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 WHOLE BURNT OFFERING OR HOLOCAUST SACRIFICE: OH-LAH

This sacrifice has nothing to do with sin. The person must already be clean in order to bring this sacrifice.

In Leviticus 1.1-9 it reads:Lev. 1:1 Then Yahveh called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,

Lev. 1:2 Speak to the Sons of Israel and say to them, When any man of you brings an offering to Yahveh, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock.

Lev. 1:3 If his offering is a Burnt Offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect. He shall offer it at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before Yahveh.

Lev. 1:4 He shall lay his hand on the head of the Burnt Offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf.

Lev. 1:5 He shall slay the young bull before Yahveh and Aaron's sons. The priests shall offer up the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the Altar that is at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting.

Lev. 1:6 He shall then skin the Burnt Offering and cut it into its pieces.

Lev. 1:7 The sons of Aaron the Priest shall put fire on the Altar and arrange wood on the fire.

Lev. 1:8 Then Aaron's sons, the priests, shall arrange the pieces, the head and the suet over the wood which is on the fire that is on the Altar.

Lev. 1:9 Its entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer up in smoke all of it on the Altar for a Burnt Offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to Yahveh.

Verse 3: The concept of oh-lah is, “total dedication, full surrender, service to Yahweh.” This is seen in the giving up of the entire animal to God. Literally, it means, “to ascend up” which is a reference to the smoke arising from the altar when the animal is burnt.

The word holocaust is used to describe the near total destruction of the European Jewish Community by the Nazis during World War Two. They were literally burnt in ovens and disposed of as a sacrifice to the Nazi regime.


In Exodus 29.38-43 Israel is commanded to offer olah twice a day:
Ex. 29:38 Now this is what you shall offer on the Altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously.

Ex. 29:39 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;

Ex. 29:40 and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a Wine Offering with one lamb.

Ex. 29:41 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it the same Grain Offering and the same Wine Offering as in the morning, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to Yahveh.

Ex. 29:42 It shall be a continual Burnt Offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting before Yahveh where I will meet with you, to speak to you there.

Ex. 29:43 I will meet there with the Sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My Glory.

This daily sacrifice speaks of Israel being totally consecrated or fully surrendered to Yehovah. The sacrifice pictures the lamb of the Passover that redeemed them for slavery in Egypt (Ex12.1-14). When the High Priest sacrifices the Holocaust, all Israel is being dedicated to and fully surrendered to Yahweh. The Apostle Paul had this in mind when writing Romans 12.1-2:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

This is why God calls it a 'sweet savor' or 'soothing aroma.' Whenever we surrender to His will it is very pleasing to Him.

Tomorrow: The Peace or Communion Sacrifice