The Sacrifices- the burnt offering

[Reading Leviticus 1]

Laindon Bible Class17th August 2016

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The history of burnt offerings

• First mention with Cain and Abel – Genesis 4:3-8• Noah after the flood – Genesis 8:20-22• Abraham and his son Isaac – Genesis

22:1-13• Jacob when parting from Laban –

Genesis 31:51-55• Law of Moses – Leviticus 1

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The tabernacle

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Altar of the tabernacle

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Israelites had to be skilled butchers

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The six basic altar offerings

• Sin offering [chattaah] – confession of sin, seeking forgiveness• Trespass offering [asham] – acknowledgement of guilt and making

amends for sin against others• Burnt offering [olah] – freewill offering signifying dedication and

righteousness (though sometimes commanded)• Peace offering [shelem] – spontaneous offering of thanksgiving, seeking

fellowship with God• Meal (meat) offering [minchah] – a dedication of a portion of the fruits

of our labour to God• Drink offering [necek] – an acknowledgement of God’s blessing

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David’s Psalm 40:6

“Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.”

1. Peace sacrifice 4. Sin & trespass offering3. Burnt offering

2. Meal & drink offering

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The continual burnt offering

• Every morning and evening plus two more lambs on the sabbath• Male lamb without blemish• Offered together with a meal offering• A sweet smelling savour unto the Lord

Pointing forward to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (without sin) who devoted every day of his life to serving God in total obedience (see Hebrews 10:12 & Ephesians 5:1-2)

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The voluntary burnt offering

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The voluntary burnt offering – what it had to be

• Male bullock, goat or ram from the flock

• OR turtledoves or pigeons, for those without flocks

• Unblemished, without defect

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The voluntary burnt offering – how it was made

• Bullock – • brought by the offerer to the doorway, who slew it at the north side of the

altar(?)• blood sprinkled round about upon the altar by priest• offerer flayed the animal and cut it up; the priest took the skin, washed the

inward parts of the animal • priest laid it out in order on the altar: head, fat and flesh and everything

burnt• ashes were set aside on the east side of the altar and later taken to a clean

place outside the camp

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The voluntary burnt offering – how it was made

• Goat or ram – • brought and slain by the offerer at the north side of the altar• procedure then same as for the bullock

• Bird – • killed by the priest at the altar by removing head and burning it• blood wrung out at the side of the altar• crop and feathers (filth?) removed and placed on east side of altar• priest cleaved the wings but not separated• whole bird burnt upon the altar

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“The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ”

• The Children of Israel were surrounded (in figure) by Christ:• The layout and content of the tabernacle• The sacrifices and offerings• The feasts and festivals• The laws concerning things clean and unclean• The role of the priesthood• The day of atonement

“…do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you” Deuteronomy 24:8

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Some key symbols in the burnt offering (1)

• Male without blemish – points to Christ• Hand upon the head – animal represented the offerer• Slain at the north side of the altar – as Jesus was slain on the north

side of Jerusalem• Skin removed – exhibiting the inner parts (naked and open Hebrews

4:12-13)• Cut into pieces – every part examined: head (thought or intellect);

body (strength or energy) and legs (walk)• Fire on the altar – God’s Spirit Word burning brightly

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Some key symbols in the burnt offering (2)

• “…thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart [the head, intellect], and with all thy soul [body or being], and with all thy might [fat or energy].” Deuteronomy 6:5• Inner parts washed – by the Word of God (continuation of without

blemish)• All burnt on the altar – our fleshly bodies consumed by the Word of

God to cause an ascending sweet savour, pleasing and acceptable to God (Christ the perfect example)• Ashes carried to a clean place (see Leviticus chapter 6) – signifying

the purity of redemption

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Burnt offering linked to sin offering

• Signifies rededication to the Lord after atonement for sin has been made, for example:• Offering after childbirth – acknowledging sin in the flesh and then burnt

offering expressing re-dedication after mother’s separation• After healing of leprosy – leprosy a type of sin as a living death and burnt

offering signifying re-introduction into fellowship and service• When a Nazarite broke his vow – acknowledgement of his broken vow and

then rededicating himself to his time of separation

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Over-riding lesson for us

• The pressing need to acknowledge our sins and our sinful nature

• God’s precise requirements, which also applies to our service

• The power of God’s word to transform, represented by the perpetual fire on the altar• Our total dependency on the perfect sacrifice of Christ to bring

about the atonement

• “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” Psalm 141:2

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