Background Bible Reading: Leviticus 1
Leviticus is the place in the Old Testament where we find God’s directions as given to His people regarding worship and rituals such as the various sacrificial offerings. In the first chapter, procedure for the whole burnt offering is described. This is only the first of several sacrifices. This particular sacrifice is made up of five specific steps.
First, the sacrifice is presented or voluntarily offered by the owner as an act of worship (v. 3). The sacrifice itself was to be without blemish or defect.
Second, the worshipper would place his hand on the head of the sacrifice to indicate that the animal had become his substitute and would die in the place of the worshipper (v. 4)
Third, the worshipper would slaughter the animal and prepare it to be burned on the altar (v. 5).
Fourth, the priests would sprinkle the blood around the altar. It was the sprinkling of the blood which made atonement for the sins of the worshippers.
Last, the priests would place the parts of the animal upon the altar in an orderly fashion and the parts of the sacrifice would be burned.
This particular offering is unique in that the whole animal is placed on the altar and offered as a sacrifice. Other offerings made allowances for the priests to consume part of the animal.
Some sacrifices even discarded specific parts of the sacrifice which were considered to be unclean. This sacrifice, however, was entirely offered to the Lord on the altar of sacrifice.
This part of Old Testament ritual and worship points forward to the great biblical truth of consecration. Paul urged in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
Since Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, worshippers no longer offer animal sacrifices on the burning altar. We are now called to willingly offer ourselves completely, entirely, and unreservedly to Him in consecration so He can cleanse us from indwelling sin, baptize us with the Holy Spirit and use us as vessels of honor for His glory.
I Chronicles 29:5 asks the question, “Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?”
Have you heeded the call to consecration found in His Holy Word? Our prayer is that every reader will be entirely yielded to God. Only then can one know the abiding presence and fullness of His Holy Spirit within! Have you heeded the call to consecration found in His Holy Word?
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