Gi – Take One of the Rams and Aaron and His Sons will Slaughter It Exodus 29:15-18 and Leviticus 8:18-21

Take One of the Rams and
Aaron and His Sons will Slaughter It
Exodus 29:15-18 and Leviticus 8:18-21

Take one of the rams and Aaron and His sons will slaughter it DIG: How was the burnt offering different from the sin offering? Why did they lay their hands on the head of the sacrifice?

REFLECT: Is dedication for all believers, or only for the professional ministry?

The second sacrifice was the first of the two rams for a burnt offering (to see link click Fe – The Burnt Offering), atoning for their unintentional sin. Unlike sacrifices that were consumed by the worshiper and the priests, the burnt offering was to be entirely consumed on the bronze altar.⁶⁴⁰ Once again, Aaron and his four sons laid their hands on its head symbolizing the transference of sin from the men to the sacrifice. These animals were dying a substitutionary death. They were not guilty of the sins of Aaron and his sons. But since the priests were not to die, the animals took their place.

Though they were described very briefly, putting the animal to death was the central and most important act in the sacrificial process. The Hebrew word for altar literally means the place of slaughter, and the location of the bronze altar in the center of the eastern half of the Tabernacle courtyard made it the focus of attention when sacrificial offerings were brought to God. Similarly, the cross became the altar on which Jesus died (Philippians 2:8) for our sins (First Corinthians 15:3), substituting Himself for us just as animals had earlier been substituted by offerings for themselves or others (Genesis 22:13). That the cross is central to the New Covenant proclamation of salvation is clear when Paul said: I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (First Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14).⁶⁴¹

So the ram was slaughtered and its blood was sprinkled against all four sides of the altar. Then Moses cut the ram into pieces and washed the inner parts, and the legs, and put them with the head and the other pieces. After it was cut up, the entire ram was burned on the bronze altar. It is a burnt offering to ADONAI, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to ADONAI by fire (Exodus 29:15-18; Leviticus 8:18-21).

All who believe in Yeshua Messiah are saved (Acts 16:31), not because of what we have done but, because His blood purifies us from every sin (First John 1:7). Indeed, He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world (First John 2:2; Romans 3:25).