I've been studying Leviticus for a while now and have prepared some studies/sermons but as yet have not had the chance to deliver them.
That being the case I have shared the notes with a few people, but have realised this much neglected blog would be a good format for communicating some of my thoughts.
So here you are:
Leviticus 1 – The Burnt Offering
In Exodus 40 the Lord descends on the Tabernacle and in Leviticus 1: 1 we see Moses being spoken to ‘out of the Tabernacle’ – Moses was unable to enter because of God’s Glory filling the Tabernacle (Ex 40: 35).
1. The male without blemish here is completely consumed
(v.1-3, 6-7). God’s wrath on sin is complete and unflinching – and deserved.
Not one part of the sacrifice is spared. This mirrors the Lord Jesus at Calvary - His body and soul torn from God the Father's presence. A foreshadowing is clear - Christ Jesus bears this sinful wrath as the lamb. A lamb without blemish, capable of
fulfilling the law (and thereby being a worthy sacrifice, once and for all
Hebrew 10: 11 – 14)
2. God’s hand/sinner’s hand on the offering. In the sinners repentant act of placing his hand on the sacrificial animal God imputes sin to the sacrifice. The transaction also sees the sinner put right, or made righteous – acceptable to God. Christ’s substitutionary work does the same for us. God’s hand places His divine, just wrath (which we deserve) on Christ’s head and imputes Jesus’ righteousness to us. Our only action can be repentance ALL the rest is performed by God/Jesus, just as all the offerer here in Leviticus can do is bring a sacrifice and repent, relying on the priest’s mediatorial work, the sacrifice and God’s mercy and Grace.
3. The saving blood – death is required. Death is the curse on man’s sin. Blood = life. The lamb is offered in place of the sinner. Jesus instead of us. The sacrifice of Jesus for the believer makes propitiation (appeases God's wrath), and allows expiation (the wiping away or covering of sin), which makes atonement (satisfaction, our account being settled).
Propitiation + expiation = atonement.
The blood signifies salvation for the repentant sinner. It is through this shed blood God’s wrath can be diverted and we can enter His presence as righteous.
So....
God’s wrath MUST come on sin sometime. Either on us, or on Jesus.
ALL we can do is repent. Works of salvation belong to God/Jesus.
Jesus’ blood offering appeases God and save the repentant sinner.
That being the case I have shared the notes with a few people, but have realised this much neglected blog would be a good format for communicating some of my thoughts.
So here you are:
Leviticus 1 – The Burnt Offering
In Exodus 40 the Lord descends on the Tabernacle and in Leviticus 1: 1 we see Moses being spoken to ‘out of the Tabernacle’ – Moses was unable to enter because of God’s Glory filling the Tabernacle (Ex 40: 35).
2. God’s hand/sinner’s hand on the offering. In the sinners repentant act of placing his hand on the sacrificial animal God imputes sin to the sacrifice. The transaction also sees the sinner put right, or made righteous – acceptable to God. Christ’s substitutionary work does the same for us. God’s hand places His divine, just wrath (which we deserve) on Christ’s head and imputes Jesus’ righteousness to us. Our only action can be repentance ALL the rest is performed by God/Jesus, just as all the offerer here in Leviticus can do is bring a sacrifice and repent, relying on the priest’s mediatorial work, the sacrifice and God’s mercy and Grace.
3. The saving blood – death is required. Death is the curse on man’s sin. Blood = life. The lamb is offered in place of the sinner. Jesus instead of us. The sacrifice of Jesus for the believer makes propitiation (appeases God's wrath), and allows expiation (the wiping away or covering of sin), which makes atonement (satisfaction, our account being settled).
Propitiation + expiation = atonement.
The blood signifies salvation for the repentant sinner. It is through this shed blood God’s wrath can be diverted and we can enter His presence as righteous.
God’s wrath MUST come on sin sometime. Either on us, or on Jesus.
ALL we can do is repent. Works of salvation belong to God/Jesus.
Jesus’ blood offering appeases God and save the repentant sinner.
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