There is a familiar phrase in the scripture that causes much controversy regarding the keeping of God's commands, specifically, the holy days and sacrifices.  We are commanded to keep God's holy days only in the place where God has chosen to place His name (Deut. 16:16).  We are also commanded to bring our sacrifices and offerings to this same place (Deut. 12:5-6).  The scripture clearly states that this place is Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:4).  This brings up a couple of questions, first, can we keep God's holy days outside of Jerusalem?  Second, can we sacrifice outside of Jerusalem?  The first question has been discussed by many and debated numerous times.  The second question, however, is much less discussed and is typically unanimously agreed that we can no longer offer sacrifice.  This article will attempt to address these questions.

          The only way to understand this topic is through the eyes of the scripture.  The question might be asked then, how are we to understand the scripture?  The Bible is clear that we are to study God's law in the spirit and not the letter (Rom. 7:6).  We are to study using the Spirit of the Law.  This is a phrase that has been used in law for thousands of years.  The "Spirit of the law refers to ideas that the creators of a particular law wanted to have effect. It is the intent and purpose of the lawmaker."  (USLegal.com, Spirit of the Law).   This is how we are to study the law of God, using God's intent and purpose.  This means that we might sometimes have to break the letter of the law in order to meet God's intended purpose, which is the spirit of the law.  For more on the Spirit of the Law please read my article here.  When studying the topic of where God put his name, we must use the spirit of the law.  To properly understand this topic we must first understand Deuteronomy chapters twelve through seventeen, but before we do we need to first identify some key terms.

Key Terms:

          Here is a quick list of terms that need defining before we can understand the place where God placed His name.

• Tithe (ma‛ăśêr - H- 4643) - "a tenth." 

  • There are three tithes.  The first tithe was a payment to the priesthood/government of Israel (Num. 18:20-21).  The second tithe is for holy days (Deut. 14:26).  The third tithe is for welfare (Deut. 26:12).  For more on tithing please read my article here.

  • Josephus put it this way, "Besides those two tithes, which I have already said you are to pay every year, the one for the Levites, the other for the festivals, you are to bring every third year a third tithe to be distributed to those that want; to women also that are widows, and to children that are orphans."   (Antiquities, bk 4, 22-23)

  • Tithes can be "of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand" (Deut. 12:17).

• Worship (shâchâh - H7812) - "to depress, prostrate, homage to royalty or God, bow down, make obeisance, worship." 

  • This word is used many times to describe sacrifices (1 Sam. 1:3, 2 Kings 17:36, Eze. 46:2, etc.)

  • This word was not used in the same way the church uses it today.  The scripture uses this word as bowing down in obedience.  A better translation would simply be obedience or submission to an authority.  This was primarily done through sacrifice.

• Sacrifice (zâbach - H2076) - "to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice): - kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay."

• This word is almost always translated as sacrifice, but the real meaning is slaughter.  We need to remove our religious presuppositions regarding this word.  It simply means to slaughter an animal.  The best English translation today would most likely be slaughter or butcher.

• Offering (terûmâh - H8641) - "a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute."

   
  Offering (qorbân - H7133) - "something brought near the altar, that is, a sacrificial present: - oblation, that is offered, offering"

   

  Offering (minchâh - H4503) - "to apportion, that is, bestow; a donation; euphemistically tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering: - gift, oblation, offering, present, sacrifice."

  • These words are used to describe a gift, or something given to someone else.  All the offerings (burnt offering, sin offering, trespass offering, peace offering, and meal offering) are different words, but they represent the same concept.  All these offerings are gifts to be given to someone else.  Some are voluntary (meal offering and peace offering), others are compulsory (sin offering & trespass offering).  A scriptural offering is something that is owed or given to the priesthood.

  • A sacrifice is the slaughter of an animal.  A sacrificial offering is the slaughter of an animal in payment to someone else (the priesthood).

          The sacrificial system is highly misunderstood today.  The main reason for this is modern Christian religion.  Most see sacrifices as a religious system to appease a certain god, yet the scriptures do not portray this at all.  Instead, the scriptures describe a legal system for a nation.  That nation is Israel, which is the example God gives for all other nations (Deut. 4:5-6).  We need to free ourselves from our religious presuppositions regarding sacrifices in order to understand Deuteronomy twelve through seventeen.  As a reader, please do your best to remove any thoughts you might currently have regarding the sacrificial system of the scriptures.  This is the only way we can properly understand God's word.  Remember, Israel was a nation, not a church.

