THE BURNT OFFERING

Passage: Leviticus 1:1-17

Key verse: 1

NIV

The Burnt Offering

1 The Lord called to Moses(A) and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.(B) He said, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord,(C) bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.(D)

3 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering(E) from the herd,(F) you are to offer a male without defect.(G) You must present it at the entrance to the tent(H) of meeting so that it will be acceptable(I) to the Lord. 4 You are to lay your hand on the head(J) of the burnt offering,(K) and it will be accepted(L) on your behalf to make atonement(M) for you. 5 You are to slaughter(N) the young bull(O) before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons(P) the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar(Q) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 You are to skin(R) the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.(S) 7 The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood(T) on the fire. 8 Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat,(U) on the wood(V) that is burning on the altar. 9 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,(W) and the priest is to burn all of it(X) on the altar.(Y) It is a burnt offering,(Z) a food offering,(AA) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(AB)

10 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep(AC) or the goats,(AD) you are to offer a male without defect. 11 You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar(AE) before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar.(AF) 12 You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat,(AG) on the wood that is burning on the altar. 13 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,(AH) and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them(AI) on the altar.(AJ) It is a burnt offering,(AK) a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

14 “‘If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon.(AL) 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head(AM) and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar.(AN) 16 He is to remove the crop and the feathers[a] and throw them down east of the altar where the ashes(AO) are. 17 He shall tear it open by the wings, not dividing it completely,(AP) and then the priest shall burn it on the wood(AQ) that is burning on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Leviticus 1:16 Or crop with its contents; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Laws for Burnt Offerings

1 (A)The Lord called Moses and spoke to him (B)from the tent of meeting, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, (C)When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock.

3 “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer (D)a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord. 4 (E)He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be (F)accepted for him (G)to make atonement for him. 5 Then he shall kill the bull before the Lord, and Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood (H)and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 6 Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces, 7 and the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and (I)arrange wood on the fire. 8 And Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; 9 but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as (J)a burnt offering, a food offering[a] with a (K)pleasing aroma to the Lord.

10 “If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall bring a male without blemish, 11 (L)and he shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron's sons the priests shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. 12 And he shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar, 13 but the entrails and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it and burn it on the altar; it is (M)a burnt offering, a food offering with (N)a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

14 “If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering of (O)turtledoves or pigeons. 15 And the priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head and burn it on the altar. Its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 He shall remove its crop with its contents[b] and cast it (P)beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes. 17 He shall tear it open by its wings, but (Q)shall not sever it completely. And the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Leviticus 1:9 Or an offering by fire; so throughout Leviticus
  2. Leviticus 1:16 Or feathers
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

 

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS

Some scholars think Leviticus is the greatest book of the Bible. Through studying Leviticus deeply, we are impacted by how our approach to God is vital.

Leviticus is written by Moses after Exodus, in which the temple is built and filled with the glory of God. (Ex 4

:34) The book of Leviticus begins and ends at the tabernacle, where God gave the Law to the Israelites. God holds his people here while he clearly lays out his rules for worship: sacrifices, ceremonies, rituals, liturgies, instructions, washings, convocations, holy days, observances, conditions, and warnings. The sacrifices were recognized not as human works, but as divine gifts. They did not make God gracious; rather, they were provided by a gracious God in order that he might act graciously toward his sinful people.

Outline of Leviticus

1. Laws on Offerings (1–7)

A. Five Major offerings (1:1–6:7)

B. Handling of the Offerings (6:8–7:38)

2. The Institution of the Priesthood (8–1

)

3. Laws on Cleanness and Uncleanness (11–15)

A. Clean and unclean animals (11)

B. Purification for uncleanness (12–15)

4. The Day of Atonement (16)

5. Laws of Holiness (17–25)

A. The Handling of the Blood (17)

B. Laws of Community Holiness (18-22)

C. Holy Times (23-25)

6. Blessings, Curses, and Vows (chs 26–27)

Leviticus 1 describes the types of burnt offerings to be presented for atonement, giving it first importance. Atonement is mentioned 45 times in Leviticus, and 5

more times in the rest of the Old Testament. It means “covered up.” The burnt offering for atonement could not take away sin, but it could cover up sin until the coming of Jesus and his ultimate sacrifice as the Lamb of God.

The burnt offering could be a male ox or male sheep or goat without blemish, or simply a dove or a pigeon. This implies everyone, rich and poor, should come to God. He wants our heart not the sacrifice. The offering should be at a price, of our own free will, and in God’s way.

The worshiper should put their hand on the animal’s head as a sign of the sacrifice taking their place. Then, the worshiper must kill it, and the priests spread the blood around the altar. The priest cuts the sacrifice into pieces, washes the parts, and burns it completely -- a sign of surrender, of not holding back anything. The aroma is pleasing to God. Are you holding anything back? We are the ones responsible for death caused by our sins, and the blood covers our sins. No animal could truly take our place. Only the holy Son of God, Jesus, could be the perfect substitute for our sins.

Prayer: Father, thank you for sacrificing your Son Jesus. Thank you Jesus for being my high priest.

One Word: A perfect sacrifice for my sins