The Offerings
Leviticus 1:1 – 6:7
Leviticus 1:1 – 6:7
Study of the Offerings. Why study the offerings? Should we occupy ourselves with things which were only a “shadow of good things to come” (Heb. 10:1)? The Old Testament provides many details which, when viewed in the light of New Testament truth, give a deeper and richer understanding of New Testament truth. We need to get our principles from the New Testament, but the illustration of those principles is often found in the Old Testament. None of the offerings can give the full picture of all that was present in Christ’s Person and work. This could be why the Spirit of God presents several offerings!
What the Offerings Mean. The New Testament clearly shows us that the offerings are typical of the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour” (Eph. 5:2). The offerings were brought by individuals either as a free will offering or as obligatory because of some sin. However, the none of the offerings were handled by the great high priest, except for a few exceptions (the high priest’s personal sin and the great day of atonement, where he changes his garments). The offerings were offered by the sons of the priests, who represent believers. The offerings therefore represent the handling of Christ in the soul in various aspects, or the multivarious presentation of Christ to God in worship.
Five Types of Offerings. If we notice in the first seven chapters of Leviticus, we find that there were four main offerings, but five in total. The offerings themselves are described in Leviticus 1:1 – 6:7, and then the “law” of each offering (specific instructions for the priests) is given in Leviticus 6:8 – 7:36. The five offerings are:
- The burnt offering
- The meat or meal offering
- The peace (or prosperity) offering
- The sin offering
- The trespass offering (part of the sin offering, although distinct).
| Burnt Offering | Meal Offering | Peace Offering | Sin Offering | Trespass Offering | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Description | Lev. 1:1-17 | Lev. 2:1-16 | Lev. 3:1-17 | Lev. 4:1-35 | Lev. 5:1 – 6:7 |
| Law of the Offering | Lev. 6:8-13 | Lev. 6:14-23 | Lev. 7:11-36 | Lev. 6:24-30 | Lev. 7:1-7 |
| Additional Details | Lev. 7:8 | Lev. 7:9-10 | – | – | – |
Voluntary and Obligatory. The offerings can be divided into two groups. The first three offerings were offered of the voluntary will of the offeror. He was not required to offer them, but did so as an approach to God. These offerings were “for his acceptance” but not because of this or that sin. The first three are also “sweet savor” offerings. The final two offerings, the sin and the trespass offerings, were obligatory offerings. They had to be offered as sin was in question, in order that the sin might be forgiven or passed over by God. The voluntary offerings speak of worship, while the obligatory offerings speak of the putting away of sin.
The Burnt Offering (Leviticus 1)
The Burnt Offering. The first offering given in Leviticus is the burnt offering. The characteristic feature of the burnt offering was that is was “wholly burned”, meaning the entire sacrifice was consumed as an offering to God.1 The burnt offering was not a new thing with the giving of the law. Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Job offered what are described as burnt offerings, although the truth concerning them was not stated.2 The law expanded on the burnt offering and gave specific instructions concerning it.
Highest and First. The burnt offering is mentioned first for an important reason. From the perspective of man’s need, the sin offering might have been given first, because we need our sin put away, and require the blood of Christ for that. But what is highest and first in the work of Christ is what is for God’s appreciation.3 When the Lord Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice, He did so first and foremost in willing obedience to the Father’s will (Phil. 2:8), and for the satisfaction and glory of God. Thus, it was a sweet savor to Jehovah (Eph. 5:2). Hence He could say, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life…” (John 10:17-18). Christ as the perfect Lamb of God, having proved His absolute perfection in His pathway, went to Calvary and “offered himself without spot to God” (Heb. 9:14).45
The Burnt Offering and Propitiation. There is some similarity between the burnt offering (or what the burnt offering represents) and propitiation, the Godward aspect of atonement. For instance, when it comes to propitiation, it is the offering of Christ Himself, His whole Person, up to God to satisfy and glorify Him. However, propitiation is really part of the sin offering, represented by the Lord’s goat (killed) on the day of atonement, while the people’s goat (let free) represented substitution. The two goats on the day of atonement are called one sin offering. A separate burnt offering was brought by the priest, showing that propitiation is really an aspect of the sin offering, though – like the burnt offering – it is a Godward thing.
