The Burnt Offering

Leviticus

Leviticus 1:1-17

LEV_001

NET Bible Text

1:1 Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Meeting Tent:
1:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When someone among you presents an offering to the Lord, you must present your offering from the domesticated animals, either from the herd or from the flock. Burnt Offering Regulations: Animal from the Herd
1:3 “‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd he must present it as a flawless male; he must present it at the entrance of the Meeting Tent for its acceptance before the Lord.
1:4 He must lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf.
1:5 Then the one presenting the offering must slaughter the bull before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, must present the blood and splash the blood against the sides of the altar which is at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.
1:6 Next, the one presenting the offering must skin the burnt offering and cut it into parts,
1:7 and the sons of Aaron, the priest, must put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.
1:8 Then the sons of Aaron, the priests, must arrange the parts with the head and the suet on the wood that is in the fire on the altar.
1:9 Finally, the one presenting the offering must wash its entrails and its legs in water and the priest must offer all of it up in smoke on the altar ”“ it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
1:10 “‘If his offering is from the flock for a burnt offering ”“ from the sheep or the goats ”“ he must present a flawless male,
1:11 and must slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, will splash its blood against the altar’s sides.
1:12 Next, the one presenting the offering must cut it into parts, with its head and its suet, and the priest must arrange them on the wood which is in the fire, on the altar.
1:13 Then the one presenting the offering must wash the entrails and the legs in water, and the priest must present all of it and offer it up in smoke on the altar ”“ it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
1:14 “‘If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering from the birds, he must present his offering from the turtledoves or from the young pigeons.
1:15 The priest must present it at the altar, pinch off its head and offer the head up in smoke on the altar, and its blood must be drained out against the side of the altar.
1:16 Then the priest must remove its entrails by cutting off its tail feathers, and throw them to the east side of the altar into the place of fatty ashes,
1:17 and tear it open by its wings without dividing it into two parts. Finally, the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is in the fire ”“ it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord. Grain Offering Regulations: Offering of Raw Flour

Simple Summary

The Lord gave Moses regulations for the burnt offering from the Meeting Tent. Israel could bring an offering from the herd, flock, or birds, depending on what they had. The offering had to be flawless and was accepted before the Lord to make atonement on the worshiper’s behalf.

What This Passage Means

Leviticus 1 begins with the Lord speaking directly to Moses from the Meeting Tent. These are not human ideas. They are God’s own instructions for the burnt offering.

If a person brought an offering from the herd or flock, it had to be a flawless male. The worshiper presented it at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. He laid his hand on the animal’s head, and the offering was accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. He then slaughtered the animal, and the priests handled the blood at the altar.

The worshiper also skinned the animal, cut it into parts, and washed the entrails and legs. The priests arranged the fire, wood, and pieces on the altar. The whole animal was then burned up. It was a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

The same basic pattern is repeated for sheep and goats. The chapter also provides for birds, such as turtledoves or young pigeons, so the offering was not limited to the wealthy. The bird offering is shorter, but it still follows the same basic pattern: presentation, blood, removal of the entrails, and the whole offering given up in smoke.

The repeated details show that worship was ordered, holy, and carefully regulated. Israel was not free to invent its own way to approach God. The Lord provided a way for his people to come near him with atonement and acceptance.

Important Truths

• God himself gave these instructions from the Meeting Tent.
• The burnt offering had to be a flawless male from the herd, flock, or birds.
• Laying on the hand and the sacrifice were part of the offering accepted to make atonement on the worshiper’s behalf.
• The priests handled the blood and arranged the sacrifice on the altar.
• The whole offering was burned up as a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
• God made provision for offerings from different animals, including birds, so access was not only for the wealthy.

Warnings, Promises, or Commands

• Warning: God is holy, and people must not approach him by their own ideas.
• Warning: the offering had to be flawless and offered according to God’s command.
• Promise: the offering would be accepted before the Lord and make atonement on the worshiper’s behalf.
• Command: present the offering as the Lord directs, with reverence and obedience.

How This Fits in God's Plan

This passage belongs to the Mosaic covenant and the tabernacle system, where God taught Israel how a holy people could approach him through sacrifice and priestly mediation. It stands at the beginning of Leviticus and sets the pattern for later sacrificial laws. It should be read in its original setting in Israel’s worship, while remembering that the New Testament later reveals the fuller fulfillment of sacrifice.

Simple Application

We should learn from this passage that God must be approached with reverence and obedience, not casual religion. It also reminds us that sin and uncleanness are serious, and that acceptance before God requires atonement. We should not copy the Levitical ritual today, but we should take seriously the holy God who gave it.