Leviticus 1:1-17

The book of Leviticus begins with a set of instructions concerning how to make sacrifices in the tabernacle that the children of Israel had just finished building.  The tabernacle was much more than a beautiful and intricate structure; it was a place where the children of Israel would go to seek forgiveness of their sins and commune with God.  Too often, churches become all about the building or even about the people in the building, but God is often left out of the picture.  We go to church in order to be confronted with the reality of our sinful hearts and to be reminded of the atonement made on our behalf in the person of Christ.  We no longer need to bring animals to slaughter on the steps of our churches, but we must most certainly recognize and remember our sin and the fact that Christ was slaughtered on our behalf.

THE SACRIFICE WAS SPECIAL: The sacrifices that were brought to the tabernacle had to be special sacrifices.  They were to be the best of the herd.  A lamb without any defect was required, and was set aside especially for the purpose of being sacrificed on the altar.  Just as Christ was completely without sin; the sacrifice was to be perfect.  Perfection is something that we cannot achieve because of the sinfulness of our hearts.  However, Christ makes His perfection available to us through the cross.  The sacrifices were unique just as Christ is unique; the only person ever to have lived a sinless life.  We are then called to live our lives as living sacrifices to God that reflect the sacrifice He made on our behalf.  We must offer to God the very best that we can of our lives since He offered His perfect Son on our behalf.  May the perfect sacrifice of Christ on our behalf inspire us to lay aside our sinfulness and mediocrity so that we might pursue a life of excellence by His grace and for His glory.

THE SACRIFICE WAS SUBSTITUTIONARY: Prior to killing the animal, the owner was to place his hand on its head as a symbol of the animal dying in his place.  In a sense the placing of that hand on the head was transference of the guilt of sin to the animal.  The animal was then immediately killed as a result of having been “contaminated” with sin.  This was a very real demonstration that the wages of sin is death.  Sinner must die and be separated from God for all of eternity.  The lamb died in the place of the man.  The lamb died, not because it had any guilt of sin but because it was taking the man’s place.  Christ’s death was the ultimate substitute for the sins of men.  All of our sin was transferred to Him and He died in our place.  He is our substitute.  He died in our place so that we might live with Him for all of eternity.