Daily Devotion | Leviticus 1 | 2026 January 14

Title: Daily Devotion

Dear brothers and sisters, peace to you. By God’s grace, we have come to a new day to study the Daily Devotion. Today we begin our study of the book of Leviticus.

Let us pray. O God, we thank you for your grace in leading us to know you. Lord, we ask that you would open to us the wisdom hidden in the book of Leviticus, so that we may truly know and understand you. Be with us, open our understanding, and lead our spiritual lives, that we may know you more deeply. In the name of Christ we pray, amen.

Alright, today we turn to Leviticus. For many brothers and sisters, Leviticus is a very difficult book. If you are not very familiar with the faith, you may feel sleepy after reading just one chapter. Why is this the case?

First, the matter of sacrifices feels very distant from us. We have never seen people offer sacrifices, we have never heard of people offering sacrifices, and our ancestors did not teach us how to offer sacrifices. In the so-called religious customs we may have experienced, there might only be the placing of some cold pork, with no real understanding of the meaning of sacrifice. Moreover, under atheistic education, we are taught to regard these things as feudal superstition, so we instinctively resist them.

The historical period is far removed, and the cultural context is also very distant, so it is hard for us to take interest in these things. But in fact, within the record of Leviticus, there are many truths that are essential to our faith. Therefore, I think studying Leviticus carefully is extremely meaningful, and through the study of Leviticus we can still receive nourishment for our spiritual lives.

Let us go through it step by step. First, we look at the burnt offering. The first five sacrifices recorded in Leviticus already discourage many people. But do not be afraid—we will take it one step at a time.

Let us begin with the burnt offering. The tabernacle has now been completed—remember this clearly. In the Pentateuch, in the scrolls of Israel, each book is not originally a separate volume in the way we think of “first book,” “second book,” and “third book.” They were originally written together as a continuous text. The Old Testament originally had no punctuation; it was written continuously from beginning to end. The divisions were added later—first by the Jews—and those divisions were not without reason, because clearly a new section begins.

But I want to remind you of something important: originally these books form one continuous context. This is something we must pay attention to. In the Pentateuch, including the transition from Exodus 40 to Leviticus 1 that we mentioned yesterday, the text is originally connected and forms a single context. Therefore, we can understand the regulations concerning sacrifices in light of that shared context.

In other words, after the tabernacle was erected and the glory of God filled the tabernacle, what was the first thing God commanded Moses from within the tabernacle? It was to offer sacrifices. From this we can see how much God values sacrifice. God takes sacrifice very seriously.

So what sacrifice does God command them to offer? He says, “Speak to the people of Israel: when any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock.” If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, the first sacrifice mentioned is the burnt offering.

We know that among the five sacrifices recorded in Leviticus, each one contains the meaning of atonement—that is, dealing with human sin. Every sacrifice has this function, including the grain offering, because the very act of bringing an offering acknowledges that a person has sinned before God and must come before God for atonement. This is a basic function shared by all sacrifices.

However, although all five sacrifices include the function of atonement, each one also has its own distinct feature. They all deal with sin, but each has a particular emphasis.

The first is the burnt offering. What is distinctive about the burnt offering? First, it must be a male without blemish, so that it may be accepted. The worshiper lays his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. We have already said that every sacrifice has an atoning function.

We have mentioned the laying on of hands before, but in Leviticus we need to emphasize it again. The act of laying on hands signifies identification—the worshiper identifies with the sacrifice, transferring his sin onto the animal. For modern people, this is very difficult to understand. Having grown up with scientific education, we may ask, “How can sin be transferred like that?” But this is the pattern God accepts. God recognizes this method. When the worshiper lays his hands on the animal, his sin is counted as being placed upon the head of the burnt offering.

At this point, many questions may arise. How does the sin transfer? Is the animal not innocent if it bears the sinner’s guilt? These kinds of questions naturally come to mind. But in fact, this is precisely what Scripture intends to express.

God uses this visible act of sacrifice to teach us the truth that is later revealed in the New Testament. When we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in him, our sins are truly transferred onto Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ bears our sins, and by bearing them, he removes them from us. This relationship is already expressed in the Old Testament through the sacrificial system. This is why, when we read Leviticus, we must read Jesus Christ into it. This is biblical revelation.

