"And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. 3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. 4And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him" (Lev. 1:1-2).
The book of Leviticus has been called the handbook of the Priest. It teaches us how God's people are to approach His Holy presence. God must be worshiped in Spirit and in truth. We must seek God on His terms not our own. The book of Leviticus begins by the Lord giving Moses laws and instructions concerning the offerings that were to be brought before God by the priest. These offerings were as follows: The burnt, meal, peace, sin, and trespass offerings. "The offerings indicated the provision of a method by which man might be brought back into nearness to, and knowledge of, and communion with God. The first three revealed the ideal relationship:
- The burnt, speaking of complete devotion;
- The meal, of established communion; and
- The peace, of the experience growing therefrom.
The final two suggested the method by which those away from communion might be restored; both the sin and the trespass offerings in different applications teaching the possibility of the canceling of sin, and the restoration of the soul to God. Whether our interpretation of the individual significance of the offerings agrees or not, we shall all agree that the underlying teaching is that of the possibility of restored approach to God" (G. Campbell Morgan).
According to the book of Hebrews (the best commentary on the books of the law) the Laws, pattern for the tabernacle and Levitical Priesthood was all a prophetic picture of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ (Read Hebrews 8-9). Jesus is the fulfillment of it all--He is what it all pointed to. The Levitical Priest were but mere shadows whereas Jesus was the reality. The author of Hebrews writes, "For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself" (Heb. 7:26-27).
With His own blood Jesus restores fallen sinners back into fellowship with a Holy gracious and loving God. Through His sacrifice, all that trust Him become themselves Kings and priest unto God with the privileged of approaching a Holy God in the name of Jesus. And the offering that we are to present unto God is our bodies as living sacrifices, Holy and acceptable unto God (Romans 12:1-2). We are saved to live, by the power of the Holy Spirit, lives that our sanctified (set apart) unto God for the glory of His name. If you’re a believer your greatest asset (which cost heavens best) is your access to God.
The psalmist wrote, “O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary” (Psalm 96:1-6).
Come into the sanctuary of God’s Holy presence with a cleansed and surrendered heart and you will discover the blessed life you were created to live.
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