Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 8:31 - 9:14
A comedian was telling lighthearted jokes about the Christian obsession with potluck dinners. He made fun of the flimsy excuses used to justify having another meal, the tendency to use potluck dinners as an excuse for gluttony, and the crisis that occurs when everyone brings the same thing. After many jokes about the frequency with which believers eat together, he said, “Christians are so obsessed with potluck dinners that when Jesus comes back they will ask Him, ‘What are you bringing to the covered-dish supper?’”
It is true that Christians love food, and we love to eat together. It is also true that sometimes our practices surrounding church dinners deserve some criticism. However, eating together is important. When Yahweh ordained Aaron and his sons to serve as priests, one of the first things they did was eat together in the tabernacle. Likewise, the concept of fellowship meals is part of the New Testament teaching regarding church life.
The book of Exodus describes the pieces that made up the tabernacle as well as where each piece was placed in relation to all the other pieces. The first several chapters of Leviticus list the rules that regulated how the Israelites were to use the tabernacle. The eighth chapter recounts the moment in time when the tabernacle was anointed and the priests were ordained to serve in the tabernacle.
First, Moses dressed the priests in the priestly robes. Next, Moses anointed the tabernacle and Aaron with oil. Then, multiple sacrifices were offered as burnt and sin offerings. The blood was placed on the horns of the altar, poured out at the base of the altar, and sprinkled on Aaron and his sons.
Lev. 8:31 ¶ Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering, just as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’
Notice the words “eat it there together”. Aaron and his sons not only ate with each other, they were eating in the tabernacle; thus, they were eating a meal with Yahweh.
Eating together creates bonds. Whether it is firefighters, a sports team, a church body, or a family, communal eating builds bonds that bring people together. On the day of Pentecost, 3,000 people became believers in Jesus. They immediately began eating their meals together (see Acts 2:46). Church fellowship dinners have been part of church history since the day the church started.
Lev. 8:32 And the remainder of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn in the fire.
Lev. 8:33 And you shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled; for he will ordain you through seven days.
Lev. 8:34 Yahweh has commanded to do as has been done this day, to make atonement on your behalf.
Lev. 8:35 At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days and keep the charge of Yahweh, so that you will not die, for so I have been commanded.”
Take note of the word “die”. Death was the punishment if Aaron and his sons did not stay at the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days. That is a harsh punishment for something as innocuous as not staying at the right place for a week. However, this illustrates the importance of obeying Yahweh. Any disobedience, no matter how slight, is a serious offense against God.
We see something similar in 1 Corinthians 11. Paul gave instructions about the Lord’s Supper and stressed the importance of eating in a worthy manner. Some of the Corinthians were sick or dead because they ate in an unworthy manner (see 1 Corinthians 11:30).
Lev. 8:36 Thus Aaron and his sons did all the things which Yahweh had commanded through Moses.
Lev. 9:1 ¶ Now it happened on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel;
The word “eighth” tells us this ordination process lasted over a week.
Lev. 9:2 and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a calf, a bull, for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and bring them near before Yahweh.
Lev. 9:3 Then to the sons of Israel you shall speak, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both one year old, without blemish, for a burnt offering,
Lev. 9:4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before Yahweh, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today Yahweh will appear to you.’”
Verses 2-4 list seven animals that were part of the ceremony. The multiple days and multiple animals that were part of the ordination process testify to the importance of this event.
Lev. 9:5 So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before Yahweh.
Lev. 9:6 And Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded you to do, that the glory of Yahweh may appear to you.”
Lev. 9:7 Moses then said to Aaron, “Come near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, that you may make atonement for yourself and for the people; then offer the offering for the people, that you may make atonement for them, just as Yahweh has commanded.”
Lev. 9:8 ¶ So Aaron came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself.
Lev. 9:9 Then Aaron’s sons brought the blood near to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and put some on the horns of the altar and poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
Shed blood was required as part of this process. Likewise, the shed blood of Jesus is required for salvation.
Lev. 9:10 The fat and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver of the sin offering he then offered up in smoke on the altar just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.
Lev. 9:11 The flesh and the skin, however, he burned with fire outside the camp.
Lev. 9:12 ¶ Then he slaughtered the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him, and he splashed it around on the altar.
Lev. 9:13 And they handed the burnt offering to him in pieces, with the head, and he offered them up in smoke on the altar.
Lev. 9:14 He also washed the entrails and the legs and offered them up in smoke with the burnt offering on the altar.
Christians have a long tradition of eating fellowship meals. We love potluck dinners so much that our obsession with them provides great fodder for comedians and those who want to tear down Christianity.
However, eating together creates bonds. Sports teams often eat meals together in order to build chemistry. It is good for Christians to self-reflect on whether we overdo certain aspects of our fellowship meals, but we should never stop doing fellowship meals. Christians form one body, the church, and eating together is a great way to build unity.
How can your church improve its practice of fellowship meals?
What does your church get right about eating together?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”