Jeremiah

Although the Book of Jeremiah is the second of the major prophets, it is the longest book of prophecy in the Old Testament with 1,364 verses. In the book, Jeremiah gives us plenty of information about himself; this book contains more information about the author than any of the other prophetic books in the Old Testament.[1] We know that Jeremiah was from the town of Anathoth. Anathoth was a city of refuge (Number 35) in the land belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin.[2] This identifies Jeremiah as a Levite.

Nehemiah and Prophecy

Sometimes you have to sit and think a while on what you've read. Eventually the Holy Spirit will reveal why God left this information for us.

Lessons Learned: The Gates of Jerusalem

Introduction

Nehemiah is mostly about the reconstruction of the wall with a little genealogy thrown in. This is one of those books that its easy to lose the value of. The wall in Jerusalem doesn't seem important initially, particularly from a Christian point of view, and neither does the genealogy. Sometimes you have to sit and think a while on what you've read. Eventually the Holy Spirit will reveal why God left this information for us.
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Lineage

The Jews were meticulous at keeping genealogy. As a descendant of African slaves, I wish there was a book that kept track of my answers, and I can admire the effort taken to keep track of this information. However, it's not just about knowing your ancestors for self satisfaction. This is all setting us up for the New Testament, for the Messiah. Several prophecies tell us the Messiah will be from the line of David and of the tribe of Judah (e.g., Jeremiah 23:5-6), which means we can only validate Jesus as the Messiah if He is from the line of David. Imagine if Jesus' lineage was the only lineage given in the Bible. Would it seem credible? How would someone during Jesus' day record the lineage of Jesus back to David if it wasn't already preserved? Throughout the Bible, God commanded His people to record these lineages so that when the Messiah appeared, there would be no question of His legitimacy.

The genealogy of the Levites was important for Temple duty, as well as, for the priesthood. Although, we don't need this information today it is easy to see why it was included.
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The Wall

The Wall is the main focus, which why we know there has to be some significance. Sure, we can excise sermons on leadership and working together, but surely there has to be more significance to the wall than that. I think there are two ways to look at the meaning of the wall: spiritually and prophetically.
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Spiritually

We know the Temple is significant because it was the house of God. The New Testament tells us that our bodies are the new Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19), which means we should treat our bodies with the same respect the as the Temple of God. We can easily see the link between the Israelites' defilement of the Temple and their fall; we can translate that to spiritual meaning for defiling our bodies. Similarly, we can do the same thing with the wall.

The wall's purpose was to protect God's city, which included His Temple. This wall was created by the hands of God's people. Each family contributed to a section, and as they worked, the enemies of Israel constantly attacked. Similarly, we need a wall to protect ourselves from the devil's constant attack. This spiritual wall, is created by the body of Christ. Each of us much act together to protect each other from the influence of the world, which is controlled by Satan.
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Prophetically

Photocredit: Wikimedia Commons/Wilson44691

The wall also has prophetic significance. It is mentioned in a prophecy in both Ezekiel and Revelation.

Ezekiel 44:1-3 tells us that the God of Israel would enter through these gates and that it would be closed off. Some believe the east gate spoken of in Ezekiel is the gate Jesus used during His final entry and exit of the city. However, others believe the gate Ezekiel speaks of isn't part of the wall, but within the city.^[1]

Confusion about this gate has led to what is currently called the Golden Gate. The Golden Gate is considered to be the east gate that Jesus entered, however, it is actually a reconstruction built many years after Jesus' era. Nonetheless, the Ottomans read this prophecy and decided to do what they could to prevent the Messiah from entering. Not only did that bricked over gate, they placed a cemetery in front of the gate to defile the land. Their logic was that the Messiah would not be able to walk over the uncleanness of a cemetery. Those who believe Ezekiel's prophecy refers to the gate Jesus entered before His death and resurrection, see this as fulfillment of the prophecy. The Ottomans were neither Christian nor Jew, but they were clearly skeptical enough to that they believed the Messiah might come and overthrow their empire. That says something.

I find it funny that the Ottomans thought their actions would stop the prophecy from coming true. God doesn't lie; He tells us continually that the way to tell a true prophet is by the fulfillment of their prophecies. If man could block the entry and prevent the Messiah from coming, God's prophecies wouldn't come true. That would discredit the Bible all together. Rest assured, whatever Ezekiel's prophecy means, God will enter the gate just as He said.

Also, Revelation 21:12-13 tells us that there will be a gate in the New Jerusalem. This gate doesn't match the description of the gate built in Nehemiah, though. Why do the descriptions differ? My guess is, because the New Jerusalem will be perfect and everlasting, whereas the Jerusalem we know exists in a world filled with sin. The old wall needed to accommodate all the problems such a world, whereas the new wall won't.
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References

1. "What is the significance of the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem?". GotQuestions.org; visited April 2017

Nehemiah 12&13: Dedication of the Wall

The last two chapters of Nehemiah cover the dedication of the wall.

Introduction

The last two chapters of Nehemiah cover the dedication of the wall.
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Levites

One reason the Jews never lost their identity was their meticulous genealogy charts. It was important for them to identify the Levites, and particularly those descended from Aaron, to carryout Temple duties in accordance with the law. Nehemiah 12 presents such a genealogy.

Dedication

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Ben White

The main point of interest in Nehemiah 12 and 13 is the dedication of the wall. Scholars debate on whether the dedication happened immediately after the wall was built or some time later.^[1] Whether the dedication occurred shortly after the completion of the wall or well after, we are given confirmation that it was in fact dedicated. The point of dedication was to acknowledge God's hand in it's creation and it's duty to serve God and His people.

For the dedication, the Israelites gather at the wall to praise God in a procession led by Ezra. In this, they sing and offer sacrifices. The rejoicing was so great, it could be heard from far away. Nehemiah notes that worship was carried out the way David and Solomon had prescribed. This is to let us know the Israelites have come full circle and are back in the position to carry out God's Will.

As mentioned in the previous post, Ezra also reads the law to the Israelites. It is unclear how familiar they are with the law before Ezra begins reading. However, after hearing that the Moabites and Ammonites were not to join Israel, the Israelites were moved to obey the command. Given this information, they separated themselves from the mixed multitude that had followed them from Persia back to Jerusalem. This had been a problem during Ezra's day as well. The constant intermarrying of the Israelites with pagan nations reminds us how hard it is to be set apart. We are often drawn to those who do not worship God and worldly things. Like the Israelites, the modern church also joins herself to pagan traditions. Thanks to Jesus, today, there isn't a specific group or race of people that are to be excluded from the body of Christ.

