SCRIPTURE: LEVITICUS 1
INTRODUCTION:
Leviticus means “About the Levites”. the Levites were God’s priests, and the book of Leviticus contains many of the rules they needed to do their work – rules for worshiping God, making sacrifices, and handling everyday problems concerning cleanliness. The key statement for the entire book is “Be holy, because I am holy.” The emphasis in Leviticus is celebration. The book gives emphasis on sacrifices. Among them are: Burnt Offering, Grain Offering, Peace Offering, Sin Offering and Trespass Offering. It also gives instructions for the feasts. These were special, regular and corporate occasions for remembering what God had done, giving thanks to him and rededicating lives to his service.
IMPORTANT VERSES:
THE BURNT OFFERING (vs, 1–17)
The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting. he said, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When any of you brings an offering to the lord, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.
“If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the lord. He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. He is to slaughter the young bull before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar. He is to wash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
“‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, he is to offer a male without defect. He is to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. He is to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar. He is tow ash the inner parts and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of is and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
“‘If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, he is to offer a dove or a young pigeon. The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. He is to remove the crop with its contents and throw it to the east side of the altar, where the ashes are. He shall tear it open by the wings, not severing it completely, and then the priest shall burn it on the wood that is on the fire on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
THOUGHTS: (From Life Application Study Bible)
Requirement of sacrifice:
- Perfect animals and holy priests.
- Exact obedience
- Animal of great value
- Picture the seriousness of sin
- God’s great mercy to forgive sinners
What did sacrifices teach the people?
- Reverence for a holy God.
- Total submission to God’s laws.
- Demonstrate the sincerity of commitment to God.
Why are there detailed regulations for each offering?
- To teach the people a whole new way of life.
- To cleanse them from the many pagan practices.
- To restore true worship of God