They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.  Numbers 9!2
 
    The Passover was to be both commemorative and typical, not only pointing back to the deliverance from Egypt, but forward to the greater deliverance which Christ was to accomplish in freeing His people from the bondage of sin.  The sacrificial lamb represents "the Lamb of God," in whom is our only hope of salvation.  Says the apostle, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7).  It was not enough that the paschal lamb be slain; its blood must be sprinkled upon the doorposts; so the merits of Christ's blood must be applied to the soul.  We must believe, not only that He died for the world, but that He died for us individually.  We must appropriate to ourselves the virtue of the atoning sacrifice.
 
    The hyssop used in sprinkling the blood was the symbol of purification, being thus employed in the cleansing of the leper and of those defiled by contact with the dead.  In the psalmist's prayer also its significance is seen: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7).
 
    "The lamb was to be prepared whole, not a bone of it being broken: so not a bone was to be broken of the Lamb of God, who was to die for us (John 19:36).  Thus was also represented the completeness of Christ's sacrifice. (Patriarchs and Prophets, 277)
 
Reflection:  To think that Christ died for me personally.  Oh what a thought!  As we contemplate how much Christ loves us individually, we will want to serve Him more fully.

        But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.  Numbers 1:47
 
    By divine direction the tribe of Levi was set apart for the service of the sanctuary.  In the earliest times every man was the priest of his own household....Now...the Lord accepted the tribe of Levi for the work of the sanctuary.  By this signal honor He manifested His approval of their fidelity, both in adhering to His service and in executing His judgments when Israel apostatized in the worship of the golden calf.  The priesthood, however, was restricted to the family of Aaron.  Aaron and his sons alone were permitted to minister before the Lord; the rest of the tribe were entrusted with the charge of the tabernacle and its furniture, and they were to attend upon the priests in their ministration, but they were not to sacrifice, to burn incense, or to see the holy things till they were covered.
 
    Moses at the burning bush was directed to put off his sandals, for the ground whereon he stood was holy.  So the priests were not to enter the sanctuary with shoes upon their feet.  Particles of dust cleaving to them would desecrate the holy place.  They were to leave their shoes in the court before entering the sanctuary, and also to wash both their hands and their feet before ministering in the tabernacle or at the altar of burnt offering.  Thus was constantly taught the lesson that all defilement must be put away from those who would approach into the presence of God. (Patriarchs and Prophets, 350)
 
Reflection:  God has a plan for us.  The way He wants things done--though we might not agree or understand--is always the best plan.  From the beginning, He has set in motion a way of conducting our lives and who should do certain things.  Let us learn to follow His plan more and more each day.

  Be Ye Holy
 
        Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God.  Leviticus 20:7
 
    It is the work of conversion and sanctification to reconcile men to God by bringing them into accord with the principles of His law.  In the beginning, man was created in the image of God.  He was in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of God; the principles of righteousness were written upon his heart.  But sin alienated him from his Maker.  He no longer reflected the divine image.  His heart was at war with the principles of God's law.  "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7).  But "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son" that man might be reconciled to God.  Through the merits of Christ he can be restored to harmony with his Maker.  His heart must be renewed by divine grace; he must have a new life from above.  This change is the new birth, without which, says Jesus, "he cannot see the kingdom of God" (The Great Controversy, 467)
 
Reflection:  We can only have the righteousness the law demands by receiving the righteousness of Christ.

Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord.  Leviticus 19:18
 
    Through Moses the Lord had said, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart....Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Leviticus 19:17, 18).
 
    The spirit of hatred and revenge originated with Satan, and it led him to put to death the Son of God.  Whoever cherishes malice or unkindness is cherishing the same spirit, and its fruit will be unto death.  In the revengeful thought the evil deed lies enfolded, as the plant in the seed.  "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15).
 
    Jesus proceeded to show His hearers what it means to keep the commandments of God--that it is a reproduction in themselves of the character of Christ.  For in Him, God was daily made manifest before them. (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 55, 56)
 
Reflection:  Loving those who love us is much easier than loving those who don't love us.  As we allow the love of Christ to permeate our very souls, we will, in turn, begin to have a love that cannot ever come from us alone--a Christlike love.

 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.  Leviticus 19:13
 
    God's word sanctions no policy that will enrich one class by the oppression and suffering of another.  In all our business transactions it teaches us to put ourselves in the place of those with whom we are dealing, to look not only on our own things, but also on the things of others.  He who would take advantage of another's misfortunes in order to benefit himself, or who seeks to profit himself through another's weakness or incompetence, is a transgressor both of the principles and of the precepts of the word of God.
 
    The plan of life that God gave to Israel was intended as an object lesson for all mankind.  If these principles were carried out today, what a different place this world would be! (Ministry of Healing, 187, 188)
 
Reflection:  If we loved others as much as ourselves, the government would never have to take care of the poor.  How different the world would be if everyone lived by these principles!  Today, think of someone in real need and help them out.

And the vessel of earth, that he touched which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.  Leviticus 15:12
 
    In the teaching that God gave to Israel, the preservation of health received careful attention.  The people who had come from slavery with the uncleanly and unhealthful habits which it engenders, were subjected to the strictest training in the wilderness before entering Canaan.  Health principles were taught and sanitary laws enforced.
 
