Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Leviticus 6:8-13
Further Instructions With Regard To The Offerings And Sacrifices To Be Made To Yahweh (Leviticus 6:8 to Leviticus 7:21).
These additions to the details of the offerings are split into three sections by the words ‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.' In the first section is ‘the law of the whole burnt offering' and ‘the law of the grain offering', in the second is more detail about the grain offering referring to the daily grain offering of the priests, and in the third are ‘the law of the purification for sin offering', ‘the law of the guilt offering' and ‘the law of the peace sacrifices'. Yet they are united by the phrase ‘this is the law of --.' This may suggest that the middle section has been inserted between the first and the third in order to amplify the description of the grain offering. But all are words of Yahweh given to Moses.
This is not just a repeat of what has gone before. It contains new instructions with regard to these offerings and sacrifices.
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,'
This statement again indicates the beginning of a new section.
The Law of the Whole Burnt Offering (Leviticus 6:9).
The concern here is more of maintaining the altar fir so as to properly consume the whole burnt offering than with the whole burnt offering itself.
‘Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the whole burnt offering. The whole burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it.'
We now have added information about the whole burnt offering which especially has in mind the morning and evening offerings (Exodus 29:38), which are themselves whole burnt offerings (Numbers 28:3). The whole burnt offering is to be allowed to burn all night, and the fire is to be kept alight under it, so as to ensure that it is properly consumed. The initial offering of such an offering may with much practise be quick, but the outworking of it takes the whole night. We too need to recognise that ‘full surrender' an the evening is easy, but do we make it last through until the morning? Our dedication of ourselves must be wholehearted and lasting (Romans 12:1).
‘And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put on his flesh, and he shall take up the ashes which have resulted from the fact that the fire has consumed the burnt-offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.'
When the morning comes the Priest must put on his priestly linen garment, and his breeches so that there is no danger of his private parts being exposed, (the breeches will be ‘put on his flesh' i.e. they will cover his hidden parts. Compare here Exodus 20:26; Exodus 28:42). Then he must take up the ashes containing the remains of offerings and sacrifices, and put them on one side beside the altar. Activity on the altar involves what is holy and the Priest must thus be adequately clothed with ‘holy garments', so holy that he must not leave the tabernacle wearing them. They are separated and set apart wholly to God's service.
So must we ensure that when we go about God's service we are properly prepared as far as it is possible. God desires no slapdash ways.
‘And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.'
Then he will divest himself of the priestly garments, put on other clothes, and carry the ashes out to a clean place. It must be a clean place because the ashes are holy and must not be defiled. There they will remain with God.
The importance for us of these requirements is that they bring home the fact of the sacredness of dealing with the things of God. Not having such solemn ritual we can tend to forget with Whom we are dealing, and that we should not approach Him lightly. We need constantly to recognise that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, and although through Christ the fear has been mainly removed, we need to remember with Whom we have to do. Our God is a consuming fire. We must love and tremble at the same time, for He is a holy God.
‘And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning: and he shall lay the whole burnt offering in order on it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace-offerings.'
At this stage the fire is not to be allowed to go out. Morning having come wood will then be placed on the fire to revive it, and then the morning whole burnt offering is to be placed on the wood, after which the fat of the peace offerings may also be burned on it.
‘Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.'
A perpetual fire is to be maintained on the altar. It may be questioned how this ties in with Leviticus 1:7? The answer probably lies in how the fire was maintained. It was probably kept burning in a part of the altar space permanently when not in use, but moved into position and kindled with wood when it was needed. Thus when the whole burnt offering was to be offered the fire would be taken from where it was on the altar, placed in the centre and then fed with wood, as Leviticus 1:7 says.
The continual flame is probably also to be seen as a symbol of the continual divine presence, reminding us continually of His never failing presence and of our responsibilities towards Him, so that recognising His requirements we offer ourselves afresh to Him daily.
We have here a reminder of what should be the intent of our lives, to come daily to Him Who is the continually burning Flame, so that through our offering of ourselves in Him and to Him, we too might continually burn and constantly reveal God's glory. This will be brought about by our continually working out what He works in us (Philippians 2:13), and by our continually offering ourselves daily in worship and prayer through His word, so that we are wholly taken up with Him, and so that our continual offering of ourselves is received by Him. We have the assurance that the Flame will never go out. Our lives should therefore be a daily offering.