~ 10 Previews of Christ in One First
Covenant Offering ~
Some commentators consider the Book of Leviticus the greatest book in the
Bible. If opens with five offerings
(sacrifices) to the nation of Israel—with specific laws for each one. All five offerings present a picture of the
Coming Messiah—Jesus Christ.
The first group of three offerings in Leviticus 1-3 (the sweet savor
offerings) provide a glimpse of the person
and character of Jesus Christ. He is
lovely, He is our peace, and most importantly He is our substitute—He paid the
penalty for our sin.
The final two offerings, the sin offering and the trespass offering, (the
non-sweet savor offerings) are bitter.
They provide a glimpse of the redemptive
work of the person of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary for us. In this post we will look at just the first
offering—the burnt offering.
The Burnt
Offering was listed first in order because it is first in importance! It is the only free will offering (voluntary,
not required by God). It is likely the
oldest offering known to man (i.e., Abel, the son of Adam, provided a burnt
offering). God gave Israel this as the
first offering and even called the place of the burnt offering the burnt
altar.
This burnt offering is a clear “type” or foreshadow of Jesus Christ. Consider ten aspects of the burnt offering
which point to The Messiah—Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Burnt ~ The
Hebrew word means “that which ascends.”
The offering was entirely consumed—nothing left but ashes. “If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd … And the
priest shall burn all on the altar as
a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:3a, 9b). Jesus Christ gave His totality on the Cross of
Calvary. Upon the completion of His
once-and-for-all sacrifice for sin He exclaimed, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
Washed ~ The
animal’s inwards and legs were washed with water. “He shall wash its entrails
and its legs with water” (Leviticus 1:9a).
For us the inwards relate to our inner thought life and our character
and legs represent our walk or lifestyle.
In the New Testament we are washed the water of the written Word of God and by the by the blood of the living Word of
God. “A new and living way which He consecrated
for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the
house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with
pure water” (Hebrews 10:20-22).
“To
Him who loved us and washed us from
our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation
1:5-6).
Domestic ~ It
was a domestic animal. Wild animals were
not acceptable. “When any one of you
brings an offering to the Lord,
you shall bring your offering of the
livestock—of the herd and of the flock “Leviticus 1:2b). Domestic animals
represent taming—or obedience. “Jesus Christ humbled
Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the Cross”
(Philippians 2:8b).
Male ~ “… a male without blemish…” (Leviticus
1:3). Male symbolizes strength. The Lord Jesus Christ is “mighty to save”
(Isaiah 63:1). He is able to “save to
the uttermost” (Hebrews 7:25).
Perfect ~ The
sacrifices of Leviticus required“… a male without blemish…”
(Leviticus 1:3). Those sacrifices
pointed forward to the true sacrificial lamb, the Lamb of God, who was “without
blemish” (1 Peter 1:19) and Who lived a sinless life on earth—“in Him no sin”
(2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:22).
Choice ~ “…he shall offer it of his own free will…” (Leviticus 1:3). Jesus said, “Therefore My Father loves
Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of
Myself. I have power to lay it down, and
I have power to take it again” (John 10:17-18a).
Substitute ~ “The burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make
atonement for him” (Leviticus 1:4b).
The burnt offering was a substitute offering—a vicarious offering—on
behalf of another. That is the great
basic issue of The Gospel of Jesus Christ—that He paid for my sin, for your
sin, and for the sins of all who will come to Him as their personal
Savior. By God’s law “without the
shedding of blood there is no remission [forgiveness] of sin” (Hebrews
9:22). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses
us from all sin” (1 John 1:7b).
important note: This is a major change in God’s dealings with
mankind. No longer is sin covered over
(atonement) as it was in the first covenant rather now it is paid in full and
forgiven.
Death ~ “He shall kill the bull
before the Lord” (Leviticus
1:5a). The animal had to die on behalf
of the Israelites as a sacrifice for their sin.
Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty of our sin. Who killed the Christ? I killed Him.
You killed Him.
Separation ~ Later
we learn in chapter 4 of Leviticus that the ashes of both the animal sacrifice
and the fuel for the fire were required to be taken outside the camp. Jesus Christ while He was in the world
maintained a perfect separation from sin.
Christians today are to be separate from the world. “Come out from among them and be separate” (2
Corinthians 6:17).
His
Radiance ~
“And
the priest who offers anyone's burnt offering, that priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which
he has offered” (Leviticus 7:8).
The only exception to the consuming fire was the skin of the animal which
was kept for a covering (an atonement in the first covenant). Christians are priests (1 Peter 2:9) and are
seen by God the Father as being covered with the Robe of Christ’s righteousness.
the scripture revisited: “Now the Lord called
to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, ‘Speak to
the children of Israel, and say to them: “When any one of you brings an
offering to the Lord, you shall
bring your offering of the livestock—of the herd and of the flock. If his offering is a
burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall
offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before
the Lord. Then he shall put
his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his
behalf to make atonement for him. He shall kill the
bull before the Lord’” (Leviticus
1:1-5a).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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