LEVITICUS 3
In the first of this lesson, I would like to go over again a few
of the highlights we have already learned. We need to get all of this
down deep into our understanding, that we might better appreciate what
Jesus did for us when He was crucified on the cross. We know that the
burnt offering was to be made just inside the tabernacle of the
congregation. We could view it as the entrance of the church. We know
that the animal had to be perfect with no blemishes. The animal must
be brought by the person seeking God. We saw in a previous lesson how
the person bringing the animal had to place his hand upon the animal's
head, symbolically placing his own sins on the animal. We, also,
learned that blood must be shed for the remission of sin. Hebrews 9:22
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission." Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin
[is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord." These 2 Scriptures show us the seriousness of sin. Sin must
be paid for by death through the shedding of blood. This animal was
the substitute for this sinner as Jesus Christ was our substitute. In
the case of Jesus this debt was paid for all mankind who will accept
it for all time. The blood of an animal can not do away with sin, only
cover the sin. The blood of Jesus Christ destroyed sin for those who
follow Jesus. Jesus took our sin upon His body, and we took on His
righteousness, when we wash in His blood. This burnt offering is to be
totally burned except for the hide. Isn't it interesting that God
sacrificed an animal in the garden of Eden and made garments to cover
Adam and Eve out of the hide? Praise God! Our garment of white is
washed in the blood of the Lamb. Our covering {righteousness of
Christ} was provided for us by our Saviour Jesus Christ and will never
wear out. Just as this burnt offering opened the way for these people
to worship God, Jesus opened the way for the Christian to be in
fellowship with God.
We will pick up this lesson in Leviticus 1:12 "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:"
The first thing that jumps out at me in this is the fact that the
person bringing the offering is helped by the priest. The priest sets
everything in order. Remember, this animal being offered symbolizes
this person's life of sin. This old life must be destroyed. The wood
symbolizes worldliness, and it, too, will be totally burned up. When a
person first seeks God, they usually need help and direction to keep
them in the path. The priest, here, is like Christian leaders and
friends who help us sort out things when we first come to the Lord. We
need their guidance to get us started.
Leviticus 1:13 "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."
LORD in the verse above is JEHOVAH-The Eternal One, or The One
Who Exists. This was a very strong name the Hebrews used for God. This
offering pleases God {sweet savour}. This brings to mind the rejoicing
in heaven over a sinner who comes home. These next 2 Scriptures let us
know how much it pleases God for someone to be saved. Luke 15:7 'I say
unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that
repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no
repentance." Luke 15:10 "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."
We must, also, look at the washing of the unclean parts of this
animal. This says to me that unclean gifts are not acceptable unto
God. Ministers should not take unclean gifts from donors, if they know
they are unclean. We can, also, see in this offering in the other
elements, water, blood and Spirit. We know that this offering shows us
a shadow of Jesus. The fire symbolizes God or the Spirit, the water
is represented by the water in the washing, and the blood is present
in the animal. Let us look at two more Scriptures that show us the
importance of all three. I John 5:6 "This is he that came by water and
blood, [even] Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.
And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is
truth." I John 5:8 "And there are three that bear witness in earth,
the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in
one." This burnt offering, then, is not only an acceptable offering
to God, but opens the way to fellowship with God.
Leviticus 1:14 "And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to
the LORD [be] of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of
turtledoves, or of young pigeons."
The only reason this offering would be of a fowl, would be
because the offerer was poor and could not offer more. God does not
excuse the poor from making offerings, but does allow them to give
less according to their ability to pay. This is such a beautiful
symbolic meaning here. This type of fowl is a messenger. The dove,
also, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. This implies that the thoughts of
man should soar above the earthly and be stayed upon the heavenly.
Each person dedicating their life to God should be His messenger.
Leviticus 1:15 "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:"
All of the burnt offerings show a shadow of Christ. I would say
this would be the sorrowful Christ. This blood being wrung out shows
the violent manner that Jesus shed His blood. It is wrong to believe
that Jesus' blood was spilled. It was no accident that He shed His
blood for us.
Leviticus 1:16 "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:"
This casting away of the feathers, shows me the fact that Jesus'
robe was cast off before His crucifixion. To perfectly humiliate Him,
they took His robe off. In this we see the humiliation of Jesus on the
cross.
Leviticus 1:17 "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."
We can see in this spreading wide the wings and placing it upon
the wood in one piece; the body of Jesus on the cross. Jesus' arms
were spread out as the wings of this dove were and placed upon a
wooden cross. Jesus made the statement, that in this He glorified the
Father. I would like to quote 3 Scriptures that show that in this God
the Father was pleased and glorified. John 12:28 "Father, glorify thy
name. Then came there a voice from heaven, [saying], I have both
glorified [it], and will glorify [it] again." John 17:1 "These words
spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the
hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:"
John 17:5 "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with
the glory which I had with thee before the world was." There is no
need to add to this, it says it all.
Questions 3
1. Where was this burnt offering to be made?
2. What could this be viewed as, that pertains to us?
3. Who brought the animal to be sacrificed?
4. What was the symbolic meaning of the person making the offering
placing his hand upon the head of the animal to be sacrificed?
5. What is the only permissible thing, that can take sin away?
6. The wages of sin is ______.
7. What one word describes what this animal was, for the person
bringing it?
8. What happened to the hide of the animal?
9. When God killed an animal in the garden of Eden, what did He do
with the hide?
10. What is the Christian's covering?
11. Where did the priest lay the offering after he had cut it up?
12. What does the wood of the altar symbolize?
13. The priest in verse 12, reminds us of whom?
14. What parts of the animal must be washed before burning?
15. LORD, in verse 13, is whom?
16. What does this offering being a sweet savour, let us know about
the offering?
17. Where do we find the Scripture that says there is joy in heaven
over one sinner that repenteth?
18. What message should we receive about unclean gifts here?
19. In first John chapter 5 verse 8, what 3 things bear witness in
earth?
20. When is the only time acceptable to bring a fowl for a burnt
offering?
21. What is this fowl mentioned here symbolic of?
22. The Dove specifically symbolizes Whom?
23. Where should the thoughts of man be?
24. What does the blood being wrung out of the fowl show us about the
crucifixion of Jesus?
25. What shadow of Jesus' crucifixion does the plucking of the
feathers and throwing them at the foot of the altar show?
26. Why were the wings of the fowl spread open and placed on the wood?
27. Where are the Scriptures found that say this glorifies the Father
and Jesus?
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