《Leviticus》 Bible Study List

Introduction

Good day everyone. Let's delve into the seventh chapter of Leviticus. What is this chapter about? I will share a very interesting secret with you. When you start reading, you may find yourself completely lost. Whenever the Bible records words and phrases that are repeated continuously, you must pay attention to them and summarise them. You will then discover the theme of this chapter. Why is it necessary to find the theme of this chapter? Because without finding the theme, the Bible study will be taken out of context. Therefore, it is essential to find a thread, a clue, to understand what God wants to tell us through this chapter.

What is written in Chapter 7? It is about the portion allotted to the priests. If you read Leviticus, you will discover an interesting phenomenon, which is what should be given to the descendants of Aaron, and what should be given to the priests who offer the sacrifices. You will find that it speaks again and again about the portion that the priests should receive. This is the portion that Aaron and his sons and his descendants are to receive from the Israelites. This matter is very important. God is very concerned about His priests. If you become a priest of the living God, do you think God will consider your livelihood? God certainly will.

If a person becomes a priest of the living God and does not know that the portion he receives is a significant one, then there is a problem. Therefore, a priest of the living God must have an abundant mindset. If you do not have an abundant mindset and you also love money and are greedy for money, then you cannot fulfil this priestly office. Why? Because people do not know that God has prepared a great portion for us.

The Portion of the Priests is Very Large

If you carefully read the seventh chapter of Leviticus, you will discover that the portion of the priests is very large. You can imagine there were so many Israelites, and each of them offered sacrifices. In the end, many of the things they sacrificed were not completely burned up. The remaining things were given to Aaron and his descendants. In other words, Aaron and his descendants were very wealthy among the Israelites. The portion that Aaron and his descendants received far exceeded the portion that an ordinary Israelite received. This was not given to them by the Israelites; this was given to them by God.

The position that God gives to His priests is very high, so people should respect this office. If people do not respect this office, and do not keep the rules of holiness and cleanliness, and then mess around, the result, as repeated several times in the Bible, is to be cut off from the people. Being cut off from the people, we initially thought meant to be killed, but it is not. It means to be removed from the priestly office of the Israelites, meaning they no longer have this office, no longer have such a sacred covenant with God, and no longer have any relationship with God.

If you have no relationship with God, you will not receive this portion. Today, if you carefully observe the phenomena we see in the church, we often see poor preachers. It is very common for preachers to be poor. Why are preachers poor? Because God wants them to be poor. How could they be wealthy? In the New Testament, we see that the church in Jerusalem was poorer compared to the churches established by the Apostle Paul.

Why did the church in Jerusalem become increasingly poor? We need to ponder this carefully! It is that when people are fulfilling the priestly office, such a great office of serving God, if we despise it, if we do not implement it properly according to the word of God, we will be cut off from this portion. Everyone must remember that as priests of the living God, God has long prepared a very abundant portion for us. Therefore, being a priest of the living God is a sacred office, a glorious office. What is this office for? This office is for offering sacrifices, offering sin offerings, trespass offerings, peace offerings, grain offerings, and thanksgiving offerings. All of these are handled by the priests.

After the priests have handled them, what happens? Did you think that after the priests handled them, all these sacrifices were burned? Not all of them were burned. In fact, most of them were given to the priests. How did these things given to God come to be given to the priests? This is recorded in the seventh chapter:

The priest who offers a burnt offering for anyone shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering that he has offered. And every grain offering baked in the oven and all that is prepared on a pan or a griddle shall belong to the priest who offers it. And every grain offering, mixed with oil or dry, shall be shared equally among all the sons of Aaron. (Leviticus 7:8-10)

The Portion the Priests Receive is All Given by God

If you look carefully, you will see that most of these sacrifices were given to these priests. Do you think these priests would be poor? The priests will not be poor. When we grasp the laws of how things operate, you will find that the portion the priests receive is given by God. You say: Can God really give? If the Israelites did not offer sacrifices, would the priests not starve to death? We know for sure that offering sacrifices is closely related to being blessed. Why would a person who offers sacrifices continue to offer sacrifices? Everyone, think carefully. If you are a smart person, you will offer sacrifices to God, because you know that you offer sacrifices to solve the problem of sin. When the problem of sin is solved, the devil can no longer steal blessings, and what you do will be blessed.

