Lesson for October 27, 2019

The Mosaic Law

Levitical Offerings

There were five Levitical offerings for the nation of Israel.  Three of these offerings were associated with salvation and two were associated with confession of sin. 

Salvation Offerings

The first salvation offering was the Burnt Offering, which portrayed the work of Christ or the doctrine of Propitiation (complete satisfaction).  It portrayed the death of Christ on the Cross as the full payment for man’s sin and God’s satisfaction with Christ’s spiritual death for sin.  This offering demonstrated the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, as our substitute (the guiltless for the guilty).  Just as the sacrificial animal that was brought as the burnt offering was innocent, Jesus Christ was innocent (sinless).  The individual was to bring an animal without spot or blemish to represent Christ’s perfection.  The priest would transfer the sins of the individual to the animal on the altar as a symbol of what Jehovah (Jesus Christ) would accomplish for them in the future.  The priest would lay one hand on the individual and one on the offering symbolizing the transfer of sin. (Leviticus 1:2-17; Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 26:39-42; John 1:29; Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:14; 10:1-14; I John 2:2)

There were three kinds of animals that could be used for this offering: 1) a male from the herd of oxen 2) a sheep or goat 3) a bird.

The second salvation offering was the Meal Offering.  This offering portrayed the Person of Christ or the Doctrine of Impeccability (sinlessness).  The substitutionary spiritual death of Christ is still in view here, though the emphasis is on His Person.  The fact that Christ was uniquely qualified to go to the Cross and make the payment for mankind’s sin is demonstrated by the fine flour used to make this meal offering.  Fine flour represented the holy character of Christ.  Upon the meal offering was poured oil and frankincense, the oil representing the indwelling and filling ministries of the Holy Spirit and the frankincense representing God’s complete satisfaction with the Person of Christ. There was to be no honey used in the preparation; the absence of honey representing the bitterness of Christ’s death.  The fine flour had no leaven (leaven represents sin); Christ was sinless.  And salt was added for flavor and preservation, representing the quality of Christ’s sacrifice and His ability to keep secure forever those who He saves.  Finally, the meal offering was put into fire, representing judgment. (Leviticus 2:1-16; II Corinthians 5:21; Mark 9:49; Colossians 4:6)

The third salvation offering was the Peace Offering.  This offering portrayed the work of Christ in reconciliation.  The Doctrine of Reconciliation is the removal of the barrier of sin by Christ that separated God and man, bringing peace.  This offering was different from the burnt offering, which required the sacrifice to be a male animal, in this offering the sacrifice could be a male or female animal.  This is illustrating that reconciliation is man-ward (God doesn’t need to be reconciled to man, but man does need to be reconciled to God), for male or female. This offering speaks of our permanent fellowship with God (positional sanctification and ultimate sanctification), which can never be broken. (Leviticus 3:1-17; Romans 5:1-8; II Corinthians 5:17-20; Ephesians 2:14-17; Colossians 1:20)

Fellowship Offerings

The final two offerings had to do with confession of sin for fellowship with God in time (experiential sanctification).  Remember that confession means to name, admit or acknowledge your sins.  In the Age of Israel confession was often done before a priest from the tribe of Levi, who acted on behalf of the believer. 

The first of these offerings was the Sin Offering.  This was an offering for unknown sins or sins done in ignorance.  From time to time the believing Israelite would bring an offering of a bull, goat, bird or meal, to be sacrificed for any sin he may have committed in ignorance.  It must be remembered that “sin is sin” regardless if it is committed in ignorance or cognizance and must be dealt with in accordance with God’s system (Rebound) (Leviticus 4:1-35)

The second of these offerings was the Trespass Offering.  This was an offering for known sins.  When a believer knowingly sinned, he was to “keep short accounts,” by bringing an offering of a bull, goat, bird or meal, to be sacrificed for his known sin.  In the same manner, the believer in the Church Age is to keep “short accounts” by naming his sin immediately in order to spend a maximum amount of time in fellowship with God and stay under the control of God the Holy Spirit. (Leviticus 5; 6:1-7)

These offerings parallel I John 1:6-9 in the Church Age, the Rebound Technique.  The Rebound Technique is a non-meritorious system of naming, admitting or acknowledging your sin directly to God and then moving forward in your Christian life.  The Rebound Technique is God’s recovery system from personal sin after salvation, which assures the believer that he will be able to execute the Christian Way of Life. 

