The sacrificial offerings of Leviticus are not insignificant, primitive, or barbaric. God carefully devised them as teaching tools for those under the Old Covenant, who looked forward to the full revelation of the object of His law, and for those under the New Covenant, who look back on it. From the beginning, God's intention was that they be teaching vehicles, and they remain so today. They are shadows of the reality, which is the life and death of Jesus Christ, and we are to strive to follow this Reality as closely as we can, becoming a sweet savor to God. The sacrifices of Leviticus mirror His life and death, and even though we do not perform them physically, we glean valuable information from them about the manner in which He lived and why He had to die, learning to walk in His steps. Sacrifice is a way of life, as exemplified by Jesus Christ, and it is to become our way of life. Every time we obey God's instruction as part of His purpose rather than following human nature, we sacrifice ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. Every time we sacrifice our time and energy to serve rather than pursue our own interests, we follow the patterns shown in the sacrifices of Leviticus and Jesus Christ's life. We strive to live as He lived, continuing the daily sacrifice to grow up into Him. In the burnt offering, meal offering, and peace offering, we see Christ in His work on our behalf as those already redeemed, showing us how to live to avoid falling into condemnation again and to remain in happy fellowship with God. The attitudes and conduct in these offerings prepared Him to be our Redeemer, and imitating them in our lives helps prepare us for God's Kingdom. We see Christ in the sacrifices as the offering, the offerer, and the priest, though most applications for us fall into being the offering and the offerer. Each of the five offerings has similarities and differences, with common elements including an offering, an offerer, and a priest, each distinction carrying meaning. In the burnt offering, sin is not seen because it focuses on how we live life in submission to God's will, pleasing Him. Worship is our response to God, and real worship is offering our everyday life to Him with loyal devotion in every labor. The imagery of the bullock represents patient, untiring labor in service to others, the lamb signifies passive, uncomplaining submission even in suffering, and the turtledove and pigeon symbolize mourning innocence, meekness, and humility. The male goat represents strong-mindedness and leadership, with both positive and negative aspects. These symbols guide us to follow uncomplainingly as a necessary part of being a whole burnt offering, submitting to God's will. Further distinctions in the operations of the offerer and priest reveal Christ's intercessory work, showing that everyone needs the help of our High Priest. The varying requirements in the offerings, such as the cost difference between animals, indicate that more is required of some than others. In the burnt offering, Christ is both representative and example, accepted before God through His sinless life of total devotion, paving the way for us to strive for the same devotion to our Father and His way.

The sacrifices of Leviticus reveal profound spiritual truths through their various forms. Jesus personified the intent of these offerings, living each day as a living sacrifice and conforming Himself to their spiritual purpose. His life exemplified a perfect burnt, meal, and peace offering, qualifying Him to be the sin and trespass offering. Through the burnt offering, which is painful and costly as it demands our very life, we see the exchange for the forgiveness of our sins. The meal offering, completely consumed, depicts man's obligation to love his neighbor as himself, showing that we owe love to fellow man. The peace offering brings a sense of satisfaction and well-being, revealing God's pleasure in sacrifices where we share and serve in fellowship with each other. The sin offering represents the ultimate in self-denial and discomfort, reminding us that resisting the flesh is painful as we are crucified with Christ. Finally, the trespass offering teaches the practice of going beyond the letter of the law, requiring restitution and generosity even to our enemies. Through these offerings, we see all of God's holy requirements met in Christ, enabling us to be quickened by His Holy Spirit, remain in continual fellowship with Them, and grow to become fully at one with Them.

The book of Leviticus, through its sacrifices and attendant ceremonies, addresses access to God, devotion, and holiness. To some, it may seem mysterious and utterly useless, but when its intent is understood, it becomes a veritable spiritual diamond mine to those seeking to know God, our Savior, and the many requirements to follow in His footsteps. The sacrificial offerings detailed in Leviticus hold important bearing on our Christian lives, offering lessons in devotion, commitment, holiness, suffering, sacrifice, perfection, righteousness, the surrender of the self, and knowing God. These offerings, though not all directly applicable to each individual, provide insight into Christ's character and offer practical applications for Christian living. We can mine a great deal of useful and sensible instruction from these sacrifices to guide us in our spiritual journey.