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 836-841. 2014

2 Chronicles 29-32: Hezekiah

Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, takes the throne at the age of 25 and reigns for 29 years. He was one of the best, possibly the best, kings of Judah. It is during Hezekiah's reign that the Israelites experience a major revival in their relationship with God.

Introduction

Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, takes the throne at the age of 25 and reigns for 29 years. He was one of the best, possibly the best, kings of Judah. It is during Hezekiah's reign that the Israelites experience a major revival in their relationship with God.
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Back to Basics

Within the first month of his rule, Hezekiah started making repairs to the Temple; this was a sign that he was dedicated to serving God. Hezekiah tells the people that they have trespassed against God and must now sanctify the Temple and themselves (specifically the Levites). Like with most things, the first step is always admitting that there is a problem. Before we can fix our relationship with God, we have to admit its broken, and that it's our fault there's a problem. Once we realize that, we can start repairing the relationship.

It took the people 8 days to sanctify themselves and another 8 days to sanctify the Temple. Once everything was sanctified, Hezekiah brought leaders from each city with him before the Lord and they sacrificed bullocks, rams, goats, and lambs (7 each) for a sin offering. All of Judah came to rejoice and praise before God. Hezekiah even reinstated musicians to play the trumpet and sing, just as David had ordained.
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Passover

The sanctification process began on the first day of the first month. Since it took a total of 16 days to complete, the Temple was not clean in time for the Passover. As such, Hezekiah followed the law from Numbers 9:9-11, which stated an unclean man was to postpone the Passover celebration until the 2nd month. This Passover was not just celebrated by the kingdom of Judah, but for the northern kingdom as well.

The Passover had not been kept in a long while (2 Chronicles 30:5). This could be in reference simply to Ahaz's reign as king, but it could also include a longer period of time. Nonetheless, the conclusion is that God's people had not been obeying His law. This is another example of how merciful He is; when we stop upholding His law and drift away from following Him, He will wait for us to return.

Some of the northern tribes mocked Hezekiah's invitation, just as people will mock us when we are trying to do right by God. However, a few people from the northern tribe joined him for worship, just as a few will join us in our walk toward God.

Because it had been so long since the Israelites had followed God's law, things were a bit out of sorts. There were a apparently still Levites who had not sanctified themselves but were shamed into doing so after witnessing the Passover sacrifice. Those who were sanctified were in charge of the sacrifice, however many of the northern tribes were unaware that they could not participate in the feast if they were unclean. Anxious to reunite with God, these people partook of the feast despite there unclean state. Hezekiah prays that God will be merciful and forgive them, particularly because they were unaware of their sin. As you can expect, God understood and was well aware of what was in His people's hearts. Instead of punishing them, He heals their uncleanness and accepts their worship.

After the Passover, the people celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The celebration was so great, it was extended another 7 days! It makes sense that people enjoy feasts, however, the Feast of Unleavened Bread requires that only unleavened bread be eaten. This reminds us that praising God can be joyous even when restrictions are placed on our normal lives. Also, since leaven symbolizes sin in the Bible, this reminds us that life with out sin is a joyous experience we want to prolong.
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The Levites

During Hezekiah's reign, the Levites get more organized. Previously, duties had been assigned based on family so it was important for the Levites to iron out their genealogy so that they could return to their duties. Once they resumed worship per God's law, abundance swept over the nation. Revivals like this are powerful and occur even today. I believe such a revival will also come about just before the end.
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Assyria

Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, begins attacking Judah city by city during Hezekiah's reign. Knowing that Assyria will eventually come for Jerusalem, Hezekiah beefs up security in the city. He cuts off the water supply, such that only is own people can access the water and reinforces the wall around the city. As the city braces for a battle, Hezekiah tells the people to have faith because he knows that God will take care of them.

Sennacherib, however, stirs up trouble by questioning the faith of the people. Like many who do not truly understand Christianity today, Sennacherib tries to poke holes in the Israelites' faith with that he does know. This is why God wants us to study His word, so that we do not fall into such traps. Sennacherib questions Hezekiah's faithfulness because he has torn down the high places. From Sennacherib's point of view, Hezekiah had desecrated the cities and rendered the god of the city useless.^[1] However, the truth was that God required His sacrifices in a central location (the Temple) and can be in all places. Sennacherib believed that every nation's god or gods were real, but that some were stronger than others. Thus, he reminds the Israelites that no other nation has prevailed against Assyria's gods, who have defeated all of the other gods. The people hear truth in Sennacherib's words and fear because they lacked faith, not only in the strength of God but in the fact that He is the only God. Sennacherib's army defeated the other gods because they didn't exist. We must remember this when we are faced with such an enemy.

When Hezekiah learns of the people's despair, he turns to Isaiah the prophet and the two men pray to God. Hezekiah and Isaiah realized that as men, they could not give the people faith. Instead, they hand the problem over to God, who hears this prayer and protects the kingdom of Judah. An angel sent from God turns the Assyrian army away such that Hezekiah and his men don't have to fight. Seeing this, the people of Jerusalem bring gift to God at the Temple. This likely helped to restore faith in God and probably helped fan the flames of the revival.
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Death

Hezekiah was deathly ill during this time, but he prayed to God to heal him. Remember, not long a ago king Asa had come down with an illness and sought out help from doctors to heal him; he died. Hezekiah, on the other hand, went straight to God and was spared. God grants Hezekiah 15 more years of life (2 Kings 20)! During this time, God blesses Hezekiah with many riches. From monetary riches to spices and livestock, Hezekiah was blessed with abundance. When he dies, he is buried in the chief sepulchre of the kings, which means he was given a great honor.
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References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 778-779. 2014

1 Chronicles 23-26: Levite Duties

Not only did David gather materials for building the Temple, he began preparing the Levites for the shift that they would experience regarding worship.

Introduction

The next few chapters of 1 Chronicles is devoted to the duties of the priesthood. Not only did David gather materials for building the Temple, he began preparing the Levites for the shift that they would experience regarding worship. Once the Temple was set in Jerusalem, the Israelites would have a specific place of worship and enemies would have a specific location to attack. This would have a major effect on how the Levites were to carry out their duties. David sets up offices and divisions to carry out musical praise, guard duty, and more.
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Number of Levites

Perhaps to remind the audience of who the Levites were, 1 Chronicles 23 gives the genealogy of the Levites, starting with Levi and his sons. Following the descendants Merari, Kohath, and Gershon, we are reminded of important Levites, as well as, introduced to Levites that are given duties by David. Much of the genealogy can be found in Numbers and Exodus.

David's illegal census allowed the number of Levites present in Israel to be counted, and we are told there were 38,000 men. Of these men, 24,000 were to perform the general work for God's House. 6,000 men were made officers and judges. 4,000 were assigned to be porters or guards, while another 4,000 were assigned to be musicians. Musicians were required to perform daily before the Ark.