          Here is a quick outline of this portion of Scripture.  Chapter twelve discusses the place where God put His name.  Chapter thirteen covers prophets and how they are to be governed.  Chapter fourteen covers the dietary laws as well as tithing laws.  Chapter fifteen covers the sabbatical year and the year of release.  Chapter sixteen covers the three pilgrimage feasts of the LORD and the lower court system.  Chapter seventeen continues with the lower courts and also discusses the laws regarding kings.  The following is a short review of Deuteronomy chapters twelve through seventeen.  For the sake of time, some sections will be skipped that do not pertain to this topic.  The primary chapters of discussion will be chapters twelve and sixteen, but chapters fourteen and seventeen will also be addressed while chapters thirteen and fifteen will be mostly ignored. 

Deuteronomy 12:

          The key verse to understanding Deuteronomy twelve is verse nineteen.  Here it says, "Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth."  This chapter is about not forsaking the Levites.  We are to offer our "burnt offerings, and [our] sacrifices, and [our] tithes, and heave offerings of [our] hand, and [our] vows, and [our] freewill offerings, and the firstlings of [our] herds and of [our] flocks" (Deut.12:6).  All of these offerings are a payment to the priesthood (Lev. 7:8, Lev. 7:32, Lev. 22:21, Num. 18:21, etc.).  This chapter is about making our payments to the priesthood, or government of Israel, only in Jerusalem, which is the place where God put His name (2 Chron. 6:6).  Israel was to pay their civil service (priesthood) three times a year at the feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.  God is building a nation.  He is uniting twelve tribes into one nation.  To do this they need a central place of worship, or obedience, by paying for their government services in Jerusalem.

          The chapter starts with a warning.  "These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land.  ... Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods" (Deut. 12:1-2).  When Israel came into the land that God gave them, they were to destroy all the places where the previous nation served their rulers (gods).  These places are the altars, pillars, groves of trees, and their graven images.  These were the places the previous nation paid their civil service (priesthood).  Once these were removed, God had a central place where Israel was to pay their civil service (priesthood).  That place is Jerusalem.  "But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:  And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks" (Deut. 12:5-6, 13-14).  These are the offerings that are to be given to pay for the priesthood.  Three times a year Israel was to pay their civil service.  At this time we are to eat and celebrate before the LORD with the priesthood (Deut. 12:7).  A distinction, however, should be made with the tithing system.  The offerings to the priesthood are part of the first tithe, but the eating before the LORD is part of the second tithe.  This is important to remember when studying these chapters.  The priesthood eats of the first tithe (Num. 18:21), but we eat of our second tithe (Deut. 14:26).  Without making this distinction we will not understand these chapters.

          This central place of worship/obedience (paying the priesthood) was to start when Israel became a nation and was in the land given to them (Deut. 12:9-10).  When they become a nation they are not to do as they did in that day because they were not yet in the land (Deut. 12:8).  Apparently, Israel was to function differently in the land than out of the land.  This begs the question, since we are out of the land now, how should we function?  The reality is that we can only function to the best of our ability.  We should keep every commandment that we can keep.  There is grace for those commandments that we cannot keep.  The main difference from living in the land verses out of the land is the place of worship (obedience - paying the priesthood).  While in the land we are to pay our priesthood in burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, heave offerings, and vows (Deut. 12:11).  This is how the priesthood (judicial system) was to be funded.  When we pay the priesthood (judicial system) we are to do so while "rejoicing before the LORD" (Deut. 12:12).

          There is an exception, however, regarding animals that are not given to the priesthood.  "Notwithstanding thou mayest kill  (sacrifice) and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart" (Deut. 12:15).  We are not allowed to eat of the "holy things" outside of Jerusalem (Deut. 12:26), but we can eat clean animals outside Jerusalem within our own gates (cities) if they are not for the priesthood.  We do this just like the roebuck (gazelle) and the hart (deer), which are wild (non-domesticated) animals.  Wild animals are never given to the priesthood.  The priesthood received of the increase (Deut. 14:22), but there is no increase from a non-domesticated animal.  Non-domesticated animals are hunted for food, they are not bred for livestock.  Since we tithe on the increase only, animals that are not domesticated cannot be tithed for their is no increase.  Remember, a sacrifice is simply slaughtering an animal.  A sacrificial offering is the slaughtering of an animal in payment to the priesthood.  When we are in the land we are allowed to eat a wild animal that is hunted, as long as it is clean.  We can also eat domesticated animals as long as they are not part of the first tithe.  We may not eat the tithe, firstborn, vows, freewill offerings, or heave offerings because these were required to be given to the priesthood (Deut. 12:17).  The first tithe was given to the priesthood to eat while the people ate of their second tithe as they feasted before the LORD (Deut. 12:18).  The purpose for all this is spelled out in the very next verse.  "Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth" (Deut. 12:19).  We do all this so that we do not forsake the Levite, who is the civil service of Israel.

