Hand upon the head. Leviticus 1:4-17 He carefully chooses, cautiously examining each leg, ear, eye, and body part, worried that no blemish will be found. Holding his breath at the moment, he finally makes his choice. He lifts the animal and proceeds with caution to prevent anything from happening that could mar its perfection; he walks carefully to the place where God meets with His people.
Leading up to this day, there is a growing sense of devotion toward God. He has experienced deliverance. He has walked through the Red Sea on dry land. He has eaten miraculous bread and flesh. He has been satisfied with the water that flowed from the Rock in the wilderness. He wants to show his appreciation to God. Some things are better seen than spoken.
So now, for the first time, he will offer a burnt offering to the Lord. Though he has sinned, he has found forgiveness. His desire is solely for the Lord. He knows God's presence is there as he lifts his eyes and sees the cloud above. At night, the glow of the heavenly fire keeps the darkness at bay, and he rests confident that God is present, dwelling with His people.
But now, this act of personal faith—this desire to draw near to God—leads him, with this perfect specimen of his herd, to step inside the tabernacle gate and present his offering to the officiating priest. First, he places his hand on the animal’s head as an act of identification. This animal is to be slain for me. It is sinless; I am not. It is perfect; I am not. He kills the young animal he has raised from birth. Then, he cuts it into appropriate pieces, and the priest, serving as a mediator, selects each proper part and places it on the altar. He must wash some parts with water, and once everything is done as God commanded, he steps back and watches the smoke of the sacrifice rise to God. God, who knows the hearts, has accepted his offering, and he feels joy in his soul.
By faith, we also place our hand on the Head of the Perfect Sacrifice. By faith, we stand beside the cross-altar and view the One offered and accepted by God on our behalf. With the joy of being accepted in the Beloved, we come, place our hand of faith on Him, recognize the value of the sinless sacrifice, and depart with joy—the joy of devotion.
SACRIFICES we can offer today.
1. Acceptable sacrifices [Heb. 8:3]: “...High Priest offers gifts and sacrifices…”
2. The sacrifice of a consecrated body [Rom.12:1]: Willingness to do what is not natural.
3. The sacrifice of audible praise [Heb.13:15]: Take time to think deliberate thoughts that are praiseworthy.
4. The sacrifice of temporal goods [Heb.13:16]: Labor to meet needs.
5. The sacrifice of gifts to the Lord’s servants [Phil.4:18]: Sharing what we have had for a specific objective.
6. The sacrifice of thanks to God [Ps.107:22]: Expressions in words of blessings received.
7. The sacrifice of joy for God’s mercies [Psa.27:6]: Openness to let our emotions show.
8. The sacrifice of contrition [Ps. 51:7]: Tears of real repentance.
9. The sacrifice of righteousness before the world [Ps. 4:5]: Refusal to compromise with what is wrong.
10. The sacrifice of self [2Tim.4:6]: Pain of reproach, suffering, and even death.
11. The sacrifice of obedience [1Sam.15:22]: It is better than any physical sacrifice.
- CONTRITION, Psa. 51:17. The broken heart for the Lord Jesus. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.”
- CONSECRATION, Rom. 12:1. The body and members for Him. “I beseech … present your bodies a living sacrifice…”
- CONFESSION, Heb. 13:15. Confessing to His name (margin). “The sacrifice of praise…continually.”
- COMMUNICATION, Heb. 13:16. All of our possessions.