In this episode we continue studying the Book of Leviticus. In this episode the priest officially start offering sacrifices on behalf of the people after finishing 7 days and 7 nights in the tabernacle, completing the consecration ceremony.

The first offering they made on behalf of the people was the sin offering. Then they made the burnt offering. Then they made the meat offering and laid it beside the morning sacrifice.

The meat offering was the offering made of flour, oil and frankincense. The meat offering pictured Christ the bread of life, the one who would give life to whosoever was willing to be reconciled to God by having faith in Him.

Every believer is represented in this offering as the wafers, cakes and loaves come from one lump of dough, called the meat offering.

Christ is the lump of dough, he is the bread of life, and from him all who believe will be granted eternal life.

The believer is pictured as dying with Christ, or alongside Christ and God will raise them up just like he raised up Christ.

We note that as the believer will be raised from the dead because of christ, the believer also has a cross to bear as Christ had a cross to bear. Jesus bore his cross and is now King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the most powerful, richest and wisest man alive.

Yet, he had to bear a cross first.

Proverbs 18:12 says, Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

Before Jesus was exalted and honored he was humbled by His cross. He had glory in heaven but he laid it down for awhile to save the souls of men.

Yet, because he humbled himself, he received more honor and glory. And he advises us to do the same. Revelation chapter 5 verses 12 says Jesus was slain to receive these things.

Here's the text:

Revelation 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

So, don’t seek glory now, don’t covet the worlds goods, don’t trade eternal life for the world’s treasures, he advises. Take up your cross and follow me, you won't regret it.

Some will have a cross that requires them to choose between living to please God or their family members, friends, neighbors or co-workers.

If they are ashamed to acknowledge him before them, he will be ashamed of them and won’t acknowledge them before God and the angels.

Some will have to sell their goods because they receive glory from them. These he will tell to give up the worlds temporary glory to be like Him. He laid down his own glory for awhile, to come and do the Father’s will and now all power in heaven and earth belong to him and He has wealth beyond measure.

Give it up He says, it will be worth it. You’ll receive wealth and riches beyond your wildest imagination in heaven and you’ll live forever. This is a cross Jesus asked a man to carry as noted in Mark chapter 10.

Here’s the text:

Mark 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Mark 10:19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

Mark 10:20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Mark 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Some have already taken up their cross. They’ve chosen Him above all earthly treasure. To them he says expect 100 fold.

This is what he told the disciples when they asked Him, what they would get in return for giving up everything to follow Him.

Here's the text:

Matthew 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

The priest also made a wave offering, where all the fat was laid upon the breasts and the right shoulder of the bullock and the ram.

And we note that the breast was a picture of comfort and support. Jesus will be our comfort, support and strength as we carry our cross. He will be our comfort as we learn to lay down pride and learn to walk in love and humility.

We note this is how James and John were transformed. John is known for his epistles on love, he talks about love because he was loving.

And we read about John reclining on Jesus’ chest during the last supper, but this humble and subdued John, wasn’t always humble or loving.

But he learned to be so by hanging out with Christ. James and John once wanted to smite a Samaritan village because the people disrespected Christ so they asked Jesus if they could command fire from heaven and consume them but He said, you no not what spirit you are of, I didn’t come to destroys men’s lives but to save them and he simply went on to another village.

John got to know who Jesus really was, he was love, and the one who wanted to kill the Samaritans learned to love like Jesus loved and wrote a letter to us about the love of God and why we should love each other.

Here’s the text:

1John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

1John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

1John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

1John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

1John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

1John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

1John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

1John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.