Leviticus 5-7 The portion for Aaron and his sons

From Leviticus 5-7

Overview
Lev 5.1-13 Law; Various instructions associated with the sin offering
Lev 5.1.14-6.7 Law; Various instructions associated with guilt offerings
Lev 6.8-30 Law; Various instructions associated with burnt offerings, grain offerings, anointings and sin offerings
Lev 7.1-18 Law; Various instructions associated with guilt offerings and peace offerings
Lev 7.19-21 Law; Instructions concerning touching unclean things
Lev 7.22-27 Law; Further instructions regarding Food laws and food offerings
Lev 7.28-36 Law; Further instructions regarding peace and wave offerings
Lev 7.37-38 Law; Summary statement for all the sacrifices and offerings

Passage and Comments
Today’s readings were a bit dry. Instructions regarding minute details of the offerings and all. One thing of note is the following;

[28] The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, [29] “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to the LORD shall bring his offering to the LORD from the sacrifice of his peace offerings. [30] His own hands shall bring the LORD's food offerings. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved as a wave offering before the LORD. [31] The priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be for Aaron and his sons. [32] And the right thigh you shall give to the priest as a contribution from the sacrifice of your peace offerings. [33] Whoever among the sons of Aaron offers the blood of the peace offerings and the fat shall have the right thigh for a portion. [34] For the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed I have taken from the people of Israel, out of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons, as a perpetual due from the people of Israel. [35] This is the portion of Aaron and of his sons from the LORD's food offerings, from the day they were presented to serve as priests of the LORD. [36] The LORD commanded this to be given them by the people of Israel, from the day that he anointed them. It is a perpetual due throughout their generations.” (Lev 7:28-36)

You may not have known that the sacrificial system was the means by which the levites received food and were provided for. Parts of the offerings they kept for themselves as food. This was used to support themselves and their families.

Story of Israel
The Levite's depended on these offerings for their own livelihood. They didn't have their own lands to support them. Their role was to serve the people through their service in worship and instructing Israel in the law. This continued til Jesus' time.

Story of Jesus
Paul describes many of the mercies God has given the Romans. The most important being the saving death and resurrection of Jesus. Getting towards the end of the letter Paul says;

[12:1] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Rom 12:1)

We’ve been exposed here to many of the sacrifices of the Old Testament. What are our sacrifices meant to be today? How can you offer yourself in service of God in the light of the mercies he has shown us in Jesus? Perhaps one area alluded to in these Leviticus passages is those who serve us in Christian ministry. Whether they be paid ministers or the volunteer leaders who look after us. Perhaps as our sacrifice today, we can support them in prayer, with encouraging words, acts of service and of course financially.