Leviticus 3, Survey of the Offerings (1)

Let’s begin a “survey” of the sacrifices described in Lev. 1-7 with an emphasis on what they tell us about the Messiah.

·       In Lev. 1 the burnt offering speaks of Christ our propitiation (He took God’s wrath in our place; Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).  The purpose of the burnt offering is …

o   to make atonement for the one bringing the offering (1:4).

o   to make an aroma pleasing to the LORD (1:9; Eph. 5:2).

·       A few items common to each of the animal sacrifices include:

o   Male animal (1:3,10; though some offerings require a female): speaks of the strength of the Messiah and His power to save.

o   Animals without defect (1:3,10): In Malachi the issue is that this is what is most honoring to God.  But it also reminds us of Christ, the perfect Lamb of God (1 John 3:5; 1 Pt. 2:22; 3:18).

o   Lambs (1:10) remind us of Christ, the Lamb of God (John 1:29,35).  He is also our Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7).

o   Bird sacrifices (1:14) usually are meant to accommodate the poor so that everyone can find atonement (Isa. 55:1; Mt. 11:28; Rev. 22:17).

o   Laying hands on the animal as it is killed (1:4) is an act of designation; the animal stands for the one bringing the offering, as with faith in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 4:25).

o   The animal is killed (1:5,11,15) as is/was the Messiah (Rom. 6:23; 1 Pt. 3:18).

o   The priest skins and arranges the pieces on the fire (1:6ff,12,17) even as the Father determined Christ’s sacrifice (Acts 2:23; 4:28).

o   The blood was sprinkled on all sides (1:5,11), even as our consciences are sprinkled clean from guilt (Heb. 10:22).

o   All the animal is burnt (1:9,13,17), just as Christ took the entirety of God’s wrath (Rom. 5:9).

·       The law of the burnt offering (6:8-13) dictated that it be continual, every morning and evening.  But Christ’s finished sacrifice is once for all and He ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 10:11-14).  This was the point of Hebrews, that there was no longer a need for the daily burnt offerings.  Up until that point, however, there was a continual need for the offerings of atonement because the blood of bulls and goats was insufficient in atoning for the sins of humanity.  Hallelujah!