A Way to Come Close | Series: Approaching God

Devotional

Day 1: God Desires to Dwell in Fellowship With His People

The Lord’s ultimate purpose in redemption is not merely to rescue us from bondage, but to bring us into a close, covenantal relationship with Himself. He is a God who draws near, who desires to live among His people and be their God. This profound truth is the very heart of the covenant, revealing a God who is not distant but intimately involved, seeking fellowship with those He has redeemed. [03:53]

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” (Exodus 25:8-9, NIV)

Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you most acutely sense the distance between your daily routine and the reality that God desires to dwell with you? What is one practical step you could take this week to intentionally acknowledge and welcome His presence in that area?

Day 2: We Must Approach a Holy God on His Terms

The holiness of God is an unchanging reality, demanding that He be regarded as holy by all who approach Him. This is not a negotiable point of etiquette but a fundamental requirement for coming near to the Creator of the universe. His instructions are not burdensome restrictions but the gracious pathway to safe and blessed fellowship with Him. [11:22]

“Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.” (Leviticus 10:3, NIV)

Reflection: Where have you been tempted to approach God or serve Him based on your own preferences or ideas, rather than seeking His specific instructions? How can you adjust your approach in that area to better honor His holiness?

Day 3: The Call to Bring a “Nearness Gift”

An offering is more than a transaction; it is a “korban,” a Hebrew word meaning a gift brought near to honor someone. We do not bring gifts to God to earn our way in, for that price has been fully paid by Christ. Instead, we bring nearness gifts as an act of worship, to honor and glorify the God who has already welcomed us in. [21:11]

“When anyone brings a grain offering to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour. They are to pour olive oil on it, put incense on it.” (Leviticus 2:1, NIV)

Reflection: Considering that your time, talents, and resources are potential “nearness gifts,” what is one gift you feel prompted to bring to God this week simply to honor Him, with no other motive than to draw near?

Day 4: We Offer Spiritual Sacrifices Through Our High Priest

Through Jesus Christ, our perfect High Priest, we are called to a new kind of priesthood where we offer spiritual sacrifices. These are not animals or grain, but the sincere praises of our lips and the practical offerings of our lives. This is our privilege and duty as a royal priesthood, to offer up to God what is pleasing and acceptable through Jesus. [32:02]

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5, NIV)

Reflection: What “spiritual sacrifice” of praise or thanksgiving can you intentionally offer to God today, specifically through the mediation of Jesus, your High Priest?

Day 5: God Responds to Our Obedience With Provision

When we choose to honor God by following His instructions precisely, our offerings become a sweet aroma that is well-pleasing to Him. This act of faithful obedience is not a means to manipulate God but a posture that positions us to receive His faithful provision. He promises to supply all our needs according to His riches as we honor Him in this way. [37:48]

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19, NIV)

Reflection: As you reflect on God’s promise to supply your needs, is there an area of obedience where He is inviting you to trust Him more fully, and what would it look like to take that step of faith today?

Sermon Summary

The book of Leviticus functions as a practical manual for approaching God. Exodus 25 establishes the tabernacle as a deliberate, earthly pattern of a heavenly reality designed so God might dwell among the people. The tabernacle’s glory both invited nearness and enforced reverence; God showed Moses how to set up a dwelling place that taught Israel how to come close, yet the presence remained holy and daunting. Leviticus then enumerates the precise ways to approach: offerings that bring one near, a consecrated priesthood to mediate, laws of purity to guard fellowship, a Day of Atonement for corporate cleansing, and a holiness code for daily life.

Holiness stands at the center. The narrative of Nadab and Abihu and the later account of Ananias and Sapphira demonstrate that God’s holiness does not relax between covenants; improper or deceitful approaches to God provoke judgment because God demands integrity and obedience when people draw near. The sacrificial system communicates theological truths: offerings (korban) mean “nearness gifts” brought before God; burnt offerings symbolize ascent to God; grain offerings express honoring God’s preferences; and priests model the mediation now fulfilled in Christ. These rites point forward to Christ’s once-for-all priesthood and to a transformed priesthood among believers.

The New Testament reframes the Levitical patterns without abolishing their intent. Christ functions as the perfect high priest who completed the required atonement, and believers become a holy priesthood called to offer spiritual sacrifices—praise, thanksgiving, obedient generosity—acceptable through Christ. Obedience and sacrificial devotion do not purchase salvation; they preserve intimate fellowship and cultivate a life that actually dwells in God’s presence. The ancient prescriptions therefore still teach faithful worship: approach with honesty, honor God’s holiness, offer nearness gifts in spirit, and receive the cleansing and strength the Lord supplies for obedience.

