3 “If any native Israelite sacrifices a bull[a] or a lamb or a goat anywhere inside or outside the camp 4 instead of bringing it to the entrance of the Tabernacle[b] to present it as an offering to the Lord, that person will be as guilty as a murderer.[c] Such a person has shed blood and will be cut off from the community. 5 The purpose of this rule is to stop the Israelites from sacrificing animals in the open fields. It will ensure that they bring their sacrifices to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle, so he can present them to the Lord as peace offerings. 6 Then the priest will be able to splatter the blood against the Lord’s altar at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and he will burn the fat as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 7 The people must no longer be unfaithful to the Lord by offering sacrifices to the goat idols.[d] This is a permanent law for them, to be observed from generation to generation.
In Leviticus 17, which is after the book of Exodus, one would think why in the world would God's people after experiencing the Red Sea part, food from heaven, pillar of Fire and Cloud, and witnessing other manifestations of God still be offering sacrifices to the goat idols?
Your greatest enemy is not the devil but yourself. It is the person you see in the mirror. The bible is showing us how humans, especially God's people, can continue to be blind, stiffed neck, and stubborn holding on to our idols thinking "what's the big deal?"
How are we offering sacrifices to our goat idols today? In modern times, we may not have the wooden idol figures as the Old Testament people did but we do have many idols ourselves that may be made of wood or other materials. It is not just about bowing down to it but it is our choice to spend our time, resources, and money toward another system. It is the the Babylonian or Egyptian system. It is the world system. It is the system of death and such offerings and sacrifices are to the devil.
Although, they had some form of money system call "shekel" much of their wealth or what they may deemed valuable was in their live stock. A bull, lamb, or goat was consider very valuable. Of course, a bull would be more valuable or expensive. And when they brought such offerings to God, it was something which they had considered very valuable.
Today, in modern times, most of us do not barter with live stocks. We use the money system. Many of us have a hard time of letting go of money. Many of us have a hard time making offerings to God. Many of us have a hard time tithing properly. These are breaking His commandments as it shows our heart and how we may not trust HIM. God does not need our lives stock nor does He need our money. But He uses the money system to test our hearts. Will we trust HIM enough to give HIM what is rightfully HIS?
Back to the question. Why after seeing all those miracles and knowing God is real would they still make offerings to the goat idols rather than bringing those offerings to present it to God at the entrance of the Tabernacle?
Many churches have offering boxes as people enter. Where is our offering to God? We can feel the anointing. We can see miracles. We can see manifestations of the Holy Spirit but many would still rather many make their offerings to the goat idols. They make their offerings to the devil and their offerings is to death. How and why?
Many Christians continue as the heathens do and they spend their hard earned money on alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, porn, violent/horror movies, cable to watch demonic and licentious movies, secular music, Hollywood, clubs/bars, gambling, lottery tickets, expensive sports memorabilia, and other things that feed the system of death which is the world. They make their offerings and sacrifices outside the House of God. When it comes to the things of God, many have to pull their own teeth to make themselves give properly. Yet, for their favorite sports team, they will spend hundreds or thousands of dollars into that corporation. Some Christians would spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to save the life of their pets rather than using that money to help out a fellow brethren. How much money does one spend on cigarettes? How much money does one spend on alcohol? Where is your heart? You must search your hearts.
No matter how much you prophecy into your life, your prayers and breakthrough will NOT come if you continue to make offerings and sacrifices to your goat idols. What are you willing to give up for God? Make your offering to God taking a risk on HIM and remove the idols in your lives. Then you will be able to defeat the giants. Look at the order of Gideon. He told the angel to wait as he went to get an offering. Then the angel told him to remove the idol from the town square. He had to continue to obey until he got to 300 men. But now God was with him and God was with HIS people.
You think the things you spend so much time and money over God are trivial? There is no middle ground. It is all or none with God. Only those who do His Will will enter Heaven.
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)—[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. Amen
Deuteronomy 16:16-17 (AMP) Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.
Fire of God Ministries International Church
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
January 25, 2013
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