DBG - February 3 - Leviticus 1-4

The Book of Leviticus is filled with the various regulations and commands of the Law of Moses.  Its name basically means “pertaining to Levi”, referring to the many directions that would be handled by the priests of the tribe of Levi.  In these verses God directs His people how to live and worship in a holy manner.

A few quick facts about Leviticus:

In this chapter we see the directions for the Burnt Offering.  A.C. Gaebelein writes: “Every part of it typifies Christ offering Himself completely to God; the sweet odor is unto God and it is for the believer’s acceptance in Him.”

vs. 2-3 – The Burnt Offering is a voluntary offering.  There are many animals that could be offered, such as a bull, goat, sheep, dove, or pigeon.  The major restriction is that they had to be male and without blemish.

vs. 4 – The placing of hands on the offering was a means of identifying with the sacrifice.  The sacrifice was understood to be a substitute for the offerer.

vs. 5-13 – The basic formula is the same if it is livestock.  The animal is slain and its blood sprinkled around the altar.  The animal is dressed but not completely cut into pieces.  The carcass is burned on the altar, and its entrails are washed with water before also being burned on the altar.

vs. 14-17 – Special directions are given for the sacrifice of a bird.  The priest wrings the bird’s neck, and its blood is poured out by the altar.  Some portions of the bird, including its feathers and crop, are discarded in the ashes of the altar and not burned.  The bird is torn open but not apart and burned on the altar.

vs. 17 – Note the description of this sacrifice as a “sweet savour”.  This was a sacrifice that pleased the Lord.  It represents the positive side of redemption.  God is not just satisfied but He is pleased through the offering.

In this chapter we see the directions for the Meal Offering.  These are generally given alongside other offerings and tend to be overlooked.  They consist of flour and grain.  Gaebelein writes: “The meal offering is the type of Christ in His perfect humanity and holy, devoted character. It was not for atonement even as the holy humanity of Christ and devotedness of His life could not atone for sins. It is called “most holy” for in His humanity He was ‘that holy thing.’”

vs. 1-3 - In the case of offering flour, oil and frankincense are added to the sacrifice.  A handful is burned on the altar as a “sweet savour”.  The rest is given to the priests.  This was part of God’s plan to sustain the priesthood.

vs. 4-10 – The cases of flour prepared into bread or cakes is much the same as raw flour.

vs. 11,13 – There is a prohibition against offering leaven or honey in the sacrifices that are burned on the altar.  Leaven represents sin.  Honey is thought to represent something similar in how it reacts in the bread making process, or possibly it could speak against adding artificial stimulant to the offering.  There is also the added command in vs. 13 that salt must accompany these offerings.

vs. 12-16 – The offering of First Fruits will be covered in greater detail in Leviticus 23:9-14.  It is a celebration of the harvest.  These extra instructions are likely because honey and leaven could be part of the offering collected,  see Deuteronomy 26:2,12; II Chronicles 31:5.

In this chapter we see the directions for the Peace Offering.  These are celebratory offerings.  Gaebelein writes: “It typifies the gracious results accomplished for the sinner by the death of Christ. The blood is sprinkled upon the altar, which is for propitiation. Fellowship therefore results with praise and thanksgiving.”  We will see more of their purpose in Leviticus 7:11-34.

vs. 1-5 – First is the case of offering cattle.  The offerer lays hands on them before they are slain and their blood sprinkled around the altar.  Portions of the sacrifice are burned on the altar.

vs. 6-11 – Similar directions are given for a sheep thus offered.

vs. 12-16 – Similar directions are given for a goat thus offered.

vs. 17 – We will see this better in chapter 7, but much of the sacrifice was not burned on the altar.  Most of its meat went to the offerer and some to the priests.  That is the major feature of this sacrifice.  When you see Peace Offerings being made know that they are having a celebratory feast.  Still God reserved some of the sacrifices for Himself, including the fat and blood.

In this chapter begins the directions for the Sin Offering.  These deal with sin judicially, acknowledging the death penalty of sin and the restoration that comes after atonement is made.

vs. 1-2 – The Sin Offering is prescribed for sins that are committed ignorantly or unwittingly.  These are separated from “presumptuous” sins, as seen in Psalm 19:12-13 and Hebrews 10:26-27.  The key difference in these two classes is that the first cause the soul to repent and the second cause the soul to rebel.  It helps illustrate that it is repentance and not the offering of a sacrifice that is the true catalyst for forgiveness or restoration. 

vs. 3-12 – The first case is the offering made for the High Priest.  It is to be a bull.  The High Priest lays his hands on the head of the sacrifice and kills it. Its blood is sprinkled seven times before the veil inside the Tabernacle, placed on the horns of the Altar of Incense, and then the rest poured out at the base of the Brazen Altar.  The fat and prescribed portions are burned on the Brazen Altar.  The rest of the sacrifice is burned outside the camp where the ashes from the Brazen Altar are disposed of.

vs. 13-21 – The second case is the offering made for the nation of Israel.  The method is the same as for the priest, except the elders lay their hands on the sacrifice and not the priest.

vs. 22-26 – The third case is the offering made for a ruler of the Israel.  A young male goat is offered.  The leader lays his hands on the sacrifice’s head and kills it.  The priest places blood on the horns of the Brazen Altar and pours out the rest at its base.  Fat and prescribed portions are burned on the Brazen Altar.   The rest of the sacrifice is given to the priests to eat.

vs. 27-35 – The fourth case is the offering made for the common person.  A young female goat or lamb is offered, and the procedures are otherwise the same as above for a leader.

The role of sacrifices in the Old Testament is often misunderstood.  There was never any saving power in the blood of these sacrifices (Hebrews 10:4).  Those sacrifices were made in obedient faith to God.  The Bible is clear that Abraham was saved by grace through faith, just as we are (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3).  It is also clear that David was saved the same (Psalm 32:1-2, Romans 4:6-8).  Isaiah clearly states that God is more in repentance than outward rituals (Isaiah 1:11-18).  We could go on and examine many examples of this.  The sacrifices were objects lessons that pointed to the Old Testament saints to Christ (Isaiah 53).  Do not get distracted by all the details of the Law if you do not see how it reveals our sin and our Savior!

Our hymn today was written by Isaac Watts in 1709.  It was first published in 1709 under the heading “Faith in Christ our Sacrifice”.  It looks beyond the sacrifices of the Old Testament to the precious blood of Christ that redeems us. 

Not all the Blood of Beasts,
On Jewish Altars slain,
Could give the guilty Conscience Peace.
Or wash away the Stain.

But Christ, the heav'nly Lamb,
Takes all our Sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler Name,
And richer Blood than they.

My Faith would lay her Hand
On that dear Head of thine,
While, like a Penitent I stand,
And there confess my Sin.

My Soul looks back to see
The Burdens thou didst bear
When hanging on the cursed Tree,
And hopes her Guilt was there.

Believing, we rejoice
To see the Curse remove;
We bless the Lamb with cheerful Voice,
And sing his bleeding Love.