Leviticus 1 ALL FOR GOD As I stand looking from my New Testament position and observe those from an earlier time, I am better able to enter into their thoughts and ways of connecting with God through watching them bring their offering to sacrifice to God. Abel brought a burnt offering to God with the understanding of simple faith, that the animal on the altar he made, was in reality a type of One he could not see. Noah also, offered burnt offerings of worship, when after a year in the ark, he presented the sacrifices of holy things to a holy God who could not look upon sin. After the vestiges of sin had been dealt with, the first act of human response to God from a cleansed earth was the sweet-savor of the burnt offering. The new beginning was initiated by worship that typified the Person and work of Christ. Now in my mind I stand looking as a grateful ex-slave, who has been freed from Egypt and has participated in some way in the making of the Tabernacle as a dwelling place for God in the midst of His people, comes to the beautiful gate with an animal to offer God as an expression of appreciation. For one month, God had carefully explained through His servant Moses, the way a holy God allows redeemed people to approach Him and worship Him. There was no casual or cavalier attitude such as is common today. No one was saying, "I will worship God in my way, and you can worship Him in your way." There has was none of that. Redeemed people who were called to be a holy people with a holy priesthood were to come to God with the sacrifices God chose. The one who offered would only be accepted if the offering he brought was accepted. Cain, the first apostate, learned that the hard way. To deliberately turn away from God's revealed will has soul-damning consequences.
"Vayichrah," ("And He called") - the original name of the book in Hebrew, is known as Leviticus. It is not really a book of instructions to the Levities, but a call from God to come and worship in the beauty of holiness. A holy God gave His declaration how redeemed people can have access into His presence. The shedding of blood is the only way for remission of sins, and how it was to be done was not left up to man's ideas. In my mind's eye I could look back and see how over half of human history as far as time, there were times and ways God opened the door to fellowship with men. Those dispensations of God's dealings with humanity recorded in the book of Genesis did not work because of man's willfulness and failure. But at the foot of Mt. Sinai, God opened another dispensation of time to allow men access and fellowship with Him through the giving of the law. Access to God has never been a casual stroll into some grotto, church or self- chosen spot. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord." The worship of God is always an act of devotion that is motivated by appreciation and gratitude for who God is and His gracious interest in us. Worship is always to be approached with an awareness of awe, deep respect, dignity, reverence and holiness of life that accompanies real true humility.
I see a man looking over his herd, his flock and his dove-cote to see what he has that would be acceptable to God. The loom of Mt. Sinai impresses him with a holy fear of God who had spoken in fire, thunder and earthquake. The law had been given; the Tabernacle was finished and standing in its appointed place, and he is - Oh, so conscious, that God is near. From every animal he possesses, he picks the very best to bring to God. He is not going to bring one of his overworked oxen. He brings the one animal that is better than all the rest and sets it aside to watch it to see if there was any defect in it that was hidden from his eyes at first. Almost everything has more than one purpose, but this one animal has a higher purpose than any other. It was to represent Christ and lead the offeror into the place where faith had become real. This animal is making it possible for this man to come to God by faith. God is going to scrutinizing the offering and if it is acceptable the man will be accepted. If the offering is not accepted, the offeror will not be accepted. The offering is what really counted.
The moral perfection that is needed to be in the presence of God is impossible for man to attain to. It is only possible if there is a sinless one without the capacity to sin that is able to be substituted for the sinner. With fearful reverence, but trusting in the word of God who said that burnt offering would be a sweet savor to Him if it met the holy requirements, I see the one who brought the offering, put his hand on the head of that perfect creature in identification. By doing so he testified to his inability to come to God as he was, he testified he believed God's word so his faith was counted for righteousness. He testified to the perfections of the sinless sacrifice, and then he killed the sinless animal in total identification with it. That was the first part of what he had to do. The priests took the blood, and by sprinkling it on the four sides of the brazen altar they demonstrated the efficacy of the blood and sacrifice. The offeror skinned the animal so that all the inward perfections were exposed. Each piece he separated from the others around it, was to testify to the moral perfections of Him of whom the sacrifice represented. This was a type of Christ in the moral perfections of the many offices He bears, the character and the personhood of the Savior. His relationships, His holy life, His suffering, His glory, His supremacy, His authority - every part of His was perfect, and it was there for all to see.
When the burnt offering was an ox, the offeror put his hand on the head of the animal, killed it and skinned it and separated the pieces, washed the inwards that spoke of the feelings, and the legs that spoke of the perfect walk of the Lord Jesus Christ. The offeror who brought the perfect sheep or goat took it to the north side of the altar to kill it. There is no mention of laying a hand on its head or skinning it, but it was cut in pieces and washed. The bird that was offered as a burnt offering was left complete but was opened up by the wings and spread out. Each animal had a meaning and each part as well. The ox would teach us of the persistent and faithful service of the Lord when in His life He "did always those things that pleased the Father." He never failed nor faltered in His duty and could say, "I have finished the work Thou gavest Me to do." The sheep teaches us of the character of the Lord. "I delight to do Thy will, Oh my God." His submission never ceased and He never complained about all He had to pass through. The dove/pigeon teaches us of the innocence of our Lord Jesus Christ who was "holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners." The head of the animal that was arranged in place on the altar teaches us of the thoughts of our Lord towards His Father. The thoughts and plans of God were going to be fulfilled and the Lord did them willingly and completely. The legs teach us of the perfect walk of the Lord in the light of fellowship and communion with His Father. The inwards speak of the feelings and affections of Christ towards His Father and the fat speaks of the health and vigor of the Lord as He hastened to do the Father's will in every way.
The sweet-savor offerings were burnt on the brazen altar. The other two were done differently. In my mind I can see the offeror look at everything in its place on the altar on top of the wood and watch, as that perfect offering was accepted by God. "We are accepted in the Beloved." It is the offering that was important as a life was offered to God completely as a type of the Perfect One who would come and please God in every way. The offeror would see the sinless one die, and be completely consumed by the fire - and knew God was well pleased.
I watched in my mind and learned that reverence for God cannot be just put on and taken off at will. When it is real, there will be obedience to God when we submit to His word. The sacrifice is to be perfect and holy; offered by a holy priest with a sense of true commitment to God; demonstrated by sincerely giving God the best I have. When that is true, worship will be in spirit and in truth. There will no additions or subtractions to the voluntary response of body, soul and spirit of the worshipper - expressed visibly, emotionally and spiritually. In that way God is glorified. In my heart I see the one who brought the perfect sweet-savor sacrifice of the burnt offering that was suitable to his ability and apprehension of God's grace, walking to his home with his heart filled with gratitude to God and his spirit lifted up to praise, worship and obey the One True God who delivered him from slavery and brought him into a place of blessing.