There is an important point you need to keep in mind when studying the sacrificial rituals of Torah.
There is NOTHING inherently miraculous or mystical about them.
They weren’t like a sorcerer’s rites.
The blood of the sacrificial animal wasn’t somehow transformed into some magic potion, nor was the smoke emitted from the Brazen Altar some special supernatural smoke.
None of the rituals in and of themselves were of a supernatural nature.
All of the gold and silver instruments and vessels used in the rituals weren’t like magic wands.
The priestly garments didn’t endow the priests with super powers.
There wasn’t anything inherently supernatural about the Tabernacle tent either.
So the question is if there wasn’t anything supernatural or miraculous about the Levitical rites, why did the Lord order that such procedures be performed?
The answer is because it was all about obedience to the Lord.
He could have chosen any other procedure, but He chose what He did, and it was the Israelites’ obligation to obey.
The Lord wanted His people to perform the rituals NOT because the rituals in and of themselves contained supernatural power that they needed in order to be made pure but because by performing the rituals, the Hebrews WERE DEMONSTRATING THEIR OBEDIENCE TO YHVH.
This is why HASHEM said He prefers obedience rather than sacrifice.
What He was saying is that the rituals are important, not because they contain supernatural power, but because when you do what I say, you are being obedient to Me.
It is OBEDIENCE that is the important factor, not the sacrificial animals or barley that were tossed on the Brazen Altar to be burned up.
Are you catching this distinction?
Let’s also not forget that the purpose of sacrifice was to serve as a means of atonement.
Of course, God would rather have had the obedience of the Israelites over the need to have to give a sacrifice in the first place due to their disobedience.
However, when they did trespass against the Lord, they were expected to be obedient by offering up the proper sacrifice.
So let’s get this straight, when the Lord said He prefers our obedience rather than sacrifice, He was NOT saying, as the gentile church mistakenly thinks, that we have a choice between obedience OR sacrifice.
He’s saying that obedience is more important than sacrifice because obedience is the point of it all.
That is why YHVH has given us a detailed list of rights and wrongs.
When the ancient Israelites received the sacrificial ritual instructions, whether they liked it or not, at that moment they had just been presented with the choice to either obey God or disobey Him.
It is obedience that has always been the issue.
To think that just because Messiah has come, we have now been given the freedom to decide what is right and wrong for ourselves is just plain incorrect and twisted theology.
We have not been given the right to redefine what sin is or to declare that some people are obligated to obey certain commands while other people are not obligated.
As I said in my last post, the Torah is the only document that defines for us what is right and wrong.
It is the only document that defines sin and righteousness for us.
Throw the Torah in the trash and indeed you will end up walking in darkness.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“If you love me, keep my commands.”
-John 14:15
I absolutely agree that obedience is key; yet, there was supernatural power in what God did through those rituals, as there is today with laying on of hands and prayer. Recall that the priestly garments of Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abidu, who offered strange fire, remained untouched while their bodies were disintegrated. The garments had been consecrated and anointed as holy. That’s supernatural.
Great point. Thanks for sharing!