Leviticus 1:13, commentary and pictures

The verse requires the inner parts and lower limbs of the burnt offering to be cleansed with water before the priest presents the whole animal to be consumed by fire on the altar as a wholly devoted offering pleasing to God. It belongs to the yearly round of individual offerings in which the sinner laid hands on an unblemished substitute, confessed guilt over it, and accepted its death in his place while its blood was carried into the sanctuary. That entire action expressed the offerer's surrender of every power of his being to God after confession, and it expressed worship. As part of that system it foreshadowed the work, sacrifice and heavenly priesthood of Jesus Christ, in whom alone true removal of sin is found and toward whom faith in the coming Redeemer was directed.

Ritual Procedure and Setting

The inwards and the legs were to be washed with water, and then the priest was to bring it all and burn it upon the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour or pleasing aroma to the Lord. The same washing and whole burning applied to offerings of sheep or goats. The instruction belongs to Leviticus 1-7, which regulates the priesthood of the tribe of Levi concerning the various offerings and describes the especial individual offering service during the year. That work belongs to the first grand division of the ministration of the earthly sanctuary, the daily service in the holy place, performed by the Levitical order of priesthood in the two holy places of the earthly sanctuary that was a pattern of the true tabernacle of God in heaven.

In that service the sinner brought a clean, unblemished animal as a substitute, laid a hand on its head while confessing sin to transfer guilt to it, and accepted its death in his place as acknowledging his guilt. The victim was then slain for the transgression, and the priest handled its blood, carrying it into the sanctuary and sprinkling it before the veil. In behalf of the penitent the offering's blood and the priest's ministry then served to transfer the sin to the sanctuary. The blood represented life, and the priest's handling of it pictured that transfer.

The burnt offering belonged both to the regular morning and evening service and to offerings brought individually by those who came burdened with sins. It was part of the continual daily service in the holy place and the continual work of the earthly sanctuary. It belonged to the constant offering of beasts by which remembrance of sin was made in the sanctuary day by day through the year. Together with the daily ministration for the nation and the yearly cleansing it formed one entire yearly round of Levitical service. This individual work went on through the year until the cleansing of the sanctuary on the tenth day of the seventh month, when the forgiven sins left there in figure, whether carried by the blood of the sacrifice or by the person of the priest and sprinkled upon the altar before the ark, were addressed.

The directions for the burnt offering are distinct from those for the sin offering, through which an individual who sinned received forgiveness.

Meaning and Antitype

The burnt offering set forth the worshiper's surrender of all the powers of his being to God after confession of sin, and it stands as worship. The inward parts and legs were washed with water before the priest burned the whole offering on the altar as a sweet savor to the Lord, and the same procedure applied to offerings of sheep or goats.

The service set forth sin passing first to the substitute and then, through its blood, to the sanctuary. The sinner brought a clean, unblemished victim, laid a hand on its head while confessing sin to transfer guilt to it, accepted its death in his place as acknowledging guilt, and the victim was slain while the priest handled its blood in the sanctuary. The priest carried the blood into the sanctuary and sprinkled it before the veil, upon the altar before the ark, representing the transfer of the sinner's sin to the sanctuary. When offered in faith by the penitent, together with the daily offering, the blood of the sacrifice or the person of the priest carried the sin to the sanctuary, where the forgiven sins were left there in figure. This work went on through the year until the cleansing of the sanctuary on the tenth day of the seventh month.

The blood represented life, and the priest's handling of it pictured the transfer of sin to the sanctuary. These offerings expressed faith in the coming Redeemer, since animal blood could not truly remove sin. They belonged to the constant offering of beasts by which individuals burdened with sins came bringing their offering to show faith in the Redeemer to come, and by which remembrance of sin was made in the sanctuary day by day through the year. The offering shows God's hatred of sin and that sin demanded its penalty.

As one of these offerings and types, it is a shadow of the great substance found in Jesus Christ. It typifies the work of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice and ministry and priesthood in the true tabernacle of God in heaven. The continual work in which the worshiper brought a victim and laid a hand on its head, signifying transfer of sin to it, and the victim was killed for transgression while its blood was carried into the sanctuary by the priest, formed a pattern of Christ's sacrifice and ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. That ministration belonged to the first grand division of the earthly sanctuary, the daily service in the holy place performed by the Levitical order in the two holy places of the earthly sanctuary that was a pattern of the true tabernacle of God in heaven, and was the example and shadow of Christ's more excellent ministry in the true tabernacle. The yearly round of Levitical services pointed to Christ's service, offered once for all, and together with the daily ministration for the nation and the yearly cleansing forms one entire yearly round looking forward to a future antitype.

The passage belongs to the account of the sanctuary service where the worship of the true God centered by divine appointment since the days of Moses. It was not written in vain or without purpose but is part of Scripture profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness and written for learning that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures hope may be had. Study of it enables understanding of the temple of God in heaven and Christ's priestly service therein and gives clearer views of the Saviour and His work in behalf of men.

Law and Early History

Leviticus 1 belongs to the law given to the children of Israel and is classified as part of the Levitical law, which is distinguished from the enduring law of God and is described as abolished by Christ.
God's instructions for burnt offerings in Leviticus 1:1-17 had already been given to Adam's family immediately after the fall, which is proved by the fact that Abel's offering agreed with those instructions in every detail. God accepted Abel because he obeyed and rejected Cain because he disobeyed, for God accepts nothing but obedience and rejects only disobedience. Cain's offering of the fruit of the ground was not commanded, and his bringing it instead of the commanded lamb was transgression of the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.