          In verse twenty there is a change in direction.  God is now going to explain His plans for Israel.  "When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after" (Deut. 12:20).  God's plan was for Israel to grow.  He was going to expand their borders.  This should bring up an interesting question.  How is the tabernacle going to handle such a large demand as Israel grows?  This is a logistics question that has been asked for centuries.  The Tabernacle, and even the Temple, was not large enough to accommodate the entire population of Israel.  What is the solution?  Remember, the context of this chapter is still the same.  We are still speaking of the feast days where Israel was to go to Jerusalem three times a year.  We know this because of the phrase, "whatsoever thy soul lusteth after."  This is a phrase specific to the second tithe (Deut. 12:15, 20, 21, 14:26, 18:6), which is used to pay for the feast days.  We are clearly still speaking of the feast days three times a year.  The next verse states, "If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill (H2076 - zâbach - sacrifice) of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after" (Deut. 12:21).  The word for kill is zâbach which means, "to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice): - kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay. (Strong's H2076 - zâbach).  If Jerusalem is too far to travel for the feast, then we can kill, or sacrifice, within our own gates.  This can be done just as the roebuck (gazelle) and the hart (deer) by draining their blood in the dirt (Deut. 12:23-24), but the holy things are to be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem (Deut. 12:26).

          The context of this section is still the payment to the Levites.  These payments need to be made in Jerusalem.  It is important to recognize the distinction between different kinds of clean animals.  The domesticated animals were used for offerings to the priesthood.  These are the flock (sheep/goats) and the herd (ox/cow/bull).  These animals were designed to be domesticated and raised as food then sold for business.  Three times a year Israelites were to tithe a tenth to the priesthood of all their increase in that business.  The roebuck (gazelle) and the hart (deer) are wild animals to hunt for food.  We can hunt them and kill within our own gates because these are not raised for food and sold for business.  Since this is not a business there is no tithe owed to the priesthood and therefore can be sacrificed within our own gates.  However, a tenth of the domesticated animals are to be offered only in Jerusalem.  This is the first tithe and is referred to as the "holy things which thou hast" (Deut. 12:26).  These "holy things" are to be offered to the priesthood in Jerusalem, but domesticated animals not part of the first tithe can be eaten within your own gates (Deut. 12:15).  There is an exception made if Jerusalem is too far.  First, if Jerusalem is too far to travel with your animals and crops, then we are to sell our animals and crops for money, travel to the feast, and buy whatever we like and offer that to the priesthood in celebration (Deut. 14:24-26).  However, if Jerusalem is too far to travel to even without your animals and crops, then we can sacrifice these animals and keep the feast within our own gates (Deut. 12:21).  However, keep in mind, the entire context of these two chapters is paying the priesthood their tithes and offerings.  How can we pay the priesthood if we do not go to Jerusalem?  If someone lives too far from Jerusalem, then the clean animals that were used for the priesthood (domesticated animals) can be eaten within their own gates.  However, the "holy things" are to be offered only on the altar in Jerusalem (Deut. 12:26) because these belong to the priests.  This means that our tithe only goes to the priesthood, but what should be done when Israel is so large that its people cannot travel to Jerusalem?  The answer can be found in the writings of Philo. 

          Philo lived at the same time as the Messiah and wrote many books regarding his life and times.  Philo said, "Accordingly there is in almost every city a storehouse for the sacred things to which it is customary for the people to come and there to deposit their first fruits, and at certain seasons there are sacred ambassadors selected on account of their virtue, who convey the offerings to the temple.  And the most eminent men of each tribe are elected to this office, that they may conduct the hopes of each individual safe to their destination; for in the lawful offering of the first fruits are the hopes of the pious."  (Philo, The Special Laws I, 78).  Philo lived in Alexandria, which is too far to travel to Jerusalem three times a year.  In fact, Philo mentions only traveling to Jerusalem once in his life time (Philo, On Providence, 2:6).  Philo records that they sent their first tithe and firstfruits to Jerusalem through Ambassadors, but their second tithe paid for their feasting within their own gates.  Philo also wrote, "which the Hebrews call pascha, on which the whole people offer sacrifice, beginning at noonday and continuing till evening.    . . . they sacrificed at that time themselves out of their exceeding joy, without waiting for priests. And what was then done the law enjoined to be repeated once every year, as a memorial of the gratitude due for their deliverance.  And each house is at that time invested with the character and dignity of a temple, the victim being sacrificed so as to make a suitable feast for the man who has provided it and of those who are collected to share in the feast, being all duly purified with holy ablutions." (Philo, The Special Laws II, 147-148).  The first tithe was given to the civil service (priesthood) through ambassadors, but the second tithe was used to celebrate the feast.  This is the correct construction of law and the true intention of Deuteronomy chapter twelve.  The whole point was to "forsake not the Levite" (Deut. 12:19).  Sacrifices were regularly done outside Jerusalem, but the "holy things" of first fruits and tithes were always given to the priesthood.  This is what the scripture means when it says all offerings are to be brought to the place where the LORD places his name.  This is the Temple in Jerusalem where all Israel pays the priesthood, which is the civil service of the nation.