Everyone must know that from the beginning when Cain and Abel offered sacrifices, Cain's sacrifice was not accepted, and Abel's sacrifice was accepted. Then Cain became angry, and he just watched Abel's work prosper, while his own work became less and less prosperous, and he became angry. He forgot one thing, which is that offering sacrifices is a very spiritual matter.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must know that we do not lack money or people at all. I never ask brothers and sisters to donate, and I never say: Donate, donate. I only say: If you do not understand the meaning of donating, please do not donate. When I say this, has the church become poor? I tell you, our church is a wealthy church, and it is difficult not to be blessed among us. Brothers and sisters must know that our church is a church that offers sacrifices. Our priests also bear the responsibility of offering sacrifices, and then God's people are willing to offer sacrifices, so will our priests be poor? Our priests will not be poor.

I do not want the full-time staff who serve in the church to have a poor mindset. Think about it, if the full-time staff who serve in the church are dirt poor, can they bless others? If they talk to others about being blessed in this way and being blessed in that way, people will say: I think you need to be blessed very much. Others will retort with one sentence. A pastor who is dirt poor knocks on other people's doors, telling them about the principles of blessing, but when people look at this pastor, he is living in squalor, sleeping on the ground, and living like a dog. People say: Forget it, I think you need blessing more.

Brothers and sisters must know that why are those who serve God wealthy? Because God gives it to them. I once did an experiment. Some brothers and sisters said they wanted to serve God, so I said: If you earn ten thousand yuan a month outside, if you come to serve in the church, you will earn eleven thousand. Of course, you have to meet the requirements, because the requirements of Chinese Mingding Destiny for serving God are a bit high. If you earn one hundred thousand a month, you will earn one hundred and ten thousand if you come to serve God. Of course, some people who come to serve God do not put down all their business to serve; these people also receive salaries. Why do I do this? Because this is the portion that the priests should receive. As a result, I found that the church does not lack money at all. Why? Because people found that they would be blessed after they donated.

During the entire pandemic, there were many brothers and sisters among us who were blessed, as far as I know. At the beginning of this year, during the most severe period of the pandemic, there was a girl who came to me before the pandemic. I asked her: How much is your monthly salary? She said: I have worked in the high-tech industry for five years, and my salary is seven thousand. The company is almost unable to pay salaries. I said: Then don't do it, come here to receive training, and then find a new job.

She said: Then if I come here to receive training, what will I eat and drink? I said: It doesn't matter, I will give you a salary, of course, you have to do some work. She came here to receive training while looking for a job. As a result, before long, she found a new job with a salary of twenty thousand yuan. Twenty thousand yuan and seven thousand yuan is almost three times the difference. During the pandemic, the interviews were still conducted online. Before long, she was able to start working. She donated all the subsidies I gave her after she started working. She still had a very dedicated mindset.

According to the Order of Melchizedek, Be Priests of the Living God

In our church, what I am doing is quite wealthy-minded. I do not want the brothers and sisters among us to have a poor mindset. At that time, when I invited full-time co-workers, there were still some people in the church who were working outside and serving as small leaders in the church. I said: Give them a raise, a big raise! As a result, did the church become poor? The church is becoming more and more wealthy. The church must have a wealthy mindset, because our Father is a wealthy God. Many people do not know that our Father is a wealthy God. They do not serve our God well, do not build God's glorious church well, and feel that they have to do business to earn money to support these preachers. In fact, this is shaming our God.

I have found that there are many such situations where one is not blessed if one does not donate. One person did business to the point of bankruptcy and was about to sell his family property, but it is difficult to sell fixed assets. Her child was in the UK, she only had fifty thousand RMB, and she had a large amount of debt every month. She came to me and said she wanted to jump off a building. I said: Don't worry, our God is very wealthy, what's so difficult about this? As a result, I took her to pray on Friday, and on Saturday someone came to buy her property that she had been trying to sell for more than half a year. The price offered by others was 10% higher than she had originally expected.

