Propitiation in Relation to the Old Testament Burnt Offering in the Old Testament

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 salvation 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 salvation 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.

Exodus chapter 29 addresses the ordination or consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests to serve in the tabernacle.

This chapter is divided into five sections: (1) Overview of the chapter (2) The sacrifices connected to the consecration/ordination of the priests (10-35). (a) The use of the bull as a sin offering (verses 10-14). (b) The first ram as a whole burnt offering (verses 15-18). (c) The use of the blood of the second consecration/ordination ram (verses 19-21). (d) Offering the rest of the second consecration/ordination ram (verses 22-26). (e) Establishing the offering portions and garments were permanent features of Israel’s sacrificial system (verses 27-30). (f) Cooking and eating consecration/ordination ram (verses 31-34). (g) Summary of the consecration/ordination of the priests (verse 35). (3) Consecrating the altar (verses 36-37). (4) Permanent consecration/ordination burnt offering for the tabernacle (verses 38-42a). (5) Reminder and promise of the presence of God among His people (verses 42b-46).

Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8-9 both address the consecration or ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests and complement each other.

The latter narrates the actual performance of the ordination/consecration ceremony whereas the former provides the instructions to be carried out in this ceremony.

The ordination/consecration ceremony which is described in verses 1-37 contains eight steps: (1) Washing Aaron and his sons (verse 4) (2) Clothing Aaron and his sons (verses 5-6, 8-9) (3) Anointing Aaron and his sons (verse 7). (4) The use of the bull as a sin offering (verses 10-14). (5) The first ram as a whole burnt offering (verses 15-18). (6) The use of the blood of the second consecration/ordination ram (verses 19-21). (7) Offering the rest of the second consecration/ordination ram (verses 22-26). (8) Cooking and eating consecration/ordination ram (verses 31-34).

Exodus 29:1 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them to minister as priests to Me: take one young bull and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread and unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil; you shall make them of fine wheat flour. 3 You shall put them in one basket and present them in the basket along with the bull and the two rams. 4 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 5 You shall take the garments and put on Aaron the tunic and the robe of the ephod and the ephod and the breastpiece and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod; 6 and you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. 7 Then you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. 8 You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them. 9 You shall gird them with sashes, Aaron and his sons, and bind caps on them, and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. So you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. 10 Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. 11 You shall slaughter the bull before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 12 You shall take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; and you shall pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. 13 You shall take all the fat that covers the entrails and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them and offer them up in smoke on the altar. 14 But the flesh of the bull and its hide and its refuse, you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.” (NASB95)

The sacrifice of the bull in these verses was a sin offering related to any sin the priests might have been committed and was either not confessed or was committed in ignorance.

The bull spoke of servanthood and portrayed Jesus Christ’s servanthood.

Thus, this offering was not only preparing them to serve the Lord and the Israelites but also teaching them that their service was based upon the sacrificial animal, which served them by dying as a substitute for their sins.

This teaches us in the church age that we are able to serve the Father based upon the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross.

The Lord instructs Moses in verse 13 that he is to take all the fat that covers the entrails of the animal and the lobe that is above the liver and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them and burn them on the altar.

These were offered symbolically to the Lord as His portion.

This speaks of the doctrine of propitiation which refers to the fact that Jesus Christ’s spiritual and physical deaths on the cross satisfied the demands of God’s holiness which requires that sin and sinners be judged.

Exodus 29:15 “You shall also take the one ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram; 16 and you shall slaughter the ram and shall take its blood and sprinkle it around on the altar. 17 Then you shall cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head. 18 You shall offer up in smoke the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the Lord: it is a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.” (NASB95)

In Exodus 29:17-18, the Lord tells Moses that this first goat was to be cut up into pieces and then he was to wash the entrails and its legs and put them with its pieces and its head and burn the whole animal on the altar.

This was symbolic food for Yahweh.

Usually, in most sacrifices parts of the animal were thrown away and parts were offered to Yahweh by burning the animal to ashes on the altar and the rest were cooked and eaten by the worshippers and priests who each got a share.

However, in this case with the first goat, the entire animal was to be offered to the Lord by being burnt to ashes.

Thus, all the parts of the animal were placed on the altar and nothing was thrown away or kept by the worshippers or priests.

This spoke of propitiation as well meaning that it portrayed the Father totally and completely accepting His Son Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross as the basis for the restoration of the believer to fellowship once they confess their sins to the Father.

This is further indicated by the fact that this burnt offering of the first goat was a “soothing aroma” to the Lord portraying the Father as propitiated by His Son’s death.

The offering is said be made by fire and the fire foreshadowed or typified God’s judgment upon His Son at the cross.

Therefore, Aaron and his sons were taught by the sacrifice of this goat that they could only serve God on the basis of the sacrifice of the animal as their substitute.

This teaches us in the church age that Jesus Christ’s substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross made it possible for us to serve the Father.