What significance does burning the offering on the altar have in Leviticus 7:5? Text of Leviticus 7:5 “Then the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering to the LORD; it is a guilt offering.” Setting the Scene • Leviticus 7 details the “guilt offering,” brought when someone had violated God’s holiness or the rights of another person. • Verse 5 zeroes in on what the priest does with the fatty portions: he burns them on the altar. • The fire is not background scenery; it is central to how God teaches Israel—and us—about sin, holiness, and restoration. Why the Parts Were Burned • Complete surrender – The choicest, richest portions (Leviticus 3:14-16) are consumed entirely by fire, symbolizing that the offender’s guilt is wholly yielded to God. • Divine ownership – By burning the fat, the priest publicly declares that “all the best” belongs to the LORD (Leviticus 3:16). • Atonement through substitution – The animal stands in the sinner’s place; its destruction under holy fire points to the penalty the sinner deserved (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22). • Pleasing aroma – Scripture repeatedly calls the smoke “a pleasing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17), affirming that God accepts the offering and restores fellowship. Key Themes Illustrated by the Fire • Holiness consumes impurity – Fire, often a symbol of God’s presence (Exodus 3:2; Hebrews 12:29), devours what cannot coexist with His purity. • Continual need for cleansing – The altar fire was to be kept burning “continually” (Leviticus 6:12-13), reminding Israel that sin is persistent and so must be atonement. • Costly repentance – Burning the most valuable parts underscores that reconciliation with God is never cheap. Looking Forward to Christ • Jesus is the once-for-all guilt offering (Isaiah 53:10; Hebrews 10:10). • At the cross, He endured the fiery judgment our sins deserved; His sacrifice, like the smoke of Leviticus 7:5, rises as a “fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). • Because His work is perfect, no further burning of offerings is needed—yet the imagery teaches us the gravity of sin and the depth of His love. Personal Takeaways • Treasure holiness: the same God who required fire on the altar still calls His people to be set apart (1 Peter 1:15-16). • Respond with wholehearted devotion: if the choicest parts belonged to God then, our entire lives belong to Him now (Romans 12:1). • Rest in completed atonement: the continual flames pointed to an unending need, but Christ’s single sacrifice fully satisfies it (Hebrews 10:14). |
    |