Leviticus 1.
IN the end of Exodus we saw that God had come down to Make His home in the tabernacle. There the people might go, to have to do with Him.
Now in this book of Leviticus we find how. sinners might draw near. We have noticed before that much of which we read in Genesis, and in Exodus, is not only true, but was also written to tell us about the Lord Jesus, and about God’s ways with man. and about ourselves. The same may be said about Leviticus, and the first chapter has hidden in its verses the story about Jesus, which has pleased the heart of God more than anything else.
All through the earthly life of the Lord Jesus, we find Him, as we read in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, doing and saying, and surely thinking, only that which pleased His father, but at the end, when His enemies were allowed to take Him, and finally to crucify Him, His obedience to that Father lightens up the dark picture so wonderfully. See Him in the garden of Gethsemane, in the agony He there went through, saying so obediently; “Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.” And afterward as He was nailed to the cross,
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Again in the ninth chapter of Luke, verse 51.
“And it came to pass, when the time was come that He should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (where He was to be crucified, as He well knew).
If the Lord Jesus had not been willing to be obedient as a man down here, and-to give Himself as an offering to God, we would have no way of getting near to God; We should have had no Saviour.
Now this is what the first chapter of Leviticus speaks of, —the highest act of devotion of Jesus,—that He “of His own voluntary will” gave Himself up to do the will of God, even to death, and that the death of the cross.
On the face of it, the chapter is about people bringing animals or even birds, to the place God had told them of, where He would meet them, and offering there the creatures to God, to be entirely burned up on the altar. But as we carefully, and prayerfully, read the chapter, we shall see that it was not of the cattle, the sheep, or the doves that God was thinking, but of Jesus, to whom these offerings pointed.
Verse 2. “If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord,”—the Lord Jesus did that, and more; He offered Himself.
Verse 3. “Without blemish:” “of His own voluntary will.”
If my reader is one of God’s children by faith in Christ Jesus, I will ask you. Have you ever seen any blemishes in the story of Jesus, as you have read it in the gospels? And you answer. No, indeed! Everything is just perfect. There never was another like Him. Why, even those hardened soldiers of the temple, when sent to take Jesus, went back to their wicked masters, saying,
“Never man spake like this Man,”
Yes, all was perfect in His life, from first to last. But more wonderful still was this, that He came to die because He chose to, or “of His own voluntary will.” He did not have to come. but He wanted to, and so He came. Men had turned their backs on God, as we read in Isaiah 58,
“Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God!”
He had us in mind too; and so in verse 4 we read, “And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him, to make atonement for him.” God’s glad receiving of the offering of Jesus is applied to me, if I believe on Him, for Jesus died for me; He satisfied God’s demands on account of me, a poor sinner.
Verse 5. The bullock is killed, and its blood is sprinkled. Jesus really died, and His blood was poured out, the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:1919But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)). there a testimony to God and man.
Verse 6. The bullock was skinned, and cut into pieces, in order that the fire on the altar might penetrate to every part. So was Jesus tried to the utmost on the cross, as Psalm 22 so touchingly sets before us (verses 1 to 21).
But before the fire was lit that was to burn the whole body, the inwards and the legs of the bullock must be washed in water, to make a more true picture of the spotless, sinless, character of our Lord, who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:2222Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (1 Peter 2:22)).
And at the end of verse 9, “an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord” (Jehovah). There were those who looked on, and had a certain part in the offering, those on account of whom the sacrifice was accepted as atonement, but the key to these words is found in such verses as Philippians 2:5-115Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5‑11) and John 10:14-1814I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:14‑18) (especially the 17th verse).
Some could, and gladly would, offer the best of their cattle; others with right thoughts toward God. would bring the best of their sheep; and still others, perhaps very poor. (or was it that they thought it good enough?) might offer turtle doves or young pigeons. One would think that, if any really wished in his heart to please God, he would give the best he could afford, vet of each of these burnt offerings, of cattle, of sheep or of birds, God’s comment is the same. “An offering made by fire; of a sweet savor unto the Lord.” But we ought to think of Jesus as God thinks of Him, —the One who pleased God, no matter what it cost; who honored and glorified Him in giving Himself up to die.
One word more, —in the offering of the birds (verses 14-17), part had to be thrown away, or at least could not be burned as the whole bullock and sheep were. Some, (shall I say, all of us?) when thinking of Jesus in death on the cross, do not rise altogether above the thought of his dying as the Sinbearer for their sins. That is precious too, but it is our side of the cross. The burnt offering is God’s side, and we who are His, are privileged to enter into His thoughts about Jesus.
Worthy of homage and of praise;
Worthy by all to be adored;
Exhaustless theme of heavenly lays,
Thou, Thou are worthy, Jesus, Lord!
ML 12/03/1922