Leviticus 17:1

Leviticus 17:1 says,  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  Verse two adds, Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying,  This once again tells us that this is God's word, spoken to Moses, to give to the people of Israel.  When we speak to people about God today, we need to make sure that it is His word that we are speaking.  Verse three continues, What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,  Verse four concludes, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:  I believe this refers to killing of one of these animals, an ox, lamb or goat, animals of sacrifice, away from the altar.  The person who did kill one of these animals was to bring it to the door of the tabernacle for an offering to God.  Matthew Henry says that after the offering that the rest of the animal was to be returned to the one offering it to be eaten as a peace offering.  He also says that some believe this was only to apply while they were in the wilderness, but since verse seven says this was a statute forever that this doesn't really seem likely.  Anyway, a person who did not bring such an animal to the priest was to be cutoff from the rest of the people.  Verse five states, To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD.  This verse seems to imply that this referred to an animal that was sacrificed somewhere other than at the altar and by the priest.  Our sacrifices today must be presented in accordance with God's word.  I don't believe that we can just arbitrarily sacrifice something and claim that we did it for God without first ensuring that it is what He wants us to do.  Verse six adds, And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.  The priest was to offer the sacrifice to God when the animal was brought to him, just as Jesus, our High Priest, offers the sacrifice for our sins today.  We cannot just offer a sacrifice on our own terms, but must come to God through the blood of Christ.  Verse seven continues, And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations. The people were to no longer offer their sacrifices to devils. which would be anything other than God, and this would be a statute forever, as already stated.  We today need to be careful that we do not start sacrificing the things that God has blessed us with to false gods.  Verse eight says, And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,  Verse nine concludes, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people. This law was to apply to the people of Israel as well as to those who had begun to live, or sojourn, with them.  Anyone offering a burnt offering without doing so through the priest was to be cutoff from the people.  We today must be just as serious about our relationship with God, which is only possible by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and then allowing Him to be the Lord of our life.