For our study in Leviticus, I will be drawing heavily from a commentary by Richard Hess. My plan is to provide an outline of his thoughts, along with the relevant scripture passages, to enhance your understanding.
Today, if you read Leviticus 1-2, you will find the whole story behind my remarks in this article.
(1) The Lord summoned Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the Israelites” (Leviticus 1:1-2a)
The opening words of Leviticus suggest that the laws and regulations that follow are understood as part of the story of God’s revelation of His will to Moses on Mount Sinai.
Now that the tabernacle has been built and all is in order, it is time to define the ceremonies that are to take place in the Holy Tent. These events are intended to provide immediate relief from sin and to restore fellowship with God.
The implication is that any Israelite who can understand the instructions, whether it be a man or a woman, is welcome to bring the offerings described in these chapters.
(2) “If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you shall offer a male without blemish; you shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, for acceptance on your behalf before the Lord” (Leviticus 1:3)
The term for “offering” is the most general term and describes what is brought near to God. Behind this lies the understanding that all the offerings in Leviticus are to be dedicated to God.
Leviticus provides the principles of what is to be given to the Lord, whether in gratitude or as a means to restore fellowship. They are dedicated solely to the Lord and for no other purpose.
For the Christian, this anticipates the offering of Christ and the subsequent call of believers to offer themselves to God.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship.
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).
(3) The burnt offering shall be flayed and cut up into its parts. The sons of the priest Aaron shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.
Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the parts, with the head and the suet, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar,
But its entrails and its legs shall be washed with water. Then the priest shall turn the rest into smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the Lord (Leviticus 1:6-9)
The burnt offering embodied the idea of consecration and self-surrender of the whole person to the Lord, to be pervaded by the refining and sanctifying power of divine grace.
The burnt offering is a term whose root means “to ascend.” The primary element of this offering is related to the rising of the offering from the person offering it to the presence of God.
(4) Various animals and grain were acceptable sacrifices: Bulls, sheep, goats, birds, and grain.
The sacrificial system bears testimony to God’s gracious provision that the sacrifice, while a significant and costly gift, remains accessible to a maximum number of Israelites who could use animals that would otherwise be expendable.
(5) You shall lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be acceptable on your behalf as atonement for you.
The bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall offer the blood, dashing the blood against all sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting (Leviticus 1:4-5).
The act of placing one’s hand on the victim symbolizes the significance of the subsidiary capacity of the animal that is killed in the place of the offender.
That the head is chosen for the positioning of the hand suggests that the area is most important and necessary for life.
Near the tent of meeting is as close as anyone can come to God’s presence without receiving the special permission necessary to enter the tent of meeting.
The purpose of the burnt offering is to make atonement for the one who offers that sacrifice. The sense of atonement before God involves appeasing divine anger for disobedience of some sort.
For the Christian, the reality of Christ’s death on the cross becomes how the wrath of God is overcome. As with the daily sacrifices of the burnt offerings, the Christian believer should regularly reflect and confess sins before God.
Much more surely, therefore, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God (Romans 5:9).
If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
(6) Full Participation: The sacrifice required the full participation of the offender.
There is no spectator worship, and the concern of biblical worship is to draw the worshiper into full participation in the service. For the Christian, the details of worship may have changed, but this concern has not.
(7) Recognizing God’s gifts:
God has given His people all good gifts and blessings of creation but asks that they return to Him a token of His gifts in acknowledgment that He is the source of everything.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 