August 14, 2010 Lesson 13 of Numbers 18:8-19:22

What does 18:8-32 teach us about offerings that are holy and belong by right to God? Answer: I am not sure how to answer this question based on the passage. I see, in this passage, God giving the Levites the honor of partaking of the meat, wine, and other items used in the sacrifice as “payment” for their service to the temple (as noted in v21). God does give to us, and in our obedience does provide much more back to us. Other than that I am not sure how to answer this question.


What are the special features of the sacrifice described in 19:1-10? Note the use to which the ashes were put (19:9, 12, 17-19). What are the ‘dead works’ from which we need to be purified? Answer: The priest does not lay his hand on the cow’s head and it is slaughtered outside the city. Everyone who comes in contact with any part of the cow is considered unclean and must perform the ceremonies to become clean again. The dead works are our sins.


Note
18:19. ‘An everlasting covenant of salt’ :i.e., and indissoluble covenant. Cf. 2 Chr 13:5.
19:9,12, 17-19. The cleansing virture of the sacrifice already made was thus symbolically stored up and applied, as need arose, to the unclean. Cf. Heb 9:13, 14; 1 John 1:7-9.