As we read an account of an offering from Leviticus we realize that on the surface the offering doesn't look much different from those offerings made in paganism. There is death of one or more animals. There's a particular place to engage in the offering. The person making the offering has a special garment. It's not unusual to do something special with blood or with other parts of the sacrifician animals. What sets this offering apart?
First, counter to paganism, the offerings in the Bible are made according to a specific revealed will of God. The people making the offerings, certainly by this time period, didn't have to guess what to do. There was a very clear revelation of God. One of the joys of the Christian faith is that we have a faith which is clearly revealed by God. It is not the kind of faith that we would make up on our own. It is not something based on our own impressions, but is something extra nos, outside us.
Second, we see that God very clearly and definitively accepts the offering. He gives his fire and burns the offering up himself. This is quite unexpected, resulting in the people shouting and falling down in worship. I wonder if we think seriously enough about the fact that God does things of his own accord, working supernaturally according to his plan? If we did, would we conduct ourselves differently when dealing with the mysteries of God? How about when he is creating faith in hearts through the proclamation of his Word? How about when he is forgiving sins we have confessed? How about when he is giving us spiritual food in communion? How about when he is cleansing from sin and taking someone "into" his name through baptism? Shouldn't we wake up and notice?
Lord, work according to your word. Open our eyes to see it is in fact you doing what you have promised.
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