Leviticus 1

Leviticus 1 outlines the regulations for the burnt offering, one of the primary sacrifices in the Israelite sacrificial system. The burnt offering was offered to atone for sin and express devotion to God. The entire animal was burned, symbolizing total surrender to God's will. The chapter provides detailed instructions on how various animals are to be offered, depending on what the person can afford.

Leviticus 1:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Now the Lord called to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of the livestock—of the herd and of the flock.’”

God calls Moses from the tabernacle, emphasizing that the instructions for the offerings come directly from Him. The Israelites are to bring offerings from their livestock, showing that the sacrifices are to be valuable and a symbol of their devotion. The mention of "the herd and the flock" indicates that the offerings should come from common domestic animals, which were significant possessions for the Israelites.

Leviticus 1:3 (NKJV)
3 “If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord."

The burnt offering must be a male animal without blemish, symbolizing purity and perfection. It was essential that the offering was voluntary, demonstrating the heart of the worshiper’s devotion and willingness to honor God. The offering is presented at the entrance of the tabernacle, a place signifying God’s presence and the worshiper’s desire to approach Him.

Leviticus 1:4-5 (NKJV)
4 Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
5 He shall kill the bull before the Lord; and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

The worshiper places his hand on the animal’s head, symbolizing the transfer of sin and the identification of the offering with the worshiper. The animal is then killed, representing the penalty of sin being paid through the death of a substitute. The priests take the blood and sprinkle it around the altar, signifying the atonement and purification that the blood provides.

Leviticus 1:6-9 (NKJV)
6 And he shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces.
7 The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay the wood in order on the fire.
8 Then the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar;
9 but he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water. And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

The detailed process of preparing the animal reflects the care and reverence required in worship. Each part of the animal is laid on the altar, and everything is consumed by fire, symbolizing the complete dedication of the offering to God. The washing of the entrails and legs highlights the need for purity in every part of the offering. The sacrifice is described as a "sweet aroma," indicating that it is pleasing to God, not because of the animal itself, but because of the heart of the worshiper and the obedience to God’s command.

Leviticus 1:10-13 (NKJV)
10 “If his offering is of the flocks—of the sheep or of the goats—as a burnt sacrifice, he shall bring a male without blemish.
11 He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the Lord; and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.
12 And he shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar;
13 but he shall wash the entrails and the legs with water. Then the priest shall bring it all and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord."

The procedure for offering a sheep or goat as a burnt offering is very similar to that of the bull, emphasizing again that the animal must be without blemish, signifying the purity required for the sacrifice. The blood is sprinkled around the altar, and the entire animal is burnt, representing the total offering of oneself to God. The repetition of the phrase “a sweet aroma to the Lord” reinforces the idea that such offerings, when done with the right heart, are pleasing to God.

Leviticus 1:14-17 (NKJV)
14 “And if the burnt sacrifice of his offering to the Lord is of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or young pigeons.
15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out at the side of the altar.
16 And he shall remove its crop with its feathers and cast it beside the altar on the east side, into the place for ashes.
17 Then he shall split it at its wings, but shall not divide it completely; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord."

For those who could not afford livestock, birds could be offered as burnt offerings, showing that God made provisions for all to participate in worship regardless of their economic status. The priest performs the offering on behalf of the worshiper, and the bird is treated with the same reverence as the larger animals. Despite the difference in the type of offering, the same result is achieved—a pleasing aroma to the Lord, symbolizing that God values the heart of the giver over the size or type of the gift.