Parashat Acharei-Kedoshim 2025

Torah: Lev 16:1-18:30, Lev 19:1-20:27

Haftarah: Amos 9:7-15

Brit Chadashah: Heb 9:11-28, 1 Pet 1:13-16, 1 Cor 6:9-20

Main Points:

Instructions to Aaron for the Day of Atonement after his two sons died.

The exclusivity of the Altar as a place of sacrifice.

Prohibition against consuming blood and unlawful sexual activity.

Laws for righteous dealings with people.

Obedience required to keep the statues of God.

Capital punishment for child sacrifice and unlawful sexual activity.

God’s appeal for his people to be holy.

We are continuing our discussion of sacrificial types listed throughout the book of Leviticus. In our last edition, we spoke of the burnt offering. This week we will look at the grain offering that accompanied it. The grain offering teaches us a lot about what attitudes we should have as we interact with God and how reliant we are on God for our existence here on Earth and in eternity.

The Grain Offering

Grain and drink offerings accompanied all burnt offerings and peace offerings (Numb 15:1-5). The grain offering was a recognition of the fact that everything the Israelite had was given by God himself. All of the Israelite’s produce, grain, and increase (even from the animals), and the land that supported it all was given by God. God sustained it, nurtured the ground, and was the owner of it. As a form of worship, it was fitting that it was offered with the sacrifices of animals because it recognized that God even owned the animal. The Israelite worshipper only provided a repentant, obedient heart (Ps 50:7-23). As a voluntary offering, it was given freely and was not regulated by quantity. Its amount was a matter of the affections the Israelites had in their hearts. It was an expression of gratefulness and thanksgiving, which makes it a good type and shadow of our worship today.

It was a sweet aroma to God (Lev 6:14-16). It could be offered cooked or uncooked and was offered with oil (a type of the Spirit, Is 61:1) and salt (Lev 2:1-5). The grain was to be offered without leaven, a type of sinlessness that comes from a life patterned after the word of God (1 Cor 5:7-8). It was also used in the shewbread, the Bread of the Presence, and was a type of Yeshua. In Jn 6:35 Yeshua stated, “I am the bread of life”.

The grain offering was of particular importance to the poor because it provided a way for everyone to participate in the sacrificial system. The poor could not use the grain offering for atonement, but it could be offered as a form of worship, ensuring that even the poor could worship God at the Temple. The sages write about this value, saying that the poor who offers a meal offering is considered as if he offered his very life. His level of submission was held in honor because he gave what he needed, not just what he had. The more well-off could give an animal, but the grain offering put sacrificial worship in the hands of everyone. The sages acknowledged that it is not the quantity that was of value, but the intention of the offerer to dedicate it to God. Yeshua also held this value when he saw the Widow give her lowly mite.

And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. (Luke 21:1-4)

The grain offerings have a lot to teach us about how God himself values things. Some of the grain offering was offered to God directly and was offered with frankincense (a tree resin used to make perfume). This offering to God was done as a memorial (Lev 2:2). Frankincense was used in the incense that burned before the Ark (Ex 30:34-38). It was placed by the shewbread (Leviticus 24:5-9) so that it would be a memorial portion and fire offering to God.

What was the memorial portion? There are two ways to interpret it. The memorial portion could simply be a recognition that God is the origin of all blessings and even provides the things we need to worship him. It could also indicate a remembrance of all that God had done to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt and bring them to a land of blessing. In this view, the memorial was a reminder that God is gracious and sovereign, and his mercy calls us to repentance and obedience to his word. Notice Yeshua used memorial terminology in Passover (Luke 22:19, do this in remembrance of me).  Also see the Shesh Zekhirot (Six Remembrances listed in Ex 20:8; Deut 4:9-10, 9:7,16:3, 24:9, 25:17-19).

It is also possible that memorials go both ways and there are some things that God also memorializes. In Acts 10:4, Cornelius’ devotions and compassion were called a “memorial offering” to God. Matt 26; 6-13 a woman anoints Yeshua’s feet with her tears and wipes them with her hair. She then uses an expensive perfume (spikenard) to anoint his feet. Yeshua directs that this action should memorialize her wherever the Gospel is preached. Does God actually memorialize our faith and worship to him?

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. (Mal 3:16)

God loves us so much he rejoices over us, allows his love to rest on us, and even joyfully sings over us (Zeph 3:17). Yes, he loves us that much. Memorial offerings are a remembrance both ways.

Frankincense was also used in the offering of First Fruits (Lev 2:14-16). Frankincense was used because it gave an analogy of how the offering was of value to God, but it was not a sweet-smelling aroma without a sincere heart (Is 66:2-4). A sincere, repentant heart, coupled with obedience, moves God and he joins with us in worship.

The drink offering was symbolically mentioned in Phil 2:17-18 by Paul.

Phil 2:17-18 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me. (Phil 2:17-18)

The drink offering Paul referred to was a reference to his life being poured out in his labor for the kingdom and his sacrifices for others. Wine is a symbol of Yeshua’s covenant (Matt 26:27-28), a type of new life and abundant blessing (John 2:1-11). It was also used to depict the blessings of the future Messianic Era (Is 25:6-8).

Is our life poured out before God in service to him and others? Every time we extend ourselves to love others and love our Creator, God honors our actions and uses these expressions of faith to create an enduring testimony both on Earth and in Heaven.

Rav Calev

Apostolic Messianic International

Current Feast:

We are in the Counting of the Omar and are engaged in spiritual preparation for Shavuot (Pentecost).

Shavuot begins on the evening of June 1st and ends on the evening of June 3rd, 2025.

Words to Know:

Mensch (Yiddish) - A Righteous Man or Woman

Kabbalat HaYissurin - Accepting Suffering

Cheshbon HaNefesh - Accounting of the Soul (see Month of Elul, Preparation for the Holy Days)

Derech Eretz - Acting Honorably