The sweet-savor offerings, including the whole burnt offering, the meal offering, and the peace offering, differ significantly from the sin and trespass offerings of Leviticus. The sweet-savor offerings were presented for God's acceptance on behalf of the worshipper, not due to sin, but as a representation of the worshipper's devotion, which God accepted. In contrast, sin is central to the sin and trespass offerings, and they are not a sweet savor to God, though He mercifully forgives based on the sacrifice they symbolize. Atonement in the context of the sweet-savor offerings conveys acceptance based on the offerer's perfect devotion, unlike the sin and trespass offerings where atonement signifies a covering or payment for sin. In the sin and trespass offerings, the offerer is charged with sin, requiring a payment in blood, as the wages of sin is death. The ritual involved the offerer laying hands on the animal, symbolically transferring sin to it, after which the animal was killed, portraying the penalty as paid. The animals used in sin and trespass offerings had to be without blemish, symbolizing perfection, just as in the sweet-savor offerings. Any physical flaw, whether visible or internal, disqualified the animal, representing the need for a flawless substitute. These offerings, though not sweet savors, were essential to meet the legal obligation to God, whose law was broken by sin, requiring a life to be given to expiate the debt. In the ritual of the sin offering, the bull's remains were carried outside the camp and burned, symbolizing rejection and separation. This act underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of a perfect sacrifice to satisfy justice and allow for forgiveness, breaking the power of the law over the sinner.

The offerings of Leviticus 1-5 provide vital information about the level of dedication to holiness that God desires for His children. These sacrificial laws, though archaic in their original context, remain spiritually applicable today as they describe Jesus Christ, our model and example. They reveal His character through the whole burnt offering, meal offering, peace offering, sin offering, and trespass offering, guiding us in the way God intends mankind to live. Leviticus 7:31 illustrates the sharing in the offering, where the priest burns the fat on the altar, but the breast is given to Aaron and his sons, symbolizing God's provision to the priesthood. Leviticus 22:1-7 emphasizes that those who serve God must be holy, set apart, and clean, reflecting His transcendent purity. Physical impurities like leprosy, contact with a corpse, or semen, mentioned in the instructions to a carnal people, carry spiritual significance as symbols of sins that disfigure character or remain hidden, requiring cleansing and temporary exclusion from fellowship until purity is restored. The process of cleansing, involving washing in water as a type of the Holy Spirit, signifies the need to rid ourselves of spiritual uncleanness to maintain communion with God and partake of the holy food of the altar. Even after cleansing, full restoration to the light of God's presence is gradual, highlighting the burden of sin and the necessity of Christ's sin offering for complete deliverance. Our striving to maintain purity, following Christ's dedication in the burnt and meal offerings, demonstrates faith, love, and sacrifice, acknowledging the immense investment God has made to provide fellowship through the peace offering.

The offerings detailed in Leviticus provide profound insights into the nature of sacrifice and devotion to God. Leviticus 1 describes the whole burnt offering, characterized by four distinctive traits, each offering a unique perspective on complete surrender to God. This offering, a sweet savor to Him, stands in contrast to the sin offering as it embodies perfect obedience without any thought of sin, representing a man offering his life entirely to God. Leviticus 2 introduces the meal offering, which also pleases God as a sweet aroma. Unlike the burnt offering, it includes fine flour, oil, and frankincense, symbolizing the fruit of the ground rather than life itself. This offering reflects what is owed to man, complementing the burnt offering's representation of what is owed to God. Both duties must coexist; one without the other is unacceptable to Him. The meal offering's ingredients carry specific significance. Grain must be ground before use, illustrating preparation through hardship. Oil, widely recognized as a symbol of divine presence, enhances the offering's meaning. Frankincense, with its sweet fragrance released under heat, represents the satisfaction God finds in His children enduring trials without grumbling, especially in service to others. Salt, required in every sacrifice, signifies preservation and purification, suggesting endurance and new beginnings. In contrast, leaven, associated with corruption, is warned against as it deteriorates what it touches, highlighting the persistent challenge of human nature. The meal offering, though not wholly burned on the altar, is consumed between the altar and the priests, indicating it is primarily intended for man while still being an offering to the Lord. This underscores an attitude of service to others, always directed toward God, ensuring that the giver's focus remains on pleasing Him rather than seeking personal gain or recognition.