Aaron's Sons

Aaron had 4 sons, but 2 of them died for committing sin in the holy place (of all places!). Thus, the priestly lineage spanned only from the two living sons: Eleazar and Ithamar. The legitimacy of these two lines led to the establishment of two high priests, Zadok and Ahimelech, because they both had rightful claim to the title.

We are told that Eleazar had more chief men in his lineage, and Ithamar only had half of that number. Due to this imbalance, David assigned lots and shifts at the tabernacle with size in consideration. The priests were assigned shifts to take up their duties at the Temple, based on the lots they were given.
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Musicians

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Mariusz Prusaczyk

Many Levites were assigned to provide music for the Lord in praise. There are three families specifically placed in charge of the music: those of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. One family plays the harp (or something similar—it's generally referred to as a psaltry)^[1], another family plays the cymbals, and the final family plays the trumpet. This number of men assigned to this task is very large and shows the importance of music in worship.
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Porters (Gatekeepers)

Chapter 26 gives details on the divisions of the porters or gatekeepers. These men were responsible for protecting the holy objects and kept guard at the gates leading to the Temple. Assignments were given by casting lots for which division would guard which gate. Most of the people assigned to guard the fate were from the Levite tribes of Merari and Kohath.
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Other Duties

The Gershonites, on the other hand, were assigned to keep watch over the treasury. Another group of Levites was also assigned to administering the law and presiding as judges over the people.
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References

1. "Psaltery". BibleStudyTools.com; visited February 2017

Judges 19-21: A Call To War

Israel finally comes together against a great evil...when it's their own people.

Introduction

Judges 19 introduces us to another Levite living in Ephraim. This Levite is never given a name throughout the passage discussing his ordeal. I think the reason he remains nameless is to revel in the fact that this man could have been any man and his situation could have been anyone's situation. The purpose of the of this narrative is not only a reminder to us, but was a message to the Israelites living at the time Judges was written. The author wanted to remind them that they had an obligation to their community to treat people well because anyone could become a victim.

This Levite has a concubine, whom we are told left him to return to her father's home in Bethlehem. Again, this is probably something that was common back then. While people weren't allowed divorces, it seems unlikely that arranged marriages always brought happiness. Since women couldn't own property or divorce and remarry (if there was no adultery), it stands to reason that they would end up back at home. After 3 months, the Levite journeys his father-in-law's home to reclaim his wife. The father-in-law is quite delighted at this turn of events and welcomes the man with hospitality for 5 days. The Levite was eager to be on his way, but since it was considered rude to refuse the hospitality, he obliges the man's hospitality each day. On the final day, this causes the couple to take a late start traveling back home. When they reach Jerusalem, which was only a few miles away, darkness is starting to fall. However, the Levite does not want to take chances on foreign hospitality with the Jebusites, so he presses on to Gibeah.
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Sodom & Gomorrah Part 2

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Jyn Meyer

Contrary to the unnamed Levite's mindset, in the Israelite city of Gibeah, hospitality is short. They probably would have been better off in Jerusalem with the Jebusites... Eventually an old man comes to offer them lodging and what follows is almost an exact replica of what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah. Men approach the house to have sex with the man and are offered the host's daughter and concubine instead. This time there are no angels present to defend the household and the concubine is abused the whole night. While Sodom and Gomorrah is a famed narrative, this one has been buried in the text, despite it's more tragic outcome.

Strangely, the Levite's reaction is to carry on like nothing has happened. Either this is why the woman left him in the first place, or there was some reason he was powerless in the situation, thus choosing to react apathetically. When he calls for his wife to "come on," she is unresponsive and has collapsed upon the floor. Her death is not specifically recorded, but when the man gets home he divides her body into 12 pieces and sends one piece to each tribe in a call to war.

This is a strange, morbid, and tragic story. The man had just gotten his wife back only to lose her. Of course, we also can wonder why there was not more of a reaction from the man. Perhaps this anger was his reaction. It's unlikely that he could have fought the men alone and the host was too old to fight. If anything would have made Israel jump into action, this should have been it. Not only would it breed compassion for the poor woman, but the recognition of the parallels between Sodom and Gomorrah should have been a huge warning.
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Unification

The Israelites come together to flush out this evil, drawing 400,000 men to fight. The tribe of Benjamin asks why the Israelites are gather against them, to which the Levite recounts his experience. Since Gibeah was a city within the boundaries of Benjamin, the Israelites who banded together would have been gathering against the tribe of Benjamin if the tribe didn't turn against the city. We've already been told that the Levite sent the scattered pieces of the woman's body to all 12 tribes so unless the author was including Levi but excluding Benjamin (note the only place Levi is counted as a tribe is in Revelation), the Benjamites would have been in the know of what happened. The Israelites request the Benjamites turn over the culprits of the crime, but surprisingly, the Benjamites refuse. Instead the Benjamites rally 26,700 men to fight for them. Does this not sound like an issue of nationalism? Even though they were wrong, they wanted to fight for the honor of Benjamin.

Despite being out numbered by the rest of Israel, Benjamin achieves several victories before God is called upon by the Israelites. Thanks to God, this marks a turning point in the battle. The Israelites consult Phineas—the high priest—and fast before heading back into war. The Lord promises to deliver Benjamin into the hand of Israel. This time, the Israelites employ an ambush to defeat Benjamin and are successful at annihilating the city of Gibeah.

The Benjamites flee toward the wilderness and 18,000 of their men are killed when the Israelites close in on them. The Israelites continued capturing and killing the men who escaped. This brings the total up to 25,000 men killed. Only 600 men survive. Those 600 flee to Rimmon for 4 months. Meanwhile, the Israelites set fire to all the cities of Benjamin. It's odd that the Israelites failed to follow God's commands about the strangers but were ready to execute their own people almost to extinction. This parallels our ability to get angry with those closest to us even though we may not be able to express this anger toward strangers.
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The Issue of Wives for the Tribe of Benjamin

The Israelites make a vow not to let their daughters marry Benjamites—again, they are eager to shut out the tribe of Benjamin despite eagerly intermarrying with the Canaanites that God told them not to marry. I think this says a lot about our tendencies as human. The Israelites eventually feel sorrowful about the tribe being cut off from Israel and wish to fix it. The Israelites weep before God and offer sacrifices to God in search of a solution for the near extinct tribe of Benjamin. They come up with the idea that whomever didn't fight with them would be destroyed. So the Israelites rise up against Jabash-gilead. They kill all the men and non-virginal women. They then gather 400 virgins. These women were given to the survivors of Benjamin. They also tell the Benjamites to take wives from Shiloh. At this time Shiloh was likely under Canaanite control. The Benjamites take these women as wives and begin to rebuild their cities.
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Judges 17-18: Micah and the Tribe of Dan

The final person discussed in Judges is Micah. He created an idol that took the descendants of Dan into idolatry all the way until they went into captivity.

