Leviticus 1:16, commentary and pictures

In the burnt offering of birds the crop with its feathers was removed and thrown to the east side of the altar by the place of the ashes, and unlike the larger animals the bird was not divided. The sinner brought an unblemished victim, confessed sin over it by laying a hand on its head as a substitute slain in his place, and the priest carried its blood into the holy place to minister before the veil, thereby transferring the confessed guilt to the sanctuary. This forgiveness belonged to the daily ministration in the holy place continued through the year with the morning and evening burnt offering and the appointed Sabbaths, new moons and feasts, where forgiven sins accumulated until the tenth day of the seventh month, distinct from the yearly ministration in the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary. The earthly service was a pattern, shadow and type of the heavenly sanctuary and Christ's ministry there as High Priest, and its provision of atonement by sacrifice shows God's hatred of sin and its penalty, each sacrifice typifying the work of Jesus Christ as the great substance. The casting away of crop and feathers teaches surrender of food and clothing to put God's kingdom first in trust for provision, while the ashes made conspicuous on the east side represent confessed sin and point to the final burning away of sin, sinners and the devil till the earth is made clean, a lesson by which children are taught.

Offering Ritual and Setting

Leviticus 1 to 4 gives instruction on the different offerings, setting out the manner of the burnt offering as one of five kinds — burnt, meal, peace, sin, trespass — each with its own purpose and manner to be clearly defined. In the bird burnt offering the crop with its feathers is plucked away and cast beside the altar on its east side, by the place of the ashes. The ashes from the altar are placed in a clean place.

Unlike the larger animals that are cut into pieces, the bird is not divided, a distinction prescribed as the rule for Israel in the sacrificial pattern. The individual offering requires the sinner to bring an unblemished victim, confess sin over it by laying a hand on its head, and accept it as a substitute slain in the sinner's place at the door of the tabernacle. The priest then carries the victim's blood into the sanctuary, into the first apartment or holy place with its candlestick, table of showbread and altar of incense, and ministers with it before the veil. By this the confessed guilt is transferred from the sinner through the victim to the sanctuary.

This individual work for forgiveness belongs to the daily service in the holy place continued through the year. It stands alongside the regular morning and evening burnt offering, the burning of sweet incense, and the special work on the Lord's Sabbaths, annual sabbaths, new moons and feasts, as the first grand division of ministration, distinct from the second grand division, the yearly work in the most holy place for the sins of the people and the cleansing of the sanctuary. The forgiven sins are left in figure in the sanctuary where they accumulate until the tenth day of the seventh month, and that accumulation made the cleansing necessary and closes the yearly round. The most holy place holds the ark containing the ten commandments covered by the mercy-seat.

The verse belongs to the special directions in Leviticus 1 to 7 that regulated the priesthood of the tribe of Levi. That is the Levitical law given to the children of Israel, distinct from the law of God which is holy, just and good, and that Levitical law was abolished by Christ.

Typical Meaning in Christ

The service commanded through Moses for the worship of the true God, described in Leviticus 1 to 7, 16 and 23, was not written in vain or without purpose, but was written for learning to give patience and comfort and hope and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness to make the man of God perfect. This verse belongs to the especial work done for individuals when they presented their particular offerings during the year, which is part of the first grand division of ministration, the daily service in the holy place, alongside the regular morning and evening burnt offering, the burning of sweet incense, and the special work upon the Lord's Sabbaths, annual sabbaths, new moons and feasts. That daily work is distinct from the second grand division, the yearly work in the most holy place for the sins of the people and for the cleansing of the sanctuary. The whole ministration with its building, priesthood and yearly round of service was the example and shadow, pattern and type of the heavenly sanctuary and of Christ's more excellent, once-for-all ministry in the true tabernacle as High Priest and Minister of the sanctuary. Its study therefore gives understanding of God's temple in heaven and clearer views of the Saviour and His priestly work in behalf of men.

The special instructions and directions in Leviticus 1 to 7 concerning the various offerings, including the directions for the burnt offering in this chapter, regulated the priesthood of the tribe of Levi and provided for individuals burdened with sins to bring offerings for atonement and forgiveness. That provision shows God's hatred of sin and that sin demanded its penalty. Each sacrifice was offered in faith in the Redeemer to come and contains something in type concerning the work of Jesus Christ as the great substance, of which all these offerings are type and shadow.

The instructions to Israel concerning burnt offerings in Leviticus 1:1-17 tally in all respects with Abel's offering. This proves the same instructions had been given to the family of Adam immediately after the fall. God commanded a lamb for an offering and never commanded an offering of the fruit of the ground. God accepts nothing but obedience and rejects only disobedience.

Moral and Final Lessons

The crop with its feathers cast beside the altar stands for the offerer's food and clothing made secondary in his surrender of himself to God. The bird offering thereby teaches putting God's kingdom first and trusting God to supply needful things.

Its removal to the east side of the altar, by the place of the ashes, set the ashes where they were conspicuous as a teaching sign. Those ashes stand for confessed sin and point forward to the final destruction of sin and sinners and the devil, after which the earth will be made clean. Because they lay openly visible in the court they drew questions, and by answering those questions children were taught that sin will at last be burned away and the earth made clean and free from sin.