taught me. Please let me know Your ways deeper and deeper. Help me to seek Your ways first, in everything I do. I want to glorify Your name. Let me respond to this great grace, by showing lovingkindness to others, too. Help me take the time, effort, and joy, in ministering to the poorest of people, Father God. Let Your will be done. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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