Failure to utilize God’s recovery system results in a life of reversionism (back-sliding), as the believer is in a state of continued carnality (being controlled by the sin nature).  As a result, the believer who is out of fellowship for a prolonged period of time is the most miserable person on the face of the earth.  Why? Because this person is under divine discipline and is experiencing the concept of “reaping what you sow” (sin has its own misery).

Using the recovery system from God restores fellowship with God and restores the filling or control of the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit Who provides the supernatural power necessary to fulfill God’s supernatural plan, purpose and will. (I Corinthians 11:31-32; Hebrews 12:3-15; Galatians 6:7; I John 4:18; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:18)

Symbolism of the High Priest Garments to Christ

Jesus Christ is our Royal High Priest. (Hebrews 5:6,10) In order to become our High Priest Christ had to become true humanity.  Jesus Christ represented us before God first on the “altar” of the Cross, and now in Heaven before the throne of God.  By becoming our High Priest, Jesus Christ became our mediator to God. (I Timothy 2:5-6) As believers in this age, we belong to His priesthood (the Royal Priesthood).  This priesthood is far superior to any other that existed in the past. (Hebrews 7) As our High Priest, Christ won the strategic victory over Satan in the Angelic Conflict. (Hebrews 4:14-16; 6:17-20) The priesthood of Christ is the reality of those priesthoods that previously existed in the Old Testament.  Just as the rituals and the sacrifices were illustrations of the real things, which were to come in the future, the order of the royal priesthood of Christ is the realization of those types. (Hebrews 8)

The Levitical high priest was commanded by God to wear specific garments as outlined in Exodus 28. These garments were a perfect type of Jesus Christ as our High Priest. Everything under the spiritual code of Law of Moses was used to teach the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

There were several items that made up the priestly garment which were symbolic of our High Priest Jesus Christ. There was a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a sash and a turban. In Exodus 28 the exact pattern of each of these items were given in great detail and the garment was to be worn by the High Priest while performing his spiritual duties.

The breastplate was called the breastplate of judgment and was to be made of material of the colors gold, of blue and purple and red. It also had four rows of precious stones – ruby, topaz, and emerald on the first row. Turquoise, sapphire and diamond made up the second row. The third row had jacinth, agate and amethyst. The fourth row was made up of beryl, onyx and jasper. They were to be set in gold. The stones represented the twelve tribes of Israel.

All the brilliant stones and elaborate detail work that went into the making of the high priest’s garment was symbolic of the royalty of Jesus Christ as our high priest.

The ephod was an apron-like garment to be made of material of the colors gold, blue, purple, red and fine twisted linen. It also had two twisted shoulder bands made of the same material. It had two onyx stones set in gold on each shoulder band.

The robe was made of blue material with sewn pomegranates of blue, gold and red around the hem of the robe. Gold bells were to be placed on the hem between each pomegranate. The sash for the robe was to be made of fine woven linen.

The turban was to have on it a plate of pure gold engraved with the words “Holy to the Lord.

These embellishments were symbolic of the sinless perfection and holy nature of Jesus Christ as our Royal High priest. Only the High Priest dressed in his priestly garment was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies once a year and sprinkle the blood of a lamb on the Mercy Seat as a symbolic ritual of the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross when He was judged for the sins of the world. The symbolic nature of the ritual involved in entering the Holy Holies and sprinkling the blood of lamb became a reality when Christ became our sacrificial lamb at Calvary. What those believers under the Law of Moses looked forward into history to see, we now look back in history to see – the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross as our substitute for sin.  (John 1:29)