Forgiveness in the Levitical Offerings

The book of Leviticus has much to say about the forgiveness of sins.

The Levitical animal sacrifices depicted the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, which is the basis for the forgiveness of sins.

The blood of the animal portrayed His death, which is the basis for the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 9:22 without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (NASB95)

Ephesians 1:7 In Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. (NASB95)

1 Peter 1:18 Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. (NASB95)

The burnt offering in Leviticus 1:2-17 depicts the doctrine of propitiation with emphasis on the work of Christ.

The gift offering Leviticus 2:1-16 depicts propitiation with emphasis on the person of Christ.

The peace offering recorded in Leviticus 3:1-17 portrays the doctrine of reconciliation.

The sin offering in Leviticus 4:1-35 depicts the confession of sin after conversion by the believer with emphasis on the unknown sins of the believer.

The trespass offering in Leviticus 5-6:7 depicts the confession of sin after conversion by the believer with emphasis on the known sins of the believer.

God never intended for the Levitical offerings to be perpetuated.

The entire system in the Levitical offerings was set aside once the reality came in.

The Levitical offerings found their fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ and were just a shadow of the reality of our Lord and His saving work (Heb. 10:1-2).

The lamb was the center of the Levitical offerings.

The Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ was the real deal (Heb. 9:11-15).

All the Levitical sacrifices were to cease after our Lord’s work on the cross.

He was the literal fulfillment of the Levitical offerings and the literal Lamb of God that took away sins (John 1:29).

Animal’s blood cannot take away sin (Heb. 10:4), but our Lord’s death did.

The Levitical priesthood had to step aside for the royal priesthood of church age believers following our Lord’s death and resurrection, ascension and session.

The Levitical priesthood will be reactivated following the Second Advent and for the duration of the millennium (Ezek. 40-46).

The Mosaic Law and the Levitical sacrifices do not apply to us here in the church age but simply teach us about the person and work of Christ.

So, in summary, the Levitical offerings were originally for the sanctification of the Exodus generation who were declared justified by faith in the Lord which is manifested by the fact that their firstborn children were not killed by the Lord as was the case with firstborn children of the Egyptians.

These Levitical offerings typified the person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

These offerings looked forward to the future when the Lamb of God would come to die for the sins of the whole world.