I was reading this morning in Leviticus the 5th chapter, and something jumped off the page at me. In this text Yahweh is prescribing what to bring for a sin offering (the sins are listed at the beginning of the chapter). He explains that a flock animal is to be brought by the worshiper who has sinned in any of these ways. But He goes on to say that if the worshiper cannot afford to bring an animal of the flock then they are allowed to bring a turtledove instead (actually two turtledoves; one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering). We might think that this is where Yahweh would stop with His instructions, but He goes on to say that if the worshiper cannot afford the two turtledoves, then they can bring fine flour for their sin offering. A bloodless sacrifice.

The sacrifices where not brought to Yahweh because He was some kind of "blood thirsty god," not at all. They were tributes or gifts to the King of the Universe. You do not show up in His presence without bringing him something to show your respect and His honor. Yahweh's mercy is seen right here in this book that so many people neglect to study - Leviticus (Hebrew = Vayikra). Yahweh allows the poor within the nation of Israel to bring him flour for their sin offering because that is all they can afford. He's not concerned that it's not a bigger animal, or even an animal period. He just wants the worshiper to bring some form of restitution as an outward show of their inward repentance.

Matthew Janzen

Yesterday I heard a great explanation of Matthew 5:6 where we read, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

When we think of hungering and thirsting in the natural we also think of eating and drinking in order to fulfill that hunger and thirst. What happens is that we get hungry (thirsty) and so we eat breakfast, but that only satisfies us for a little while. It isn't long after that that we get hungry (thirsty) again, so we then eat lunch. The point is that in the natural we eat and are satisfied, but the satisfaction is temporary. We soon eat again because our hunger is continual.

This is what Yeshua is talking about in his sermon on the mount. Those who continually hunger and thirst after righteousness are the ones who will be filled. He means that those who constantly long for spiritual meat will be the ones satisfied, but only because they are NOT satisfied with one meal. We eat a spiritual meal, and it suffices us for a little while, but only a little while. We are then hungry for more spiritual meat. We are never satisfied with just one meal.

So, what it really boils down to is this: those NOT satisfied will be the ones who ARE satisfied. Selah

Matthew Janzen