Yada
In the same way that the Lord made a way for Abram to lay hold of his promised blessing, God also invited Abraham’s descendants to know how they too could be confident that God’s blessing was theirs. Abram brought the Lord five different animals, so his descendants would also bring five different types of offerings: burnt, grain, fellowship, sin, and guilt.[1] These offerings and the Lord’s fire appearing through them would be the way that the promises of God could be deeply known by each person who came to Him. The Lord intended for the offerings to be a way for His people to draw near in times of abundance for fellowship, relationship, and feasting, and also when their sin was made known and guilt was realized. Three chapters of Leviticus are devoted to instruction for those who feel sinful and guilty to draw near to God. It was in the very moments of feeling disqualified from blessing, life, and peace that God invites the children of Israel to come near to Him with an offering. If the offering had no defect, then they could be assured of their forgiveness. It was the goodness of their offering and application of its blood that made atonement for them, making them clean, at peace, and blessed. Again, we see that God was not demanding offerings or delighting in sacrifices,[2] but wanting His people to intimately know His ways of mercy, forgiveness, and blessing.
Remember that the word “yada” for the “knowing” that Abram requested begins with the letter “yod” that is depicted by a hand. So when Abraham’s descendants bring their animal offerings to the Lord and it is confirmed as acceptable to God, the Lord tells them: to lay their hand on its head; to feel and know the senses, expression, pulse, and warmth of the one who will be offered. After this tender identification, they uncover (skin) and cut (as Abram had) their offering to dissect all of the virtues that had been accepted by God on their behalf. They also wash the internal organs and legs to ensure that it is thoroughly sinless – inside and out – the walk as clean as the heart given for them.
He was preparing us since His initial covenant with Abram and throughout the Levitical priesthood to know what we have believed through a tangible sacrifice that would ultimately come through His Son. Jesus came not just as the Word of Salvation, but in the flesh to be seen, looked at, and touched (1 John 1:1-3) as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. The testimonies of His life on earth was so that we would “yada” – that we might know – the perfection, righteousness, and sinlessness of the One who offered Himself, acceptable and pleasing to God, for us. In Christ we know that we shall possess every promise from God for forgiveness, healing, reconciliation, and life because He is perfect inside and out. He is the One God was leading us to realize from the start.
[1] Five is the number of grace so the five offerings represent the grace that came into our darkness to secure our blessing, salvation, and life through Jesus offering Himself for us. Just as Abram didn’t cut all the offerings; not all of the five offerings in Leviticus are offered in the same way. God is showing in both cases that there are different facets to the grace offered on their behalf.
[2] “…when Christ came into the world, He said ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for Me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings You were not pleased’” (Hebrews 10:5-6)
