Offerings to YHWH
On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. 2 He said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf for your sin offering and a ram for your burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before the Lord. 3 Then say to the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb—both a year old and without defect—for a burnt offering, 4 and an ox and a ram for a fellowship offering to sacrifice before the Lord, together with a grain offering mixed with olive oil. For today the Lord will appear to you.’”
Leviticus 9:1-4
You might remember from Saturday, we saw that even the Priests had to make offerings for their own sin as well as the people’s. As the Psalmist says, none is righteous, no not one. Everyone needs to have their sin atoned for (except for Jesus of course).
But let’s see some details. Did you notice there are a few different kinds of offerings that Aaron is to do?
The Sin Offering:
The purpose of the sin offering is for purification. This is to recognise the polluting effects of sin. God is righteous and holy. But sinners have been defiled by sin. The purpose for the offering is to cleanse the sinner. The ‘perfect’ blood of the animal washes clean the sins of the sinner.
The Burnt Offering:
The purpose of the sin offering is to take the consequence of sin. God’s justice demands a punishment for sin. To sin is to break covenant. It is to rebel against a righteous King. The price for sin is death and you could argue that even here the picture of eternal fire is in view. The animal takes the punishment for our sin.
The Fellowship Offering:
Unlike the sin and burnt offering. The fellowship offering has an added element. This offering was to be shared with others. It’s a reminder that we give thanks communally. Our relationship with God is not ours alone but has a vertical (us & God) as well as a relational (each other) element.
Grain Offering:
A sacrifice from the produce of the land - the work of your hands. It’s a reminder that everything we have comes from God and in recognition of that - we offer some of it back to God.
I wonder if you would have just ‘glossed over’ these details? It’s a good reminder, that sometimes, even in the more confusing, boring or tricky to understand passages, there is often gold hidden.
But ultimately, these offerings point to the once-and-for-all offering of Jesus. God has given us the perfect sacrifice of not a bull, goat or bird. But of his Son. Who died on the altar of the cross for our sins.
Today:
Pray:
Leviticus 9:1-4
You might remember from Saturday, we saw that even the Priests had to make offerings for their own sin as well as the people’s. As the Psalmist says, none is righteous, no not one. Everyone needs to have their sin atoned for (except for Jesus of course).
But let’s see some details. Did you notice there are a few different kinds of offerings that Aaron is to do?
The Sin Offering:
The purpose of the sin offering is for purification. This is to recognise the polluting effects of sin. God is righteous and holy. But sinners have been defiled by sin. The purpose for the offering is to cleanse the sinner. The ‘perfect’ blood of the animal washes clean the sins of the sinner.
The Burnt Offering:
The purpose of the sin offering is to take the consequence of sin. God’s justice demands a punishment for sin. To sin is to break covenant. It is to rebel against a righteous King. The price for sin is death and you could argue that even here the picture of eternal fire is in view. The animal takes the punishment for our sin.
The Fellowship Offering:
Unlike the sin and burnt offering. The fellowship offering has an added element. This offering was to be shared with others. It’s a reminder that we give thanks communally. Our relationship with God is not ours alone but has a vertical (us & God) as well as a relational (each other) element.
Grain Offering:
A sacrifice from the produce of the land - the work of your hands. It’s a reminder that everything we have comes from God and in recognition of that - we offer some of it back to God.
I wonder if you would have just ‘glossed over’ these details? It’s a good reminder, that sometimes, even in the more confusing, boring or tricky to understand passages, there is often gold hidden.
But ultimately, these offerings point to the once-and-for-all offering of Jesus. God has given us the perfect sacrifice of not a bull, goat or bird. But of his Son. Who died on the altar of the cross for our sins.
Today:
- What do you notice about these offerings?
- What do these offerings teach you about the nature of sin?
- What should you offer to God this week?
Pray:
- Praise the Father for offering his Son.
- Give thanks for Jesus who was a willing sacrifice.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others respond to God’s grace as you should.
Posted in Leviticus
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