We began reading Leviticus in our homeschool class yesterday. To be honest, I’ve put this off as long as possible, since I know there are a lot of unpleasant, confusing, and even (can I be a bit sacrilegious here?) boring topics in the book. And did I mention gruesome? The very first chapter opens with detailed instructions on how to kill, skin, cut up, and burn the animal sacrifices. I did laugh, however, at my son’s bewilderment over God saying the scent of the burning head and feet was a pleasing aroma. We’ve choked on this acrid smell many times as Quechua farmers burn the wool off sheep heads and feet so they can prepare head soup. It’s definitely not a pleasing aroma to us!

Sacrifices were a common element of many ancient cultures. There was a big difference, however, between the sacrifices prescribed by God in Leviticus and those offered to the panoply of gods worshiped by other cultures. The motive of a pagan sacrifice was to coerce the gods into withholding wrath, while the Hebrew sacrifice served to show the repentance of the giver. One sacrifice was meant to change the minds of the gods, while the other changed the heart of the sinner. 

King David, a man as familiar with sacrifices as he was with the sins of human nature, clearly understood the underlying principle of the Levitical sacrifices - that what God really desired was a “broken and contrite heart.” (Psalm 51:16-17) And the prophet Isaiah pointed out that our holy God not only revives the heart and spirit of the contrite and lowly, but he will live there too!

As the boys and I continue our journey through Leviticus, we’ll encounter passages that are confusing, unpleasant, and a bit boring. But I pray that each word will point us to the fact that God does not desire our sacrifices… the things we’ve “given up” to live where we are and to do the job that he has called us to do. I trust we’ll learn that what God desires is not the stench of burning wool for sheep head soup, but the truly pleasing aroma of a heart fully submitted to Him.