Exodus 3:10-12 - “Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”
Exodus 25:8-9 - Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.
Exodus 29:45-46 - I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. They shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.
Exodus 40:34-35 - Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Deuteronomy 4:5-7 - See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him?
I. The Burnt Offering Points to the Way of Acceptance with God (Leviticus 1)
Leviticus 1:1-3 - Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When any man of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock. 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 the Lord.’”
A. A regular reminder that access to God only comes through atonement
Numbers 28:3-4 - You shall say to them, “This is the offering by fire which you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs one year old without defect as a continual burnt offering every day. You shall offer the one lamb in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight”
B. A perfect sacrifice must be fully surrendered to God
“he shall offer it, a male without defect.” (Lev. 1:3,10)
C. A Holy God is pleased to accept such a sacrifice and worshipper
“an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.” (Lev.1:9,13,17)
Romans 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Galatians 3:24 - Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
D. You can only be accepted by God by coming in faith based on Jesus’s atoning blood
Romans 3:25 - God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
1 Peter 1:18-19 - …knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
II. The Grain Offering Reveals that God Demands Dedication and Gratitude (Leviticus 2)
Leviticus 2:1 - Now when anyone presents a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it.
A. Giving the best to God with gratitude as a memorial (Lev. 2:2-3, 8-10, 16)
B. Dedication is desired without corruption or contamination (Lev. 2:4-7, 11)
C. An offering showing covenant faithfulness (Lev. 2:13)
Leviticus 2:13 - Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.
D. You can only be dedicated and most holy to God because Christ met the demands for devotion to God
Hebrews 10:5-9 - Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure.” Then I said, “Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me)
to do Your will, O God.” After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
III. The Peace Offering Was a Community Celebration of Peaceful Relationship with God and His People (Leviticus 3:1-17, 7:11-36)
Leviticus 3:1 - Now if his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he is going to offer out of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the Lord.
A. An offering of thanks, in payment of vows, or a freewill offering (Lev.7:11-16)
B. The best portion was only for God (Lev. 3:16-17)
Leviticus 3:16-17 - The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the Lord’s. It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood.
C. You can only enjoy peace with God in the community of God’s people based on the best peace offering of Jesus Christ
Colossians 1:20 - …and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Ephesians 2:13-14 - But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace…
IV. Application for Believers Whose Hearts are Fixed on Jesus
A. Listen carefully to God’s Word and be holy
B. Be devoted to God with gratitude
Romans 12:1 - Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
C. Rejoice in the joy of God’s provision through offerings
Hebrews 13:15-16 - Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Philippians 4:18 - But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
D. Give thanks for the fellowship of believers because of peace through Christ
E. Cherish God’s presence to dwell with you through trials and testing
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