In this study we will primarily examine the burnt offerings which were offered by individual worshippers. In Part Two we will examine the Continual burnt offerings which were offered for the nation. The first chapter of the book of Leviticus will serve as our foundation for this study.
And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation,saying… ~ Leviticus 1:1
Leviticus begins with God speaking directly to Moses from within the tabernacle. Thus Leviticus begins after the completion of the building of the tabernacle. Moses held a unique position as a mediator between God and the people and in this manner Moses was a type of Christ, who is the only mediator between God and man. According to the prophecies given about the Messiah, one of the most pronounced is that the Messiah would be a prophet to Israel like Moses.
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. ~ Deuteronomy 18:15-19
Moses was a type of Christ as the one through whom God speaks to us. Moses is a type because Christ is greater and is God’s Word in human flesh.
Leviticus 1:2 begins by saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them…”
These are the words of God to Moses for the children of Israel, and what follows is God’s own instructions for their approach to God via the service of the tabernacle that had been constructed. The service of the tabernacle would include the ministry of the Priesthood after their consecration for service, and the sacrifices that would be ongoing at the tabernacle. Thus the book of Leviticus is invaluable to us today as it lays out the pattern that has now been fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
It is important for us to think of the tabernacle and the service therein as a pattern for the things which were to come and have now come in the person of Jesus Christ.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. ~ v. 2
The Berean Study Bible makes the following observation:
The specification of animals from the herd or flock highlights the agrarian context of the Israelites, where livestock was a primary source of wealth and sustenance. This requirement also points to the sacrificial system’s role in teaching the value of giving something of personal significance to God. The use of animals in sacrifice foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. The herd typically refers to cattle, while the flock includes sheep and goats, each having specific symbolic meanings and uses in various offerings throughout Leviticus. ~ Berean Study Bible
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord. ~ Leviticus 1:3
In the instructions regarding the sacrifices in service of the tabernacle, God begins with the burnt offering, “If his offering be a burnt sacrifice…”
- Unblemished
- Every sacrifice and offering that foreshadowed Christ had to meet this requirement.
- Every sacrifice and offering that foreshadowed Christ had to meet this requirement.
- Offered voluntarily.
- This speaks to the nature of true worship.
- This speaks to the nature of true worship.
- At the door of the tabernacle.
- This is a reference to the place where the brazen altar (the altar of sacrifice) was positioned in the tabernacle. All worship in the holy place and in the most holy began at the altar of sacrifice. It served as a type and a foreshadowing of the cross of Christ. Our approach to God must be done voluntarily, for God drags no one to himself against their will. And it is only as we choose to approach God through the cross that we can enter into his holy presence and experience the fellowship that he provides for us there.
And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. ~ Leviticus 1: 4
The placing of the hand upon the head of the burnt offering has deep spiritual significance. Consider what this could mean:
- Identification?
- Substitution?
- Representation?
It is also said that “it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.” We often use the word atonement in relation to sin, because atonement means to cover, and to make reconciliation. However, the burnt offering was not the sin or trespass offerings which were given specifically to atone for sins.
Remember, this mention of atonement is in view of the voluntary approach to God with a burnt offering. The burnt offering was one of the three voluntary offerings. The burnt, grain, and peace offerings were voluntary, while the sin and trespass offerings were compulsory. If sin needed to be dealt with, none of the voluntary offerings would be accepted until the sin or trespass offering was sacrificed.
Even when we are not actively, consciously sinning, we need cleaning by the blood of Jesus in our day to day walk. In the New Testament, the apostle John tells us, if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. ~ 1 John 1:5 NIV
As we walk in the light, there is a continuous cleansing in our lives by the precious blood of Christ. God has not called us to walk on eggshells in our fellowship with him, living in fear as to whether or not we have sin in our lives. We have been set free to walk in fellowship with the Lord and as long as our conscience is clear that fellowship will continue unhindered, but when our conscience is convicted we need to make things right with God through repentance.