Introduction

The final person discussed in Judges is Micah, who lived in mount Ephraim. Note, this is not the same man as the prophet Micah who has a book named after him.^[1] The first thing we learn about Micah is that he stole 1100 pieces of silver from his mother. Possibly unaware that her son is the culprit, the woman curses the thief, thus cursing Micah. Micah confesses his sin and returns the money, though it appears to be more out of concern for his mother's curse than his dedication to God. 1100 pieces of silver was a fortune back then, so it is not surprising that Micah's mom was thrilled to receive her savings back. However, it is a bit odd that she never condemns Micah for his actions. Micah's mom praises the Lord and decides to use the money to dedicate it to God; however, she does this by having an image made with only a portion of the money.
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A Deeper Thought

Note that the pieces of silver mentioned
were worth a lot more than our nickels are today
Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Eric Nelson

Reading that the woman attempted to dedicate money to God by building an idol sounds absolutely crazy since the 2^nd commandment clearly forbids idols. Reading the words written out makes it easy for us to ask why she would think this was ok. However, Israel suffered from the same problem we suffer now: tradition. The average person didn't have a copy of the Pentateuch sitting in their house to be read whenever they wanted. Just like today, the Israelites' primary method of learning was through tradition. Whatever they saw around them is what they thought was correct. So, if they saw the priests and other Israelites doing something that deviated from God's law, it would seem more normal than God's law. Today, we still have pastors who teach things that are not Biblical; we also have pastors who simply leave out parts of the Bible. Another issue is that often God's words are not put into context and they become meaningless to us. An example is the fact that there are churches with pictures of a man they claim to be Jesus hanging on the walls; this is an image. It's no more wrong or crazy that church leaders are willing to pay for and adorn the sanctuary with an image, than it is for the mother in Judges 17 to adorn her house with a image. Just as most people don't object to the picture of this random man, she may not have even recognized her image as an idol.

We have to define what an idol or "image" is. Obviously worshipping statues or pictures is crossing the line. Exodus 20:4-5 tells us not to bow down or worship such things, but it also says not to create them. The interesting part comes at the word "serve." Generally, we recite this commandment assuming it is talking about worship when the connotation of worship is quite different from serve. To worship is to exalt and revere. To serve says nothing about how we feel about the action. We can serve without desire, quite easily. Serving can be explicit, but it can also be very subtle. For instance, when we acknowledge that image as though it is actually a picture of Jesus, we serve traditions of the world. If we place something before God in our life—be it our spouse, our job, or our wealth—we have created an image to serve. Each time we choose that aspect of our life over God's law, we are serving an image, even if we don't think about it that way.

We are often removed from what our actions mean spiritually, because we aren't brought up to think this way and we haven't built up our relationship with God. This leads us to sin while thinking we are doing right, which is a dangerous and unfortunate place to be, since then we won't repent.
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Micah's Priest

Now that Micah's house was full of false gods, he needed a priest to conduct worship of these false gods (at least in his mind that's what he needed). Micah makes an ephod (without God's permission), which parallels the Israelites making a special ephod for Aaron, to be worn by each high priest. On top of this, he consecrates his son to be a priest. We know only the sons of Aaron could fill the role of high priest of God and wear an ephod. Micah was either consciously rejecting God or terribly confused. Today, we have tons people claiming to be messengers of God that really aren't, and only serve to bring confusion to the world. We have to be cautious of false priests and false gods disguised as the true God.

Micah's son didn't get to keep the job for long. A Levite from Bethlehem-judah eventually comes to town. Micah offers him 10 shekels of silver a year plus rationing provided the man will be a priest and father to him. Interestingly, when the man stays, it is Micah who becomes like a father. Also, the Bible cautions us not to call any man father (Matthew 23:9). The title of Father is reserved for the Father in heaven, which is probably significant in this passage. There are clear examples in the Bible where a human man is described as a father, so we know that that God wasn't against calling our birth father by the term "father." I'll dive into that topic when I get to Matthew, but for now, I'll say that I think God, basically, didn't want people to give humans the same authority as our everlasting Father has. Despite not being a son of Aaron, Micah ordains this man as a priest, and believes this will bring him favor. Again, this proves that he has some twisted logic. This reminds me of Jesus telling us not everyone who says "Lord, Lord!" will be heard. Micah was doing his own thing and it was totally against God's commandments.
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The Tribe of Dan

Meanwhile, the tribe of Dan still hadn't secured their inheritance. Hoping to finally inherit land, they send 5 men of valor to spy for them. When the men reach mount Ephraim, they lodge with Micah. The men of Dan, though not particularly seeking out God for their own problems, are shocked and confused to see a Levite in a house loaded with idolatry— or so it seems.

They question him about what he is doing there, and when the man says he is a priest, the men of Dan ask him to seek out God to determine if they will be successful. They trusted the man at his word that he really was a messenger of God. Today, people will often listen to anyone who claims to be a messenger of God which is exactly what Jesus warned us about. This isn't a new problem. Just because someone says they are a pastor, preacher, or priest, doesn't mean they are actually a messenger of God. The New Testament tells us we can identify them by the fruits of their labor (Matthew 7:15-20). The fact that this priest was amongst idols should have told the men of Dan that he wasn't following God.

The Levite tells them to be at peace and that God goes before them, which is exactly what the men of Dan want to hear. Unfortunately there was never any appeal to God, so it wasn't necessarily true. Some preachers today are also guilty of telling us what we want to hear without consulting God. It is much better to hear the truth of God and correct ourselves to be inline with Him, than to continue to believe our wrongdoing is ok.

Satisfied, just as we are often satisfied by such answers, the 5 men go on their way until they come to Laish. The people there were careless and under the protection of the Zidonians. However, the Zidonians were far away from the land, leaving the people of Laish vulnerable. The men of Dan decide this is the perfect land to take. This proves that they, too, were not following God closely. God delighted in giving the Israelites victories that no one would have seen coming. Raising the underdog to victory proved that He was in power. No one wants to hear about someone being kicked while they're down, or being decimated by an army that out numbered them. We would be quick to call this unfair. Yet, the men of Dan decided this was the best way to gain their inheritance for some reason.

Regardless, the Danites are actually quick to take action. 600 men form the army and begin the journey to Laish. During the journey, they come again to Micah's home. Despite an explicit commandment against theft and another commandment against idolatry, the men steal Micah's idols, ephod, and teraphim. When they are caught by the Levite, they steal him too! They entice him to join them by suggesting that it is more prestigious to be the priest of a nation (the Tribe of Dan), than for just one man (Micah).

