The subject worked out for this month is—
The offerings of Leviticus, and the various points in which they are typical of Christ.
This is a subject of a very different character from any which have hitherto occupied us, and it is one in which a reverent handling of the Word of God is more than ever necessary. In the consideration of these typical sacrifices there is so much that suggests itself to the heart for which perhaps the direct teaching of Scripture cannot be adduced, that we need to be especially careful that we are not carried away by our imaginations.
We have therefore felt it necessary, in arranging the papers sent in, to prune with a somewhat unsparing hand. The result is perhaps somewhat more brief than we could have wished, but we were anxious not to give it the appearance of a series of extended remarks on the Offerings. This will perhaps be more suitable for the paper in next month’s number.
It will be observed that in the peace offering we have merely indicated the chief points in the law, but in such a manner as we hope may direct the hearts of our readers to the spiritual meaning of the sacrifice.
The Burnt Offering.
A male without blemish, Leviticus 1:3. “Without spot” Hebrews 9:14; “ a lamb without blemish and without spot,” 1 Peter 1:19.
Of his own voluntary will, Leviticus 1:3. “Christ who... offered himself... to God” Hebrews 9:14; “ Therefore doth my Father love rue because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of thyself.” John 10:17,18.
He shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, Leviticus 1:4,—the identity of the offerer with the sacrifice. “as he is, so are we in this world” 1 John 4:17; also 2 Corinthians 5.17; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:20.
And he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into his pieces, Leviticus 1:6.
And the priests...shall lay the parts, the head and the fat in order upon the wood, Leviticus 1:8.
And his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water, Leviticus 1:4. Thus not only was Christ’s outward life perfect in the sight of God and man, but His inner life also, the head-intelligence; the fat-will; the inwards-motives; the legs-walk, and the two latter were washed in water, thus rendering them typically what Christ was essentially-pure. “I come to do thy will, O God,” Hebrews 10:9; “ I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea thy law is within my heart” Psalms 40:8.
And the priest shall burn all on the altar, a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord, Leviticus 1:9. “Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.” Ephesians 5:2.
The distinctive features of this offering would appear to be the death of the offering which was to be consumed wholly by fire for a sweet savor unto the Lord.
The Meat Offering.
His offering shall be of fine flour, Leviticus 2:1. The characteristic of fine flour is its evenness, the absence of anything rough or unequal; hence it is adapted to be a type of our Lord’s perfect life, on the earth. It is impossible to say of Him (as we might say of the most devoted of His followers) that He was distinguished by any one particular quality-all was perfect and all was in its place.
Fine flour mingled with oil, Leviticus 2:5. “ That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost, “ Matthew 20.
Thou shalt pour oil thereon. Leviticus 2:6. “The heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. “Matthew 3:16; Luke 3;21-22.
With all the frankincense thereof, Leviticus 2:2. The sweet savor of the life of Christ Godward.
Salt, Leviticus 2:13. —Salt in Scripture is that which preserves from corruption. “Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with salt,” Colossians 4:6, and how true a description is this of our Lord’s intercourse with those by whom He was surrounded!
For ye shall burn no leaven, Leviticus 2:11.-Leaven in scripture is invariably a type of evil, and the application of this thought typically to our Lord’s life is too obvious to need comment.
Nor any honey, Leviticus 2:11. —Honey apparently is used to express sweetness, but in a human sense. How needful is the example presented to us by our Lord’s life that we should not allow the claims of nature to interfere with our service, See Mark 3:31-35; Luke 2:49; John 2:4.
Baken in the oven (Leviticus 2:4), in a pan (v. 5), in the fryingpan (v. 7) These thoughts surely present the sufferings of our Lord, but inasmuch as the meat offering was in no respect a sin offering, we may perhaps judge that it represents not His sufferings at the hand of God as the sin-bearer, but as a perfect man in the midst of all the evil and sorrow brought into the world through sin-See Isaiah 53:4.
And the remainder of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons, Leviticus 2:3; see also chapter 6:14-18, where the priests were directed to eat it in the holy place.
“A royal priesthood,” 1 Peter 2:9; “priests” Revelation 1:6. Hence we are taught that the believer’s spiritual life is nourished as he meditates on the perfections of Jesus—but in the holy place.
In this offering there is no death; and while part is offered by fire for a sweet-savor unto the Lord, the remainder is the food of the priests.
The Peace Offering.
In many points this offering is so similar to the burnt offering, that a comparison of the two may serve to bring the points of difference clearly before us.
Both were offerings made by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord (chapter 1:9; 3:5).
In both the identity of the offerer with his offering were expressed by the laying on of his hands (chapter 1:4: 3:2.)
Both were free-will offerings.
The burnt offering was to be a male without blemish-the peace offering might be either a male or female.
The burnt offering was flayed, cut in pieces, and the inwards washed in water—in the peace offering these directions are omitted.
In the burnt offering the priest was to burn all on the altar—in the peace offering only the fat, the kidneys, and the caul were to be burned, the rest being reserved as food for the offerer arid the priest.
In the ordinance of the peace offering directions are given that neither blood nor fat are ever to be eaten. Blood-that which makes atonement; the life which belongs to God. Fat— “the food of the offering by fire for a sweet savor” expressing the energies of a will devoted entirely to the service of God, “all the fat is the Lord’s.”
If the peace offering was for a thanksgiving, the offerer was to eat his portion the same day as that on which it was offered, Leviticus 7:12-35. If it was a vow or a voluntary offering, it might be eaten the same day and the day following, and the third day it was to be burned.
None might partake of the peace offering save those who were clean, see 1 John 1:7.
