Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.(Ephesians 5:1-2).
In Genesis, Moses gives a written record of creation through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, and also of the fall and the resulting punishment for sin. Hebrew historians propose that Moses was retelling the accounts of his ancestors, who were eyewitnesses to the events recorded. In those passages, we find God’s great love and the foreshadowing of a plan to redeem and restore man’s relationship with God. In Exodus, Moses records God’s promises and gives a snapshot of God’s kingdom to come and a shadow of the character and purpose of the Messiah, shown through the building and operation of the Tabernacle. The descendants of Abraham have been delivered from the bondage of Egypt by God through Moses, and they have witnessed miraculous deliverance by the parting of the Red Sea and the total annihilation of their enemy.
The nation of Israel saw God manifesting himself to them in the wilderness as a thunderous smoking earthquake and the sounding of the trumpet on a mountain filled with fire. They were given God’s law and instructed to build a dwelling place where God would meet with them through the High Priest. In the book of Leviticus, more direct dialog occurs. God gave Moses instructions on how to worship, how to sacrifice in order to atone for sin, and how they are to approach and reverence God in their daily lives.
Fair warning as we begin: the book of Leviticus is not an easy book to read. The name Leviticus comes to us through Greek and Latin and means “the Law of the Levites.” However, to the ancient Hebrews, the title of the third book of Moses was “Vayikra” or “He Called Out.” Sound familiar? In the New Testament, the church is the word “ecclesia,” which also means “called out.” God wanted His people separated from the world around them to a higher and eternal purpose. He still does. Being “called out” includes repentance, sacrifice, and obedience. Leviticus lays the groundwork for understanding our response to the plan of salvation and its completion through Jesus Christ in us. There is order. There is meaning. There is a Holy God, and His way is mankind’s rescue plan! Let’s dive in!
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.
Israel received the Law and built the Tabernacle. The Book of Leviticus covers most of the year that they lived around the base of Mount Sinai (Horeb). Before they could represent God to the world and fulfill the destiny God planned for them, they had many lessons to learn about sin and pride and also, of the consequences of sin. The repair for sin and the way to justification with God was sacrifice- the shedding of blood.
Sacrifices were not new. In the garden, God sacrificed (killed) animals to provide skins for clothing after the fall. Cain and Abel sacrificed (one’s sacrifice was accepted, one's was not). Noah sacrificed. Abraham sacrificed. In Leviticus, Moses records details that are missing from earlier accounts. The offerings came with specific requirements and actions. The sacrifice in Leviticus chapter one is a burnt offering. This sacrifice would be completely consumed in the fire on the altar and become a sweet-smelling offering to God. The animal to die had to be a male from the Herd and without blemish/weakness/frailty/disease. The people were forbidden to offer a wild/damaged/useless/ or nearly dead animal.
The animal must be of value to the person making the sacrifice; losing it must have a cost. The person offering must do so of his own free will and with full understanding that his best animal was about to die in his place. The sacrifice had to be offered at the Tabernacle (where God would accept it). This offering paints a picture of God’s plan of salvation- His son. Jesus left the glories of heaven to come to earth, becoming man. This “only begotten” son was of great value to the Father. He was sinless, perfect, and without any blemish of any kind. He offered himself willingly and in obedience to the Father. He knew He would die for people who would not believe in Him. He was offered at the designated place - the cross.
And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
“Atonement” is used differently in the Old Testament than it is in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, sacrifices only rolled back the consequences of sin. They were offered repeatedly because the need for them was never removed. The person who brought the sacrifice for their sin offering was required to lay their hands on the animal, acknowledging that the animal was losing its life in that person’s place. Many new versions of Christian songbooks and Bibles have removed all references to the blood of Christ. Many are offended by the bloody gruesomeness of the scripture.
It would be hard to perform the Old Testament offering without shame, regret, and wishing that it didn’t have to be so, and that is exactly the point. Sin has dire, deadly consequences. It isn’t the life of the animal that covered sin; it was the animal’s death. Jesus’ life wasn’t enough. He was sinless, miraculous, wise, and perfect, but it required His death, which was horrible, public, ugly, painful, and undeserved, to pay our sin debt. Doing things that only please us, instead of obedience to God, has consequences. The picture God painted in Leviticus reflects the ultimate price that was paid for sin. Our perfect, ultimate sacrifice was Jesus. His blood on Calvary was shed once and for all. In the New Testament, we find that our sins are cast away, not just covered up.
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. (1 Peter 1:18-21).
And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar. And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtle doves, or of young pigeons. And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
Regardless of the offering, the responsibilities toward the animal were the same. High Priests were required to operate in reverential order. The instructions were clear. Everything was done in decency and order. The animal was cut up, washed, and viewed. Those who walked with Jesus examined Him inside and out for 3 ½ years. He was mercilessly beaten, scourged, crowned with thorns, nailed, and stuck with a spear. He gave everything, all of Himself, for the debt of our sin. Nothing was left undone. In the New Testament the writer of Hebrews (most likely Paul) explains it like this-
For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:19-26).
God made provision so that everyone could participate. Whosoever and willing to, could obey. That’s the same way God established the Church. To assist in leading people to see their need of repentance and help them find their way to God. Our High Priest is Jesus. His offering; our acceptance. He is our advocate with the Father. He is our friend that sticks closer than a brother. When God sees me… He sees me covered by the blood of His son.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5: 17-21).
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:21-24).
Thank you for studying with us! God bless!