“And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people.”
Leviticus 17 contains various regulations regarding the proper handling of blood and the sanctity of life. In this particular verse, God instructs the Israelites on the proper procedure for offering sacrifices and the consequences for disobedience.
Context: Leviticus 17 deals primarily with the sanctity of blood and the prohibition against offering sacrifices outside the prescribed system. The chapter emphasizes the importance of bringing sacrifices to the designated place of worship, the tabernacle or later the temple in Jerusalem.
The significance of bringing offerings to the tabernacle: The verse states that if someone fails to bring their offering to the door of the tabernacle to present it before the Lord, they will be considered as shedding blood. This implies that offering a sacrifice anywhere other than the tabernacle was tantamount to shedding blood, which was a serious offense.
The seriousness of shedding blood: Shedding blood is often associated with taking a life. In this context, it refers to a violation of the prescribed system of worship. The Israelites were to bring their sacrifices to the tabernacle because it was the central place of worship designated by God. Failing to do so indicated a disregard for God’s commandments and disrupted the proper order established for worship.
Consequences: The verse states that the person who fails to bring their offering to the tabernacle shall be “cut off from among his people.” This phrase indicates that the offender would be excommunicated or separated from the community of Israel. It highlights the seriousness of the offense and the need for obedience to God’s instructions.
Overall, Leviticus 17:4 emphasizes the importance of following God’s prescribed system of worship. By requiring offerings to be brought to the tabernacle, God established order, obedience, and reverence in the act of sacrifice. Disregarding this commandment was considered a severe offense, resulting in the offender being cut off from the community. It serves as a reminder to the Israelites, and to us today, of the significance of obedience in worship and the importance of following God’s instructions.