Deuteronomy 16:

          Deuteronomy chapters thirteen through fifteen speaks of prophets, dietary laws, tithing and the Sabbath years, but then in Deuteronomy chapter sixteen the same thought as chapter twelve continues.  Many believe this chapter demonstrates that we cannot keep God's feast days outside Jerusalem, specifically, the Passover.  But is this really what this chapter is saying?  Here is another look at Deuteronomy chapter sixteen.  The key verse to understanding this chapter is Deut. 16:16.  Here it says, "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty" (Deut. 16:16).  This chapter is speaking of the three pilgrimage feasts of the LORD, the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of weeks, and the feast of tabernacles.  Israel is to keep these feasts "in the place which [God] shall choose."  The purpose of these feasts is simple, they were done in Jerusalem to pay the priesthood the tithe, firstborn, and all that is due to them (Deut. 16:15-17, 12:17-18).  We are to meet three times in the year to pay the priesthood for their service.  This is the context to Deuteronomy 16.

          The chapter starts with, "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night" (Deut. 16:1).  We are to observe this month as the first month of the year.  In this month we are to keep the Passover unto the LORD.  The question that needs to be answered is this, what does this chapter mean by the word "Passover?"  Keep in mind, that this chapter is not about the Passover, nor is it about the Passover, but rather it is about the Passover.  That may sound strange, but the word Passover has three different meanings in the scripture.  It can mean the sacrificial lamb of the Passover (Ex. 12:21), or the day of preparation of the Passover (Lev. 23:5), or it can refer to the entire week of unleavened bread (Eze. 45:21).  The context will give us the answer.  The next verse states, "Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there" (Deut. 16:2).  The word used for flock is tsô'n tse'ôn (Strong's H6629).  This word means, "a collective name for a flock of sheep or goats."  The word for herd is bâqâr (Strong's H1241).  This word means, "a beeve or animal of the ox kind of either gender, bull, cow, heifer."  The animals used for this passover can be a lamb or a bull; however, the passover sacrifice was required to be a lamb of the sheep or goats only (Ex. 12:5).  Regarding this verse John Gil said, "of the flock and the herd; that is, you shall sacrifice also the offerings which were offered throughout the seven days of unleavened bread" (John Gils Exposition of the Bible, Deut. 16:2).  This chapter is not speaking of sacrificing the passover lamb, but sacrificing the passover offerings given to the priesthood for the week of unleavened bread.  In fact, we are given more detail in Numbers chapter 28 regarding these specific offerings.  We are told, "But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish" (Num. 28:19).  We are told in Numbers 28 to offer of the flock and herd, specifically, two young bulls and seven lambs of the first year.  We are then told to offer these sacrifices for seven days.  After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days" (Num. 28:24).  This passage is clearly speaking of the Passover Offerings during the feast of Unleavened Bread.  In fact, in 2 Chron. 35:7-8 these are called "Passover Offerings."   This fits the context as the rest of this chapter refers to the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of weeks, and the feast of tabernacles (Deut. 16:16).  In Deuteronomy chapter sixteen the word Passover represents the entire week for the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the sacrifices mentioned are the offerings paid to the priesthood.

