Offerings and Sacrifice
I. Introduction
A. One of the most neglected books in the Bible is Leviticus.
1. Many do not study the book because they feel it was written only to the Levitical priesthood.
a) As Christians, we are the priesthood of God – 1 Peter 2:9
b) Therefore Leviticus can help us prepare for service.
2. Some do not study the book because it deals with animal and grain sacrifices.
a) Again as Christians we are to present ourselves a living sacrifice to God – Romans 12:1-2
b) It is through the sacrifice of Jesus that we are healed from our sins – 1 Peter 2:24
3. Some have not studied the book because the cleansing we read about is ceremonial.
a) The central theme of Leviticus is holiness.
b) Peter again makes reference to this theme – 1 Peter 1:16
B. We may outline this great book in a simple way.
1. Key theme is holiness – 11:45 – “For I am the Lord who brings you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
2. The Chapters breakdown this way:
a) Holy Offerings – Chapters 1-7
b) Holy Priesthood – Chapters 8-10, 21-22
c) Holy People – 11-17
d) Holy Land – 18-20, 23-27
3. This book is important because as Christians we are to “…cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” – 2 Corinthians 7:1
C. Tonight we want to consider Chapters 1-7
1. By looking at the various offerings.
2. Showing how they relate to Jesus.
3. What significance they have on us today.
II. The Levitical Offerings in Chapters 1-7
A. Burnt Offerings (Chapter 1)
1. Three essentials to the burnt offering
a) The Offerer – The individual child devoted to God.
1) He was to offer the proper animal (3a).
2) He was to offer it out of his own free will (3b).
3) He was to offer it at the appointed place (3c).
4) He was to acknowledge the offering was of personal conviction about his relationship with God (4a).
5) He offered the sacrifice as atonement for his sin (4b).
b) The Offering – The sacrifice presented before God
1) It was to be the right kind of animal (5,10, 14).
2) Allowances were made for the poor as to the type.
3) The offering was to be killed by the offerer in the presence of a priest (5)
4) The whole animal, except for the skin and the blood (5-6), was to be burned.
c) The Priest – The intercessor for man.
1) He was to deal personally with the blood.
2) He was to light the fire.
3) He was to place the offering in the proper order.
2. Jesus and the Burnt Offering
a) In Jesus we find all the elements of the burnt offering.
b) Jesus is the offerer of the total sacrifice.
1) John 10:17-18 – “Therefore My Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes my life from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.
2) Hebrews 10:12- “But this Man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down at the right hand of God.”
3) Hebrews 7:27 – “Jesus offered up Himself once for all.”
c) Jesus is also the offering
1) Just as with the burnt offering He was male without spot, blemish or broken bone.
2) 1 Peter 1:19 – we have been redeemed with, “…the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
3) Hebrews 10:10 – By that will (Testament) we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus, once for all.”
d) Jesus is the priest
1) He is a High Priest of a different order – Hebrews 7:20-22
2) Jesus is the perfect go-between – Hebrews 7:25
3) He has all things in order – Colossians 1:17-18, Hebrews 2:8
3. The Christian and the Burnt Offering
a) We are to give ourselves freely to God.
b) We are to give ourselves totally to God – 1 Timothy 4:15
c) We are to give ourselves personally to God – Psalm 23
d) We are to worship God properly – John 4:24
e) See Romans 12:1-2
B. The Meal Offering (Chapter 2, 6:14-23)
1. The Elements of the Offering
a) Fine Flour, oil and frankincense (1).
b) Oven-baked grain offering that is unleavened (4).
c) Grain cakes baked in an uncovered pan (5).
d) Grain cakes baked in a covered pan (7).
e) Roasted heads of new grain (14).
2. The Limitations of the offering
a) Unleavened (11)
b) No honey to be used (11)
c) Salt is to accompany all such offerings (14)
3. The Use of the offerings
a) Portion to be a memorial to God (2).
b) Portion to be used by the priest for personal consumption (3).
4. The Purpose of the Meal Offering
a) This offering was one of thanksgiving to God for His provisions.
b) To show appreciation for the servants of God (priest).
