The Burnt Offering
The burnt offering could be from young bulls, sheep, goats, turtledoves, or young pigeons. Whether using livestock or birds, the animal was to be brought to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, in front of the Altar of YHWH. Once slaughtered, the animal’s blood was drained and presented to YHWH. It was then sprinkled on or around the Altar. The carcass was then placed on top of burning wood on the Altar and burnt completely to YHWH.
When using cattle, the person bringing the offering was to place their hand on the animal’s head while the priest slaughtered it. When using sheep or goats, the animal was to be slaughtered on the north side of the Altar. When using birds, the animal’s head was removed by hand and placed whole on the Altar.
The Grain Offering
The grain offering consisted of fine flour, olive oil, frankincense, and salt. The priest would take a portion of this and burn it on the Altar as an offering to YHWH. The remainder would be considered set apart for the priests’ own consumption. This offering could be baked in an oven, on a griddle, or in a frying pan.
No leaven or honey was to be present in the grain offerings. Salt was required to be used in these offerings.
The fresh heads/ears of grain or corn of the first harvest were roasted by fire. Olive oil was then poured over it along with frankincense. This was also considered a grain offering.
The Peace Offering
The peace offering came from the sheep or goats and could be male or female. The flawless animal was taken to the Altar. While the presenter placed his hand on its head, the priest would slaughter it. The priest would then sprinkle the animal’s blood around the Altar. The animal’s two kidneys, fat, and all the other entrails surrounded in fat were burnt on the Altar as an offering to YHWH.
The fat and blood of the animal belonged to YHWH. For this reason, His people are to refrain from consuming animal fat or blood.
The Sin Offering
The sin offering came from bulls, goats, and female sheep. A bull was used if any of the people mistakenly disobeyed YHWH and the anointed priest sinned because of their guilt. A male goat was used by a ruler who mistakenly sinned against YHWH and later became aware of it. A female goat or a ewe was used by the person who mistakenly disobeyed YHWH and later became aware of it.
The Messiah, a term used three times in this section (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16), is linked with the unintentional sins of the people. It is the Messiah who takes the sin offering outside the camp (4:12). Cf. Lev. 16:22; Isa. 53:6, 8.
The Guilt Offering
The guilt offering came from the female sheep or goats, or from the turtledoves or young pigeons. If the guilty party could not even afford the birds, they could instead bring a small amount of fine flour.
This sin offering, whether coming from animals or flour, when accompanied by confession, led to YHWH’s forgiveness. Lev. 5:5-13.
Mal. 3:2-4
Who can endure the day of His coming? And who will stand when He appears?
For the Messiah is like a refiner’s fire and a fuller’s soap. And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to YHWH an offering in righteousness.
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to YHWH, as in the days of old and former years.
According to this prophecy, one of the Messiah’s duties will be to purify the Levites so that the offerings will continue in Jerusalem. This prophecy parallels the prophecies of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and the Psalms.
According to Jeremiah 33:15-18, in the days of the Messiah, Levites will again bring the burnt offerings, meal offerings, and animal slaughtering before YHWH. The prophet then clarified that this prophecy is as sure as the existence of day and night:
Thus says YHWH; If you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.
Isaiah also spoke of these things when he said that the days will come when the sons of the foreigners will come to the Temple in Jerusalem and slaughter animals on YHWH’s Altar. In Isa. 56:7, He declared:
“Their burnt offerings and their slaughtering shall be accepted upon My Altar”
In the last eight chapters of his visions, Ezekiel described a future Temple in which offerings will resume at the hands of the Zadokim, the righteous decedents of the Levites.
Even David, in his prayer for forgiveness after the matter of Uriah and Bathsheba, prophesied:
“Do good in Your good pleasure unto Zion: build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will be pleased with the slaughtering of righteousness, with burnt offerings, and whole burnt offering. Then shall they offer bullocks upon Your Altar.”
How can these things be? Aren’t animal “sacrifices” barbaric and outdated? Was the Messiah’s sacrifice of Himself not sufficient?
It is time we reconsider the nature of the Messiah’s sacrifice.
The purpose of animals being slaughtered served entirely different purposes from what the Messiah’s heroic act did. While the animals had no choice, Yeshua voluntarily laid down His life.
Like a fallen soldier for the benefit of his country, the Messiah’s blood was shed for our freedom. Instead of an invading nation, the enemy He defeated was the prince of darkness.
The battle is still raging. We need the mind and humble attitude of the Messiah to overcome.