The Burnt Offering in John’s Gospel. The Gospel of John gives us the burnt offering character all through. We do not find the garden of Gethsemane in John’s gospel as in Matthew, Mark and Luke, although of the four evangelists only John was present to witness it. Nor does John mention the three hours of darkness. Why? Because his whole gospel brings out the burnt offering character of Christ, that His sacrifice was primarily for God.
CHAPTER 1
1 And Jehovah called to Moses and spoke to him out of the tent of meeting, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, When any man of you presenteth an offering to Jehovah, ye shall present your offering of the cattle, of the herd and of the flock.
3 If his offering be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall present it a male without blemish: at the entrance of the tent of meeting shall he present it, for his acceptance before Jehovah. 4 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5 And he shall slaughter the bullock before Jehovah; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood round about on the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 6 And he shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it up into its pieces. 7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay wood in order on the fire; 8 and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat, in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar; 9 but its inwards and its legs shall he wash in water; and the priest shall burn all on the altar, a burnt-offering, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour.
10 And if his offering be of the flock, of the sheep or of the goats, for a burnt-offering, he shall present it a male without blemish. 11 And he shall slaughter it on the side of the altar northward before Jehovah; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood on the altar round about. 12 And he shall cut it into its pieces, and its head, and its fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar; 13 but the inwards and the legs shall he wash with water; and the priest shall present it all, and burn it on the altar: it is a burnt-offering, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour.
14 And if his offering to Jehovah be a burnt-offering of fowls, then he shall present his offering of turtle-doves, or of young pigeons. 15 And the priest shall bring it near to the altar and pinch off its head and burn it on the altar; and its blood shall be pressed out at the side of the altar. 16 And he shall remove its crop with its feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east, into the place of the ashes; 17 and he shall split it open at its wings, but shall not divide it asunder; and the priest shall burn it on the altar on the wood that is on the fire: it is a burnt-offering, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour.
The Meat or Meal Offering (Leviticus 2)
CHAPTER 2
1 And when any one will present an oblation to Jehovah, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense thereon. 2 And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests; and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial thereof on the altar, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour. 3 And the remainder of the oblation shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is most holy of Jehovah’s offerings by fire. 4 And if thou present an offering of an oblation baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. 5 And if thine offering be an oblation baken on the pan, it shall be fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil. 6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is an oblation. 7 And if thine offering be an oblation prepared in the cauldron, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8 And thou shalt bring the oblation that is made of these things to Jehovah; and it shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar. 9 And the priest shall take from the oblation a memorial thereof, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour. 10 And the remainder of the oblation shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is most holy of Jehovah’s offerings by fire. 11 No oblation which ye shall present to Jehovah shall be made with leaven; for no leaven and no honey shall ye burn in any fire-offering to Jehovah. 12 As to the offering of the first-fruits, ye shall present them to Jehovah; but they shall not be offered upon the altar for a sweet odour. 13 And every offering of thine oblation shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thine oblation: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt. 14 And if thou present an oblation of thy first-fruits to Jehovah, thou shalt present as the oblation of thy first-fruits green ears of corn roasted in fire, corn beaten out of full ears. 15 And thou shalt put oil on it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is an oblation. 16 And the priest shall burn the memorial thereof, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering by fire to Jehovah.
The Peace or Communion Offering (Leviticus 3)
CHAPTER 3
1 And if his offering be a sacrifice of peace-offering, — if he present it of the herd, whether a male or female, he shall present it without blemish before Jehovah. 2 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and slaughter it at the entrance of the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood on the altar round about. 3 And he shall present of the sacrifice of peace-offering an offering by fire to Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards, 4 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the net above the liver which he shall take away as far as the kidneys; 5 and Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt-offering which lieth on the wood that is upon the fire: it is an offering by fire to Jehovah of a sweet odour. 6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace-offering to Jehovah be of small cattle, male or female, he shall present it without blemish. 7 If he present a sheep for his offering, then shall he present it before Jehovah, 8 and shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and slaughter it before the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about. 9 And he shall present of the sacrifice of peace-offering an offering by fire to Jehovah; the fat thereof, the whole fat tail, which he shall take off close by the backbone, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards, 10 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the net above the liver which he shall take away as far as the kidneys; 11 and the priest shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the offering by fire to Jehovah. 12 And if his offering be a goat, then he shall present it before Jehovah. 13 And he shall lay his hand on the head of it, and slaughter it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof on the altar round about. 14 And he shall present thereof his offering, an offering by fire to Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards and all the fat that is on the inwards, 15 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the net above the liver which he shall take away as far as the kidneys; 16 and the priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering by fire for a sweet odour. All the fat shall be Jehovah’s. 17 It is an everlasting statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings: no fat and no blood shall ye eat.
