As I have been reading through some pretty tedious Old Testament texts (Exodus and Leviticus), I have been trying to immerse myself in deeper meanings. Maybe it’s just me, but I find it so easy to get bogged down with what the dimensions were for this item in the tabernacle or where to kill the offering for this certain type of offering or what materials were used for the construction of this thing for the tabernacle. So bogged down, that I often miss the point. And, if I’m honest, dread reading these passages. And so, for the last few weeks or so, I’ve been trying to see God through these rituals and regulations. This week, I want to point out a couple of them (or few, we’ll see if time allows) in hopes of seeing God through a clearer lens.
Go to Leviticus 9. It’s probably not a passage we’re very familiar with, because it’s right in the midst of consecrations and regulations about the tabernacle, and it’s a LOT. A lot of repeating, a lot of confusing measurements, just…a lot. But, really, chapter 9 is kind of the light at the end of one of many tunnels. Moses has been directing Aaron and his sons about proper protocol for the tabernacle — and this has gone on for chapters. Finally, in chapter 9, consecration happens! Aaron and his sons are cleared for priestly duty, and first on the docket — offering sacrifices to God to sanctify themselves and the people. It’s a tedious chapter — with the sin offering and the burnt offering and the people’s offering and the peace offerings — but it’s worth it. Because at the end of all of these sacrifices, we know from verse 4 that “the LORD will appear” to the people. Exciting!
The thing that struck me most about this chapter was what happened when the people actually encountered the glory of the LORD.
Finally, when all of the offerings are concluded, we read this in Leviticus 9:23-24:
And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
This is Almighty God, and He is showing Himself to His people. They have been through the rituals. It likely seemed tedious (though not as much as it would for the years and decades they would do it in the future). It was probably a long process…waiting on all of the materials to be completed and for the tabernacle to actually be erected. Even when it was finally up, Aaron and his sons had to be set apart for seven days before this all happens in chapter 9. It’s been a long time coming. Lots of expectations. Would it be worth it?
Their response in verse 24 shows us that yes, it clearly was. Beyond worth it. The glory of Jehovah God appears to the people, and what do they do? They shout and fall to the ground!
The word used for shout here literally means to be overcome. They were overcome by God’s presence and shouted for joy to the God of their salvation!! They saw how unworthy they were before His glory, and they fell on their faces. The whole lot of the Israelite people fell down before God.
We don’t have tedious, time-consuming animal sacrifices to offer today.
We don’t have to go through any man to worship God. Our High Priest doesn’t have to offer a sacrifice for Himself before He can help us. Instead, our High Priest is Lord, and He goes before the LORD on our behalf. And the LORD, He is our God, yes, but He is also our Father. He calls us His children, and He accepts the fruit of our lips and the brokenness of our hearts. He allows us to give worship to Him through song and through communion with Christ and His death. We don’t come with animals and a long list of dos and donts. We come to Him with hearts that are, like the Israelites in Leviticus 9, overcome with joy. We come to Him in obedience, just as the Israelites are required, yet our new law is not a law of burden, but of joy. Joy in Jesus Christ, who offers pardon from sin, not the rollover package that they had in the Old Testament.
Too often, though, despite having a better law and a more beautiful means of worshipping and communing with God, we still don’t honor Him. We still show up like worship is a ritual. We do things — sing, pray, partake of the Lord’s supper, hear the Word of God proclaimed — like it’s just what we do…no heart or anything else. We let the worship service happen to us, instead of exude out of us.
I want my worship to God to be a shout of unspeakable joy. No, I won’t be literally shouting as I worship Him, but my heart will. I want to be awed in His presence, not just sitting in an assembly of His people because that’s what you do on Sundays. I want to love God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. And when I do, it will show through my worship. It will show through my dedication to living His law every day of my life. It will show through my thanksgiving and gratitude for all that He’s done for me.
May we never become complacent in the presence of our God. Instead, may we ever “shout to the LORD” and humble ourselves before His mighty, awesome hand.
