Burnt Offering

Reading Portion

Lev. 1; 6: 9-13

Lesson Content

1. The Lord Jesus bore our sins and was made sin for us and became a burnt offering (Eph.5:2). The burnt offering speaks of our surrendering the members of our body as a living sacrifice (Rom.12:1), even as, in this sacrifice, the members of the animal brought for sacrifice are laid on the altar. We receive this experience through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

2. This offering is called a burnt offering because the object brought for the sacrifice is wholly burnt.

3. The objects of sacrifice: Those who offer the sacrifice must bring, according to their ability, any one of the following — a bullock, sheep, goat, turtledove or a young pigeon.

4. Though the above mentioned animals and birds are clean, they reveal the natures of the fallen man. Bullock: This animal reveals the carnal nature of the man who lives with worldly mind, labouring for worldly things and enjoying worldly pleasures. Sheep: An animal that lives in flocks. This speaks of men who are of “o ne flock” in earthly matters, without separating from kith and kin and caste, and subject to spirits of national and linguistic distinctions. Goat: An animal that runs helter-skelter without remaining under the control of the shepherd. This reveals the disobedient nature in man. Dove: Free flying bird. It denotes men with an independent spirit. These natures must be burnt by the fire of the Holy Spirit.

5. The manner of sacrifice (Lev.1:1-9, 14-17).

6. Its spiritual significance: [(A) When a bullock, or sheep or goat is offered]:

(i) Putting the hand on the head of the animal: This shows our sins being laid on Jesus Who was made sin for us (Isa.53:6). (ii) Slaying the animal: The animal is slain on behalf of the sinner. This speaks of Jesus W ho tasted death for every man (Heb.2:9), for the wages of sin is death (Rom.6:23). (iii) Sprinkling the blood: The blood being sprinkled round about upon the altar shows the blood of Jesus shed for the sanctification of the people of God all over the world (Heb.13:12).

(iv) Flaying the animal: Once the animal is flayed we are unable to distinguish its colour. This speaks of the removal of all distinctions of caste, colour, nationality, language etc. (I Cor.12:13).

(v) Cutting into pieces: This spea ks of consecrating every member of our body by which we become men without form or comeliness like Jesus (Isa.53:2). (vi) Washing the inwards and the legs: This speaks of a cleansing by putting away our own thoughts and our own ways with an inward determination to walk in the ways of God (Isa.55:7,8). (vii) Putting the fire: This speaks of the sanctifying fire of the Holy Spirit (Rom.15:16). (viii) The head and the fat: ‘The head’ is the seat of worldly wisdom. ‘Fat’ reveals a luxurious life. (ix) Laying the wood in order upon the fire: Wood speaks of doctrine. The wood has to be laid in order upon the fire, and the head, the parts, the fat, the inwards and the legs are all to be laid in order upon the wood and burnt. This shows that the man who has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be perfectly sanctified by the fire of the Holy Spirit only when his life is disciplined or put in order according to the doctrine. [(B) When a turtledove or a young pigeon is offered]:

(i) Wringing the head of the dove: This shows removal of the self-will and an independent spirit. (ii) Cleaving it with the wings: This speaks of being pricked by the Word of God in our hearts and our lives being laid bare before God (Heb. 4:12,13).

7. The Law concerning the Burnt Offering: The burnt offering shall be offered every morning and it should be burning upon the altar all night until the morning (Lev.6:9) ‘Morning’ speaks of the coming of the Lord (Rev.22:12,16). Fire ‘burning all night until the morning’ speaks of preserving a sanctified and Spirit-filled life, even in the midst of trials, until the coming of the Lord.

8. Law concerning the ashes: The priest shall take up the ashes of the burnt offering which the fire has consumed upon the altar, and put them beside the altar. Then he shall put off his garments and put on other garments and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place (Lev.6:10,11). Here 'beside the altar’ shows the church and ‘without the camp’, shows the outside world (Heb.13:10,13). The man who offers himself as a sacrifice must be a witness unto the Lord in both places. ‘Burnt to ashes’ shows the attaining to a state of selflessness being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

9. The Burnt Offering is the first offering which should be placed on the altar. All other offerings are to be kept upon the burnt offering, and then burnt. From this we understand that there is no life of sacrifice without the anointing of

the Holy Spirit. In the burnt offering, the object of sacrifice is w holly burnt to ashes by the fire. Even so our body, soul and spirit should be wholly sanctified by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.