Learning From Levitical Sacrifice
Sacrifice has, from the beginning, been a bond between man and God. God through grace and with mercy gave a series of instructions for His people concerning the sacrifices that they would continuously offer as they lived their days on earth. Leviticus chapters 1-7 are the instruction and guide for the faithful worshipers and priests, under the new law, concerning the burnt offerings, the cereal offerings, the peace offerings, and the transgression offerings.
A proper and righteous sacrifice has always been and will always be an offering that is born out of a broken and contrite heart, a heart that yearns for a relationship with a God who is completely holy and is not able to commune with the likes of us. A God who through the ages provided man a way to make substitution for himself – by offering another – a perfect one – whose blood would be the life when it is death that was deserved. Allen Ross states, “In the Old Testament it was not permissible to come into the presence of the Lord in the holy place without some kind of sacrificial gift.”
Sacrifice and all that it entailed was the heart of all the worship. It was not magic or superstition, but it was dramatic, and it was an “enactment” so to speak, of God’s way of sanctifying those who would have communion with Him. The rites for the worshiper were valid only when the heart, the activity, and the attitude of the worshiper were in harmony with the spiritual standards of faith.
Of course, we academically understand - once sin entered the world – death was required to atone. The atonement should have required the blood of the sinner – but through grace, God allowed for the sinner to offer (at a cost to himself) a substitution….one who would die in his place. The outward appearance of the blood sprinkled on the altars, smeared on the garments, and rubbed on the horns reminded them all that the cost of sin should always be death and separation from God.
And the worshiper was actively engaged in the entire process of the offering. The faithful one was willing to substitute the very best that they had to offer. The worshiper was compelled to transfer their own sins on the perfect sacrifice by laying their hands on the head of the animal to bear their sin. They would butcher and prepare the animal that they had given as a sacrifice, ensuring that all was done according to the instructions given by God. It was a loss, a time-consuming process, a wearisome task, and a sacrifice for an entire household. They must give their own time, energy and resources in order to gain life and communion with God. The entire bloody process would give life, for the life was in the blood. Surely this realization brings us closer to our Christ, who has been the ultimate substitute for our own spiritual death though we do not deserve or earn such favor.
So, what do we learn from our studies of sacrificial expectation through the years? We talk of seeing and understanding the spiritual principles of our own lives when we consider the relationship God had with His people throughout the history of the world. I wonder sometimes if we consider ourselves quite smart when we understand the blood and broken body of the animal in comparison to our Savior on the cross. We love to talk of how sacrifice is no longer required since our Lord offered Himself, the perfect Lamb for our sins.
It is easy for us to overlook the basic principle of the heart of the worshiper who day after day, and year after year, brought their sacrifices to the Lord. In fact, the attitude and commitment of the worshiper was discussed as often as the blood and redemption; it was the fundamental requirement that allowed for an acceptable offering at all. Psalms 51: 16-18 says, “For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. These, O God, You will not despise.”
Yes, it is true – we are no longer required to bring our animal offerings to the Lord, for our Lamb has been given once and for all. Yet, we are the holy people and the royal priesthood described by Peter, who continually offer ourselves as sacrifices to the service of a kingdom – being living stones who are busy building the sanctuary of our Lord.
The Levitical process allowed a people to demonstrate the affirmation of faith, to seek atonement, to offer thanks with joyful hearts, to confess their sins and learn repentance. They were a holy people who would sacrifice in order to be pure and clean through the instruction given by God through grace and mercy. And, so, the real tutoring began for them and us.
In Romans 12: 1-2, Paul urges the Christians, “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. 2 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.”
We begin with sacrifice, and we begin with us - the worshiper who is compelled by a broken spirit and contrite heart. We bring before our God all our resources, energy, strength and time. We must be engaged in the process of sacrifice, we must invest in our offering, we must learn carefully the instruction so that we remain holy, and we must never forget the privilege of coming before a God who has provided a way to commune with him.
Levitical sacrifice was not easy, it was not cheap, it was not fast, and it was not convenient - but it was required, and it was worth the cost. May we always remember that – our living sacrifice can be hard, it is not cheap, it is not always convenient, but it is worth the cost. My Aunt Marilyn used to say that she understood what sacrifice meant, the problem was she found herself inclined to try to claw her way off the altar. I believe that can be true of all of us, may we work hard to never be so inclined.