This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. ~ 1 John 3:19-22 NIV
The one who brought the burnt sacrifice to the tabernacle was being taught that the life of the animal was dying in their stead. This theme runs throughout the pages of the Old Testament and finds its culmination in the death of Christ who would die for us on the cross. Thus it behooves us to take Christ voluntarily as our representative and substitute and identify with him as our sacrifice and our Savior.
And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. ~ Leviticus 1:5
First, notice that the one bringing the bullock (a young bull) was responsible for slaughtering the sacrifice, and they were to do so “before the Lord, “ i.e., in the presence of the Lord. In this we can see that God was teaching his people that they (individually and on a personal level) were the ones who were responsible for the death of the sacrifice. When we consider how this relates to us now that Christ has died and risen again, it has deep personal significance. It is a sobering reality when we understand that Christ gave himself voluntarily and completely, even though it is we who were responsible for his death. My sins and imperfections in the sight of God slaughtered Christ and so did yours. We are imperfect because we are subject to sin and death, and it is the unblemished Christ who gave himself for us in whom we boast in the presence of God.
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. ~ Ephesians 1:6
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
Secondly, notice that it was the responsibility of the priests to take the blood of the slaughtered bullock and sprinkle it upon the altar. The blood was then taken and sprinkled or splattered on the altar by the priest. In this way the altar served as a type of the cross of Christ which was sanctified by the blood of Jesus. Make no mistake about it, the cross did not sanctify the blood of Christ, rather, the blood of Christ sanctified the cross as the altar whereby all who will, may come and find forgiveness and redemption.
And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire… ~ v. 6-7
As we saw above, the one who brought the bullock to offer as a burnt offering was the one who slayed the animal, and we now see that they were to also cut the animal into the proper pieces. This obviously would require a considerable investment of one’s time and energy, but it was the priests who applied the blood to the brazen altar and placed the different parts of the animal onto the altar.
Consider the following commentary from The Berean Study Bible:
The cutting of the offering into pieces was a detailed and deliberate act, ensuring that the sacrifice was prepared according to God’s instructions. This process allowed for the entire animal to be consumed by fire, symbolizing total dedication and surrender to God. The division into parts can also be seen as a type of Christ, whose body was broken for humanity (1 Corinthians 11:24). Each piece of the offering was arranged on the altar, signifying order and completeness in worship. This act of cutting and arranging parallels the New Testament teaching of presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).
Leviticus 1:6 teaches that worship progresses step-by-step, exposes and yields everything, and offers the whole self to God’s purifying fire. The priest’s careful skinning and dividing foreshadow Christ’s complete surrender and invites believers to present every hidden and visible part of life to the Lord, confidently trusting His provision and cleansing power. ~The Berean Study Bible
And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. ~ v. 8-9
Notice all that was involved:
- The blood sprinkled on the altar.
- The wood.
- The parts of the animal.
- The fire that consumed it to ashes.
Imagine the smell of the blood, the burning wood, and the whole animal being cooked in the fire. This was the life and ministry of the priest under the law. It was messy because mercy is messy, and it was God’s mercy on full display in types and shadows. Once the worshipper had brought the offering and slain it in the presence of the Lord, his task was over, but the priest had to carefully offer it according to the instructions of the Lord upon the altar and had the duty of making sure all of the sacrifice was consumed by the fire.
And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar. 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: 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. ~ v.10-13
The rules were the same for burnt offerings which were taken from the flocks as they were from the herds. In both instances, it is said that it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
The language of scripture regarding the offerings as a sweet savor to the Lord is greatly under valued in Western Christianity. I think the main reason for this is because we often view the cross of Christ more through the lens of God’s need to punish an innocent victim rather than God’s desire for a surrendered life. The sacrifices were a portrait of Jesus and when Jesus’s humanity was crushed by the wickedness of sinful men and the powers of darkness, he fully trusted the Father and surrendered his life to save us. According to Ephesians 5:2, Jesus loved us and gave himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice and this was a sweet aroma to God. God loves unselfish sacrificial love, and that is exactly what Jesus demonstrated when he gave himself as a ransom for our sins.