The Sin Offering (Leviticus 4)
The Sin Offering. 6
CHAPTER 4
1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through inadvertence against any of the commandments of Jehovah in things that ought not to be done, and do any of them; 3 if the priest that is anointed sin according to the trespass of the people; then for his sin which he hath sinned shall he present a young bullock without blemish to Jehovah for a sin-offering. 4 And he shall bring the bullock to the entrance of the tent of meeting before Jehovah; and shall lay his hand on the bullock’s head, and slaughter the bullock before Jehovah. 5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it into the tent of meeting; 6 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Jehovah before the veil of the sanctuary; 7 and the priest shall put of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense, which is in the tent of meeting, before Jehovah; and he shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 8 And all the fat of the bullock of the sin-offering shall he take off from it; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards, 9 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the net above the liver which he shall take away as far as the kidneys, 10 as it is taken off from the ox of the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt-offering. 11 And the skin of the bullock, and all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, and its inwards, and its dung, 12 even the whole bullock shall he carry forth outside the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt. 13 And if the whole assembly of Israel sin inadvertently, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the congregation, and they do somewhat against any of all the commandments of Jehovah in things which should not be done, and are guilty; 14 and the sin wherewith they have sinned against it have become known; then the congregation shall present a young bullock for the sin-offering, and shall bring it before the tent of meeting; 15 and the elders of the assembly shall lay their hands on the head of the bullock before Jehovah; and one shall slaughter the bullock before Jehovah. 16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock’s blood into the tent of meeting; 17 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Jehovah, before the veil; 18 and he shall put of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before Jehovah which is in the tent of meeting; and he shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 19 And all its fat shall he take off from it and burn on the altar. 20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock of sin-offering: so shall he do with it. And the priest shall make atonement for them; and it shall be forgiven them. 21 And he shall carry forth the bullock outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin-offering of the congregation. 22 When a prince sinneth and through inadvertence doeth somewhat against any of all the commandments of Jehovah his God in things which should not be done, and is guilty; 23 if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge, he shall bring his offering, a buck of the goats, a male without blemish. 24 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and slaughter it at the place where they slaughter the burnt-offering before Jehovah: it is a sin-offering. 25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out its blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offering. 26 And he shall burn all its fat on the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him to cleanse him from his sin, and it shall be forgiven him. 27 And if any one of the people of the land sin through inadvertence, that he do somewhat against any of the commandments of Jehovah in things which should not be done, and be guilty; 28 if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge, then he shall bring his offering, a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. 29 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and slaughter the sin-offering at the place of the burnt-offering. 30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. 31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, for a sweet odour to Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. 32 And if he bring a sheep for his offering for sin, a female without blemish shall he bring it. 33 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and slaughter it for a sin-offering at the place where they slaughter the burnt-offering. 34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. 35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, with Jehovah’s offerings by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.
