The burnt offering was the first sacrifice mentioned in Leviticus (Lv 1:1-17). It could be offered in two ways: (1) a personalized offering by an individual with only males allowed to make this offering—likely on behalf of their whole family (e.g., Jb 1:5); or (2) as an offering for the community performed on its behalf by the priest. One of the unique characteristics of this offering was that it was totally consumed on the altar. Only the hide could be kept by the priest (Lv 7:8). Often, burnt offerings were required in conjunction with other types of sacrifices.
This type of offering was likely the offering God had Adam and Eve offer because he used the skin of the animal to make their clothing. It was the offering mentioned in Scripture by Noah (Gen. 8:20) when exiting the ark. It was frequently offered by the patriarchs long before the Mosaic Law was established. The Lord instructed Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering (Gen. 22:2) and would have been the offering Moses performed in the desert after leaving Egypt (Ex. 5:3). Both Jethro (Ex. 18:12), Moses’ father-in-law, and Job (Job 1:5) offered this type of sacrifice long before the giving of the Law at Sinai.
It was continually offered as a perpetual sacrifice: night and day; on major feast days; and on new moons in Israel. This was a constant reminder that they were God’s people and were devoted to him.
So, what was the reason for this type of offering? It was made for man’s depravity (his sinful state). It was needed for one to be able to approach God. Christ became our burnt offering to restore our right standing with God by allowing us to be transferred from Satan’s Kingdom (which Adam yielded to him through his rebellion in the garden) into Christ’s Kingdom. Read my post, Are We Going Backwards? for more details on this topic. It was something Old Testament saints looked toward because they went to Sheol upon death. Because of Christ being our burnt offering, we go to be with him immediately (2Co 5:8) because our trust in Christ transfers us into his Kingdom. The apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 1:13, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son he loves.”
The burnt offering was a principle of particularity. God, not man, dictates how we will and can approach Him. Jesus Christ said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6).
It was a principle of acceptance of God. Self-help books tell how a person should accept themselves so they can feel better about themselves and overcome their depressive state or their lack of confidence, while the burnt offering was all about making a person right with God and seeing things from his perspective. We are more likely to feel good about ourselves and feel relevant because we are working within God’s design for us. Romans 3 :10 tells us, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” We are incapable of approaching God on our own merit.
It was a principle of atonement and transfer of state through the shedding of blood. Hebrews 9:22 tells us, that without the shedding of blood there is no remission, or forgiveness, of sin. Blood represented life. One was giving life for life as one’s sins were symbolically transferred to the animal. Our sins (past, present, and future sins) were transferred onto Christ as he hung on the cross (1Pt 2:24).
It was a principle of identification. The one making the offering had to identify with the animal and symbolically transfer his sin to the animal which is then worthy of death. We, today, identify with Christ who bore our sin and died for our sin. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:6-7: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Christ identified with us in order to die for us in our place because our sins were transferred to him as he hung on the cross.
It was a principle of sacrifice. Neither the one making the offering, nor the priest benefited from this type of sacrifice. What was gained was a statement of devotion to God. We, too, are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to him. Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
The burnt offering is, therefore, a symbol of our transfer into God’s kingdom. And this was the reason it was required in conjunction with other sacrifices to show one’s rightful standing with God for God to act. This sacrifice made the other sacrifices possible.
So, once we are in his kingdom, what comes next? Join me next time and find out.
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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens