What does "tear it open by its wings" signify about sacrificial procedures? The Phrase in Focus: “Tear It Open by Its Wings” Leviticus 1:17: “He shall tear it open by its wings without dividing the bird. Then the priest is to burn it on the altar … a pleasing aroma to the LORD.” Practical Reasons Behind the Instruction • Makes a small bird lie flat on the wood so every part meets the flames. • Opens the body cavity so internal organs are fully consumed, preventing partial burning (cf. v. 9, “burn all of it on the altar”). • Uses the natural hinge of the wings, allowing tearing without knives and avoiding total dismemberment. • Keeps handling simple for poorer worshipers who could only afford a bird (cf. Leviticus 5:7; 12:8). Symbolic Layers Within the Act • Whole yet opened – a picture of undivided, wholehearted surrender. Nothing is withheld, yet the creature remains technically “one.” • Exposure of the heart and inward parts speaks of transparency before God (Psalm 139:23–24). • Fire penetrating every part foreshadows complete atonement; sin is not merely covered but consumed (Hebrews 10:1). • The bird’s outward “spread” resembles uplifted wings—an image of consecration rising to God as a “pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 1:17; Ephesians 5:2). Consistency with Other Sacrificial Details • Comparable to splitting larger animals “from head to tail” without severing (Genesis 15:10) so that halves face each other—covenant symbolism. • Aligns with the rule that no bone of the Passover lamb be broken (Exodus 12:46; John 19:36); God values wholeness even in death. • Emphasizes that approach to God demands order and exact obedience, not personal improvisation (Leviticus 10:1–2). Culmination in the Finished Work of Christ • Christ’s body was pierced and opened yet not broken, fulfilling prophecy (Psalm 34:20; John 19:34–37). • His sacrifice, like the bird wholly on the altar, was total—every part devoted to the Father, resulting in complete cleansing for believers (Hebrews 10:12–14). In short, “tear it open by its wings” highlights both the thoroughness and the unity of the burnt offering, blending practical technique with rich symbolism of full, undivided devotion that ultimately points to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. |
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