The neighboring men overtook the men once they have made it some distance from Micah's house—talk about a neighborhood watch! When Micah finds out, he asks what he has left now that they've stolen his false gods and priest. This tells you how confused Micah truly was. He confined God to an object God didn't approve of and a priest God didn't appoint! We do the same thing today with church services and pagan holiday traditions.

What's more, the Danites were quite bold. They didn't recant or repent when confronted about their actions. In fact they threatened Micah. Apparently they were following the adage "you snooze you lose," but that's not what God said at all. Looking in from the outside, it seems obvious that these men had no desire to serve the real God of Israel. However, from experience, it's hard to say that these men realized the absurdity of their own actions. History has seen people commit heinous crimes in the name of God and truly believe they are in the right despite the Word of God speaking to the contrary. We have to spend time with God daily to see the truth.

After this ordeal, the Danites sweep through Laish and conquer the city with fire. When they take possession of the city, they rename it Dan. Here, they set up the false idols and create there own lineage of priests through the Levite they rounded up from Micah. We finally learn that this Levite is named Jonathan. This system of false worship, led by Jonathan, becomes a rival to the real worship done at Shiloh.

From the beginning, the major misstep for God's people was a false religion. This makes sense because as long as you follow God you will repent and work toward a sinless life, but once you begin following a false god, you will sin without remorse, maybe even without knowledge.
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Moses' Grandson?

And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.Judges 18:30 KJV

One of the controversial parts of Judges 18 stems from the origins of Jonathan. Judges 18:30 tells us that he is the son of Gershom, who is the son of Manasseh. No son named Gerhsom is attributed to Manasseh, son of Joseph, but one is attributed to Moses. In additon, there is odd rendering the word Manasseh in this particular verse found in the original copies. The original has the "n" that gives us the word Manasseh suspended above the text so that the word may actually be read Moses.^[2] Authors of the NIV gave in to this theory and render the text "Moses" while the KJV reads "Manasseh." The question is, which is correct?

As discussed by Hebeart,^[3] there are plenty of dually named characters in the Bible. In fact there is already clear evidence of another Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33. Perhaps this man isn't related to Joseph's son Manasseh or Moses.

Also, since Jonathan is a Levite, the likelihood of him being the son of Manasseh the son of Joseph is slim; this would make him from the tribe of Manasseh not the tribe of Levi. However, there could have been a Levite named Manasseh. Further with all of the name changes in the Bible (Abram/Abraham, Jacob/Israel, Saul/Paul), perhaps this his father's name was both Manasseh and Moses. Furthermore, "son of Manasseh" could simply identify the tribe.

Another possibility is that one of the women from the tribe of Manasseh married a Levite and birthed Jonathan. This would make him a Levite, but he would still be a descendant of Manasseh and could be called the son of Manasseh.
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References

1. "Micah". Bible Hub. 2016
2. Gills, John. "Commentary on Judges 18:30". Bible Study Tools. 2016
3. Hubeart, T.L. "Judges 18:30: "Manasseh" or "Moses"?". Pennuto. 1996

Joshua 20&21: Levite Cities

These two chapters cover Levite cities as well as the cities of refuge (which were all Levite cities).

Introduction

Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.Exodus 32:26 KJV

The Levites were not given an inheritance, but that didn't mean they were left homeless and at the mercy of the other tribes. Instead the Levites were given cities throughout each territory. Theologically, this makes sense, as the Levites had proven their desire to serve God and keep Israel on the path to righteousness (after the golden calf incident in Exodus 32). Sprinkling them throughout the nation should have insured each region a group of Levites to assist and advise on religious matters. While a single lamp can light a whole room, a rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch. That is to say, the Levites were not immune to corruption and over time, we will see them fall to sin as well (see Malachi 2:7-9).

I think there is a parallel to be made between the Levite's situation and modern day, particularly due to the influx of "prosperity preaching." When Moses asked for people to stand for God and against sin, it was the Levites who stood. The Levites were blessed and favored by God; He counted them as the firstborn of Israel, a position of honor and prestige. Furthermore, they were the only ones allowed to touch and care for the holy items of God's tabernacle. It is obvious that they were revered and special in the text, but we often glance over this detail about them not receiving land. Everyone who continued partying when Moses asked for servants of God inherited large expanses of land, while those who did as God commanded were merely given cities in the aforementioned people's territory. God had a purpose and a plan for the Levites; His decision to withhold territory in favor of individual cities was not a condemnation of the tribe despite how it may seem to us. When we claim our inheritance in the kingdom of God, there is no need for worldly inheritances. This is important to remember and keep in perspective as we navigate the world today.
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Cities of Refuge

Joshua 20 reiterates the purpose of a the cities of refuge, which were introduced in Numbers 35 and discussed in Deuteronomy 19. In short, the cities were to be a safe haven for people who had accidentally killed someone. Until the person's trial (and after depending on the results of the trial), they were permitted to stay in the city of refuge without fear of any avenger's retribution. In Joshua 20, we learn the added tidbit that the person was to declare their situation at the gate upon entering the city.

Six cities of refuge were designated, three on each side of the Jordan. West of the Jordan, the three cities were Kedesh (in Naphtali's territory), Shechem (in Ephraim's territory), and Kirjatharba/Hebron (in Judah's territory). East of the Jordan, the cities of refuge were Bezer (in Reuben's territory), Ramoth (in Gad's territory), and Golan (in Manasseh's territory). These cities were strategically located, per command, to given refugees a chance to escape to the city before an avenger took his life.
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Meanings of the Cities

Many of the cities and names given throughout the Bible have distinct meanings corresponding to their origin or purpose. The cities of refuge follow this pattern. Below is a table containing the name of each city and what it meant in ancient Hebrew. I have found that different sources cite different (but usually similar) meanings.

