Christ in all the scriptures The offerings

 Christ in all the scriptures

Overview of the offerings

"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, if any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, you shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock"-Lev. 1v1

The following appears to be the universally accepted understanding of the 5 major offerings.

• Burnt offering (Leviticus 1, Olah) a sacrifice to be burned on the altar from cattle, goats, sheep, or birds. ,  
• Grain offering (Leviticus 2, Minchah) a grain offering mixed with oil and frankincense.  Part was burned on the altar, the remainder was consumed by the priests
• Peace offering (Leviticus 3, Shelem) a peace offering, part of which was burned on the altar, the remainder eaten by the officiating priest and the offeror.
• Sin offering (Leviticus 4, Chata't) a sin offering brought for sins of omission or accidental transgressions.  The procedure differed for individuals, public officials, and instances of communal guilt.
• Trespass offering (Leviticus 5:1 - 7:7, Ashram) a guilt offering for specific sins

None of the above ritual sacrifices, apparently, has any meaning or relevance to the Gentile (non Jewish) world; that is until New Testament revelation proclaims that all these pointed to the one sacrifice of Christ in His life and death on the cross.  This is made clear in Hebrews 10v1-18, where all the offerings are listed (Peace sacrifice and Grain offering; Burnt offerings and Offerings for Sin-v5-7) find their answer in the one offering of Christ-refer v10, v12, v14  The Old Testament sacrifices are contrasted with the sacrifice of Christ.  They could never make the worshippers perfect (v1); they could never take away the guilt of sin for their repeated and endless use was a reminder of sins (v2-3); it was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (v4); they could never satisfy God, nor bring Him pleasure (v5-7), and in worship this is the one requirement, otherwise worship is futile.  In contrast, the one offering of Christ (v10, v12, v14) has met all requirements, and now we can approach without the sense of guilt, knowing that our sins are removed, that God is fully satisfied, and Christ is enthroned (enshrined) in heaven and our approach to God is inviolable.  This results in the amazing invitation to us all to approach with boldness (v22), not with brashness, fully confident that the one sacrifice of Christ has fitted us for true worship.

All this points to the true interpretation of the Old Testament offerings, which are depicting, not our approach to God for salvation, as some suggest, but our approach as an already redeemed people in worship, acceptable to God.  Therefore THE OFFERINGS ARE DEPICTING DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE ONE OFFERING OF CHRIST, and God wants us to understand the fine distinctions.

 

Mankind was created to worship the true God (made in the image of God).  Sin entered and corrupted everything, and now the redeemed are said to be a new creation, whose existence, primarily is to worship.  Israel were redeemed to worship, and the redeemed of the Gentile world worship God.  The sooner we realise we are reconciled to worship as our primary function the better.  There is much to learn in the overview of the offerings.  We can see that in the burnt offering, all the sacrifice was on the altar for God-Leviticus 1v9.  This first offering was all for God, for His satisfaction, for His pleasure.  It is the highest view of all the offerings, called the ascending offering, that in the burning emitted a sweet savour to God in contrast to the stench of earth from a sinful world.  This aspect is developed in the gospel of John.  This sets the tone for all the rest and presents the Godward aspect of the sacrifice.  Sometimes we are self conscious and think more of what we get out of it, rather than what it meant to God.  In fact the priests received the skin of the animal, and so, in the ascending offering we are clothed wit the robes of righteousness that results from the death of Christ.  In the grain offering, which, as we shall see, typifies the perfection of Christ at all stages of His life, we learn that all the frankincense was for God-Leviticus 2v16, as well as part of the offering, while Aaron and his sons took their handful.  This aspect permeates all four gospels for the perfection of His life adds to the flame ascending to God.  The grain offering is said to be "most holy unto the Lord", and the sheer perfection of that life enhanced the aroma rising above.  The peace offering, also known as the food offering, or the fellowship offering, views the sacrifice of Christ as that which reconciles God and man.  We note that all the fat was for God-3v16, (the best of the animal), and both God and man partook of the meat portions.  Two parties, once apart, now reconciled and dining at the same table.  When God is satisfied in every vestige of His being, He can freely fellowship with men and women in the offering of Christ once for all.  This is predominantly expounded in the gospel of Luke.      Peace with God can also mean peace with men-Luke 2v14.  The fat of the peace offering greatly enhanced the flame of the burnt offering.

In chapters 4/5 are the sin and trespass offerings.  Together thy deal with all matters of sin as offences to God.  The sin offering is for what we might call sins of omission, where largely, we are unaware of our offence toward God.  We come short of His standard through ignorance.  The trespass offering is for wilful sins where we either know we are overstepping the law of God, or should know the demands.  Repeatedly it is stated that ignorance of the law is no excuse, for we should know-"though he wist it not, yet us he guilty".  These offerings for sin mean that every aspect of our offence to God is covered in Christ.  Romans 8v3 says (KJV) "God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh".  The Greek word peri as in "for sin", means encompassing every aspect of sin.  On the cross God condemned all our sin in His Son.  These offerings were not burnt on the brazen altar but outside the camp, separate from the other offerings.  A study of the word "fire" reveals that the flame on the altar was a slow burning flame, emitting an ascending sweet savour; on the contrary the flame which consumed the sin offerings was a conflagration, a sudden furnace which consumed all.  God will expunge all sin from existence and He demonstrates this at Calvary.  We shall never know the extent of the suffering of Christ for sins.  Only God knows, enough for us to know our sins are gone, never again to be remembered.  In these offerings, all the blood was for God, for the mercy seat, for the priesthood, presented before the tent of the congregation to the Lord, for through the blood is the remission of sins.  1st John 1v9, (KJV) "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness".  The principles of the sin and trespass offerings are expanded in the gospels of Mark and Matthew respectively, which can be a matter of discussion later.  The homogeneous nature of scripture is a constant wonder!