THE BURNT OFFERINGLEVITICUS 1The Sanctuary, Lesson 13

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LEVITICUS 1Yahweh called Moses, qara (Jeremiah 33:3)

Cattle—behemah—noun that is feminine, and it means animals, and here specifically meant bullock (v. 5). Distinction made between herds and flocks (vs. 2, 10)

Offer a male—verse 3—without blemish, voluntarily

Put hand upon the head

Makes an atonement

There was a procedure to follow—vs. 5–9; to be done in order.

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The burnt offering could be of the herd (bullock), of the flocks (sheep or goat), or of fowls (turtledoves or young pigeons) (vs. 5, 10, 14).

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NOAH OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS.

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Noah did not forget God, who had so graciously preserved them, but immediately erected an altar and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar, showing his faith in Christ the great sacrifice, and manifesting his gratitude

to God for their wonderful preservation. The offering of Noah came up before God like a sweet savor. He

accepted the offering and blessed Noah and his family. Here a lesson is taught all who should live upon the

earth, that for every manifestation of God’s mercy and love toward them the first act of all should be to

render to Him grateful thanks and humble worship. {SR 69.3}

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BURNT OFFERINGS . . .Were offerings of dedication or consecration that—

showed faith in Christ the great sacrifice,

gratitude,

and humble worship.

It was not the death of the animal that revealed this, but the prayers that ascended to God that revealed the faith, the gratitude, and the worship. Then the offering became a sweet savour. The death of the animal is important, however.

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The blood is an important element. “It is that which makes atonement for the soul” (Andreasen, p. 93).

This is explained in Leviticus 17:11: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

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THE DEATH OF THE OFFERING

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The American Standard Version of Leviticus 17:11 says the blood makes atonement “by

reason of the life.”

Andreasen points out that it was not the blood, but the life that the blood represented, that makes

the atonement.

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“But this blood, which represented the life, was efficacious only after the death of the victim. Had God intended to convey the idea that it

was the blood as such that was efficacious without death, He would have so stated. A certain amount of blood could have been

withdrawn from an animal without killing it—as is now done in blood transfusions. Blood

could thus have been provided without death.“But this was not God’s plan. The blood was

not used until death had taken place. . . .“It was Christ’s atoning death that made

possible our salvation.” (Ibid., p. 94)

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“. . . the power in the blood to cleanse and save is dependent upon the life of the One

who gave it. It is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life which He

lived who died for us. That life was a sinless life. In such a life there is power. No man is

saved by law. No man is saved by good works. No man is saved merely by conforming to rules. ‘We were reconciled to God by the

death of his son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.’ Rom.

5:10.” (Ibid., pp. 94. 95)

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This concept of the blood is important, but in the new

theology it is downplayed and even avoided.

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IN 1959, ANDREASEN ASKED,

“ARE WE TEACHING A BLOODLESS ATONEMENT?”

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“Christ’s death on the cross corresponds to the moment when on the day of atonement the high priest had just killed the

Lord’s goat in the court. The death of the goat was necessary, for without its blood there could be no atonement. But the

death in and of itself was not the atonement, though it was the first and necessary step. Sr. White speaks of the “atonement

commenced on earth.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, p. 261. Says Scripture: “It is the blood that maketh atonement.” Leviticus 17:11. And, of course, there could be no blood until after the

death had taken place. Without a blood ministration the people would be in the same position as those who on the passover

slew the lamb but failed to place the blood on the door posts. “When I see the blood,” said God, “I will pass over you.”

Exodus 12:13. The death was useless without the ministration of the blood. It was the blood that counted.” (Andreasen, Letters

to the Churches, part 6, p. 64)

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It is the blood that is to be applied, not “an act,” “a great act”, “a sacrificial act,” “an atoning act,” “the act of the cross,” “the

benefits of the act of the cross,” “the benefits of the atonement,” all of which expressions

are used in Questions on Doctrine, but any reference to the blood is carefully avoided. It is not an act of any kind that is to be applied. It

is the blood. Yet in all the 100 pages in the book dealing with the atonement, not once is

the blood spoken of as being applied, or ministered. . . . Are we teaching a bloodless

atonement? (Ibid.)14

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“an act” of atonement

“a great act”

“a sacrificial act”

“an atoning act”

“the act of the cross”

“the benefits of the act of the cross”

“the benefits of the atonement”

But any reference to the blood is carefully avoided in QOD, as noted by Andreasen in Letters to the Churches, part 6, p. 64

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. . . He [Christ] was now officiating before the ark of God, pleading His blood in behalf of sinners. (GC 433.1)

He gazed in pity on the remnant, then raised His hands, and with a voice of deep pity cried, “My blood, Father, My blood, My blood, My blood!” (EW 38)

As Christ at His ascension appeared in the presence of God to plead His blood in behalf of penitent believers, so the priest in the daily ministration sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice in the holy place in the sinner’s behalf. (PP 357.4)

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REFERENCES SOP

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“Burnt offerings were the most characteristic of all offerings,

containing, as they did, the essential qualities of the other sacrifices. Before

Sinai all offerings were burnt offerings. They were not sin offerings; yet, atonement was effected through them (v. 4) (Andreasen, The Sanctuary

Service, p. 89; 2006 edition).

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“This is clearly indicated in the case of Job. He offered burnt

offerings for his children, for, said he, ‘it may be my sons have

sinned, and cursed God in their hearts’ (Job 1:5)” (Ibid.).

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Job’s offerings for his children were not sin offerings, for one cannot offer a sin offering for

another, neither were they consecration offerings, for we

cannot do that for another either. They were intercessory offerings!

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Amid the festivities of his sons and daughters, he trembled lest his children

should displease God. As a faithful priest of the household, he offered

sacrifices for them individually. He knew the offensive character of sin, and the thought that his children might forget

the divine claims, led him to God as an intercessor in their behalf (RH Aug.

30, 1881). {3BC 1140.4}

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PROMISES . . .

Psalm 145:18, 19

Psalm 37:4, 5

Isaiah 49:25

Isaiah 44:3, 4

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Everything about the sacrifice was done in order. (Leviticus 1:7,

8, 12)

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LESSONS . . .

First of all, the burnt sacrifice was a type of the perfect offering of Christ—complete consecration, without blemish, entire dedication. The offering was wholly consumed, teaching us that we also must have a complete consecration. All must be put on the altar.

The burnt offering also teaches us that God is no respecter of persons—the poor with his turtledoves is just as acceptable as the rich man with his bullock and as Solomon, who offered a thousand burnt offerings

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It was entirely voluntary. It was not required in connection with any other offering. It revealed a desire in the heart of the offerer to dedicate himself to God. It indicated a thankful heart, a heart of love. Such an attitude is a sweet savor to God.

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A STORY OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US.

WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US. (1 JOHN 4:19)

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He wanted to build a temple for God, but God denied this.

So instead, he gathered gold, silver, brass, and iron; gathered masons and had stones hewed. He prepared iron in abundance for nails and prepared cedar trees. He gathered cunning workmen for every manner of work. (1 Chr. 22) He prepared music for the dedication “to praise therewith” (1 Chr. 23:5).

David was willing to sacrifice and to work for God.26

WE SEE THIS ATTITUDE IN THE LIFE OF DAVID.

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MORE LESSONS . . .

God requires order: “System and order are manifest in all the works of God throughout the universe. Order is the law of heaven, and it should be the law of God’s people on the earth. (CET 195.3)

and cleanliness: the inwards and legs were washed. “He is a God of order, and He requires order and cleanliness in His people. (CTr 113.2)

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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. (Romans 12:1)

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