          The next verse confirms this as well.  "Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith" (Deut. 16:3).  Clearly this is speaking of the seven day feast of unleavened bread, not the passover.  When he says, "seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith", what is the "therewith" we are eating unleavened bread with? He is not referring to the Passover meal.  We don't eat the Passover for seven days, but we do eat of the various offerings to the Priesthood for seven days.  In the next verse he says, "neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning." (Deut. 16:4).  The Passover is not on the first day of Unleavened Bread.  The Passover is a one day event preceding the seven day feast.  There are seven days to the feast of unleavened bread, but the Passover is not the first day.  The first day of unleavened bread is what is referred to here.  On the first day of unleavened bread we are to give our offerings to the priesthood and eat in celebration with them.  We are to do this for seven days and leave none to remain in the morning.  Another clue this is not the passover is the word for even.  This is the word ‛ereb, which means "dusk, even (-ing, tide), night" (Strong's H6153).  They were to offer this offering at sunset, but the Passover was to be offered at (bêyn) even (‛ereb).  The word for at is bêyn, which means "between, among, asunder, at" (Strong's H996).  This phrase means the Passover is slaughtered between noon and sunset (around 3pm), but in Deuteronomy 16:4 the offerings are at sunset.  This is more evidence that these offerings are not the passover, but the offerings for the priesthood during the feast of unleavened bread.

          The next few verses should be seen in the same context.  When the scripture says, "Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:" (Deut. 16:5), it is still referring to the offerings for the priesthood.  "But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt" (Deut. 16:6).  We are not to do our tithes and firstfruit offerings except where the priesthood is, which is Jerusalem.  This is still referring to the offerings for the priesthood for the word for even is ‛ereb and not bêyn ‛ereb.  We are to do these offerings each day at sunset, not at 3pm.  This is not the Passover slaughter.  We are to "roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents" (Deut. 16:7).  Each day of the feast we are to offer and feast with the Priesthood.  The next verse clarifies again by saying, "Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein" (Deut. 16:8).  The feast is seven days (Ex. 12:15), but here it says six days.  The reason is because the writer has been describing the first day of unleavened bread, which is not the Passover.  The first day of Unleavened Bread is part of the seven days.  After that day there is only six days left.  We are to do these offerings for a total of seven days and eat them with unleavened bread.

          The rest of chapter sixteen references the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles.  These are the other two feasts where each male, with his family, was to bring their offerings to the priesthood as a payment for their service.  Three times a year these payments are to be made for their services to Israel (Deut. 16:16-17).  The question to ask is this, "What is their service?"  The last few verses of the chapter answer this question.  "Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment" (Deut. 16:18).  This is a multi-tiered judicial system.  Three times a year the lower court system is to make their payments to the higher court system (Deut. 16:11, 14).  At this time all of Israel is to come to Jerusalem to make their payment to the priesthood.  The spirit of the law for Deuteronomy sixteen is that we need to pay our priesthood, and this payment only goes to the priesthood, which is the civil service.

The Passover Reinstated:

          Throughout Israel's history they were both obedient and disobedient to God's Law.  Some times Israel kept the Passover and sometimes they did not.  There are two examples where Israel reinstated the Passover.   King Hezekiah and King Josiah reinstated the Passover in Israel.  These two examples are commonly used to demonstrate the Passover cannot be kept outside of Jerusalem.  However, a close examination of the text demonstrates the opposite.

          King Hezekiah decided to reinstate the Passover on the second month in 2 Chronicles chapter thirty.  "So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written" (2 Chron. 30:5).  The scripture says they "had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written."  This presumes that they were keeping the Passover, just not as it was written.  "Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD" (2 Chron. 30:15).  The people killed the Passover, but the priests dealt with the burnt offerings.  This matches the Passover from Exodus twelve where they were to kill their lambs and eat in their own houses (Ex. 12:3-4, 22, 46).  The only exception to this was when the people were unclean.  "And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.  For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD" (2 Chron. 30:16-17).  This is an exception to God's law.  The scripture declares that the heads of each household should kill the Passover (Ex. 12:21).  We should never build a doctrine on an exception made in the scripture.  At this Passover the Priest's killed the lambs for the households of those who were unclean (2 Chron. 30:17).  This was only because they were unclean.  Under normal circumstances the heads of each house would kill the Passover. The Priests also sprinkled the blood (2 Chron. 30:16).  This definitely refers to the burnt offerings (2 Chron. 30:15), but most likely of the Passover as well (2 Chron. 30:17).  Keep in mind that this was an exception to God's Law in Exodus 12:21.  The heads of each household were to kill the lamb and sprinkle the blood on their door posts (Ex. 12:21-23).  In this circumstance the Priests killed the lambs because the people were unclean.  They then most likely sprinkled the blood on the altar in place of the doors of their homes.  This is confirmed in the next verse which says, "For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written.  But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary" (2 Chron. 30:18-19).  This passover was done "otherwise than it was written."  We should never build a doctrine on an exception to God's law, especially when we have commandments that specifically speak to this issue.

