Leviticus 1:1-2

Yahweh Commences Instructing Moses Concerning Offerings And Sacrifices (Leviticus 1:1).

Leviticus 1:1

‘And Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him out of the tent of meeting, saying,'

Notice the ‘and' at the beginning. This connects the verse to the last verses in Exodus, where ‘the tent of meeting', that is, the Tabernacle, was dealt with, and where the cloud and fire covered the Tabernacle to denote God's protective care and presence. Now we are to learn how God spoke to Moses from there, from the midst of the cloud and fire, and the detailed activities which were to take place in that Tabernacle, as revealed by God to Moses. God was, as it were, there and awaited their approach. Note the threefold emphasis on God as actually speaking to Moses from the tent, ‘Yahweh called -- and spoke -- saying.' Compare Numbers 7:89.

“The tent of meeting.” The idea behind this name is that it was the tent where men came to meet with God. All the focus was on God. That was why men assembled there, to meet with God, and that was why it was called the tent of ‘meeting'. The word mo'ed (meeting, assembly) is used elsewhere to describe the assembling of men together.

At this point in time the ‘tent of meeting' has become the Tabernacle, which has replaced the smaller Tent of Meeting which had been outside the camp (Exodus 33:7). This one was in the middle of the camp surrounded and guarded by the tents of the priests and Levites (Numbers 1:53). The tents of the other tribes, divided into their tribes, would then surround these on all four sides at a discreet distance (Numbers 2). Moses would presumably approach the entrance to the Tabernacle where Yahweh would speak to him from the cloud that abode on the tabernacle because of the glory that filled it (Exodus 40:34), as He had spoken face to face with him in the old Tent of Meeting. At these times the people would probably keep at a discreet distance (compare Exodus 33:7).

Leviticus 1:2

‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, When any man of you offers an oblation (qorban) to Yahweh, you shall offer your oblation of the dumb beasts, of the herd and of the flock.'

This day when he approached Yahweh Moses was given instructions for when any man of Israel wished to bring God a qorban (a gift or oblation). This offering is not described as being for any particular reason and is therefore clearly seen as an act of worship and love, as it was with the patriarchs. The whole of the offering goes up to God in dedication and worship. But the way it is offered confirms that it has within it an atonement aspect, a desire to be at one with God through the shedding of blood. This is in fact specifically stated. The oblation is of ‘dumb animals', either of the herd or the flock, animals that were valuable and could supply labour, milk and clothing, and could be eaten. There had to be a cost. But the dumb beasts had no choice in the matter. The choice lay with the offerer whose offering it was. The offering represented him and those for whom he was making the offering.

The writer to the Hebrews contrasts this fact with what was true about Christ, Whom he sees as fulfilling the reality of which the offering was a ‘type', a foreshadowing picture. Jesus Christ too was offered at great cost, but in His case He was not led bleating to the place of sacrifice, blandly or resistingly, but offered Himself voluntarily of His own free choice (Hebrews 10:9), and it was that which rendered His offering of Himself so fully efficacious. He offered Himself up in full yieldedness to God as One Who was fully obedient, and through His blood therefore attained mercy and full reconciliation for all who would come through Him (Romans 3:24; Romans 5:9). But in His case too each person has to decide whether they will identify themselves with His offering of Himself, and respond to Him. Each of us must personally ‘lay our hand' on Him to identify ourselves with Him.

“Speak to the children of Israel.” As the people had requested, God now spoke to them through Moses (Exodus 20:19 compare Number 7:89). They had already demonstrated their unwillingness to meet God face to face. The ‘children of Israel' are called such because they looked back to Jacob/Israel as their ‘father' but this was mainly by adoption for in fact they were a conglomerate people made up of many nations (see e.g. Exodus 12:38). Many of them were originally descended from servants of different nationalities in the ‘household' of Jacob who went down into Egypt with Jacob, and these had been augmented at the Exodus by ‘a mixed multitude'. A large section of ‘the children of Israel' were therefore adopted children, not truly descended from Jacob/Israel.

“When any man of you.” ‘Man' is emphasised. The offerer would be the man of the household who would represent the whole household, or sometimes a leader would represent a larger group such as a sub-tribe, as Aaron and his sons would at the highest level represent the whole of Israel.

“Offers.” Literally ‘causes to draw near' (hiphil of qereb). Thus the qorban is ‘what is brought near', any offering brought to God.

“You shall offer.” Plural verb. It is assumed that all will at some stage come with their individual offerings. And at times they will all offer together.

“Of the dumb beasts, of the herd and of the flock.” Compare 1:10, ‘of the flock, of the sheep, or of the goats.' The first stated is the general category which is then divided up into two, they were dumb beasts comprised of herds and flocks.