Jesus in the Old Testament 019:
Jesus and the Levitical Sacrifices, Pt 1
Lev 1-2
Thesis: People who love and are loved by God will do several things because of this love relationship. Among these are gifts, thanksgiving, praise, and repentance. In the Sinaitic covenant, these aspects of a relationship with God were all mediated by priests through sacrifice. Christ is now the sole mediator for the people of God. All Levitical sacrifices pointed to Him, and in him are all sacrifices fulfilled.
- Nutshell with Kids (<5min)
- If you love
someone, tell me some of the things you do to let them know?
- What about
loving God? What are some of the
things that we do to let Him know that we love Him?
- In the OT,
right after the Israelites got the 10 commandments at Mt. Sinai, God told
them the kinds of gifts he wanted to get from them in the form of 5
sacrifices.
- When they
wanted to worship God and give a gift out of love, they gave a burnt
offering.
- When they
wanted to thank God for what he’d given them, they gave a grain
offering.
- When they
wanted to celebrate the peaceful relationship they have with God (or
take a step toward a more peaceful one), they gave a peace offering (or
fellowship offering).
- When
they’d don something against God’s commands and had offended Him, they
gave a sin offering.
- When
they’d done something against another person, they gave a guilt
offering.
- Do we give
God animals as sacrifices today?
Why not, do you think?
- Jesus has
fulfilled all of these sacrifices for us.
- We don’t
have to sacrifice animals anymore, but we should still be concerned
about giving God gifts, thanking him, celebrating him, and repenting of
our sins.
- Deeper
- Historical-Geographic
setting: Israel is still camped at the base of Mt. Sinai. From Exodus 19 to Numbers 10, there is
no forward movement toward Canaan. They are camped there for a year.
- Introduction
to Leviticus:
- All
scripture is God-breathed, even Leviticus!
- According
to the Midrash, Jewish children in Rabbinical schools are taught out of
Leviticus first, even before Genesis, so that the “purer hearts of
children may be instructed in Holiness first and will remain pure. These pure hearts can better be taught
to draw near to a Holy God.”
- The
principal goal of Leviticus is an instruction in Holiness. God is lifted up as infinitely Holy,
and His people are repeatedly admonished to be Holy because God is Holy
(Lev 11:44).
a)
It is a mistake to see Leviticus
as only the civil or outmoded religious code of a different dispensation.
b)
We are not under this law because
Christ has fulfilled it, not because it is no longer valid
(1)
Matt 5:17-20
(2)
Rom 8:3-4
- There are
six major kinds of sacrifices listed in the opening chapters of
Leviticus. One is only for the
consecration of a priest. The
other five are to be employed by the people in the worship of God.
a)
Burnt offering: Supplication,
repentance, devotion.
b)
Grain offering: an accompaniment
offering that speaks to the constancy of God’s covenant and faithfulness toward
His people.
c)
Peace offering (fellowship
offering): speaks to the friendship and love between God, his priests, and His
people.
d)
Sin offering: Seeking absolution
for a sin against the Lord Himself (first 4 commandments).
e)
Guilt offering: Seeking absolution
for a sin against another person (last 6 commandments). There is a special
subset for sins against priests or holy objects in the tabernacle.
- All of
these sacrifices point to Christ.
While He is no actually present here or specifically prophesied
about in this passage, these are all types of Christ.
- These
sacrifices didn’t actually “do” what the people wanted. The blood of bulls and goats does not
actually remove the sin. These are only shadows of what Christ would do.
a)
Heb 10:1-4
b)
Rom 3:21-26
- The setting
of this revelation is the tent of meeting, the tabernacle which had just
been described and built in the 25 preceding chapters.
- The Moral
law is given with smoke, fire, lightning, and a booming voice from the
top of a mountain.
- The
remedial law is given in a still small voice in a tent.
- Moses
likely taking dictation in the Holy Place while God spoke from inside
the Holy of Holies.
- Should be
read immediately after the end of Exodus, with the presence of God in
the tabernacle.
- Burnt
Offerings (Lev 1)
- An
offering given by freewill of the supplicant. A joyful giving to God.