          King Josiah also reinstated the Passover.  When king Josiah instituted the Passover they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month (2 Chron. 35:1).  He then "set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD" (2 Chron. 35:2).  There is nothing here that is contradictory to the scripture.  In fact, verse six says, "So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses" (2 Chron. 35:6).  This was all done "according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses."  No where in the scripture does Moses write that the Levites were to kill the passover for the people.  Josiah's Passover was conducted as Moses wrote in Exodus twelve.  "And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king's substance" (2 Chron. 35:7).  It is important to remember that these are "of the flock, lambs and kids. . . . to the number of thirty thousand" and there was also "three thousand bullocks."  This is not referring to the Passover, but the "passover offerings."  These are the offerings given to the priesthood during the feast of unleavened bread, which is often referred to as "passover offerings."  We know this because the Passover is always a lamb or kid, not a bullock (Ex. 12:5).  In fact, the "rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen" (2 Chron. 35:8).  These oxen and cattle were given to the priests.  The Passover was not given to the priest, but eaten by the household.  This is an offering, not the Passover.  The next verse continues this same thought.  "Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen" (2 Chron. 35:9).  None of these are referring to the Passover, but instead the offerings during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which occurs right after Passover.  This fits the rest of scripture as well.  A principle in the scripture which comes from the sin offering is that the people are to offer from the flock (sheeps & goats) while rulers are to offer from the herd (bulls).  In verse seven the people were given from the flock (2 Chron. 35:7).  In verse eight and nine the rulers were given from the herd (2 Chron. 35:8-9).  "So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.  And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them" (2 Chron. 25:10-11).  The "service was prepared . . . according to the king's commandment."  We know from verse four that this was king Davids commandment (2 Chron. 35:4), which is found in 2 Chronicles twenty-three.  However, no where in this chapter are the Levites given the responsibility of the Passover, but they were given the responsibility to deal with offerings.  When verse eleven says, "They killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them," it is still referring to the "passover offerings" from earlier.  In fact, the New King James Version translates it, "And they slaughtered the Passover offerings; and the priests sprinkled the blood with their hands, while the Levites skinned the animals" (2 Chron. 35:11 NKJV). This is a better translation because it properly connects it back to the earlier context.  No where in Josiah's or Hezekiah's Passover does it contradict the commandments from Moses in Exodus twelve.

Conclusion:

          There is a maxim in law that states, "No one is bound to do what is impossible" (A Law Dictionary, John Bouvier, 1856, Maxims pg. 1206).  God does not expect man to do something he is incapable of doing.  For example, when Hezekiah reinstated the passover there were many who were unclean, but an exception was made because they did not have the chance to be cleansed (2 Chron. 30:18-19).  King David was not a priest, but he still ate the showbread (1 Sam. 21:6).  This was against God's law, but our Messiah showed us the right understanding (Matt. 12:3-4).  This is how law is to be construed, which is called the spirit of the law as opposed to the letter of the law.  The spirit of the law is what lead to our common law maxims.  The maxim of law that is relevant to this issue is, "No one is bound to do what is impossible" (A Law Dictionary, John Bouvier, 1856, Maxims pg. 1206).  It is impossible for everyone to keep these commands in Jerusalem today.  There is simply not enough room for everyone to do so.  The truth is, God never expected us to only keep His commands in Jerusalem.  His plan was to expand Israel and keep His commands wherever He places His name.  God told Moses, "in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee" (Ex. 20:24).  The Hebrew word for places is plural.  God placed His name in many places.  His name is where ever His law is practiced.  The first part of this verse says, "An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen" (Ex. 20:24).  The altar of earth is different than the altar in the Temple/Tabernacle.  The Temple/Tabernacle altar was made of wood overlaid with bronze (Ex. 27:1-2).  