    Not only in their religious service, but in all the affairs of daily life was observed the distinction between clean and unclean.  All who came in contact with contagious or contaminating diseases were isolated from the encampment, and they were not permitted to return without thorough cleansing of both the person and the clothing.  In the case of one affected with a contaminating disease, the direction was given:
 
    "Every bed, whereon he lieth,...is unclean: and everything, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.  And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even" (Leviticus 15:4-6).  (Ministry of Healing, 277, 278)
 
Reflection:  By learning these lessons concerning our physical health, we may better understand God's moral law concerning our spiritual health.  What an awesome God we serve.

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.  Leviticus 11:2
 
    The diet appointed man in the beginning did not include animal food.  Not till after the Flood, when every green thing on the earth had been destroyed, did man receive permission to eat flesh.
 
    In choosing man's food in Eden, the Lord showed what was the best diet; in the choice made for Israel He taught the same lesson.  He brought the Israelites out of Egypt and undertook their training, that they might be a people for His own possession.  Through them He desired to bless and teach the world.  He provided them with the food best adapted for this purpose, not flesh, but manna, "the bread of heaven."  It was only because of their discontent and their murmuring for the fleshpots of Egypt that animal food was granted them, and this only for a short time.  Its use brought disease and death to thousands.  Yet the restriction to a nonflesh diet was never accepted..." (Ministry of Healing, 311)
 
    There are few who realize as they should how much their habits of diet have to do with their health, their character, their usefulness in this world, and their eternal destiny.  The appetite should ever be in subjection to the moral and intellectual powers.  The body should be servant to the mind, and not the mind to the body. (Patriarchs and Prophets, 562)
 
Reflection:  If there was ever a time to glorify God in our bodies, it is, no doubt, today.  We must understand that when we claim to be His, then we have a responsibility to glorify Him with our choices.  Our eating habits will honor or dishonor God.

 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.  Leviticus 4:29
 
    The most important part of the daily ministration was the service performed in behalf of individuals.  The repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle, and, placing his hand upon the victim's head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice.  By his own hand the animal was then slain, and the blood was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil, behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed.  By this ceremony the sin was, through the blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary.  In some cases the blood was not taken into the holy place; but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest, as Moses directed the sons of Aaron, saying, "God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation" (Leviticus 10:17).  Both ceremonies alike symbolized the transfer of the sin from the penitent to the sanctuary.
 
    Such was the work that went on day by day throughout the year.  The sins of Israel being thus transferred to the sanctuary, the holy places were defiled, and special work became necessary for the removal of the sins.  God commanded that an atonement be made for each of the sacred apartments, as for the altar, to "cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel" (Leviticus 16:19).  (Patriarchs and Prophets, 354, 255)
 
Reflection:  As the penitent placed his hands upon the sacrifice, he was transferring the full burden of his sin to Christ.

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.  Leviticus 1:2
 
    When man fell by transgression the law was not changed, but a remedial system was established to bring him back to obedience.  The promise of a Saviour was given, and sacrificial offerings pointing forward to the death of Christ as the great sin offering were established.  But had the law of God never been transgressed, there would have been no of sacrifices...
 
    The sacrificial system, committed to Adam, was also perverted by his descendants.  Superstition, idolatry, cruelty, and licentiousness corrupted the simple and significant service that God had appointed.  Through long intercourse with idolaters the people of Israel had mingled heathen customs with their worship; therefore the Lord gave them at Sinai definite instruction concerning the sacrificial service. (Patriarchs and Prophets, 363, 364)
 
Reflection:  The sanctuary service had become necessary because men had strayed far from God.  Man's mind had become so darkened that a simple illustration of the gospel needed to be instituted.

And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.  Exodus 25:8
 
    God commanded Moses for Israel, "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8), and He abode in the sanctuary, in the midst of His people.  Through all their weary wandering in the desert, the symbol of His presence was with them.  So Christ set up His tabernacle in the midst of our human encampment.  He pitched His tent by the side of the tents of men, that He might dwell among us, and make us familiar with His divine character and life.  "The Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth" (John 1:14; R.V., margin). (The Desire of Ages, 23)
 
    The sanctuary in heaven, in which Jesus ministers in our behalf, is the great original, of which the sanctuary built by Moses was a copy.  God placed His Spirit upon the builders of the earthly sanctuary.  The artistic skill displayed in its construction was a manifestation of divine wisdom.  The walls had the appearance of massive gold, reflecting in every direction the light of the seven lamps of the golden candlestick.  The table of shewbread and the altar of incense glittered like burnished gold.  The gorgeous curtain which formed the ceiling, inwrought with figures of angels in blue and purple and scarlet, added to the beauty of the scene.  And beyond the second veil was the holy Shekinah, the visible manifestation of God's glory, before which none but the high priest could enter and live. (Great Controversy, 414)
 
Reflection:  The Sanctuary services illustrated God's great plan of salvation.  Even in the book of Revelation Jesus is described walking in the Sanctuary.  To know His plan of salvation more fully, we must learn all we can about the Sanctuary.