We know from other places in scripture that God never took any pleasure in the offering of animal sacrifices (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 51:16-17; Isaiah 1:11; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Proverbs 21:3; Matthew 9:13; Mark 12:33 & Hebrews 10:4-10). Therefore we must conclude that it was the One that these sacrifices foreshadowed, that truly was a sweet fragrance to God in advance.
Now, the burnt offering is the most prominent offering that we will find in the Old Testament. For this reason, I like to refer to it as the offering that reveals the first principle of sacrifice. In other words, if we want to understand all the other offerings, it’s important to understand the burnt offering because all the truths we can learn from the other offerings have their foundation in the burnt offering.
The burnt offering is the oldest of all the offerings and predates the giving of the Law through Moses. The first burnt offerings spoken of in scripture were offered by Noah after he and his family exited the Ark after the flood.
And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. ~ Genesis 8:18-22
Take note that Noah’s burnt offerings were not offered to atone for any sins committed by Noah or his family. This was simply an offering as worship to the Lord. Noah’s offering was so pleasing to God that God said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake…”
Consider why this offering may have been so powerful, so much so, that it moved God to make a vow from his heart? As we dig into the truths contained in the Old Testament regarding the sacrifices, the answer becomes clear that Noah’s burnt offerings foreshadowed Jesus, and Jesus moves the heart of God on our behalf.
In response to Noah’s burnt offering God was moved to mercy, stating that he would never again curse the ground for man’s sake. Not only was God moved to mercy, he blessed Noah and his sons (Genesis 9:1), and gave a covenant promise to all humanity.
And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. ~ Genesis 9:8-17
God’s promise and covenant wasn’t just a random change of heart. It was a direct response to Noah’s worship that was offered through the offering of the burnt offerings. Noah and his family had just exited the Ark after the flood waters had receded, which is a type of the salvation we have in Christ from judgment.
This portrait of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament is onewe do not need to miss. Noah’s burnt offering was a foreshadowing of Jesus, in whom God’s heart is moved with mercy towards us, and in whom we are blessed, and in whom God gives us promises and covenant! We truly are accepted in the beloved ~ Ephesians 1:6
I hope you can see the power in this, because the burnt offering was about foreshadowing truths regarding Jesus. The burnt offerings were consecration offerings, which speak of dedication, surrender, and complete devotion to God.
Not only did Noah offer burnt offerings before the law and the tabernacle, but Abraham did as well.
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. ~ Genesis 22:1-2
The offering of Isaac was the ultimate test of Abraham’s faith and loyalty to God. No where do we ever read that Abraham was to offer Isaac in connection to atonement for sin. Instead, God instructed Abraham to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering as a test of his love and devotion to him.
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. ~ Genesis 22:9-14
If you have been a Christian for any considerable length of time, surely you have heard the song, “Jehovah Jireh” with the words of the song which says, “my provider, his grace is sufficient for me.”
Did you know the name Jehovah Jireh was inspired by the ram which God provided for the burnt offering that Abraham offered? As with Noah’s offering, Abraham’s burnt offering was an act of worship, dedication, and love for God. It wasn’t offered for sin. It was an offering which was a portrait of the love and consecration to God that was in Christ. Only one who was fully surrendered to God, and without sin could give their life as a sin offering. In the sin and trespass offering we see the atonement for sin specifically, but in the burnt offering we learn of the consecrated nature of the one who would become our sin offering.
When Jesus laid down his life, he did so out of love, loyalty, and dedication to his Father God. And because Jesus was so wholly given to God in all purity, he then could bear the sin of the world. Remember, all the other sacrifices are more accurately understood when we get the burnt offering right.
