THE REASONS AND MEANINGS OF THE SACRIFICES IN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS

This short study will examine the meaning of the five sacrifices in the Book of Leviticus. They all pointed to Yeshua and have deep spiritual meaning. It is good for each of us to understand these sacrifices and how they apply to our walk with Yeshua in this day.

 

THE SIN SACRIFICE: HAH-TAH

Hah-tah means unintentional sin, sin committed in ignorance. It means to “miss the mark” like an archer shooting at and missing the bull’s eye target. In the middle ages the person monitoring the target would call out, “sin” when the arrow missed the bull’s eye!

In Leviticus 4.27-31 it reads:27 ‘If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally by doing something against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and is guilty,

28 or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed.

29 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering.

30 Then the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour all the remaining blood at the base of the altar.

31 He shall remove all its fat, as fat is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma to the Lord. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

Verse 27: the concept here is unintentional sin, missing the mark.

Verse 28: The animal is a female goat. Wild animals are never sacrificed. The animals are more domesticated and symbolize the willingness of Yeshua to lay down his life for us as the Lamb of God.

Verse 29: The person bringing and offering the sacrifice must slay the animal. God requires the person who brings it to slay it, not the priest. The person bringing the sacrifice should/must have a pure heart and a desire to turn from their sin. Killing a living animal is not an easy thing for most people to do. This is a serious act and should make this act of repentance very real for the sinner.

The animal is innocent which reflects the innocence of Yeshua the sinless one. It becomes our substitute just as Yeshua has become our substitute for our sins.

Verse 30: The life is in the blood and the blood of the sacrifice is given for our life. The horns of the altar on which the blood is put with the priest’s finger represent Yeshua’s ability to save anyone who seeks him.

Verse 31: The fat is removed and burnt as a sweet aroma to the Lord. This represents the oil of the Holy Spirit. We must die to ourselves and the Holy Spirit helps us to become transformed into Yeshua’s image. When surrendered to God we become a sweet aroma to Him.

The blood poured out at the base of the altar brings to mind the saints who have given up their lives for Yeshua down through the ages: When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. Revelation 6.9


Tomorrow: The Trespass or Intentional Sin Offering