City Refuge	Meaning
	IRC[1]	BBC[2]	BTTB[3]	MacDuff[4]
Kedesh	Holy place	Holiness	Sanctify or to make holy	Holy
Shechem	—	Strength	Burden bearer	Shoulder
Kirjatharba/Hebron	Fellowship	Fellowship	Fellowship	Fellowship
Ramoth	High place	Uplifting	Raised up or exalted	Exaltation
Golan	Enclosure for captives	Happiness	To rejoice (possibly to deliver or pass away)	Joy
Bezer	Strong hiding place	Safety	Fortified	Stronghold

These meanings describe our salvation through Jesus. Jesus is holy, and makes us holy when we submit to Him. He carried our burden and gives us strength. Through Him we can fellowship with God, our Father. He brings us happiness and safety. Bridge to the Bible connects the rules pertaining to the cities of refuge to salvation as well!^[3] The cities of refuge housed people who had accidentally murdered someone, whereas Jesus is "the city of refuge" for those of us who commit any accidental sin. When the slayer entered the city of refuge he had to declare his intent; similarly, when we accept Jesus as our Saviour and thus enter His protection, we declare our faith in Him. The people of the city were required to take care of the slayer while he was in the city, just as followers of Christ are to take care of one another. Further, the city of refuge was only temporary—the slayer was to leave when the high priest died—while Jesus' city of refuge is eternal since He will never die.
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Other Levite Cities

The Levites were given cities according to the families of Levi's sons: Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. In addition, the descendants of Aaron were also given cities.
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Cities for Aaron

The descendants of Aaron are given 13 cities located across the tribal territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. One of these 13 cities was to be shared with Caleb. In this city, Caleb received the main city with Aaron receiving the suburbs. One of the cities of refuge—Hebron—was among the 13 cities given to Aaron.
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Cities for the Sons of Kohath

The Kohathites, which would have included Aaron and his descendants, was given the first lot for the Levites. Aaron's descendants' cities are listed first in the text, however. The Kohathites (minus Aaron's descendants), receive 10 cities. These cities are located in the territories belonging to the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and Manasseh. Shechem, the city of refuge in Ephraim, is given to the Kohathites.
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Cities for the Sons of Gershon

The sons of Gershon are given 13 cities; among these 13 cities are two cities of refuge: Golan and Kedesh. The Gershonites' cities are located in the territories of east Manasseh, Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali.
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Cities for the Sons of Merari

Those descended from Merari were given 12 cities. These cities where located in the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. The final two cities of refuge—Ramoth and Bezer—were given to this group.
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Promise Fulfilled

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Joe retsf

God kept His promise to bring the Israelites to the land and defeat nations, however, Israel didn't always fall through with their end of the bargain, namely getting rid of the Canaanites or following God's commands. This may be why the kingdom never acquired all of the Promised Land.
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References

1. Morris, Henry M., PhD. "Cities of Refuge". Institute for Creation Research. 2016
2. MacDonald, William. Believers Bible Commentary. pg. 254. 1980
3. "6 cities of refuge". Bridge to the Bible. 2016
4. MacDuff, John. The Cities of Refuge: Or, the Name of Jesus. A Sunday Book for the Young. 1874

Numbers 8-10: Instructions

Numbers 8-10 contain instructions for important rituals such as cleansing the Levites and observing the Passover, as well as, instructions for orderly movement.

Introduction

Numbers 8-10 contain instructions for important rituals such as cleansing the Levites and observing the Passover, as well as, instructions for orderly movement.
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Cleansing the Levites

Remember going to the salon or barbershop to
get your hair shaved off is relatively new tradition
Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Asif Akbar

As keepers of the tabernacle, the Levites needed to be cleansed before they could be of service. They were to be sprinkled with holy water, shave all their flesh, and wash all their clothes. Reading from a modern perspective, I wonder if "shave all their flesh" included arms, legs, chest, and underarms. Shaven legs and underarms wasn't even in fashion for women until the late 1940s and 1915 respectively.^[1] Since other verses (i.e. Leviticus 19:27) prohibit marring a beard, I am also curious as to wether this includes facial hair, or if it only pertains to the hair on their head. Of course, completely removing a beard is not necessarily marring it, that would be destruction—mar implies the original is left with some defect. Since Numbers 8:7 does specify "all their flesh," I would assume this means includes both facial hair and the hair on their head. Definitely any hair that would have been visible, and possibly the hair that only God would have seen as well. A quick look at the history of shaving tells us that this would not have been an easy task; they didn't have Gillette razors back then, not even strait razors.

In addition to the physical cleansing, a spiritual cleansing via sacrifice of flour mingled with oil (for a meat offering) and a bullock (for a sin offering). Before the 2 rituals were performed, the Israelites were to place their hands on the Levites and the Levites were offered to God.

Age of Service

In the 2^nd part of the census, Moses takes the sum of the Levites from 30 to 50 years old, however the age for beginning service as a Levite is listed as 25. One site suggested that the first 5 years are an apprenticeship period and thus those people are not included in the sum.^[3] However, a more likely answer comes from examining the subtly of the original Hebrew. There are 3 verse discussing the age of service for Levites, all of which "contradict."

From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.Numbers 4:3 KJV

This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:Numbers 8:24 KJV

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.Ezra 3:8 KJV

Numbers 4 uses the word melakah, which refers to business or occupation. Numbers 8 uses the word baabodath, which refers to work or labor. Ezra 3 explicitly talks about "set[ting] forward the work of the house" not necessarily going into service. Thus the difference in age is based upon the type of work they were required to do. Also, in Ezra, there were fewer Levites to carry out the tasks so they lowered the age of service in order to be able to continue the needed services.^[2]
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Passover

Numbers 9 rehashes the rules concerning the Passover Feast and stresses its importance. During this time the question of "what if?" comes up within the congregation: what if a man is unclean at the time of the Passover and unable to make an offering to God? In this circumstance the individual was to honor the Passover 1 month late, on the 14^th day of the 2^nd month. In addition, God permitted strangers (Gentiles) to observe the feast, as long as they kept God's laws. Anyone dwelling with the Israelites was to keep the law of God and no distinction was to be made. This is proof that even before Jesus, God was accepting of Gentiles who submitted to Him; there simply wasn't a wide spread campaign to bring them into the fold.
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God's Pillar

God appeared as a pillar before the Israelites—a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. When God appeared as this pillar, it was a signal to the Israelites to move, but if God remained in the mercy seat, they stayed put and rested. The time spent resting varied greatly.
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Two Silver Trumpets

Photocredit:
FreeImages.com/darkip

Signals and commands for the tribes were to come from 2 silver trumpets. These trumpets were to be played by Aaron's sons. The blow of a trumpet could more easily communicate a command across a camp of that size than a voice or drum. Likely this aided the leadership and instruction of the 600,000+ Israelites. These trumpets were also played during feasts for both solemn and joyous occasions.
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References

1. Padden, Kathy. "The History of Shaving". Today I Found Out. April 2013
2. Geisler, Norman and Howe, Thomas. "Numbers 4:3—How Can the Age for Levitical Service Be 30, When Numbers 8:24 Says 25, and Ezra 3:8 Says 20?". Defining Inerrency. 2014
3. Ohr Somayach International. "Levites at Work: Age for Levitical Service". Ask the Rabbi. 2016

Numbers 3&4: Levite Duties

Numbers 3 and 4 describe the duties and census results for each Levite clan.

