LEVITICUS 1 - BURNT OFFERING: THE GATE OF ENTRY
- Pr Enos Mwakalindile
- Jul 14
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 30
Drawing Close to God: Visit the Leviticus, Look to Christ
❓ Have you ever felt the need to start anew before God—like someone searching for a door of grace obscured by altar smoke?
🪔 INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT
Leviticus opens with the voice of the Lord calling to Moses from the tent of meeting. For the first time since the construction of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34–35), we see man’s access to God restored through the sacrificial system.
In the first chapter, we see the burnt offering, the 'olah' (from Hebrew: עֹלָה, meaning 'ascending whole to God')— a sacrifice of complete dedication , representing the beginning of a journey of repentance and a renewed relationship with God. This offering is offered voluntarily, but with set conditions, indicating how to come before God in humility and in the way He has chosen.
The 'Olah' offering is not simply a response to sin but a return to the place of fellowship—the place where God walks with humanity, as in Eden (Genesis 3:8). Thus, this offering is an early step in restoring the creation covenant.
By offering a burnt offering, the offerer not only asks for forgiveness, but gives himself completely to God, saying: ‘This life is yours.
📖 Read First
Please read Leviticus Chapter 1 in order. Consider each step of the offering—from choosing the animal to the complete burning. This is not a quick act, but a liturgy of life.
🔍 The Structure of the Burnt Offering
Voluntary offering from livestock or birds (vv. 3–17)
Laying hands on the offering as a sign of identification (v. 4)
Slaughtering the animal and the priest taking the blood (v. 5)
Completely burned on the altar (vv. 9, 13, 17)
📚 STUDY STRUCTURE FOR THIS CHAPTER
📍 BEGINNING OF WORSHIP: VOLUNTARY APPROACH – VERSES 1–3
The word “approach” ( qarav ) is a ritual word, meaning to come before God in thanksgiving, repentance, or consecration. This is an act of worship, not just a process of personal purification.
Unlike other offerings, this offering is voluntary —motivated by the heart of the person who wants to give. But it does not mean freedom to give to God as you please; you must still follow the sacred procedures.
The burnt offering is a wholehearted invitation. Here man does not simply ask for a blessing; he places everything—heart, soul, and body—before God.
Through the sacrificial system, God not only shows the way to forgiveness, but also opens the invitation to his dwelling among men.
📍 LAYING ON HANDS: IDENTIFICATION AND COMMITMENT – VV. 4
Through the act of laying on the hand (Hebrew: samak ), by placing his hand on the animal’s head, the offerer performed a remarkable act—he made a clear declaration: ‘this is me.’ It was not just a role-sharing, but a way of saying, ‘I am bound to this offering. Its fate is mine.’ It is a representative act—of uniting with the offering.
This is why almsgiving was not just a simple religious act. It was personal—it required a touch. The giver was involved, with his own hands. It was impossible to hide behind society or a priest. This act was an invitation to clearly show: "I am the one who needs this mercy."
“As the ‘olah’ sacrifice represented a complete surrender to God, so Christ also offered his entire life without holding back anything—he let his life rise as a sweet-smelling aroma to God.” — (Ephesians 5:2)
📍 BLOOD, FIRE, AND THE GOOD SMELL: THE PROCESS OF THE RELEASING – VV. 5–9
This section also provides a description of the actual procedures—the animal is slaughtered before the Lord, its blood is sprinkled, and its organs are washed before being completely burned. No steps were skipped. The service was thorough, with an air of repentance, discipline, and reverence.
The sacrificial system was a way of protecting the sacred space where heaven and earth met.
The burnt offering, whether of a bull or a dove, was a sweet savour before the Lord. The difference was not in the size of the animal, but in the heart of the giver. This is a picture of the gospel—that we are accepted not by the amount of what we can give, but by a humble and obedient heart.---
📍 A SACRIFICE FOR ALL: GOD'S MERCY TOWARDS THE POOR – VV. 10–17
In the last verses of this chapter, we see God's mercy in making room even for the poor—they could bring a dove or a pigeon. The 'Olah' offering was not just for the wealthy; it was open to all, from those with oxen to those with small animals. God does not restrict worship to the economically able.
📖 SUMMARY OF STUDY
Leviticus 1 is the first door to the temple of grace. The burnt offering and the consecration are a worship of complete surrender. In Christ, we see the sinless one surrendering himself to the will of the Father to open the way for us to the true temple (Hebrews 10:19–22).
Through the sacrifice of Christ, man has a second chance to return to heavenly fellowship.
🧱️ LIFE APPLICATION
Remember that the fire on the altar was to be kept burning continually (Leviticus 6:13). Develop a habit of repentance, a U-turn from Sin to Christ, and self-sacrifice every day. Set aside time each morning as an altar of burnt offering , a place to say: “Lord, today, I want to be completely yours.”
🔍 Reflect More
Are there areas of your life that you have not fully surrendered to the Lord?
Do your prayers reflect surrender or a prayer to avoid suffering?
What is stopping you from putting your “hand on the altar” and saying, “this life is yours”?
👥 For Study Groups
Discuss: In Christian life today, where do we need to restore the heart of the burnt offering to draw close to God? Is there a danger of half-hearted devotion to God?
🙌 BLESSINGS FOR YOUR DEDICATION
May the Lord receive you as you declare: “This life is yours.” May His fire descend not in fear, but in the sweet fragrance of your repentance. May our hearts rise like 'olah' before Him—burning with love, rising with faith. May the altar within you never be extinguished, but burn ever with the fire of His grace.
Amen.
📣 Feedback & Partnership
What have you learned today about what it means to be fully committed to God? Share your thoughts here at maisha-kamili.com . We would love to learn from you!
➡️ Next Lesson: “The Grain Offering – Leviticus 2”
Can your daily tasks be a fragrant offering before God?
📚 Sources for Further Studies
L. Michael Morales , Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord? (IVP Academic, 2015). This book provides a historical and theological foundation for the book of Leviticus as a ritual journey into the presence of God. Morales emphasizes the importance of the 'olah' offering as the first step into holy communion.
Tim Mackie , BibleProject: Sacrifice and Atonement Series . Through video and scripture, Mackie explores the concept of sacrifice as a way to approach God after the expulsion from Eden, describing the burnt offering as a form of self-giving worship.
John Walton , The Lost World of the Torah (IVP Academic, 2019). Walton argues that the Levitical laws were not merely codes of conduct but created the environment of God’s dwelling among his people. He emphasizes offerings as part of the “temple world.”
Ellen G. White , Patriarchs and Prophets (Review and Herald, 1890), chapter 30. She explains how sacrifices were a way of showing Christ and God's mercy from the beginning. She provides a spiritual perspective that enables readers to see the 'olah' offering as a shadow of Christ's offering.
NT Wright , The Day the Revolution Began (HarperOne, 2016). Although not directly mentioned in the original text, Wright's work focuses on how the cross of Christ fulfills and transforms the meaning of all sacrifices, emphasizing God's love and the new covenant through Jesus' self-giving.
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