5. Jesus and the Meal Offering.
a) This offering was composed of meal or bread and Jesus is the bread of life – John 6:35,51
b) Just as this offering served as a memorial to God, so does breaking of bread in the New Testament serve as a memorial of Jesus
c) The using of frankincense in the offering is brought to mind when Jesus was anointed at Bethany – Matthew 26:13
d) Salt in the offering is indicative of purity and preservation. Thus indicating the character and work of Jesus.
6. The Christians and the Meal Offering
a) We are to be thankful to God for His great gift – 1 Corinthians 15:57, 2 Corinthians 9:15
b) We are the salt of the earth – Matthew 5:13
c) As priests of God we partake in the flesh of Jesus – John 6:53
7. The burnt offering and the meal offering teach us to be Committed to God.
C. The Peace Offering (Chapter 4, 7:11-21)
1. The purpose of the Peace Offering was communion with God.
a) Portions of this offering were burned to God.
b) Portions were eaten by the priest.
c) Portions were eaten by the offerer.
d) It was a time when God’s presence was near and therefore this offering was typically a time to rejoice in the relationship the offered would have with God.
2. As with other sacrifices a pattern for the offering was to be followed.
a) This was an animal sacrifice.
b) That required the shedding of blood.
3. Several circumstances accompanied the peace offering
a) The desire to express thanksgiving – 7:12, Psalm 107:22
b) The offering of a vow – 7:16, Psalm 66:13
c) Voluntary offering for the goodness of God – 7:16, Psalm 54:6
4. The Peace Offering and Jesus
a) Christ the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) is our peace (Ephesians 2:14).
b) Colossians 1:19-20 – “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
c) Through Jesus, we now commune with God and with all those that walk in His light – 1 John 1:5-2:2
5. Peace Offering and Christians today.
a) We commune with God through Christ.
b) The weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper has strong ties to this offering.
1) It is to taken of our own free will.
2) It is a time of thanksgiving, renewal and remembering.
3) It is called the communion of the body and blood of Jesus – 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
4) Those that partake are to be clean – 1 Corinthians 11:27
c) Our weekly giving has ties to this offering as another way in which we fellowship with God and one another.
D. The Sin and Trespass (Guilt) Offering (Chapter 4:1-6:7, 6:24-7:10)
1. These offerings were very similar to one another.
a) Both offerings were atonement offering for unintentional sin.
b) The trespass or guilt offering was to be made when sins against others involved property and restitution.
c) The sin offering was made when sins were committed in ignorance and became to known to the offended but did not directly affect the property of others. – Psalm 19:12
d) In either case we learn that ignorance does not cancel guilt.
e) No offering was available for those that committed deliberate sin in light of knowledge of the law (Numbers 15:30-36). In this case the sinner appealed to God’s mercy (Psalm 51).
2. Since sin was involved the offering was to be a blood offering. (With the exception of the very poor individual (Guilt offering) - 5:7-13)
a) Without the shedding of blood there is no remission – Hebrews 9:22
b) The sacrifice could be made oh behalf of the priests, the whole congregation of people, rulers of the people and individuals.
c) Depending on the sinner or sinners blood was sprinkled in assigned places, the fat was burned on the altar but the remainder of the animal was to be burned outside the camp.
d) In these offerings forgiveness of sins was achieved.
3. Jesus and the Sin and Trespass Offerings
a) Jesus is the sin offering for us – 2 Corinthians 5:21
b) Just as the offering was to be removed from the camp to be burn, so Jesus was offered outside - Hebrews 13:10-13
c) Jesus is indeed the One that takes way the sins of the world – John 1:29
d) Sins against others are sins against the Lord – Matthew 25:45
4. The Christian and these offerings.
a) Sin is sin whether big or small was known or unknown.
b) Ignorance does not excuse sin – Acts 17:30
c) Our position in life or in the church does not excuse sin because God is no respecter of persons – Acts 10:34-35
d) The more influence a person has the greater consequence his sin can have.
e) Confession is a condition of forgiveness – 1 John 1:8
f) The point of all these offerings is to be cleansed from sin.
III. Conclusion
A. The Need for Offerings and Sacrifice.
1. Man cannot save himself.
2. Man needs a proper avenue to worship God.
3. Man need have a right relationship with God.
B. The Results of Offerings and Sacrifice
1. Commitment to God.
2. Communion with God.
3. Cleansing from God.
C. What have offered the Lord?
D. Invitation
