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THE FLAME OF THE BURNT OFFERING
SATURDAY, APRIL 20
Leviticus 6

Psalm 55:16-17

 

“And the fire upon the altar
shall be burning in it;

it shall not be put out…”

 

THE FLAME OF THE BURNT OFFERING

 

What happened when the ashes underneath the altar of burnt offering needed removal? Who was to do it and how was it to be done properly, it being a holy place? The flame on the altar of burnt offering had to be kept burning once it had been lit. The One who lit it was the LORD. Leviticus 9:24: “And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.” Although the altar was lit by Moses when he consecrated Aaron and his sons for the inaugural priestly service in Leviticus 8, it was not the first act of the Levitical priesthood. At that inaugural priestly service in Leviticus 9, the LORD sent fire from heaven to consume the burnt offering that was on the altar. This signalled the beginning of the Levitical priesthood. The flame on the altar of burnt offering was not to be put out. Only the priests were permitted to remove the ashes from the altar. The priest had to be wearing his priestly garment as he took the ashes from the altar and placed them beside the altar. After that, he had to change into his ordinary garments, and then remove the ashes to outside of the camp, to a clean place, i.e. not the same places where refuse or dung was thrown. He had to be careful to ensure that the fire on the altar kept on burning while this process of cleaning was done. The priest on duty had to burn wood on it every morning to keep the fire burning.
 
The significance of keeping the fire burning was to let God’s people know that the access to Him for the remission of sin was always open. All they needed to do was to come. There would not be a time when the LORD said He was not available to receive His people who wished to repent of their sins. The altar was the first holy item the worshipper approached with their animal offerings. Even the ashes were holy as indicated by the priest having to wear his priestly garment to remove them. The beginning of holiness began with a blood sacrifice. For all believers today, the Lord is always available to meet His people as they pray without ceasing.
 
MEMORISATION: Leviticus 6:9
PRAYER: Help me, Father, to pray without ceasing. May I never leave Thy holy presence all my days, in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

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