          The altar of earth is not referring to the altar at the Temple.  This is referring to the altars at the gates in the high places (2 Kings 23:8).  These altars were made of stone and not like the bronze altar (Ex. 27:1-2).  The bronze altar was in the Temple/Tabernacle, but an altar of earth was in the city gates.  It is important to remember that these city gates, or high places, were not all pagan.  Samuel sacrificed in several locations outside of the Tabernacle (1 Sam. 9:18-19) and Solomon was complemented in his sacrifice to a high place (1 Kings 3:3-4).  Elijah lamented that Israel had "thrown down [God's] altars" (1 Kings 19:10).  The word for "altars" is plural.  God had more than one altar in the time of Elijah.  The gates of the city was the lower court system of Israel and was where all city business took place.  It was here where judicial proceedings took place on the local level (Deut. 16:18).  This lower court system is the local Temple.  This is a multi tiered judicial system similar to what we do in America.  These altars were the lower court system of Ancient Israel.  When they practiced the law of God, they were righteous, but when they practiced another law, they were pagan.  If Samuel and Elijah sacrificed outside Jerusalem contrary to the letter of the law, then why can't we?  Maybe when the scripture says to bring all offerings to the door of the tabernacle (Lev. 17:3-4) it means in the power and authority of the tabernacle.  This would be an acceptable understanding according to the spirit of the law and makes perfect sense when you consider how the gates of the city were set up as the lower court system (Ex. 18:21-22).

          Philo's description is accurate.  Philo said, "Accordingly there is in almost every city a storehouse for the sacred things to which it is customary for the people to come and there to deposit their first fruits, and at certain seasons there are sacred ambassadors selected on account of their virtue, who convey the offerings to the temple.  And the most eminent men of each tribe are elected to this office, that they may conduct the hopes of each individual safe to their destination; for in the lawful offering of the first fruits are the hopes of the pious."  (Philo, The Special Laws I, 78).  Philo also wrote, "which the Hebrews call pascha, on which the whole people offer sacrifice, beginning at noonday and continuing till evening.    . . . they sacrificed at that time themselves out of their exceeding joy, without waiting for priests. And what was then done the law enjoined to be repeated once every year, as a memorial of the gratitude due for their deliverance.  And each house is at that time invested with the character and dignity of a temple, the victim being sacrificed so as to make a suitable feast for the man who has provided it and of those who are collected to share in the feast, being all duly purified with holy ablutions." (Philo, The Special Laws II, 147-148).  Apparently, Philo sent ambassadors to give the priesthood their first tithe and first fruits, but he kept the feast within his own gates with his second tithe.  In fact, this is what Paul told the Corinthians to do as well.  First Corinthians was written just before Passover, which is why Paul instructed them in this matter (1 Cor. 5:7).  Paul told the Corinthians to "keep the feast" (1 Cor. 5:8).  There is no doubt that they kept the feast in Corinth for Jerusalem was 800 miles away.  It is unreasonable to expect the Corinthians to travel for a month just to get to the feast in Jerusalem, and to travel for another month to get back.  It would make more sense to send their first tithe to Jerusalem with Ambassadors while they kept the feast with their second tithe in Corinth.  In fact, when you get to the end of First Corinthians you see they did just that.  Paul said, "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye" (1 Cor. 16:1).  This collection was collected on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2).  Paul continued, "And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem" (1 Cor. 16:3).  Corinth sent people who were approved by letters.  A letter of approval is what we call a letter of credential today, also called diplomatic credentials.  This is what Ambassadors travel with to this very day.  Paul told the Corinthians as well as the Galatians to send their first fruits and first tithe to Jerusalem, but they kept the feast within their own gates just as Philo said.

          It is a modern line of thinking that forbids sacrifice and offering outside of Jerusalem.  The ancients did not believe this.  They knew what these offerings were for.  For more on the offerings please read here.  Remember, Israel is the example nation in the scripture, all other nations are to follow God's Law as well  (Deut. 4:6-8, Rom. 2:17-20).  This all started when God promised to make Abraham the father of many nations (Gen. 17:4, 48:19).  Any nation can choose to be obedient to God within their own gates (Deut. 12:20-21).  Ancient Israel was the example given to us from scripture.  It is true that God commanded the offerings to be given only in Jerusalem, but what about when Jerusalem is not an option?  Prior to Israel coming into the land they did offerings anywhere they needed (Gen. 8:20, 22:13, 31:54).  When they came into the land they were commanded to do these offerings in Jerusalem (Deut. 16:16).  In fact, they still did offerings in the high places outside of Jerusalem (1 Sam. 9:18-19, 1 Kings 3:3-4), but the tithe and first fruits were always given to the priesthood at the Temple. 