Key Takeaways

1. Leviticus teaches how to approach God Leviticus intentionally translates heavenly reality into earthly practice so people learn the posture and procedures for nearness. The tabernacle shows that closeness to God requires structure, reverence, and careful attention to divine instructions rather than casual familiarity. Approaching God means learning his ways for fellowship, not improvising customs that underestimate his transcendence. [09:02]
2. God must be regarded as holy The deaths of Nadab and Abihu and the judgment on Ananias and Sapphira underline that God’s holiness enforces moral seriousness when people draw near. Holiness means separation from what corrupts fellowship; it demands truth, integrity, and obedience in offerings and relationships. Treating God as casual or coming with deceit breaks relationship and invites correction, not because God lacks mercy, but because fellowship requires purity. [10:54]
3. Korban: offerings are nearness gifts The Hebrew korban literally means a nearness gift—something brought close to the altar to honor God’s presence. Offerings therefore express intentionality: people come physically and spiritually to present what honors God, not merely to fulfill ritual formalities. Understanding offerings this way reorients worship from obligation to an act that acknowledges God’s worth and presence. [20:23]
4. New covenant demands spiritual sacrifices Christ fulfills the Levitical system as high priest, but he also calls the people to offer spiritual sacrifices—praise, thanksgiving, and sacrificial generosity—through him. These offerings express obedience and honor, sustain fellowship, and open the way for God to respond by supplying need and blessing. Spiritual sacrifices do not earn acceptance; they evidence living union with Christ and cultivate a community fit for God’s dwelling. [32:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - Why Leviticus matters
[00:31] - Exodus 25 and the tabernacle
[02:15] - Reading Exodus 25:1–9
[03:32] - Tabernacle as heaven’s pattern
[04:36] - God’s desire to dwell
[07:23] - From Exodus into Leviticus
[09:02] - Leviticus: how to come near
[10:54] - Holiness and sudden judgment
[12:54] - Ananias and Sapphira: NT parallel
[16:37] - Structure of Leviticus explained
[20:23] - Korban: nearness gifts
[24:04] - Burnt offering and ascent
[28:41] - Christ the eternal High Priest
[32:30] - Spiritual sacrifices in the NT
[39:07] - Repentance, obedience, and prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Exodus 25:1–9 (ESV)
The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.”

Observation questions

What specific materials were the Israelites asked to bring for the construction of the tabernacle?
According to the sermon, what does the Hebrew word korban mean, and how does that redefine our understanding of "offerings"? [20:23]
What happened to Nadab and Abihu when they offered "profane fire," and what does this reveal about God’s nature? [10:54]
What New Testament example was given to show that God’s holiness and demand for integrity remain unchanged? [12:54]

Interpretation questions

Why did God instruct Moses to build the tabernacle according to the exact pattern shown to him? What does this teach about how God desires to be approached?
How does the concept of a "nearness gift" (korban) shift the motivation behind giving and worship from obligation to relationship? [20:23]
In what ways do the accounts of Nadab and Abihu and Ananias and Sapphira illustrate that God’s holiness requires truth and obedience rather than casual or dishonest approaches?
How does the New Testament concept of "spiritual sacrifices" (1 Peter 2:5, Hebrews 13:15) fulfill and transform the Old Testament sacrificial system? [32:30]

Application questions

How can we cultivate a heart that willingly brings "nearness gifts" to God—whether in worship, generosity, or obedience—instead of treating our faith as a mere obligation? [20:23]
In what areas of life might we be tempted to offer God "profane fire"—something we think is good, but that He hasn’t asked for or commanded? [10:54]
Are there ways we’ve been dishonest or half-hearted in our commitments to God, similar to Ananias and Sapphira? What steps can we take to return to integrity? [12:54]
What does it look like practically to offer "spiritual sacrifices" of praise, thanksgiving, and generosity in our daily lives? [32:30]
How can we better honor God’s preferences rather than assuming He is pleased with whatever we decide to bring Him? [34:55]
In what ways does understanding God’s holiness affect the reverence and intentionality with we approach Him in prayer, worship, and daily decisions?
How can we rely on the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to live obediently and maintain close fellowship with God, rather than trying to earn His acceptance? [41:50]

Sermon Clips

Now Jesus took care of all that. We don't have to give God jack now. We don't have to do anything. He did all the honoring. We just show up and get all the benefits. Really? What kind of relationship is that? Can you imagine somebody getting married like that? Hey, I said yes, didn't I? But I don't show up with any blessing, any support, any help. What kind of a relationship is that? [00:30:45] (24 seconds) #FaithIsRelational

So are we supposed to be offering sacrifices? How many people in the body of Christ do you think even know that? We come near to God with no sacrifices. No offering. No nearness gifts. Well, I thought Jesus took care of all that. Well, he did take take care of our invitation and our welcome into the presence of God. But when you get in there, nothing comes from you. No sacrifice. [00:30:10] (32 seconds) #NearnessGiftsMatter

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A Way to Come Close | Series: Approaching God | Jerry Dirmann