All Consumed for Us: Leviticus Chapter One

Introduction: Or Why Leviticus?

All consumed for us: Leviticus chapter one

Understanding Leviticus will richly bless your understanding of the Bible and your relationship with Christ who was all consumed for us.

I first studied the book of Leviticus a couple decades ago while home schooling my children. That study utilized a sturdy paper model of the tabernacle and focused on plan of salvation shadowed in the layout of the tabernacle and in the worship practices. The tabernacle model is still available from Rose Publishing at the time of this writing. That little home school study had a significant impact on how I understood the New Testament as well as how I viewed the book of Leviticus in general. I also made use of A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays, by Robin Scarlet and Linda Pierce. I highly recommend both of the resources.

Understanding Leviticus deepened my understanding of the Bible as a whole and greatly impacted my relationship with Christ. Jesus is all over the place in this much maligned book of the Bible. It’s not painful, I promise.

Leviticus Chapter One: All Consumed For Us

Leviticus begins with “And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation,”.

This is LORD or Yaweh, the great I AM. The wording is almost exactly the same as when God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush. So Leviticus starts with a calling again of Moses to lead the people of Israel. God is now dwelling in the midst of His special people and Moses needs to give the people a message from God.

The tabernacle represents God’s holy palace on earth. He is the sovereign God and must be approached in a proper and respectful manner. No uncleanness can enter the tabernacle, but people are inherently sinners and thus unclean.

Approaching a Holy God

Chapter one deals with the burnt offering. This was an offering of atonement or forgiveness. It was usually the first offering when part of a series of offerings or when approach to the LORD was desired. We cannot approach God unless we are first forgiven.

An unblemished bull was prescribed. A bull was expensive and represents a sacrificial giving. Sheep or Goats could also be offered in the same way. For the very poor, a pigeon was allowed but treated slightly different.

A Bloody Process

The owner of the bull likely took special care in raising it. It takes time to do this. The owner stood before the tabernacle at the altar and placed his hand on the offering’s head. I find this interesting because this is the same position as if a person were blessing someone or something. Yet in this case the person is getting the blessing. Next, the owner kills the animal in front of the priest. The one who nurtured the animal now lays his own sins upon it and then kills it.

The priest now enters the process. He sprinkles the animal blood all over the altar. Blood must cover the altar before anyone is entering the tabernacle.

The “inward parts” are washed and everything is piled upon the altar. The sacrifice is completely consumed by fire.

If the person was very poor, they could offer a pigeon. The priest wrung off the pigeon’s head. The crop (a muscular sack in the bird’s neck that stores food) and the feathers were cast on the east side of the alter along with the bird’s blood. Then the bird was split almost in half and completely consumed on the altar.

Side note: The east side of the altar is significant as is moving east. When you see east in the Bible think Garden of Eden. The door was on the east of the garden. Thus, heading east symbolizes heading away from God and heading west towards God. The nasty parts of the bird went on the east side.

Devotional Leviticus Chapter One: All Consumed For Us

The sacrifice of the burnt offering was entirely consumed.

Christ held nothing back for us. He was wholly given for us. Likewise, the believer is wholly consumed to the Lord by the grace of the gospel. This is gospel grace. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

Sacrifice is Hard but Blessed

The burning of the entire animal, including the washed “inward parts”, might not have been a pleasant smell. It might not have smelled like a BBQ. But, to the LORD, it was a pleasing aroma. Was it the sacrifice that pleased Him, or was it the act of obedience, or just the blessing of forgiveness?

Sometimes we are put on the altar of consecration. We go through hard times and trials. It’s easy to lose sight of our loving LORD’s hand in hard times. We must remember our loving Lord is sovereign. It may seem hard to understand, but nothing comes to us apart from our Father’s will. Suffering serves a purpose. Paul said he was a prisoner of Jesus Christ, Eph 3:1.

Our Father has provided for us both the difficulty and the strength and comfort to prosper from that same suffering. Thus even our suffering is turned to beauty.

Leviticus Chapter 1 and Romans Chapter 12

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service KJV

Romans 12:1 takes on new meaning in the light of the first chapter of Leviticus.

I want to say here; we don’t get to choose our suffering. We can’t say “I will do this thing to suffer for Christ, but I won’t do that thing.” Even so, we can choose to accept the suffering and pray for wisdom to know what to accept and what not to accept. The first chapter of James deals with suffering and wisdom.

All Consumed and All Glorified

All consumed for us: Leviticus chapter one and our sufferings today.

Whatever difficulty you are facing, remember the total sacrifice of Christ and remember His glory now in Heaven.

Read the first chapter of Revelation for a glimpse at the reigning glory of Jesus Christ.

Think “consecration” to yourself and don’t hold back. Christ has promised an eternity of unspeakable blessing.

Don’t go looking for trouble but, when heartache comes, remember what is painful and unpleasant to us often serves a much greater and beautiful purpose. Count it all joy and ask God for wisdom in your trial James 1:1-8

And when we humbles ourselves in the sight of God He will lift us up in his own time. (James 4:10). When the Lord does lift you up get up. Don’t refuse to be lifted out of your trial. There is no consecration in that. Be lifted up.