The Burnt Offering (Leviticus 1) and us

What does this ritual mean for a sinner in his relationship with Jesus? Regarding a sinner’s approach to the Lord several comments can be made.

First, it is impossible for him to draw near to God without a sacrifice. The access to God’s presence is closed against all sinners, no matter how upright they may be. We are unable to enter God’s presence in our own merit.

Second, we have to select the sacrifice that God has ordained for us. In Leviticus 1 and subsequent chapters, he described the kind of sacrifices he would accept from Israel. Elsewhere in the Bible God makes it clear that the only sacrifice that is acceptable is the one offered up by the Lord Jesus on Calvary as the sinbearer. Each one of us has to choose him as our sacrifice. But what does it mean to choose him? The person leaning with his weight on the animal pictures for us the simplicity of faith – we lean fully on Jesus for salvation, we depend on him alone.

Third, the worshipper has a part to play in the sacrifice in the sense that he killed the animal. This is a reminder that our sins caused the death of Jesus, that in dying he took our place and bore the pains of the wrath of God. Each Christian has said at conversion, ‘I choose Jesus freely as my Saviour, I lean entirely on him for deliverance from the judgement of God because I know that my sins caused some of the distress and pain he experienced on the cross.’

Paul challenged the Roman Christians when he wrote in Romans 12:1: ‘I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.’ Paul probably had the burnt offering as the background of his exhortation.

Throughout Romans Paul has reminded his readers of some of the great benefits that came to them through Jesus, such as justification by faith, adoption into God’s family, sanctification and glorification. In the light of those great blessings, he exhorts his readers to dedicate themselves to God.

In other words, the only valid response to the true Burnt Offering is for each believer to remain a burnt offering throughout his or her life, fully dedicated to Jesus Christ. When that happens, it means that, in addition to having detected sweet aroma in the dedication of Jesus, the Father will sense sweet aroma in the commitment of his children to his service.