Why Old Testament Sacrifices Point Us to Jesus
Have you ever started reading Leviticus and wondered what you were supposed to do with all the laws, animal sacrifices, and blood?
Why Leviticus Feels So Hard to Read
There are several books of the Bible we tend to avoid for different reasons. Leviticus is one of those books that can feel a bit agonizing to read. Because of the detailed instructions regarding the various Old Testament sacrifices, including the burnt offering, grain offering, peace offerings, sin offering, and guilt offering, along with all the blood involved, we usually feel overwhelmed rather than excited about reading it.
However, as I recently finished reading through Leviticus in my chronological Bible reading, I saw something beautiful at the heart of all those details. First, I saw the holiness of God. Then I saw the unholiness of humanity. But what shined through the text was God’s desire to make a way for us to be in relationship with Him.
The Book of Leviticus is filled with requirements connected to the Old Testament sacrificial system. There was so much blood continually necessary to cover the sins of humans, because unlike God, man is unholy. Without some form of intervention, we cannot see God or know Him personally. The Old Testament way God intervened on behalf of His people was through what felt like an almost continual flow of blood from animals deemed as acceptable sacrifices.
Man’s Unholiness
Leviticus 9 makes the turn from the specifics of the law, the instructions, and the order regarding those sacrifices and shifts to the actual practice. The offerings were made according to God’s prescribed manner. Then Moses and Aaron came out of the tabernacle of meeting and blessed the people.
Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
Leviticus 9:23-24
I feel like right here, I need a chord of musical drama to prepare for the next verse in Leviticus 10:1. Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, “offered profane fire before the LORD,which He had not commanded them.”
So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Leviticus 10:2
It was incredible to me how quickly—virtually almost instantly after seeing God’s glory—the human factor, or sin nature, showed up and tainted the incredible experience of God’s glory.
But, I think that is ultimately the point.
God is holy. Man is unholy. And the only way to experience the glory of God is for God to make a provision that cleanses man from his unholiness, even if for only a moment. In the Old Testament that is about as good as it gets—momentary atonement.
The Beauty of the Day of Atonement
Leviticus 11-15 continues to lay out more laws, rules, and regulations for God’s people. And then comes my favorite chapter in Leviticus—chapter 16, which is all about the Day of Atonement. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place according to God’s instructions, and the blood of the sacrifice provided a temporary covering for the sins of the people.
It is the Day of Atonement because this atoning for the sins of the children of Israel happened once a year. Leviticus 16:34 tells us this was to be done “once a year.” This is my favorite chapter because it points to a future atoning sacrifice. For us now, it points to the atoning sacrifice we look back to—the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross.
As I mentioned already, Old Testament covering for human sin was temporary at best. But with Jesus as our sacrifice for sins, the offering He made on our behalf is eternal.
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9:12
"And by that will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
Hebrews 10:10
Leviticus 17-25 is all about more laws, more regulations, more details about the laws and regulations that have already been laid out. Much of it seems to be repetitions or possibly a bit further information about past instructions to the priests and the handling of holy things as related to the tabernacle of meeting.
My Summary of the Book of Leviticus
In my notes after reading to Leviticus 22, I wrote:
“The main message of the book of Leviticus is the holiness of God, how set apart He is from humanity; yet He continually puts things in place for ‘unholy humans’ to be in relationship with Him. Leviticus shows me how much God desires to be in relationship with me.”
While that is what I wrote five chapters before completing my reading of the book of Leviticus, when I came to the end, my conclusion was the same. Leviticus paints a picture of the contrast of God’s extreme holiness to our unholiness. But knowing the New Testament, especially the book of Hebrews, I see the incredible message of God’s love and desire for a relationship with me shouting from its pages.
