What is the Purpose of the Offerings in Leviticus 1:2?

      At the end of Exodus God's glory came down upon the tabernacle that the Israelites had built (Exo. 40:2, 33-35). And the following book of Leviticus opens up with God's speaking not from the heavens or from Mt. Sinai like He did before but from this tabernacle, which was also called the Tent of Meeting.  From my reading I saw that now God had a dwelling place on the earth the most important thing on His heart was to tell His people how they could  have fellowship with Him. 

Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, When any one of you presents an offering to Jehovah, you shall present your offering from the cattle, of the herd or of the flock.  Leviticus 1:2

   In Leviticus God speaks about five basic offerings--the burnt offering, the meal offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering.  I was fascinated when I read on page 4 of chapter 1 of the Life-Study of Leviticus  that it's through these offerings that God's people could worship Him: 



Family walk in December

 In Leviticus we have the redeemed's worship and living.  We should not follow the common understanding of worship. According to the common understanding, to worship is to bow down or to hold a service with rituals. This, however, is not the denotation of worship in the Bible.....In Leviticus worship is a matter of contacting God by enjoying a common portion with Him. The issue of this is fellowship with Him and with one another in His presence. This is to worship God (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Leviticus. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1989, Print). 

        It's obvious that fallen people couldn't enter into God's dwelling place without some kind of provision.  Long before the tabernacle had been built and God told Moses about the different offerings, God had already set up   the way of forgiveness back in the Garden of Eden.  Undoubtedly after Adam and Eve had sinned, they witnessed God slaying the lamb on their behalf and making coats of skin to cover them (Gen. 3:21). 

     Surely this story impressed Abel's heart and inspired him to became a shepherd, and in Genesis 4:4 we see that it was his offering that pleased God and not Cain's vegetables.  And after Noah and his family had safely passed through the flood, he offered burnt offerings to God (Gen. 8:20). 

     Over and over this way is seen throughout the Old Testament. Because God is holy,  sinful man must come to God through the blood of an offering. This made me think about how Hebrews 9:22 which says, And almost all things are purified by blood according to the law, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 

     And this made me realize that both the old covenant (Exo. 24: 4-8) and the new covenant (Matt. 26:28) were enacted by blood.  This is just the way God set it up. In both chapters 14 and 15 Witness Lee credits his understanding of Leviticus from the Brethren with their teaching on the offerings in Leviticus as types of Christ.  I'm looking forward to what I'm going to see in these chapters in Leviticus!
You can listen to excerpts of Witness Lee's speaking the Life-Study of Leviticus on Life Study of the Bible  with Witness Lee.   You can also read the online Life-Studies of Leviticus and check out other resources available to enhance your study of the Bible on Living Stream Ministry's website.

Other Posts on Leviticus:

What is the Purpose of the Offerings in Leviticus 1:2?
Why Does Leviticus Start with the Burnt Offering in Leviticus 1:4?
What is the spiritual Meaning of the Meal Offering in Leviticus 2:1?
Taking a Closer Look at the Peace Offering in Leviticus 3:1
What Do You Know About Christ as the Sin Offering? 
What is the Meaning of the Trespass Offering in Leviticus 5?