I said: Sister, God has already added that ten percent that should have been donated. Do you want to donate it? I was worried that she would misunderstand that I loved money. Actually, I do not love money, I just wanted to solve her problem. She said: That's not okay, I still have to pay off my debts. As a result, she swallowed that ten percent that should have been donated. In fact, God blessed her many times later, but she still swallowed all that money. Later, when I contacted her again, all the situations returned to their original state, and she returned to the state of wanting to jump off a building. Why are people so foolish? People should offer sacrifices to God. It is infinitely good for God's people to willingly offer sacrifices to God. If you offer sin offerings, peace offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, it is difficult not to be blessed!

The key to people not being blessed lies in sin, and the root of sin is because people love the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. If a person does not love God, he is accursed. How can a person prosper in what he does? If you only know how to covet people's houses and people's property all day long, and want to occupy some things for yourself, even if you occupy them, his curse will still be with him, his sin will be with him, his covetousness will be with him, and the demons on him will not kill him?

All of you who have this mindset of wanting to serve God among us, do not think that serving God is a disadvantage. Previously, in the churches I knew, those who went to the church to work full-time had their salaries halved. Why is this? Because they believe that the Father is a poor Father, but I believe that our Father is a wealthy Father. When you think that the Father is a poor Father, you will not be able to receive these financial blessings; but when you think that the Father is a wealthy Father, you can give generously.

Therefore, among us, I really do not feel that I owe these co-workers of mine. They should be grateful to have such a pastor who has such faith in God. My faith in God is simply indescribable. I know that my Father is an extremely wealthy Father, and God's provision far exceeds my imagination. Previously, I was still worried that if they came to serve God and encountered any problems, their parents would come to me to settle the score, so what would I do? Now I am not worried, because I know that they are all experiencing God with a wealthy mindset, experiencing the richness, abundance, honour, and glory of our Father.

Therefore, among us, you will find that our adherence to the word of God surpasses that of many people. Think about it, those who are responsible for offering sacrifices are amazing. We do not serve as priests according to the order of Aaron, but according to the order of Melchizedek. Even Abraham had to give a tenth to Melchizedek, and we, according to the order of Melchizedek, become priests of the living God in eternity.

Holding on to our faith in God, think about what precious grace we have received. If we still neglect such a great, such a glorious office, a precious salvation, will this treasure not suddenly lose its power in our hands? Today, we must all rise up with a heart to be priests of the living God to serve God, but it does not necessarily mean that serving full-time is the only way to serve God. If you work and serve God at the same time, it is also a glorious office.

Value the Priestly Office, Value the Covenant with God

If a person does not live a clean life, Leviticus Chapter 7 states:

The meat that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burned with fire. As for the meat of the peace offering, all who are clean may eat it. But if anyone eats the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the Lord while in a state of uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from his people. If anyone touches an unclean thing, whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any detestable thing, and then eats some meat from the peace offering that belongs to the Lord, that person shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 7:19-21)

Do not mistakenly think that being cut off means being killed. It actually means losing this glorious office. Without this office, you will be burdened with hard labour. Serving God is a glorious office, so why do we not value it? The offerings made to God ultimately belong to the priests; this is the most repeated statement in the entire text. The priests lack nothing, and they have almost an inexhaustible supply of offerings to eat.

The Lord said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites: You are not to eat any fat from cattle, sheep or goats. The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it. Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which an offering by fire is made to the Lord must be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 7:22-25)

Do you know what belongs to the offerings by fire? It is what is completely burned for God. If you are greedy and take it for yourself, you will not receive your portion. Therefore, priests must abide by the rules and understand these rules in the spiritual realm. Do not take what belongs to God for yourself.

Wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of birds or animals. Anyone who eats blood must be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 7:26-27)

Why does eating blood disqualify one from the office? Because these things are dirty and defiled. Therefore, in the process of holding office, we must cultivate clean habits, not just limit ourselves to food, drink, and touch. In fact, I am not very impressed with those who cannot even keep their desks tidy. They may be very capable and famous, or very important figures in the pastor's circle or in the workplace, but if they cannot even tidy their desks, I suspect they cannot do their work well.

If a person makes a mess of their home and cannot even achieve the simplest cleanliness, can they do their work well? I doubt it. If a priest of the Lord God easily makes the spiritual environment around them messy, unclean, and dirty, they cannot serve God.

We must know that this office can be taken away, and we may lose the covenant we have made with God because of these bad habits. Eating offerings while defiled, and then repeatedly eating offerings with unclean habits – would it not be a great pity to lose our relationship with God in this way? There are many detailed records of this, such as:

The meat of the peace offering for thanksgiving is to be eaten on the day it is offered; do not leave any of it till morning. If, however, your offering is the result of a vow or is a freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day you offer it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day. Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up. If any of the meat of the peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who offered it, for it is an abomination; the one who eats any of it will be held responsible. (Leviticus 7:15-18)

Some people are very interesting. For example, God told the Israelites: You shall gather twice as much manna on Saturday, and there will be no manna on Sunday. For the Israelites, the first day was Sunday, meaning Sunday referred to Monday, and Saturday was their Sunday. But the Israelites did not listen. They gathered several portions on Monday, enough for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday all at once. Their logic was simple: what if there is none tomorrow? This demonstrates a lack of faith in God, and as a result, the extra manna they collected all stank. God was angry: Why don't you believe in God? In fact, people should believe in God and live by faith, relying on God.

If, however, your offering is the result of a vow or is a freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day you offer it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day. Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up. If any of the meat of the peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who offered it, for it is an abomination; the one who eats any of it will be held responsible. (Leviticus 7:16-18)

Why would you save these foods for the next day? God will provide us with food on the second and third days as well. If we cannot finish it, we can burn it with fire, because God has prepared ample food for us. This is a mindset of abundance. People may lack money, but God's people will not lack money. If we can possess the same mindset, compassion, broad-mindedness, glory, honour, and holiness as our Heavenly Father today, I think living will be a very, very simple thing.

You are to give the right thigh of your peace offerings to the priest. The priest who offers the blood and the fat of the peace offering shall have the right thigh as his share. From the peace offerings of the Israelites, I have taken the breast that is waved and the thigh that is presented and have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as their perpetual share from the Israelites.’ This is the portion of Aaron and his sons from the offerings made to the Lord by fire on the day they were presented to serve the Lord as priests. On the day they were anointed, the Lord commanded that the Israelites give this to them as their perpetual share for the generations to come. (Leviticus 7:32-36)

Among the Christians I have encountered, many have a mindset of poverty, always feeling that our God cannot provide for them. To this day, I repeatedly receive God's provision. I say, God is a wealthy God, and He provides everything we need. The most important thing is that we serve faithfully according to God's Word, and God will solve our other problems. Therefore, do not lose this wonderful office, do not be cut off from the people by God, cut off from the covenant, and become like Gentiles.

Conclusion

How can we implement a mindset of abundance in life? Offer all future worries to God, and offer all that we need to God. Be a faithful and good servant in God's eyes, and honestly serve and sacrifice according to God's Word. The office of the priest is our Mingding Destiny. We must do well in offering sacrifices and managing the temple, and do well in managing the lampstand. The people will be blessed because of those priests who love God wholeheartedly, with all their strength, and with all their soul. The people will begin to willingly give offerings, and the priests will lack nothing. The priests will have a more abundant mindset and be more willing to serve God. When God blesses the people of that generation even more, the result will be greater prosperity.

Originally, prosperity, blessings, and grace all come from God. We offer what comes from God back to God, and what is offered to God goes to God's priests. What a glorious Mingding Destiny! There is no blessing outside of Mingding Destiny. If we choose to love the Lord our God wholeheartedly, with all our strength, and with all our soul, living will become a very simple thing. Living will no longer be living for the sake of living; we live to serve God. This is a glorious Mingding Destiny!

May God bless everyone!