It was to be shared with the priest who offered it, whose portion was to be the right shoulder.
The breast was to be Aaron’s and his sons.
In this sacrifice death is presented, the Lord’s portion is burnt as a sweet savor unto the lord, and the remainder is the food of the offerer, of the offering priest, and of the priests in general.
In these three sacrifices it will be observed that sin is not in view: in the burnt offering indeed, atonement is spoken of, but still it is not the thought; all are characterized as “an offering made by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord.”
We now come to an offering in which this significant expression is omitted.
The Sin Offering.
Under this head are two great classes-sin offerings and trespass offerings, and the latter again are divided into four, as follows: (1) Leviticus 4; (2) Leviticus 5:1-13; (3) Leviticus 5:14-19; (4) Leviticus 6:1-7.
In the consideration of these offerings we need to bear particularly in mind the words of the apostle Paul in Hebrews 10 and especially verse 14.
It may be more convenient if we consider principally the sin offering of the great day of atonement (Leviticus 16), as being the one by which the relationship of the people with Jehovah was maintained, and therefore typical of the work by which we are brought into relationship with God.
It will be observed that while burnt offerings (in which the truth of atonement is presented) were offered, there were neither meat nor peace offerings.
“ That he come not at all times into the holy place within the wail,” Leviticus 16:2; Hebrews 9:7; Luke 23:45; Hebrews 10:19.
“ He shall put on the holy linen coat, etc.... these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water and so put them on,” Leviticus 16:4. “ For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26.
“And he shall take...two kids of the goats for a sin offering.” Leviticus 16:5. We judge from this that the directions with regard to both animals must be considered, for us to learn from the type a full view of the work of Christ as the sin offering.
“ One lot for the Lord” Leviticus 16:8. “ Behold the Lamb of God.” John 1:36.
“ The other lot for the scape-goat.” Leviticus 16:8. Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6.
“ And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell and offer him for a sin offering.” Leviticus 16:9. and in detail verses 15-19. “Whom God hath set forth a propitiation,” Romans 3:25.
“But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.” Leviticus 16:10; and in detail verses 20-22. “Who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25.
“Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring his blood within the vail... and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat,” Leviticus 16:15. “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal, (seven times sprinkled) redemption.” Hebrews 9:11,12.
“And he shall make an atonement for the holy place,” Leviticus 16:16. Hebrews 9: 21-23, 24, “for Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself.”
“And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation” Leviticus 16:17. “And there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour,” Luke 23:44.
“And have made an atonement... for all the congregation of Israel,” Leviticus 16:17. “To make propitiation (R. V.) for the sins of the people,” Hebrews 2:17. “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the whole world,” 1 John 2:2.
“And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel,” Leviticus 16:21. “The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,” Isaiah 53:6.
“And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited,” Leviticus 16:22. “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more,” Hebrews 10:17: Psalms 103:12.
“Without the camp: and they shall burn in the fire their skins and their flesh and their dung,” Leviticus 16:27. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate, Hebrews 13:11,12.
“And this shall be a statute forever unto you, that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month... on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you,” Leviticus 16:29,30; “once a year” Leviticus 16:34. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others... but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared... So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, Hebrews 9:25-28.
In the sin offering, as set forth in Leviticus 4:5-6, there remain a few points to be noticed which supplement the teaching of Chapter 16 Such of the details as are common to other sacrifices are omitted.
“He shall lay his hand upon the bullock’s head,” Leviticus 4:4. Expressive of identity— “He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.
In the burnt offering we read of the laying on of the hands, but also it shall be accepted for him, chapter 1:4. So that the offerer shared in all the acceptance of the offering; here the body of the sin offering is burned without the camp (chapter 4:12): hence the offering is identified with the guilt of the offerer.
In verses 8-10 we find that the parts, which in the burnt offering were washed and then burnt on the altar, are here likewise burnt-the excellency and perfections of Christ acceptable to God, even when he “suffered for sins, the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18.
It will be observed that these sacrifices were offered by those whose position before God had been secured for one year by the sacrifice offered on the great day of atonement which had been considered above: they have therefore the aspect of the restoration of one already in relationship with God and not of the bringing of any into relationship. Their teaching is thus more by contrast, and we do not so readily refer to texts showing the typical bearing.
The sacrifice of the red heifer in Numbers 19, is of deep interest.
The blood was sprinkled seven times and the body burned, as in Leviticus 4, 5 and 16 without the camp, and into the burning were cast cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet, expressive of the world (see Galatians 6:14).
The ashes were then preserved, and water added to them as a water of purification to cleanse any who had contracted defilement. See Hebrews 9:13,14.
The following would appear a brief summary of the teaching we gather from the above chapter.
The Burnt Offering-offered wholly to God for a sweet savor. Christ in death, devoted to the Father’s glory, offering Himself without spot to God.
The Meat Offering-part offered to God for a sweet savor, the remainder eaten by Aaron and his sons. Christ in life, devoted to the glory of the Father whose delight was in His perfection, and also the spiritual food of the believer.
The Peace Offering-part offered to God for a sweet savor, the rest eaten part by the offerer and part by the priests. Christ devoted to the Father’s glory unto death, and also the believer’s appreciation of and communion therewith.
The Sin Offering of the great day of atonement—the blood of one goat sprinkled before and on the mercy seat to make atonement, and the body burned outside the camp—the sins of the people confessed on the head of the other goat and borne away into the wilderness. Christ making atonement to God and bearing our sins in His own body on the tree.
It will be observed that the above is the order in which the laws of the offerings are given: in the application, as in Leviticus 9 and 14, the sin offering comes first.
Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law, then said he, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. Hebrews 10:8,9.