Introduction

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Vivek Chugh

The Levites camp in the center of everything, just outside of the tabernacle walls. Essentially they acted as the first line of defense between the Israelites and the holy tabernacle. The direction of their camps were also based on family. The descendants of Gershon camped to the West, Merari's progeny camped to the North, and the descendants of Kohath (minus Moses and the priestly lineage) camped to the South. Moses, Aaron, and their families, camped to the East. Each of these families were also assigned special duties. Despite descending from Jacob's 3^rd born son, the Levites are declared the firstborn of Israel by God.
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Descendants of Kohath

Age Range	Number of Kohathites
1 month old and up	8,600
30 - 50 years old	2,750

Kohath has 4 sons, one of whom fathers Moses, Aaron and Miriam. In total there are 8,600 males over 1 month old in the progeny of Kohath at the time of the census. (Please see the note in Census Report on this total) Elizaphan, son of Uzziel is appointed chief of the Kohathites, while Eleazar (Aaron's son and future High Priest) is made chief of all Levites. As a family, their responsibility is for the ark, altars, table, candlestick, and vessels of the sanctuary. It seems as they they are responsible for all holy objects, thus placing them in the highest esteem.

The number of sons of Kohath from the ages of 30-50 years old was 2,750. Since they were in charge of the holy objects, special instructions were given to them. Before they could touch the items, Aaron had to cover them properly. The ark was to be covered with the vail, the badgers' skins, and a cloth of blue. The staves were to be placed in the ark's rings and then the Kohathites could touch it. The table of shewbread had to be covered in a blue cloth with the dishes, cutlery, etc. placed atop; a scarlet cloth was to cover the dishes, and badgers' skins were placed over that. Also in need of covering with a blue cloth and badgers' skin was the candlestick with the lamp, tongs, snuff-dishes, and oil vessels. The golden altar was to be covered in the manner as well. Ashes from the altar were placed in a purple cloth. Censors, flesh-hooks, and other vessels were placed with the ashes. If the Kohathites touched any of these objects uncovered, they would die.

Eleazar's Duties

As the son of Aaron and on course to become the next high priest, Eleazar was given special duties. These duties included the handling of the oil for the lamp, incense, daily meat offering, and anointing oil. It makes sense that God would give Eleazar management roles and specific duties to carry out to prepare him for the role of High Priest. Top

Descendants of Gershon

Age Range	Number of Gershonites
1 month old and up	7,500
30 - 50 years old	2,630

Gershon's 2 sons produce 7,500 males that are at least 1 month old at the time of the first census. Eliasaph, son of Lael, is chosen as chief of the house. They are charged with the tabernacle itself: the tent, the covering, badgers' skins, curtains, the hangings for the door, and for the court, as well as, the cords that held the coverings together.

Ithamar, Aaraon's other son (and thus a Kohathite), was appointed to oversee their tasks. I wonder if Aaron was required to ask the Gershonites for the badgers' skins to cover the holy objects? It seems that if they were keeping track of the badgers' skins, there would be interplay there.
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Descendants of Merari

Age Range	Number of Merari's Descendants
1 month old and up	6,200
30 - 50 years old	3,200

The 2 sons of Merari give birth to 6,200 males over 1 month old. Leadership is given to Zuriel, son of Abihail. The descendants of Merari are responsible for the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, and vessels from the tabernacle. The sons of Merari were also supervised by Ithamar. Top

Census Report

Numbers 3:40-51 details God's appointment of the Levites as the first born of Israel (replacing the actual firstborn). In total, there were 22,273 first born males. Numbers 3:39 tells us there were only 22,000 Levite males, however, and we learn that the extra 273 firstborns had to be ransomed with money.

The Number of Levite Males

The problem is that if you add 6,200 + 8,600 + 7,500 you don't get 22,000. The sum of these numbers is 22,300. Not only is this different than the sum given, but it makes a ransom unnecessary. The issue may stem from verse 28; the addition of only one letter in the original Hebrew changes the total of sum of the Kohathites to 8,300 instead of 8,600.^[1][5] Another suggestion is that 300 of the Levites were firstborns themselves. As such they could not redeem anyone.^[2][5] The source which explains the latter solutions leans to it because the scribes who translated the Hebrew to Greek, and further from to English would have been aware that these numbers did not sum to 22,000 and did not see an issue with the value. This implies they understood something we do not which made this conflict easily reconcilable.

Too Low?

Some believe the number of first borns is too low given the number of males in the nation. If there are 603,550 males and on only 22,273 first borns, it implies that each male has on average 27 brothers. Many possibilities are neglected in this opinion, however. For starters, when they count the "firstborn of the males" does this mean firstborn males or male firstborns? Since there is a 50-50 chance of a family having a daughter as the firstborn, we could expect only about 301,775 of the males to have a male firstborn in their family. This would create and average of about 13 brothers. Also, it is suggested that only able bodied men able to go to war were counted (Numbers 1:45), which would mean some of the men may have had elderly or disabled brothers that were not included in the census. Others cite the possibility that these firstborns are only the firstborns since leaving Egypt. The issue of redeeming the firstborns is related to the "matrix" that is opened by God at the time of the last plague in Egypt. Matrix is equated to womb by scholars and most Bible resources^[3][4] and likely represents God opening the womb of Israel as a nation. Thus only those born after He opened the matrix (at the onset of the last plague in Egypt) would be subject to redemption. We cannot be sure since the Bible does not explicitly say, but as shown above, there are plenty of explanations for the numbers given.
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References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg. 235. 2014
2. Riddle, J. "Numbers 3:28, 39 and the Infallibility of Scripture". Stylos. July 2008
3. "Matrix". Bible Hub. 2016
4. Kapusta, Philip P."Matrix". A King James Dictionary. 2016
5. "Numbers 3:39 Commentary". Bible Hub. 2016

Leviticus 1-6: Offerings

Chapters 1-6 of Leviticus detail the different types of offerings the Israelites can give to God. These offerings include the burnt, peace, meat, sin, and trespass offerings. Each of these serve a different purpose and required a different gift for God. Some where for voluntary praise and thanks, while others were required on specified occasions.

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Felipe Lopez

Introduction

Chapters 1-6 of Leviticus detail the different types of offerings the Israelites can give to God. These offerings include the burnt, peace, meat, sin, and trespass offerings. Each of these serve a different purpose and required a different gift for God. Some where for voluntary praise and thanks, while others were required on specified occasions.
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Burnt Offerings

Burnt offerings were voluntary and required the sacrifice of an animal. The animal could be of the herd (cattle), of the flock (sheep or goats), or of the fowl (turtledoves). With the exception of the hide (see Leviticus 7:8), animals from burnt offerings were totally consumed at the altar. The fact that the entirety of the animal was given symbolized complete dedication of the offerer to God. These offerings were to be brought to the tabernacle door.

