Discover why Leviticus 21, Ezekiel 44, John 4 and 6, and 1Corinthians 10–11 focus on the “table of the LORD” and what that means for us today. We explore what it really means that ancient Israel’s priests handle the “food of God,” why Yeshua (Jesus) says His food is to do the Father’s will, and how our approach today to Heaven’s altar reveals whether we’re truly drawing near — or just dropping off a gift and walking away.
How can God use a murderer to inaugurate His high priest? And what does that have to do with Yeshua (Jesus)? This study walks through Leviticus 8, Ezekiel 44 and Hebrews to unpack how guilt is transferred, why sacrificial blood “perfects” the altar, and why Yeshua’s resurrection is essential to the whole salvation process. We’ll see how Aaron’s bull, Ezekiel’s temple and the Melchizedek priesthood all point to Yeshua as both priest and offering.
Rules about “clean” and “unclean” in Leviticus 12–15 (Torah portion אמר Emor, “say”) apply primarily to the priests of Israel, and they are object lessons to teach us about “our great High Priest,” Messiah Yeshuah (Christ Jesus). Priests were held to a higher code of conduct than the regular native-born Israelites, and that will be the case in the Messianic age, too, as described in this week’s parallel reading, Ezekiel 44:15–31.