With that said, the people of God in the Old Testament did not always get it right as Noah and Abraham did. Abraham got it right, so much so, that Jesus even said, Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. ~ John 8: 56
Unlike Noah and Abraham there were others who brought a reproach against the Lord in how they handled the burnt offerings, and consequently, they encountered God’s judgment. For instance, when Aaron led the Israelites in the rebellion against God by making a golden calf to worship, they took their idolatry to the next level when they offered burnt offerings, and peace offerings in worship to the golden calf (Exodus 32).
They took that which was reserved for foreshadowing Christ and applied it to their idol. Consider the depth of wickedness that was on display in such an act.
In Leviticus 10, two of Aaron’s sons who were priests (Nadab and Abihu) offered strange fire for burning incense before the Lord (Leviticus 10). This resulted in God’s judgment devouring them and they died. In the tabernacle service the fire for burning incense at the golden altar was to be taken from the fire which burned the sacrifices at the brazen altar. Any other fire was considered a strange fire. Our prayers are like sweet incense to the Lord when we pray as Christ our mediator, for no man comes to the Father except through him. We are to come to God only through the One who died and rose again for us, it is in His Name only that we pray and worship God.
During the time of Eli’s Priesthood, Eli’s two sons (Hophni and Phinehas) were evil in the sight of the Lord. 1 Samuel 2:12 calls them sons of Belial (meaning, sons of the devil). They dishonored God in many ways, and caused the people to abhor the offering of the Lord.
Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.” This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt. ~ 1 Samuel 2:12-17 NIV
Verse 17 in the KJV says, Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
Judgment begins in the House of the Lord because our representation of God and Christ matter. If we do not serve God in a manner that glorifies Christ, we will become the cause of dishonor to the Lord.
Now, let’s continue with the burnt offering in Leviticus 1.
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. 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: 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: 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. ~ v. 14- 17
Offerings which were taken from the flocks (turtledoves and pigeons) were offerings that the poor were allowed to bring. We learn that later in the book of Leviticus (chapter 12). A poor person could not afford to bring a young bull. In this we see that God’s provisions know no limits, he made provision for offerings that foreshadowed Christ for both the poor and those who were not poor.
We read in the New Testament that after Mary’s time of purification after the birth of Jesus, that Joseph and Mary brought an offering from the flock which is a clear indication that they were not rich, but rather poor.
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. ~ Luke 2:22-24
Notice that Luke says, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. Under the Law according to Leviticus 12, the offering after the time of purification after childbirth was a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering (Lev 12:6). However, if the person bringing the offering of purification was not able to offer a lamb (meaning not able to afford a lamb) they could bring two turtles, or two young pigeons.And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean. ~ Leviticus 12:8
Notice that one was a burnt offering and the other a sin offering. Burnt offerings were offered at various times without sin offerings but sin offerings were not typically offered with burnt offerings. This is a beautiful portrait of our Savior. Jesus wasn’t simply a replacement for God’s judgment so that we could get a free pass. Jesus is the standard of righteousness that God has set before us, and we are to follow in his steps growing in our commitment and loyalty to God, while being the beneficiaries of the forgiveness and cleaning of sin that can only be provided through him! We’ll study this more under the topic of the sin offering.
Burnt offerings were the only sacrifices in which the entire animal was sacrificed on the altar, and they were only to be offered where God recorded his name. (Ex 20:23-24; Deu 12:5-6, 11, 13, 14, 27).
Every offering that was offered on the altar of sacrifice was offered with along with the continual burnt offering which we will cover in the next section. These burnt offerings (the continual burnt offerings) were offered twice daily, in the morning and in the evening, and the fire was to continue all through the night.
This concludes this section of our study of the burnt offerings which were offered by individual worshippers. In our next study we will turn our attention to the continual burnt offerings which were offered for the nation by the priests.
Rooted and Grounded In Christ 