Type	Animal	Specifications
Herd	Bull	Male Without Blemish
Flock	Sheep or Goat	Male Without Blemish
Fowl	Turtledove or Young Pigeons	—

For offerings of the herd or of the flock, the offerer was to place his hand on the head of the sacrifice, symbolically transferring the guilt and sin of the offerer upon the animal. This was a foreshadowing of Jesus who took upon Himself the sins of all mankind at the cross. After laying his had on the animal, the offerer was to kill the sacrifice, and the priests were to sprinkle the blood around the altar. The hid was to be removed and given to the priest. The animal was to be cut into pieces, and laid upon the altar. The head was placed atop the body parts, and the fat placed at the very top. Both the inner parts and the legs were to be washed in water before being burned. God specifies that a bull was to be brought to the door of the tabernacle but an offering of the flock was to be killed on the North side of the the tabernacle.

Offering of the fowl was slightly different since birds are smaller and contain less blood. As such they were to wring the neck of bird then wring the blood beside the altar. The offerer is not told to place his hands upon the head of the bird, though considering the offerer would likely have to carry the bird to the priest, it is possible this sufficed as the transferal of sins. Birds were not to be cut or split into pieces before being placed on the altar, probably because they were much smaller and could fit onto the altar in one piece. Since fowl were numerous and much cheaper than sheep, goats, or cattle, the allowance of fowl as an offering was one of God's many provisions to ensure the poor were included in His plan for salvation.
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Meat Offerings

Contrary to what one would think, meat offerings required neither flesh nor blood; they were also known as grain offerings, which makes more sense in our language today. These offerings were to be of fine flour with oil poured upon it, and frankincense place upon it as well. In place of touching the head of the animal, a handful of the flour was to be taken. This handful was to be burned by the priests, and whatever was left over was to be kept for themselves. If the offering had been baked, it was no to contain leaven. Baked offerings were to be unleavened cakes or wafers anointed with oil. If the offering were baked, i was to be separated.

God forbade the inclusion of leaven or honey in any offering burned in the fire. These could be offered as firstfruits (discussed later in Leviticus), but they could not be burned. It is speculated that God forbade these from being burned on the altar because leaven symbolized evil and honey was often offered to pagan gods.^[1] Mark 5:15, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, and Galatians 5:9 all discuss the evils of leaven (or yeast) and how it spreads, seeming to confirm that leaven is not allowed as a burnt offering. In contrast, salt was to be offered with every offering. Green ears of corn, which could be offered as a firstfruit, were to be dried by the fire before given. A portion of the oil was to be placed on the offering and the offering was to be burned with all the frankincense upon it.
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Peace Offerings

Though peace offerings could be male or female, they still had to be without blemish. All of the fat, both kidneys, and the caul above the liver were to be removed for offerings. The fat and organs were to be burned upon the altar by Aaron's sons (the priests). Lambs required the addition of the rump from the backbone. The blood of the sacrifice was to be sprinkled on the altar. God declared blood off limits from man's diet after the flood, but He reiterates the point here with the addition prohibition of fat. These two parts of the body belonged to God, and thus, God commands the Israelites to refrain from eating such things as a perpetual statute.
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Sin Offerings

Sin offerings were given by those who ignorantly sinned against God's commandment; note that while there was a trespass offering for those who knowingly trespass against someone, no provision was given for those who knowingly committed a sin. It is possible that this is because most sins that people would purposefully commit (murder, blasphemy, etc.) carried a death sentence as punishment. This offering allowed for the repenting sinner to be forgiven just as calling upon the blood of Jesus allows for repenting Christians to be forgiven.
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Priests

The priests were to sacrifice a bull, and its blood was to be sprinkled before the vail seven times, as well as, on the horns of the altar of incense. The remaining blood was to be poured by the altar of burnt sacrifices. Like with the peace offering, the fat, kidneys, and caul were to be burned. The skin and flesh of the bull were to be carried to a clean place outside the tabernacle grounds and burned there; this was also were ashes were poured out. Applying the blood to the furnishings represented purification of the sanctuary, which became unclean when the priest sinned.
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Congregation

If the Congregation of Israel, that is to say the entire community, sinned unknowingly, they were to bring a young bull to be sacrificed. The elders of the community were to place their hands upon the bull's head to transfer the sin of the community and then the priest would perform the sacrifice. The blood was sprinkled before the vail seven times, placed on the horns of the altar of incense, and poured by the altar of burnt sacrifices. Following the protocol of the priests' sin offering, the fat, kidney, and caul were to be burned, while the flesh and skin were to be carried to the clean place.
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Rulers & Kings

If a king or ruler of Israel committed a sin unknowingly, he was to bring a young, male goat without blemish. The blood of this offering was placed on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings, and beside the same altar. As with most sacrifices, the ruler was to place his hand on the goat's head to transfer the sin. God commands that the fat be burned in accordance with the fat burning instructions of the peace offering.
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The Common Man

Commoners who sinned could bring a young female goat or a young female lamb; regardless, the sacrifice was to be without blemish. The sinner was to place their hand on the sacrifice's head, then the sacrifice was performed. Blood was placed on the horns of the altar and beside the altar, and the fat of the animal was burned on the altar.
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Trespass Offerings

God lists several examples for what constitutes the need for a trespass offering. One such reason was failure to tell something seen or heard while under oath. The person lying (or omitting the truth) was to bear the iniquity of the sin, too. Similarly, touching something that was is defined as unclean by God made the toucher unclean as well; this included touching man's uncleanness (bodily emissions like blood or semen). Failure to uphold an oath whether good or bad is another reason for trespass offerings. Breaking promises and vows is a very important matter to God, this is visible throughout the Bible and manifests in us. Everyone hates when people break their promises; often this act is seen as betrayal. Here, God was reminding the Israelites (and now us) to think before they jumped into promises and oaths. While taking an evil oath was clearly a bad thing that God would not condone, failure to keep the evil oath meant the oath taker was a liar and not a man/woman of their word, which was also bad. If someone committed one of these infractions, they were to take a trespass offering to God.

God provided three options for this offering in order to accommodate the poor. The initial requirement was a young female from the flock (lamb or goat). If the person could not bring something of the flock, they were then required to bring two turtledoves or two pigeons. In this instance one bird was to be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering. If the person was unable to do either of these, they could bring the tenth part of a ephah of fine flour. Since it was a sin offering, they were no to place oil or frankincense. Similar to the meat or grain offering, the priest was permitted to keep the leftovers of the flour.s
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References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. The Holman KJV Study Bible. pg. 178. 2014