          Other nations kept these same commands within their own gates.  In the city of Elephantine Egypt a papyrus was found documenting Hebrew people keeping the laws of YHWH.  The Elephantine Papyri "consist of 175 documents from the Egyptian border fortresses of Elephantine and Aswan" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephantine_papyri#Jewish_temple_at_Elephantine ).  These documents show a Hebrew people in Egypt keeping the Laws of YHWH.  "The Elephantine correspondence includes a letter in which the Jews appealed to their brethren in Jerusalem to intercede on their behalf with the Persian authorities to allow the rebuilding of the local temple" ((Marty E. Stevens, Temples, Tithes, and Taxes, pg. 20-21). This people had their own Temple modeled after the Temple in Jerusalem.  They offered sacrifice at this Temple as well as kept the Holy Days of Leviticus 23.  One of the papyri lists in detail how to keep the Passover.  This Hebrew people in Elephantine corresponded with various letters to the Temple in Jerusalem.  This Temple existed in the fifth century BC and was a contemporary of the Jerusalem Temple.  The Temple was the judicial system of the nation and it was multi-tiered with a lower court and a higher court.  The Temple was the highest court in the land.

          Today, we do the same thing.  The place where God placed his name is the place of a nations judicial system, but only if that nation keeps God's commandments.  Remember, Israel was the example for all nations to follow (Rom. 2:17-20, Is. 42:6, 43:21-22, Deut. 4:5-8).  Every nation is to learn from that example and be obedient.  The place where God put His name is the judicial system of a nation who follows God's laws.  This place is where the people pay their tithes.  The highest court in the land is the Temple.  The lower court system is in the city gates where the high place is.  America practices this same system today.  There is a place in America where God put His name.  We call this place the Supreme Court.  This is our Temple.  The gates of the city is where all city business took place.  In America, we call this Town Center, which is where our court houses are and where all city business takes place.  Just look at the following pictures and see for yourself.

	Below is the Tabernacle layout.  In the center is the Tabernacle and surrounding the tabernacle are all the tents and homes of Israel.  All city business took place at the tabernacle. Take a look at a more modern city.  The courthouse is in the center and all the homes surround the courthouse.  God was giving us a plan for how to build our cities. Now take a look at the outside of the Temple.  The Temple had two pillars on the front.  Court trials took place in the holy place where the priests wear the breastplate of judgment (Ex. 28:29).  There were chambers to the side for court business to take place. This Temple is the precursor to our Supreme Court.  It was the judicial system of ancient Israel.  Below is our Supreme Court.  Do you see any similarities?  There are pillars across the front, judges chambers on the side, and trials take place in the courtroom. Now lets look at the inside of the Temple.  There are two veils.  One at the front of the Holy Place and one between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Below is the inside of our Supreme Court.  Do you see any similarities?  The Supreme Court has two veils as well.

          The Temple in ancient Israel was the judicial system of the land.  This was where the law of God was construed for ancient Israel.  Today in America our Temple is the Supreme Court.  It is here where God's law is construed for the American people.  Our problem is that we have left God's law just as ancient Israel did.  What the scripture is teaching is that all of our tithes and offerings belong to our judicial system.  The word for "offerings" in the scripture is qorbân, which means "something brought near the altar, that is, a sacrificial present: - oblation, that is offered, offering" (Strong's Dictionary - H7133).  This word means a gift to be given to someone else.  To not give it to the rightful person would be stealing.  We are to bring them to the Temple in America (Supreme Court).  We do this today, although in a modified form.  We simply call it an Income Tax.  It is wrong to reap the benefits of a Judicial System without paying for it.  Our income tax is our first tithe, although incorrectly administered.  Our income tax should be only ten percent and given only to our Judicial System.  The rest of the government should be funded by a tax.  This provides for an independent judiciary to be the checks and balances to our government.  My prayer is that the churches in America would believe God's word as it is written and obey God's commands.  This is our only hope.

          In Deuteronomy thirty God gave a warning to Israel.  "And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee" (Deut. 30:1-3).  We can keep all of God's commands today in America.  The Supreme Court is where our tithes and first fruit offerings are to go.  We somewhat do this, just incorrectly.  Our lower courts (Town Centers) hold all of our city business.  We do this today as well, just in a modified form.  Washington D.C. should host the feasts of the LORD.  Our Town Centers should host a feast as well for those who live to far from Washington D.C.  Those traveling to Washington D.C. would bring their tithes and first fruit offerings to the feast.  Those to far from Washington D.C. would send their tithes and first fruit offerings to Washington D.C., but would keep the feast in their own Town Center.  Can you image how America would be blessed if this were done?

          When a nation leaves God's law they can always come back and "obey his voice according to all that I command thee."  We can keep all of God's commands even in our captivity.  In fact, this is a sign of those true believers who seek to follow the one true God.  My personal goal is to obey God and keep ALL of His commandments.  For the commandments that are impossible for me to keep, I will do the best I can, but rely on God's grace in my failures.

By Steve Siefken

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth

not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV