Tzav Slides (pdf)
Tzav Notes (pdf)
Overview of Tzav (“Command”) Leviticus 6:8 – 8:36
In last week’s Portion Yehovah was speaking to the children of Israel when He said, “When any man brings an offering.” Those instructions were for every Israelite man because he would be actively involved in these sacrifices. He didn’t just leave his sacrificial animal at the door of the Tabernacle and then go back and sit down to watch the Priest do the rest. He slit its throat; he was there as its blood drained out; he helped cut it into pieces and place it on the altar. Therefore, all Israel were instructed in these procedures. This week, however, Moses speaks only to the sons of Aaron, giving more details concerning the five sacrifices than were presented last week: what the Priests do afterward with the remains of the animal, which portions they may eat, and what to do with the leftovers, etc.
Remember, these sacrifices are integral to the Aaronic Priesthood; they are required of a covenant-breaking people to postpone their death penalty until Messiah would come to pay that price for each one of them (and us!). So, I will not be dwelling in all of the details presented in this Portion because those details do not apply to us. We can, however, learn from some of the broad patterns that God establishes here. At first glance, it would appear to us that these sacrifices are all about death…but, in fact, they are about life eternal. They point toward immortality and incorruptibility. We learn in this Portion that the Sin Offering was to be eaten by the Priests within two days and any remaining was to be discarded. Why is that?? Because after two days the meat starts to spoil (perish). Paul told us:. “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’” (I Cor 15:53-54) We have been born again into the New Covenant relationship with Yehovah through the shed blood of Yeshua. But those who have not received this gift of eternal life from Yeshua are still “under the law”. We need to pray that the scales fall from the eyes of all Non-Believers so that the see the Truth of Yehovah’s plan of eternal life for them.
Chapters 6 & 7 The Law of the Offerings
Burnt Offering. Besides giving more details for the Priest to follow, this Portion establishes the morning and even sacrifices… and the prayers and worship that went along with them. The fire for the offerings was to burn continually; and, as a result, this Burnt Offering never stopped. The first Sin Offering at the “opening” of the Tabernacle (in Leviticus 9) provided the atonement for all of the following daily (Burnt) Offerings. The sweet savor of the burning flesh would always be present. Likewise with us, the fire of the Holy Spirit should always be burning within us, and the Presence of Yehovah should always be evident to those around us. This offering shows the dedication of Messiah – He gave His all for us.
Grain Offering. This offering accompanied the Burnt offering, along with the Drink Offering. We are not given any details about this drink offering (it is believed to have been a wine offering), but we see how it is used throughout the Book of Leviticus.
Sin Offering. This mandatory offering atoned for sins against God, and shows the work of Messiah on the Tree of Sacrifice. He took our sins upon Himself (Isaiah 53:5) so that we would be free from our sin penalty.
Trespass Offering. This also was a mandatory offering to atone for sins against our fellow man. In addition to the sacrificed animal, it always required repentance (as did all of the sacrifices) and restitution for the damages caused to the other person.
Peace Offering. All other offerings must precede this one. Only when we have removed all of the sin barriers that separate us from our fellow man and from God can we truly have peace. This offering shows our fellowship with Messiah.
A general rule applying to all the animal sacrifices (and to our healthy diets today) is to never eat the blood of an animal. The laws of Kashrut (Kosher) not only show which animals are clean and which are unclean, but they also dictate the way in which clean animals are slaughtered to insure there is no blood remaining. This is a Biblical principle as well as a health principle.
Chapter 7 ends with the prohibition of eating the fat – that choicest part belongs to God. Today we know the health benefits of avoiding certain fats.
Chapter 8 The Consecration of the Priests
This is the execution of the instructions that Yehovah gave to Moses back in Exodus 29. It tells us at least two things: Moses obeyed Yehovah by carrying out His instructions to the letter; and it shows us the application of the sacrifices that we learned about last week. It shows the order in which they are to be presented – something that was not included in last week’s instructions… and something that is very important to God – just ask Cain how Yehovah feels about the order of offerings! The procedures for the Yom Kippur offerings set forth in chapter 16 give us a very clear picture of the proper application and sequence of the sacrifices.
The chapter and Portion end with Aaron & Sons entering the Tabernacle to begin the seven day consecration period. This is one of just a few real-time events that take place in this Book; most of Leviticus is the giving of “law”…God’s instructions for the Aaronic Priesthood.
The Haftarah Reading (Jeremiah 7:21 – 8:3; 9:23-24)
The Haftarah reading comes from Jeremiah. Here the prophet rebukes Israel and tells them that God’s purpose in taking their forefathers out of Egypt was to establish a covenant relationship with them as a Kingdom of Priests — not to impose upon them a tribal priesthood with a system of animal sacrifices. Even after Yehovah sent many prophets to correct them, Israel still did not obey. We read from Jeremiah 7:21-28 & 9:22-23:
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat. For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them. Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. “Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you. “So you shall say to them,”
‘This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the Lord their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth.’
….. Thus says the Lord:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.
The Brit Chadashah Reading
The procedure to consecrate the Priests started with Moses washing Aaron and his sons with water, then clothing them in their Priestly garments, offering sacrifices and sanctifying them with sacrifice’s blood on their right ear lobe, their right thumb and the big toe on their right foot. He then anointed them with oil and presented the sacrifices as a Wave Offering & Heave Offering. Today’s Brit Chadashah reading is from the Upper Room Discourse found in the Gospel of John. Here Yeshua and His Disciples are preparing for the Passover Seder. We read from John 13:3-11:
“Yeshua, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Yeshua answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Yeshua answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Yeshua said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
Here Peter is asking Yeshua to consecrate him in the manner of the High Priest: by anointing his ear (head), his hand (thumb), and his foot (toe). Yeshua answered that He is not consecrating His Disciples into the Aaronic Priesthood; but rather into His Royal Priesthood, so they (and we) may change the world with the Good News of the New Covenant.