How does Leviticus 9:17 connect to Jesus as our ultimate sacrifice? Leviticus 9:17 in Its Original Moment • “Next he presented the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar in addition to the morning burnt offering.” • Two separate offerings appear side-by-side: – Morning burnt offering: a whole animal consumed by fire, symbolizing complete surrender to God and atonement for sin (Leviticus 6:12-13). – Grain offering: fine flour mixed with oil and frankincense, pointing to fellowship, thanksgiving, and dedication (Leviticus 2:1-3). Patterns God Built into the Offerings • The burnt offering came first; the grain offering followed. • Nothing of the burnt offering was kept back—total consecration. • The grain offering contained no leaven (Leviticus 2:11), picturing purity. • Both were offered “in addition to” the regular morning sacrifice, reinforcing a daily rhythm of atonement and communion. The Burnt Offering Foreshadowing Jesus • Jesus fulfilled what the continual burnt offering anticipated: – “This He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” (Hebrews 7:27) – His life was wholly given over to the Father (John 10:17-18). • Complete consumption by fire prefigures Christ bearing the full weight of God’s judgment on sin (Isaiah 53:10). The Grain Offering Foreshadowing Jesus • Fine flour: consistency and perfection—Jesus’ perfectly balanced, sinless humanity (1 Peter 2:22). • Oil: a picture of the Holy Spirit—“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38). • Frankincense: fragrant acceptance before God—“Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering” (Ephesians 5:2). • No leaven: Christ’s absolute purity, echoed in “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Why Both Offerings Together Matter • Burnt offering = atonement; grain offering = fellowship. • Jesus’ sacrifice achieves both: – Removes guilt (Hebrews 10:10–12). – Opens continual access and communion with God (Hebrews 10:19-22). • The “morning” timing foreshadows resurrection morning, when the lasting efficacy of His offering was confirmed (Luke 24:1-6). Connecting Leviticus 9:17 to the Cross • Sequence in Leviticus: atonement then fellowship. • Fulfillment in Christ: He first deals with sin, then invites believers into daily, ongoing fellowship. • Just as Israel watched smoke rise from both offerings, believers see in the cross a single, all-sufficient act that satisfies God and nourishes us spiritually. Living Out the Reality Today • Rest in the finished work of the one “burnt offering”-like sacrifice—no additional atonement is ever needed (Hebrews 10:14). • Offer our lives as “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1) in grateful response, mirroring the grain offering’s dedication. • Draw near each “morning” in worship and thanksgiving, knowing Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice continually secures our fellowship with the Father. |
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