JUL 17

Leviticus 1
Memorise Leviticus 1:4
“an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD”

The first seven chapters of the book of Leviticus describe for us in rather intricate detail the whole Levitical system of offerings and sacrifices of the nation of Israel. On the surface, they seem to be a repetitive, complicated and tedious set of instructions as to how each animal is to be killed, drained of blood and burnt up as an offering unto God. As we read them, we struggle to find any significance or relevance to ourselves. We tend to think that these are just instructions for Israel then, and have nothing to do with us as present day Christians.

The answer comes only when we come to the New Testament. We see Jesus Christ being declared by John the Baptist as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”. Later on further comparisons are made in the book of Hebrews, where Christ is seen as our perfect sacrifice, being given once and for all for the remission of our sins: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” (Hebrews 10:10-12)

Thus if we were to closely examine the Levitical sacrifices, and meditate over each one of them, we would be able to see Christ in them. We see Christ as our Burnt Offering, the perfect Lamb of God that was completely consumed, who became the atonement for our sin and was a sweet savour sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God. Christ was our Meat Offering, His perfect life offered as a tribute to God, His body broken to be meat for our souls. Christ was our Peace Offering, for it was only through His death and the shedding of His blood that we can have peace and communion with God. Christ was our Sin and Trespass Offering, for through his sacrifice He has made expiation and propitiation for our sins, and paid the debt that set us free from the penalty of sin.

We understand therefore that these offerings were instituted that they could be a “shadow of good things to come…” (Hebrews 10:1), helping Israel to look forward to Christ, the perfect Lamb of God. Do you?

Thought: Christ gave himself as a perfect offering to atone for my sin!
Prayer: Lord I thank You for Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.