Now they had arrived in a place that would be known as “Gilgal” from that time forward.
Why “Gilgal?”
“Gilgal” was a word that expressed “rolling away.”
Some have suggested that Gilgal was an Israelite version of Stonehenge. Perhaps they did set up 12 stones in a formation, but the Scripture does not allude to the Israelites conducting at this point a massive engineering feat – not to mention, Joshua was doing his best to obey the LORD, and most set-ups like Stonehenge are much more pagan in nature than what we would anticipate God doing here.
The Israelites were heading toward confrontation with Jericho, so again, they were probably spending their time in training exercises more so than setting up monoliths. Nevertheless, there IS what is known as a “Gilgal”, concentric circles similar to a labyrinth located at that site in modern day Golan Heights that archaeologists date as being much older than Joshua’s time. It would make sense that God would use that place to reveal a far deeper truth about rolling stones away.
There they were . . . camped in the Promised Land, and the LORD announces that the reproach, the shame, the mistreatment, the oppression, the horrors of bondage were now
completely
rolled
away.
Passover Observed
And then the children of Israel observed Passover.
The manna ceased and the people had their first taste of what life would be like in the Promised Land.
They had been set free and delivered, and brought into blessing!
The Commander of the LORD’s Army, the Resurrection, and the Seven Shofars
After this, the Commander of the LORD’s army appeared before Joshua with a sword in his hand (Joshua 5:13).
The LORD assures Joshua that Jericho will be defeated. Remember that Jericho was defeated by the shouts of the people and the priests sounding seven shofars seven times on the seventh day of their marching (Joshua 6).
You may know Joshua (Yehoshua) is a type for the future Yehoshua (Yeshua) — Jesus.
This chapter is full of awesome allusion!
First, we see that our reproach is rolled away. Egypt is left behind.
When our Messiah and Savior Yeshua (Jesus) defeated sin and death (the ways of Egypt and Jericho), He brought us into victory with Him!
All reproach was rolled away along with the stone on the day of our LORD’s Resurrection!
Revelation 8ff describes the seven seals and the seven shofars and the seven angels who will announce the coming of the LORD and His army and the final destruction of Babylon.
Again, all reproach will be rolled away!
THE TOMB IS EMPTY! THE LORD REIGNS! HE WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER!
Resurrection Power
Are you living in the Promised Land of God’s love and affection for you?
Do you have the full assurance that you will one day be raised to new life – eternal life – because of your trust in Yeshua haMashiach, the LORD Jesus Christ?
Have you tasted of the fruits of the Spirit?
Are you wearing the full armor of God and walking in victory as the enemy is defeated all around you?
Are you waiting with joyful expectation for the return of our King of kings in glory and victory and awesome power?
Do you need your sin and past rolled away? There is forgiveness available to you. The LORD is willing to forgive you if you will just come to Him with a sincere and repentant heart.
Let me invite you today to come with us – all truly saved believers – to this heavenly banquet. If you celebrate the Passover meal, it will give you a glimpse into this wonderful Truth. As we all celebrate the Victory of our Risen LORD, you, too, can receive Him into your life and know with absolute hope and confidence that He will raise you to new life, too. When this life is over, we will be joined together with our LORD and we will sit at the banquet table of His love. May today bring you great shalom and joy because Yeshua (Jesus) is our Living Hope!
Shmittah is a year-long Sabbatical for the land. It is intended to allow the land to rest, but also to allow the poor or indebted to rest. It is the year of debt-cancellation. Awesome!
Just for clarification: shmittah can be transliterated in several ways. Some of the more common ways you will see this word spelled include shmitah, shmita, and shemitah.
Shmittah became more well-known to the Christian community in recent years due to a popular book written by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn called “The Mystery of the Shemitah.” He served as a mentor to Rabbi Jason Sobel who wrote “Mysteries of the Messiah,” a book that I reviewed about this time last year. Cahn overelaborates at times and perhaps it is a fair critique that he may be (ironically) overcapitalizing on a topic that has to do with debt cancellation, but I am glad that more people have at least been exposed to the topic and that the Biblical principles of shmittah are becoming more widely known.
Are you worried about Inflation? Learn about shmittah!
I am no economist, but I have read from several sources over the years that there has been a correlation between Shmittah years and cycles of recessions in our nation. Apparently, the stock market often crashes during Shmittah. So, if you’re into investing . . . you may want to research Shmittah years!
Strong’s Concordance defines “shemittah” as “letting drop” or “remission.” It is a “release.” Creditors are required to “drop the issue,” to “forgive the debt” owed to them.
If we took the Bible more seriously, our credit structure in this country would look different. You can see how Biblical cycles did influence our financial system in that credit scores do not report the same way after 7 years, but the Biblical requirement is much more thorough, offering release to the indebted.
When we do not do as Scripture tells us . . . look where it gets us.
A shmittah year occurred from September 2021 and will end in September 2022.
Is the inflation we are experiencing due to the Shmittah year?
Was America spared a worse economic crisis due to certain repentant actions taken during this year such as the stronger restrictions on the sin of abortion?
Will inflation subside as this Shmittah cycle comes to an end?
It is worth praying about.
Our nation as a whole does not observe the precepts of Shmittah, but we like to claim we are still at least loosely Christian. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD . . .” Psalm 33:12. If we claim to seek to be a godly nation, we need to follow the instructions given by Scripture, even when they seem very difficult. Allowing the land to rest for a full year? Cancelling the debts of our brothers? It is a lot to ask! We must pray for our nation to return to the LORD.
Shmittah, the year of release, should be a time when all of God’s children feel refreshed and renewed. Released from burdens and allowed to rest.
Isn’t it wonderful that God has made this provisions in His Word? Wouldn’t more people be in better health if they didn’t have so much stress and could rest from some of their obligations? The LORD has provided for our wholeness and peace, for our shalom, in His Word.
A Worship Song you may enjoy today: Spirit of the Sovereign God: (This is the Year) by Lindell Cooley Brownsville Revival
Spirit of the Sovereign God (This is the Year) Lindell Cooley, Brownsville Revival
Other topics found in this passage that may interest you
What to eat and what NOT to eat
This passage from D’varim/Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 also outlines what animals are considered by Scripture to be appropriate for human consumption. If you are interested in this topic, check out my teaching on The Leviticus 11 Controversy that goes into depth about the dietary laws of the Torah.
Is there an area in your life in which you need to experience a release? Do you long for freedom from a burden? Do you need forgiveness today? The LORD is strong and mighty, full of compassion, and willing to help you. He will bring the victory into your life that you need if you will rest in Him and place your trust in Him today!
Does Leviticus top your list of favorite books of the Bible?
It is pretty safe to say most people would not list Leviticus as one of their favorite books of the Bible.
When I served as a chaplain, I would often ask patients to share their favorite verse or book of the Bible.
9 times out of 10, the patient would cite the Psalms, regardless of their denominational tradition.
And it’s no wonder. Psalms engage the emotions – they help us make sense out of suffering, bring comfort in times of need, and help us verbalize our praise of our Eternal Father.
Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, these books tend to be among the favorites.
Leviticus . . . not so much.
Holiness, Holy-days, and Hope
I do know one Torah observant sister who did tell me that Leviticus is one of her favorites. I told her she is unusual. 😉
But you see, she understands that there is more to Leviticus than lists of burnt offerings and rules.
Leviticus: Holiness, Holy Days, and Hope
Leviticus is about holiness.
Yes, Leviticus outlines the sacrificial system and it can get to be a bit difficult for our modern sensibilities to read about killing bulls and doves, but I assure you, there is more to Leviticus than that. The sacrificial system was needed in order for us to understand the magnitude of what Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) came to do for us.
The LORD is holy and He requires us to be made holy. ” . . . be holy, for I am holy . . .” (Leviticus 11:44). In order to enter into a true relationship with our Heavenly Father, we must first understand the gravity of our sin – the depraved state we find ourselves in without our Savior. We realize through a thorough reading of Leviticus just what exactly is required to obtain holiness. This deepens our gratitude for what Messiah accomplished through His death on the cross! He has made a way for us to be holy as He is holy, if we believe and trust in His Name.
Leviticus is about holy-days.
Who doesn’t enjoy holidays? Leviticus defines for us the holy-days of the LORD. It is in Leviticus that what are known as the moedim (the appointed times) are explained in great detail. The appointed times refers to specific dates and times of year when the LORD desires to meet with His people. Divine appointments. Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles are two of the better known celebrations.
Sorry to be the bearer of unwelcome news, but Christmas and Easter are not moedim – they are manmade holidays of pagan origin reappropriated by some of the Christian church. Certainly the Lord Yeshua (Jesus) is our Emmanuel and our Triumphant Redeemer. The intent is good! But these holidays fall outside that which is Scripturally mandated and at worse, perpetuate many untruths.
Leviticus is about hope.
Ultimately, as I have alluded, Leviticus is about salvation and hope.
The Good News of salvation is available to all, and part of that reality started way back in Leviticus. How could we understand our need for a Savior if we didn’t know our shortcomings?
We are so blessed to be living in these days because we know the fullness of the Good News – that the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) came to the earth, lived, ministered, was crucified, buried, rose again, ascended into heaven, and poured out His Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh) upon His people.
The offerings outlined in Leviticus help us understand the Good News
Leviticus 1-5 describes the different offerings that were required in order for people to make themselves right with God again. We can gain a greater understanding of so much of what occurred in the New Testament (Brit Chadasha) if we understand more fully these offerings.
Offerings & Wholeheartedness
It can be hard for us in modern times, especially in the United States, to conceptualize the 5 offerings listed in Leviticus. We are accustomed to giving “an offering” – a sum of money apart from our tithe that we feel led to give to the LORD’s work. Notice, our modern understanding of an “offering” is almost always monetary.
When I traveled to Mexico and preached in the village church, I noticed something very profound. Most of the congregation members are quite poor, but like the widow who gave her mite, the brothers and sisters did not come empty-handed. One sister would bring flowers, a fragrant gift to adorn the pulpit area. A brother would carry a basket of fruit or vegetables, a first fruits offering that would bless the pastor’s family or another family in need. These offerings required planning, love, and care.
It is easy to take out our wallet and toss a few dollars into a collection plate. It would require more forethought on our part to go out to the garden (if we even have one!) and share of our harvest. If we can learn one thing from our brethren in Mexico it is to give our offering wholeheartedly.
Following the time of Leviticus all the way through the Second Temple period, money would have been exchanged (think of the Temple moneychangers) in order to obtain what was needed for the offerings, but the money wasn’t just tossed nonchalantly into an offering plate. The individual seeking pardon had to be more involved than that to obtain purity.
Voluntary offerings and Mandatory offerings.
The offerings in Leviticus can be divided into two types: voluntary and mandatory.
The Voluntary Offerings
The Burnt Offering
The burnt offering had to be a male without blemish out of the cattle or sheep, or doves or pigeons, depending upon one’s financial ability. the Bible calls this a food offering, an aroma that pleased the LORD. It was to be killed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting (Leviticus 1:3).
That it would be killed at the doorway is significant because Yeshua (Jesus) said, “I am the Door.” The Good Shepherd laid down at the threshold of the doorway and ultimately gave up His life for His sheep. The Lamb’s blood on the doorposts prevents death from entering our lives.
2. The Meal/Grain Offering
This offering consisted of unleavened flour & oil mixed with frankincense and salt placed over fire. Mmmm . . . if you enjoy fresh baked bread, imagine the smell of a perfumed version! Throughout the Bible, oil represents anointing and sanctification – the Presence of the Spirit of the LORD. Salt was a preservative and was even involved in covenant-making! Because of its preserving quality, salt indicates an everlasting Covenant.
The meal offering, as simplistic as it may seem, gives us a picture of the Everlasting Covenant we have as children of the Most High.
3. The Shalom/Peace Offering
Similar to the the burnt offering, the shalom offering had to be of cattle, lamb, or goat. This reconciliation offering restored fellowship. It foreshadowed the shalom (peace) that we receive through the sacrifice of our Savior.
The Mandatory Offerings: Sacrifices for Unintentional Sins
Attribute 12, נֹשֵׂ֥אחַטָּאָ֑הNosei Chatah, describes the LORD as the “Forgiver of sin.” This verb refers to unintentional sins, meaning He forgives our mistakes and the sins we commit it ignorance.
A form of this Hebrew term is found beginning in Leviticus 4. Chata’at means to “miss the mark,” to “miss the target.”
So the sin offering was a mandatory offering for unintentional sins against God. This offering had to be completed before a person could make any other type of offering.
Different sacrifices were acceptable depending upon an individual’s rank/social status. A bull had to be sacrificed for the sins of Israel as a whole. A male goat was brought to be sacrificed on behalf of a leader. The ordinary folk were to bring a female goat or a lamb. The poor could bring a dove or pigeon to be sacrificed as the sin offering. Did you realize this was the type of offering Mary and Joseph brought when they went to Jerusalem to present the Holy Child to the LORD?
As Allen P. Ross writes in Holiness to the LORD: A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus, “The point is that no one was barred from access or from worship on the basis of income or ability (Ross, 89).
Like the sin offering, the guilt offering was a mandatory offering but rather than it being for unintentional sins against God, this offering is for unintentional sins against another person.
Restitution was required because the offender was guilty of trespassing against or defrauding another person. If someone’s rights had been violated, a guilt offering was necessary to make things right again. We are so very guilty, but our Savior, Messiah Jesus (Yeshua) has come to save us and take all our guilt away.
Leviticus gives us a portion, and the Gospel gives us the full picture
I hope you have been able to see how each one of the offerings in the book of Leviticus relates to the Good News! As Rabbi Sha’ul (Apostle Paul) said, it may seem as though we are looking through a glass dimly, but we know that one day we will indeed see Him face to face. If we study the Scriptures in depth, we will find that passages that seem obscure or completely irrelevant to us can actually be extremely revelatory and far more intriguing than we initially expect.
I hope you found this short study on the five offerings of Leviticus 1-5 of blessing to you. I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below or consider subscribing to our monthly newsletter!
