Keep the Fire Burning

Leviticus 6: 8-13

God tells Moses to tell Aaron that the offerings are to burn throughout the night. When the morning comes, the priest is to put on linen clothes over his linen underclothing and remove the ashes, putting them next to the altar. Then, he's to change clothes and take the ashes to a ceremonially clean place outside of camp.

The fire is not to go out. The priest can arrange the charring carcasses as needed and add the daily meat to the altar, but all the while the fire is to stay burning.

A couple of observations. Why doesn't God just tell Aaron this dierctly? Wouldn't the message get there more accurately with a more direct apporach? Does God just have a better relationship with Moses? What benefit does having a middleman serve? Does Moses have a knack for softening God's harshness?

Maybe it's a matter of credibility. Not God's, but of God's message. If God talked to them all, at any time any of them could claim "God said do this". But if Moses is the only one who chats with Him, it takes Moses' involvement for a message to have veracity.

Seems like a pretty lonely existence for God, though.

Secondly, what's with the eternal flame? Is it to emphasize that there's always more to be forgiven? That this process is only a short term solution? Is God saying, look- we're burning these animals all-day, every-day- 24/7, and still... there's not enough to cover the evil that men do. Ultimately, forgiveness can't come this way. You need a bigger solution- but before I give it to you, I want you to see how hopeless things are on your own.

And so as they wait for the messiah- the camp smells of charred flesh- and the point is made: kill all the goats you want, without Jesus, it's all pointless.