herefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?”
(Leviticus 10:17)
We know from multiple passages of Scripture that in ancient times priests played a significant role as intercessors between God and His people. This explains why God gave them very specific instructions for carrying out their priestly duties, particularly in terms of how sacrifices were to be prepared and presented. The reason these instructions were of utmost importance was because the various offerings God ordained were deeply symbolic, representing such doctrines as atonement, purification, and consecration.
Through this intercessory process detailed by God to His people, these animal sacrifices symbolically carried the weight of the people’s sins, and the blood shed by that animal sacrifice covered their sin for a specified period of time. This ritualistic practice ingrained in His people what was required for redemption (a substitutionary blood sacrifice where an innocent gives its life for the guilty), and the lengths to which God would go to bridge the gap between the Himself and sinful humanity.
Of course, these Old Testament practices were all forward-looking, directing our attention to the pivotal point in God’s timeline when the substitutionary, sacrificial death of Christ purchased redemption for God’s chosen people once for all (1 Peter 3:18, Heb. 7:27). Calvary abolished the former sacrificial system, for Christ was God’s ultimate sacrificial Lamb.
Three main elements underline this truth: substitution in place of the offenders, the offering to God, and the subsequent expiation of sin. All these elements are mirrored in Christ’s passion and death.
- Substitution in Place of the Offenders: The sacrifices in the Old Testament often involved the substitutionary death of an innocent animal in place of the guilty person offering it. This substitution was a profound representation of Christ, who would later become the ultimate sacrifice, dying in our place and bearing the weight of our sins.
- Offering to God: The act of sacrifice was not merely a ritual but an offering to God, the way of seeking and obtaining His mercy and favor. Christ’s sacrifice was the ultimate offering, a testament of love and grace to redeem His elect.
- Expiation of Sin: The act of sacrifice also symbolized purification from sins. While the sacrifices in the Old Testament provided a way to cleanse from ritual impurities, Christ’s sacrifice suffices for a deeper cleansing – that of the soul and conscience.
Various passages from Leviticus as well as the teachings of the Epistle to the Hebrews both highlight the requirement of innocent bloodshed in order to achieve remission of sins. The sacrificial shedding of blood had profound implications that emphasized the gravity of sin and the lengths to which God would go to provide a means for atonement.
Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary is a reality that offers hope, redemption, and a bridge back to God. It is an act that surpasses all previous sacrifices which were only a type of God’s ultimate sacrificial Lamb that would offer not just temporal reprieve from judgment but eternal salvation.
Contemplations:
- The Weight of Atonement: As I reflect on Leviticus 10:17, I’m reminded of the gravity of sin and the weight it places on the soul. The priests of old bore this weight, symbolically consuming the offerings. In a similar vein, Christ bore the weight of all our transgressions, thereby providing our redemption.[1]
- The Power of Substitution: The idea of an innocent animal dying in lieu of the person who is guilty is both humbling and enlightening. It reminds me of the immense love and grace God bestows upon us, sending His Son to be our substitute, bearing our sins, and paying the ultimate price.
- Blood as a Symbol of Redemption: The repeated mention of blood in sacrifices underlines its significance. Blood signifies life, and the shedding of it represents the giving of life. Christ’s blood, shed on the cross, became the ultimate life-giving act required for our redemption.
- Christ’s Sacrifice – Beyond Rituals: While the Old Testament sacrifices offered a means of purification and atonement, as symbolic types they were limited in scope and effectiveness. Christ’s sacrifice transcends these limitations, offering a complete soul-cleansing redemption. His sacrifice is a testament to God’s enduring love for His people, always seeking ways to draw us closer to Him.
Further References for Lev. 10:17:
Exod. 28:38; Lev. 6:25; Num. 18:1; Ezek. 42:13
[1] Edward Stillingfleet, A Discourse Concerning the Doctrine of Christ’s Satisfaction (London: printed by J. Heptinstall, for Henry Mortlock at the Phœnix in St. Paul’s Church-Yard, 1697), 175.
