Ashes

In the Burnt Offer in Leviticus 6:8-13, the ashes was very significant. This morning as I was musing and enjoying the word the Lord enlightened me on the "ASHES." The footnotes in the Recovery Version of the Holy Bible throws a great light into the depth of the holy word. O I love this Bible, helping and opening my eyes to see that the issue of the Burnt Offering is the "ashes!"

God's Acceptance of the Offering

Ashes signifies the heart of God's economy in dealing with man to gain man for His divine purpose. The very fact of the formation of the ashes from the burnt offering is a proof that the offering on the burnt offering is accepted. For the ashes would not have been produced if the offering on the alter were not accepted.

Importance

The ashes were handled by the priests putting on linen garment signifying the fineness, purity and cleanliness in handling the outcome of the offering, and thereafter, changing the garment to take the ashes outside the camp further portrays the stateliness in handling the ashes, which thereby signifies its importance.

Crucifixion

Ashes indicates the result of Christ's death, which bring to an end, i.e., to ashes. When we offer up ourselves to God as burnt offering, and if our offering is accepted the issue will be that we are crucified and that we are "no longer I, but Christ (Gal. 2:20a)." We do not belong to ourselves nor have any right over ourselves, we wholly belong to God to Whom we offer ourselves.

Resurrection

The ashes were put beside the altar toward the east, the side of sun rising, which is an allusion to resurrection. Everything offered to God as an offering, is accepted becomes "ashes" which is a sign that we are crucified and crucifixion is always followed by resurrection. The only way to experience resurrection is to be crucified by being burnt to ashes, terminating anything natural.

Transformation

Ashes if of high regard to God, for eventually the ashes would become the New Jerusalem! As we are reduced to ashes we are transformed to become precious materials--gold, silver and precious stones-- for the building of the New Jerusalem!

  

Lord, I offer myself to You afresh, laying my being at the altar of the burnt offering. Do what pleases Thee and burn me to ashes, transform me into precious stones of Thy heart's desire for the building up of the New Jerusalem.