Leviticus 17:1-7: a reflection

1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: 3Whatever man there is of the house of Israel who kills a bull, or lamb, or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, 4and hasn’t brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to offer it as an offering to the LORD before the LORD’s tabernacle: blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood. That man shall be cut off from among his people. 5This is to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to the LORD, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD. 6The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the LORD’s altar at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a pleasant aroma to the LORD. 7They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.’

In this passage, God commands that all sacrifices be brought to the tabernacle, to him, and not offered elsewhere; and he names the reason: so that the people will no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they have played the harlot. God claims all their worship for himself, that it not be scattered among idols. Their devotion was to be brought wholly to God, not shared with the idols they had been prone to chase.

Notice God's claim: all their worship for himself, not scattered among idols. The people had been prone to offer sacrifices to idols, scattering their devotion; and God commands that all their worship be brought to him, not divided among idols. He claims their devotion wholly, unwilling to share it with idols. Worship belongs to God alone; it is not to be scattered among idols, but brought wholly to him. God will not share his people's devotion with idols.

That claim, that all our worship and devotion belong to God alone, is worth taking to heart. We can scatter our devotion, giving some to God and some to the idols of our hearts, whatever they are; but God claims our worship wholly, unwilling to share it with idols. Our devotion is to be brought wholly to God, not divided among the things that would rival him. Do not scatter your worship and devotion, giving some to God and some to the idols of your heart; bring it wholly to God, who claims it for himself alone. God will not share your devotion with idols; he claims it wholly, as he claimed Israel's sacrifices for himself alone. Bring all your worship and devotion to God, not scattering it among rival idols, but giving it wholly to him who alone deserves it. Your devotion belongs to God alone; do not divide it, but bring it wholly to him, as God commanded Israel to bring all their sacrifices to him and not to idols.

Lord, in this passage you commanded that all sacrifices be brought to you, and not offered elsewhere, so that the people would no longer offer to the goat idols after which they had played the harlot; you claimed all their worship for yourself, that it not be scattered among idols. Show me your claim: all their worship for yourself, not divided among idols. The people had been prone to scatter their devotion; and you claimed it wholly, unwilling to share it with idols. Worship belongs to you alone. Take that claim to my heart. I can scatter my devotion, giving some to you and some to the idols of my heart, whatever they are; but you claim my worship wholly, unwilling to share it with idols. My devotion is to be brought wholly to you, not divided among the things that would rival you. Keep me from scattering my worship and devotion, giving some to you and some to the idols of my heart; help me bring it wholly to you, who claim it for yourself alone. You will not share my devotion with idols; you claim it wholly, Lord, as you claimed Israel's sacrifices for yourself alone. Help me bring all my worship and devotion to you, not scattering it among rival idols, but giving it wholly to you who alone deserve it. My devotion belongs to you alone; help me not divide it.