The Trespass Offering (Leviticus 5 – 6:7)
CHAPTER 5
1 And if any one sin, and hear the voice of adjuration, and he is a witness whether he hath seen or known it, if he do not give information, then he shall bear his iniquity. 2 Or if any one touch any unclean thing, whether it be the carcase of an unclean beast, or the carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of an unclean crawling thing, and it be hid from him, — he also is unclean and guilty; 3 or if he touch the uncleanness of man, any uncleanness of him by which he is defiled, and it be hid from him, when he knoweth it, then he is guilty. 4 Or if any one swear, talking rashly with the lips, to do evil or to do good, in everything that a man shall say rashly with an oath, and it be hid from him, when he knoweth it, then is he guilty in one of these. 5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these, that he shall confess wherein he hath sinned; 6 and he shall bring his trespass-offering to Jehovah for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the small cattle, a sheep or doe goat, for a sin-offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him to cleanse him from his sin. 7 And if his hand be not able to bring what is so much as a sheep, then he shall bring for his trespass which he hath sinned two turtle-doves or two young pigeons, to Jehovah; one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering. 8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall present that which is for the sin-offering first, and pinch off his head at the neck, but shall not divide it; 9 and he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering on the wall of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin-offering. 10 And he shall offer the other for a burnt-offering, according to the ordinance. And the priest shall make atonement for him to cleanse him from his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him. 11 But if his hand cannot attain to two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin-offering: he shall put no oil on it, neither shall he put frankincense thereon; for it is a sin-offering. 12 And he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, the memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, with Jehovah’s offerings by fire: it is a sin-offering. 13 And the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him; and it shall be the priest’s, as the oblation. 14 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, 15 If any one act unfaithfully and sin through inadvertence in the holy things of Jehovah, then he shall bring his trespass-offering to Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the small cattle, according to thy valuation by shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass-offering. 16 And he shall make restitution for the wrong that he hath done in the holy things, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and shall give it unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and it shall be forgiven him. 17 And if any one sin and do against any of all the commandments of Jehovah what should not be done, and hath not known it, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. 18 And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the small cattle, according to thy valuation, as trespass-offering, unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his inadvertence wherein he sinned inadvertently, and knew it not, and it shall be forgiven him. 19 It is a trespass-offering: he hath certainly trespassed against Jehovah.
CHAPTER 6
1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, 2 If any one sin and act unfaithfully against Jehovah, and lie to his neighbour as to an entrusted thing or a deposit or that in which he hath robbed or wronged his neighbour, 3 or have found what was lost, and denieth it, and sweareth falsely in anything of all that man doeth, sinning therein; 4 then it shall be, if he hath sinned and transgressed, that he shall restore what he robbed or that in which he hath defrauded, or the deposit, or the lost thing which he found, 5 or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; and he shall restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto; to him to whom it belongeth shall he give it, on the day of his trespass-offering. 6 And his trespass-offering shall he bring to Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the small cattle according to thy valuation, as a trespass-offering, unto the priest. 7 And the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah, and it shall be forgiven him concerning anything of all that he hath done so as to trespass therein.
- A precise translation of this word is holocaust, which originates from a Greek word meaning “burnt whole.”
- It is striking enough, that until you come to the institution of the law, you never get sin-offerings, except in the case of Cain, of which I do not doubt myself (though I know it is a question of interpretation), that it is, “a sin-offering lieth at the door.” Sin and sin-offering is the same word; that word is never used again in that way, till the law – we get burnt-offerings and peace-offerings often. – J.N. Darby. The Burnt Offering.
- The gospel as presented in Acts begins with man’s need (Peter prominent) but in Romans Paul begins God’s glory in His beloved Son and in the work that He did. This is the difference between the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4) and the gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20). The gospel of the glory is the burnt offering character.
- “… in the burnt-offering He was a sweet savour to God, but it was positive propitiation or atonement as glorifying God in righteousness, love, majesty, and everything He was, in the place of sin, as for sin…” – J.N. Darby. Letters : Volume 2, number 83
- It is that aspect of His sacrifice which goes exclusively God-ward — an aspect which believers are apt to be in no small danger of attenuating, if not losing sight of altogether. … Hence we here commence with the type of the burnt-offering, the sweet savour of Christ to God for us … Had there been no sin in man, or death through it, we could scarce conceive of a burnt offering. Yet it is an offering neither for sin nor for guilt, but God glorified where sin was by a victim, the blood of which covered it from God’s eyes, as the fire consumed it and brought out nothing but sweet savor. … It was for the offerer’s acceptance, and it made atonement for him; which could not be without death and the shedding of blood… A sinful man can approach God on this ground only. … The burnt-offering exhibits the absolute devotedness of the Lord Jesus atoningly to death for the glory of God the Father. It is allowed fully that there is nothing here which seems to make blessing to man prominent. Were there no sin, there could be no burnt-offering, nothing to represent the complete surrender up of self to God, even to death. – W. Kelly. The Burnt Offering.
- We may well distrust the faith of the soul which, professing to be awakened from the sleep of death, only cares to hear of the profound truth of the burnt-offering in the death of Jesus. Must we not fear that such an one deceives himself? For, when dealing with the sinner God begins with him as he is. And sinners we are, verily guilty. – W. Kelly. The Burnt Offering.