- To happen
daily in morning and evening Ex 29:38-42
- Most
costly offering. All of it
burned. None of it goes to any
person whatsoever.
- Differing
expenses allowed, dependent upon the ability of the worshipper: Bulls,
Male Rams or Male Goats, or pigeons.
a)
Males without blemish (vs 3, 10)
(1)
Tamiym Used 91x in OT. 44x about
sacrifices, as here. “Without blemish.”
(2)
39x of people, “righteous,”
“upright,” “blameless.”
(a)
Gen 6:9-- first usage.
(b)
Gen 17:1
b)
Gender not specified with the
pigeons.
c)
Jesus, obviously male.
d)
Sinless:
(1)
I Pe 2:22
(2)
2 Cor 5:21
(3)
Heb 4:15
- Participation
of the worshipper:
a)
Two participants, “he,” the
worshipper, and the priest.
b)
“He”:
(1)
Brings the offering (vs 3)
(a)
Jesus brought himself. He was not forced into his death.
(b)
John 10:17-18
(c)
Luke 23:46
(d)
Psalm 31:5-8
(2)
Is accepted at the gate of the
tabernacle (vs 3) and “North side of the Altar” (vs 11).
(a)
Jesus was condemned to death at
Pilot’s Palace, (cf Lk 23)
(b)
Pilate’s palace was just outside
the north gate of the temple complex.
(3)
Lays his hands on the sacrifice
(vs 4) and kills it (vs 5)
(4)
Receives atonement (vs 4).
(5)
The one who lays his hands on it
and kills it is atoned by the sacrifice.
Who “laid their hands on” Jesus?
(a)
Jesus’ own followers (Lk 22:47-48)
(b)
The Jewish leadership (Lk
22:66-23:5)
(c)
The Jewish people (Lk 23:18-23)
(d)
Gentile Governmental powers (Lk
23:24-25, 32-33)
(6)
Jesus was killed by
representatives of every kind of person.
We all “laid our hands on him,” Consequently, we all share in the
atonement provided.
c)
After the worshipper does his
part, God, acting through the priest, does His.
(1)
Flaying the animal (vs 6)
(2)
Lighting the fire (vs 7)
(3)
Burning the animal (vs 8-9)
(4)
Cleaning up afterward (6:10-11)
(5)
God credits as righteousness the
act of faith performed by the believer (As Abraham, Gen 15:6)
- This is an
act of total devotion that pleases the Lord (vs 9, 13, 17).
a)
Jesus’ death was prophesied to
please the Lord!
(1)
Isa 1:11. God does not find pleasure in offerings of
animals since they can be done without a repentant heart.
(2)
God cannot derive pleasure from
sinners. In fact, he hates them.
(3)
God does not find pleasure in
executing his judgment on sinners (Ezek 18:23, 33:11)
(4)
Yet, God can derive pleasure from
His elect (Zeph 3:17).
(5)
How where does the pleasure come
from? Not from any action of the sinner
(Romans 7:18; John 15:5)
(6)
The pleasure shows up in punishing
Christ
(a)
Isa 53:10. Better translated “It
pleased the Lord to crush Him.”
(b)
Only NIV and ESV “excuse God” by
saying that it was merely His plan.
(i)
KJV: Yet it pleased the LORD to
bruise him
(ii)
NKJV: Yet it pleased the LORD to
bruise Him
(iii)
NASB: But the LORD was
pleased to crush Him
(iv)
YLT: And Jehovah hath delighted to
bruise him
(7)
Eph 5:2, direct reference.
- Grain
Offerings (lev 2)
- Not about
atoning for sin. Purely for
worship.
- Probably
meant to accompany other offerings (Numb 28:31). Completes the meal.
- Some
suggest it was the poorest person’s offering (5:11), although in this
context, that is not present in the text.
- Expensive
as well.
a)
Fine flour, not the cheap stuff
(vs 1)
b)
Hebrew word used specifies wheat
flour. Twice the value per pound of barley flour.
c)
With Frankincense (vs 1, 2, 15,
16)
- For the
priest’s wage. This is how he
gets bread to eat while working.
a)
Only a small portion burned
(memorial, vs 9-10)
b)
The rest is “most holy” to the
Lord. They need to eat it in the
tabernacle (6:16).
