The Value Of The Burnt Offering

by G. Neely, Vancouver, B.C. | Category: General | Feb 1980

It is ever true of man that he falls far short of the expectation of the Lord who created him; sin saw to that. David puts it succinctly, and Paul repeats it:

"There is none that doeth good (righteous), no, not one" (Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:10). Yet God desires from among men, worshippers, servants, witnesses, those who will be obedient to his divine command ~ in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23,24).

The people of God in the Old Testament were given clear instructions concerning the burnt offering. It is essential to remember that the Lord received nothing from a dead bullock, lamb, goat or pigeon. It was not the animal's death and subsequent burning upon an altar in the exact steps of a procedure which gave God anything from His people. The sweet smell of the burnt offering was not merely the smell of roast lamb. This was not to become just a ritual, a tradition void of all emotion. This ascending offering spoke directly to the loving heart of God about the Lord Jesus Christ who would one day be a burnt offering upon an altar at Calvary "... and a sacrifice to God for an odour of a sweet smell" (Eph. 5:2). Offerings of the Levitical order are types of Christ; and Christ the sum of all the offerings. The great God of heaven demanded broken hearts, contrite spirits and an expression of appreciation to God as His commands were carried out. David writes, in a deeply appreciative, yet sorrowful spirit:

"Thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it:

Thou hast no pleasure in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:

A broken and a contrite heart, 0 God, Thou wilt not despise"

(Psalm 51:16,17).

God's immense satisfaction from the burnt offerings of an already redeemed, devoted people who loved God was unexcelled. Conversely, His immense anger at the heartless, routine slaying of animals without thought to the significance of the offerings brought tearful protests from the mouth of God: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Yea, though ye offer Me your burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them" (Amos 5:21,22).

In Amos's time the people had become disobedient, full of iniquity, slaves of habit, and had forgotten that a compassionate, gracious God had chosen them... not... because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples: but because the LORD loveth you..." (Deut. 7:7,8).

The burnt offering typifies Christ coming to do the will of God, at total cost to himself, and in spite of the awful suffering which He must endure. "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I may take it again" (John 10:17).

In the bullock, Christ is seen as the worker, the Perfect servant. The bullock did the muscle work, the ploughing, the treading of corn, the hauling of the sheaves from harvest. So Christ is seen as the Pattern Evangelist, Teacher and Pastor. The offerings of the flock portray Christ in the excellence and perfection of His character. He is the Lamb of God without spot or blemish; and, under the symbol of the goat, He is the one who took the likeness of sinful flesh, yet remained sinless.

Might the turtledove, or pigeon, suggest the internal perfection of His character: perfect thoughts, affections and desires; absolute innocence? John emphatically announced "... in Him is no sin" (1 John 3:5). It is suggested that in these various animals we see different ways of looking at Christ as the burnt offering and perhaps different levels of appreciation of Him. The turtledove was killed, but not divided and not washed. Perhaps this shows a smaller apprehension of the offering, and greater things are not distinguished. In all the types, however, there are some shortcomings for Christ was absolutely perfect. The bullock, lamb and goat were to be brought outwardly spotless and void of blemish. But the legs and inwards (possibly indicating walk and feelings) had to be washed with water before they were acceptable. The crop of the turtledove had to be plucked away. Everything that could be done to make the offering clean had to be done. There were no short cuts, for these things spoke to God of His only Son.

There are four points which become evident from the burnt offering in

comparison with the other offerings:

(1) It was a sweet savour offering (as were the meat and peace offerings). It was offered on the brazen altar upon which God's fire burned continuously in the court of the tabernacle. In the burnt offering sin is not primarily in view. This deals with what the offerer is before God, not what he has done. The Israelite came for acceptance as a worshipper and as such appears in perfection. In the sin offering he appears as a sinner. Christ is seen in the burnt offering as a spotless Man offering Himself to God for a sweet saviour, not as the "sin offering".

(2) It was an offering for acceptance to secure for the offerer his own acceptance before God. The word atonement (kaphar) implies satisfaction. Jesus Christ found man under the law, and there, in obedience to the law, He offered "for his acceptance". The atonement of the burnt offering is the satisfaction God receives from the perfection offered to Him. It is sweet. The atonement for sin in the sin offering is bitter and such an offering is put outside the camp and burnt (Lev. 4:8-12).

(3) Life was taken on the altar. Life was something God gave originally and claimed for His own. It is something He has always claimed but Christ gave Him His life and we are accepted in Him.

(4) Except for the skin (Lev. 7:8) the burnt offering was wholly burned on the brazen altar. This distinguishes it from the other offerings. The meat and peace offerings were only partly burned; the sin offering was burned outside the camp. In the burnt offering we see what God requires; not the surrender of a part, even the best part, but an entire surrender of the whole. Christ so perfectly sums up the command to love God with all of the heart, soul and mind. The legs (walk), the head (thoughts), the inwards (feelings) and the fat (energy, vigour) were all totally offered and consumed. Christ also reserved nothing; He surrendered His total Being.

The burnt offering was for God. He got the sweet smell and the satisfaction from it. It is only natural then that Christ should "... do always the things which are pleasing to Him" (John 8:29). He could not compromise God's commands to get more followers from among men. He lived for God and died for God. It's no wonder that God put so much value upon the heart of the offerer who brought the burnt offering. It all pointed to Jesus Christ,

My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17).

Christ is not only our Representative, but He is our Example. He was devoted to doing God's will, not to ritual and tradition. He offered all, not only part. He was an acceptable sweet savour.

In our worship, our service and our witness we must be obedient, appreciative, enthusiastic and loving. God desires quality, not quantity; not our glory, but His.

How can I, Lord, withhold

Life's brightest hour

From Thee; or gathered gold,

Or any power?

Why should I keep one precious thing from Thee,

When Thou hast given Thine own dear self for me?

G. Neely, Vancouver, B.C. | Feb 1980
General