How Leviticus Points Us To Jesus
As New Testament believers, we must read the Old Testament in light of the blood of Jesus as our everlasting atonement, but even more than that, as our completed redemption. Under the Old Covenant, God’s people lived with continual reminders that sin required sacrifice. There was a striving involved in keeping the requirements God had given them at that time— repeated offerings, repeated cleansing, and repeated sacrifices that all pointed to the greater sacrifice still to come.
Under the new covenant, we no longer depend on repeated animal sacrifices or strive for righteousness through repetitive offerings. We rest in Christ’s sacrifice because Jesus is the perfect sacrifice who secured the forgiveness of sins once for all. His sacrificial offering of Himself on the cross made us righteous before God. The gift of His life to atone for our sins made us right before God so that any unholiness we still battle in our humanity is covered by Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
The rules, regulations, and laws of Leviticus are not meaningless to me. Instead they point me to the incredible beauty of my Savior Jesus, who loved me so much that He would pay every price required to have me as His own.
I hope the next time you read Leviticus, you read it from that standpoint. If you can’t quite get there, read the book of Hebrews alongside your reading of Leviticus and watch the Holy Spirit illuminate that beauty for you as well.
If you would like to learn more about the Day of Atonement, you can read my blog post: Jesus, God’s Chosen Avenue Of Atonement For Me And You.
Want help understanding the Bible more deeply?
If this post encouraged you to keep studying even the harder books of the Bible, I invite you to visit the HER Podcast library and listen to the How To Study the Bible series. It will help you grow in confidence as you learn to read Scripture in context and see how God’s Word points us to Jesus.
Frequently Asked Questions About Old Testament Sacrifices, Leviticus, and Jesus
Q: What is the main message of Leviticus?
The main message of Leviticus is the holiness of God and His desire to make a way for sinful people to live in relationship with Him. Leviticus shows us that God is holy, humanity is unholy, and sin requires atonement. But even in the laws, sacrifices, and detailed instructions, we see God’s mercy and His desire to dwell with His people.
Q: How do Old Testament sacrifices point to Jesus?
The Old Testament sacrifices point to Jesus because they show our need for a perfect and final sacrifice. The blood of animals could only provide a temporary covering for sin, but Jesus offered Himself once for all. His death on the cross secured eternal redemption and made a way for us to be forgiven and made right with God.
Q: What was the Day of Atonement?
The Day of Atonement was a yearly day when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place and offered blood for the sins of the people. This atonement had to be repeated every year, which showed that it was temporary. For New Testament believers, the Day of Atonement points forward to Jesus, our Great High Priest, who offered His own blood once for all.
Q: Why is Leviticus important for Christians today?
Leviticus is important for Christians because it helps us understand the holiness of God, the seriousness of sin, and the beauty of Jesus’ sacrifice. While Christians are no longer under the Old Testament sacrificial system, Leviticus helps us see why Jesus’ death on the cross is so powerful and necessary.
Q: Do Christians still need to follow the sacrifices in Leviticus?
No. Christians do not need to offer animal sacrifices because Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system through His death on the cross. His sacrifice was complete, final, and sufficient. Instead of striving through repeated offerings, believers can rest in the finished work of Christ.
Q: How does Hebrews help us understand Leviticus?
The book of Hebrews helps explain how the Old Testament sacrificial system pointed to Jesus. Hebrews shows us that Jesus is the better sacrifice, the better High Priest, and the One who secured eternal redemption. Reading Hebrews alongside Leviticus can help believers see the beauty of Christ more clearly.
Q: What does Leviticus teach us about God’s love?
Leviticus teaches us that God’s love is seen in His desire to make a way for His people to be near Him. Even though God is holy and humanity is sinful, He provided a way for relationship. As Christians, we see the fullness of that love in Jesus, who gave His life so we could be forgiven, redeemed, and brought near to God.
Q: What is the good news of Leviticus for Christian women today?
The good news of Leviticus is that you do not have to strive to make yourself acceptable to God. In Christ, you are covered by His blood, made righteous through His sacrifice, and invited into relationship with the Father. Jesus has done what we could never do for ourselves.