- It can be
baked, fried, or given as raw ingredients (vs 4-7).
- Ingredients
constant:
a)
Fine flour, costly. Jesus is the
highest version of mankind.
b)
Oil, symbolic of the Holy Spirit.
The meal is “anointed” with oil. Zech 4, esp vs 6. Jesus was filled with the
Holy Spirit.
c)
Salt, not Leaven.
(1)
Leaven is scripture symbolizes sin
and decay (yeast is a decomposer).
(a)
Pride 1 Cor 5:6
(b)
Puffs up, makes bread bigger than
it is.
(c)
Christ is sinless (above). No
pride. Flattened out, Phil 2.
(2)
Why not honey?
(a)
Honey can also cause bread to
rise, as the naturally-occurring yeast in flour can feed on it when baking and
bring some lift the bread.
(b)
The same Hebrew word can also mean
the sweet syrup of dates and figs. This explains why it’s okay during
Firstfruits, when people are burning the first portion of their
agriculture. Fruit would be included.
(3)
Salt is a flavor enhancer, but
also a preservative.
(a)
The offering testifies to
preservation and longevity, not to decay.
(b)
Christ also taught about the
preservative nature of salt and tied it to our witness (Matt 5:13).
(4)
Frankincense is a costly perfume
and incense. All of what is brought is
thrown on the fire.
(5)
Baking bread is a pleasing aroma,
but burning bread is not.
(6)
Frankincense makes the whole thing
pleasurable.
(7)
Frankincense at Christ’s birth
when he is in Bethlehem, the “house of bread.” When he is in the house of
bread, Frankincense is given to accompany him.
- Christ
calls himself a bread sacrifice in Jn 6:51
- Application
- We don’t
have to give God an animal sacrifice anymore, but there should be
sacrificial acts of love to our God.
What can’t you do, that you would like to do, because you have
given an offering to the Lord?
- We aren’t
called to give bread to the priests anymore to say “Thank you” to the
Lord, but we ought to share what we have with others out of our supply,
not just our abundance.
- God is
Holy and we are not. Our
relationship with God is freely provided by Christ, but that doesn’t
mean that it is “cheap.” Rather,
it is so costly that there is no hope that we can pay the price
ourselves.
Discussion
Questions:
- Why do you
think that it is important that the worshipper burned the entire animal
completely on the altar?
- If the
worshipper didn’t give the burnt sacrifice in order to get forgiveness of
sin, what kinds of circumstances do you think would motivate someone to do
this?
- When someone
brings a grain sacrifice, only some of it is burned. The rest is given to the priest. What can this teach us today?
- Talk about
what we can learn about Jesus from these sacrifices.
Discussion
Questions:
- Why do you
think that it is important that the worshipper burned the entire animal
completely on the altar?
- If the
worshipper didn’t give the burnt sacrifice in order to get forgiveness of
sin, what kinds of circumstances do you think would motivate someone to do
this?
- When someone
brings a grain sacrifice, only some of it is burned. The rest is given to the priest. What can this teach us today?
- Talk about
what we can learn about Jesus from these sacrifices.
Discussion
Questions:
- Why do you
think that it is important that the worshipper burned the entire animal
completely on the altar?
- If the
worshipper didn’t give the burnt sacrifice in order to get forgiveness of
sin, what kinds of circumstances do you think would motivate someone to do
this?
- When someone
brings a grain sacrifice, only some of it is burned. The rest is given to the priest. What can this teach us today?
- Talk about
what we can learn about Jesus from these sacrifices.
Discussion
Questions:
- Why do you
think that it is important that the worshipper burned the entire animal
completely on the altar?
- If the
worshipper didn’t give the burnt sacrifice in order to get forgiveness of
sin, what kinds of circumstances do you think would motivate someone to do
this?
- When someone
brings a grain sacrifice, only some of it is burned. The rest is given to the priest. What can this teach us today?
- Talk about
what we can learn about Jesus from these sacrifices.
