WS Chronicle

By Elder Richard Wayne Wood

Scriptures: Leviticus 1:3-17 

By the end of this lesson, we will:  

*God’s key expectations for burnt offerings; 

*Compare and contrast the expectation of an unblemished sacrifice with 1 Peter 1:19;   

*Recruit an accountability partner for mutual support giving God the best of your service. 

Background: The book of Leviticus details the way that God’s people during that time, could live in ritual and moral purity despite their sins. If they did so, God could dwell among the people and demonstrate His glory to them, and they could fulfill their mission of serving as a light to nations around them. The consistent theme of sacrifice throughout the book demonstrates that sin has drastic implications – someone or something had to die to cover personal and communal sin before people could worship God rightly. The sacrificial death of a substitute was meant to remind the nation that they lived and worshipped under God’s gracious permission despite their sinfulness.  The offerings of sacrifice are varied. They are: 1. Burnt offering (Lv 1:3-17; 6:8-13), 2. Grain offering (Lv 2:1-16; 6:14-23), 3. Peace offering (Lv 3:1-17; 7:11-36), 4. Sin offering (Lv 4:1-5:13; 6:24-30), 5. Guilt offering (Lv 5:14-6:7; 7:1-10).  

Lesson: An Offering from the Herd (Leviticus 1:3-9). In verses 1-2 God instructs Moses to speak to the people about offerings. “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall make his offering a male without blemish” (verse 3a). The burnt offering is burned on the altar in its entirety. It’s a total sacrifice intended to make one right with God. The burnt offering signified voluntary and complete dedication and consecration to the LORD. It was an offering of repentance for sins committed, with the desire to be purged from the guilt of sinful acts. “A male without blemish” = The males were usually stronger and considered more valuable. The sacrifice must be more than strong – it must be perfect. An imperfect sacrifice could neither atone for its own sin or sins of others. The unblemished animal is a nod toward the ultimate sacrifice and atonement of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:19 “… without blemish and without spot.” “He shall bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, for acceptance in his behalf before the LORD” (verse 3b). “Before the LORD” – sacrifices are to be made to the LORD alone and the proper place to offer the sacrifice was the Tent of Meeting, not their private residence. “He shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, that it may be acceptable in his behalf, in expiation for him” (verse 4). Laying hand on the burnt offering expressed the surrender of the gift to God, the identification of the gift with the giver and the transfer to the sacrifice of all that the worshipper owed to God. “In expiation for him” – the Hebrew meaning for expiation is often translated as “atone” or “cover,” “to serve as ransom of payment for one’s life.”  In the case here, the moment ownership of the animal is transferred to the LORD, it is accepted as payment – as a substitute for the worshipper himself. He is symbolically offering himself to God. Verses 5-9 are a description of the slaughter of the animal and the division of the preparation. The price of sin is death – “The bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD” – The killing of the bull is done by the worshipper slitting its throat. “And Aaron’s sons, the priests shall offer the blood…” (verse 5) “… shall be flayed and cut up into sections …” (verse 6). “… shall put fire on the altar …” (verse 7). “…shall lay out the sections, with the head and the suet …” (verse 8). “It’s entrails and legs shall be washed with water, and the priest shall turn the whole into smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD” (verse 9). The washing allowed for the cleansing of excrement making all clean. “Turned into smoke” signifies that the whole animal is completely consumed until nothing is left but ashes. The fire was for purification and reparation. The smoke as it ascended heavenward emitted a fragrant odor of roasting meat – “a pleasing odor.” 

An Offering from the Herd (verses 10-13). Three types of animals are noted in descending order of economic worth: bull (verses 3-9), a male sheep or goat (verses 10-13), and birds (verses 14-17).  A burnt offering from the flock (sheep and goats) is like the offering from the herd (cattle). The difference is that sheep and goats were not skinned. 

The Offering of Birds (verses 14-17). “If his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he shall choose his offering from turtledoves or pigeons” (verse 14). The birds are last in descending order of worth. God does not ask the poor to bring the same burnt offering as those financially well off because the relative cost to the one sacrificing was an important factor. Like the bull and the sheep or goats, the turtledove and the pigeon are a part of human consumption. Verses 15-16 show the difference in the killing of livestock (by the worshipper) and the fowl (by the priest). “It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, of pleasing odor to the LORD” (versen17). God accepted the poor man’s bird as much as the rich man’s bull. “These birds were appointed for the relief of the poor who could not bring better. And these birds are preferred before others, partly because they were easily gotten, and partly because they are fit representations of Christ’s chastity, and meekness, and gentleness, for which these birds are remarkable. “  (Poole).   

Leviticus describes two main themes that are vital to understanding God’s great work of salvation: First, the consequence of sin is death; second, the only way for people to avoid death is through the sacrifice of a substitute. “In this way the priest will make atonement for them before the LORD, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty” (Leviticus 6:7). (Standard Lesson Commentary 2024-2025, The King James Study Bible, The MacArthur Study Bible, The Jewish Study Bible, Experiencing God Bible, The Jesus Bible, The New Interpreters Study Bible, and The Oxford Bible Commentary).  

For Your Consideration: Why did God give explicit instructions on how to offer sacrifices to Him? What quality of offerings does God desire?  

Application: Commit yourself to bring your best before the LORD.  

FYI: Forsyth County Sunday School Union meets in person every third Sunday, 1:30 p.m. at a member church. Contact your Sunday School superintendent for more information.