Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Leviticus 1:14

14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.

We already heard that the burnt sacrifice could be made with a ram or bullock, now we learn that it could also be made with a bird, either a turtledove or a pigeon. This is the first time we have heard of a bird sacrifice, so there is quite a bit to cover in how it was to be offered.

First of all, we have to acknowledge the great value disparity between a bird and the other animal types. Clearly the sacrifice of a ram or a bullock was much more substantial than a couple pigeons or turtledoves. The reason for this much cheaper option is not explained here, but it is addressed later on. “Anyone who cannot afford a lamb is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the Lord as a penalty for their sin,” (Leviticus 5:7, NIV). Thus, if you could afford a livestock animal, you were to provide one, but so as not to make sacrifice unattainable to the poor, this other option was made available to them.

The sacrifice was therefore somewhat proportional to what you had. Like the widow with the two mites, your offering was relative to what you had. The ability to approach the Lord was meant for all of His people. So long as they were willing to come and offer something substantive to them, personally, then they could participate in all His blessings.

There is no record that suggests that there was any audit to compare the wealth of the Israelites and assign them which type of animal to bring as an offering. Perhaps it operated under a sort of honor system. You, yourself, would gauge if you had the means for a smaller or a larger sacrifice. Obviously, if anyone came to the tabernacle with a lesser sacrifice than they could afford, they would be undermining the very purpose for being there. God would know the truth of the matter, and they would be cultivating offense, not favor, with Him.

SacrificeEligible animalsStepsExplanation
Burnt offeringRam, Bullock, Pigeon, TurtledoveGiving our life to God’s purposes
Male, without blemishGive our very best
Hands placed on head, slaughteredAnimal takes the place of us
Slaughtered on the NorthRecommitment on the side of our journey
Blood sprinkled around altarOur life is sprinkled over God’s work
Cut in pieces, and washedEach part of us measured and made clean
The whole thing burned on the altarOur lives consumed in service to God

Full table.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Genesis 31:14-16

14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 

15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 

16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

If Jacob had been concerned about how Rachel and Leah would feel about leaving their father’s household, it turns out that he didn’t need to be. Rachel and Leah felt that Laban did not view them as his daughters anymore, and they in turn left off viewing him as their father. After all, he had sold each of them to Jacob for seven years’ service and had never so much as given them a marriage dowry.

But just as God had taken from Laban and given to Jacob, He had also been accounting for Rachel and Leah. For through Jacob they had received all of Laban’s wealth anyway. Jacob had provided for them in the place of their father, and God had provided for him. Thus, they did not need their old father any longer, they only needed God, and in a declaration of faith they encouraged their husband to follow the Lord in whatever He required.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Genesis 31:10-13

10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

I mentioned earlier how I used to think Jacob had made the cattle be born striped and speckled by having them look at striped and speckled sticks, but that this is not what the biblical record actually states, and today’s verses further reaffirm that.

Here it is made abundantly clear that the increase of striped and speckled goats was the result of divine intervention. God had seen the unfair things that Laban was doing, and He had curtailed them by taking Laban’s wealth and giving it to Jacob anyway.

Which is a wonderfully encouraging thought. The unjust and the dishonest may seem to prevail for a time, but none of it goes unnoticed by God, and in time He will redistribute everything according to His own purposes. If in my life I am never wealthy, it will not be because cheaters took what God had intended for me to have. So long as I surrender myself to His will, then I can be comfortably sure I am receiving exactly the wealth or poverty that He knows is right for me.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Genesis 26:12-14

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

I didn’t understand before I became a working man and had investments how significant a yearly increase a hundredfold is. In today’s terms, we would say that Isaac was making a 10,000% return on his investment! It’s frankly ridiculous, and of such a magnitude that one could not take the credit for it, but would have to admit they had been blessed by the hand of providence.

Thus, while Abraham had become rich and powerful, Isaac became even more so. Of course, all this wealth was for a purpose. If God intended to maintain a pattern of one covenant child per generation, then there would be no need to increase Isaac past his father. But the lineage was supposed to expand rapidly, and so the foundation to support it needed to as well.