If you do not read Jesus Christ into Leviticus, the text will seem meaningless to you. Why? Because we do not offer sacrifices; only the Jews did. So it appears to have nothing to do with us. But in reality, Leviticus completely points to Christ, just as the tabernacle points to Christ. Every action and every detail symbolizes and prefigures the work of Christ.

Therefore, we must read Leviticus in this way. When we do, we will see more vividly what the Lord Jesus has done for us, and through each sacrifice we will more deeply experience the love of Jesus Christ for us.

The laying on of hands signifies identification. Through faith we enter into Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ makes atonement for us. He becomes our atoning sacrifice. What a great grace this is.

Now let us look at verse 5. Who slaughters the bull? Pay close attention. The worshiper lays his hand on the head of the animal, and then he kills the bull before the LORD. Remember this carefully: the slaughtering of the animal is done by the worshiper, not by the priest.

What does the priest do? The priest takes the blood and throws it against the sides of the altar at the entrance of the tent of meeting. The worshiper is the one who skins the burnt offering and cuts it into pieces. These actions—killing the animal, skinning it, cutting it into pieces—are all done by the worshiper.

You must read carefully who does what. This is not the priest’s work. If the priest had to do all of this for every sacrifice, it would be physically impossible. But the main point is not about physical labor. The key point is this: through killing the animal, skinning it, and cutting it into pieces, after transferring his sin onto the sacrifice, the sinner must personally carry out these severe actions in order to express his hatred of sin.

Why must it be done this way? Why must the person personally kill, skin, and cut the animal? The purpose is to remind the sinner of the cost of sin. Sin requires a price to be paid, and the price of sin is death. That death is symbolized by the death of the burnt offering.

And you yourself must personally kill the bull. This is an extremely serious and solemn matter. Sacrifice is a very holy act. When the sinner leads the bull to the altar, lays his hand on it, and then kills it, skins it, and cuts it into pieces, the entire process is meant to produce deep repentance, because his sin has resulted in the death of this animal.

Of course, the ultimate point is not the death of the bull itself, but the connection to the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf because of our sins. Then the priest arranges the fire on the altar, and the priest places the pieces, the head, and the fat on the altar on the wood that is on the fire. After the worshiper has slaughtered, skinned, and cut the animal, everything is placed on the altar and burned as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Next, we see the offering of sheep or goats. Again, they must be without blemish. Why must the sacrificial animals be without blemish?

On the surface, animals without blemish are more valuable, whereas blemished animals are of lower value. Later, when Israel’s faith declined, they began offering blemished animals—those of little value—as if they were merely trying to deceive God. God strongly rebukes this practice through the prophets.

However, the main point here is not simply value. The primary meaning is completeness. Just as the bird must not be torn completely apart, the animal must be whole. A whole, complete animal is offered. Only what is whole can represent our sin.

This completeness naturally leads us to think of the completeness of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ not only bore our sins; he also fulfilled perfect righteousness for us. He perfectly bore sin and perfectly fulfilled righteousness. This completeness is represented by the animal being without blemish. When such an animal is offered, it prefigures the perfect, flawless sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The sheep is slaughtered on the north side of the altar. Again, it is the worshiper who slaughters the animal. The priests sprinkle the blood around the altar. The worshiper cuts the animal into pieces, and the priest arranges them on the altar, sets the fire, and burns everything entirely. It is wholly offered to God.

Then comes the offering of birds. If one offers birds as a burnt offering, turtledoves or pigeons may be offered. The worshiper wrings off the bird’s head, drains the blood against the side of the altar, and tears the bird open by its wings, but not completely apart—again emphasizing completeness—and offers it as a burnt offering.

This is a simple description of the sacrificial ritual, but there is much to be explained. Because of time constraints, I can only address some key points.

First, we see three types of offerings: cattle, sheep or goats, and birds. This reveals God’s mercy. For the poor, God allows the offering of birds. If you are poor, you may offer birds. But if you are wealthy, you may not offer birds; you must offer cattle or sheep.

What does this express? From the human perspective, sin requires a price. Sin is not a trivial matter. The sacrificial regulations remind us that sin is serious. At the same time, the burnt offering not only deals with sin; it also expresses total dedication to God. Dedication, too, requires a cost.

In the ancient Near East, among the Israelites, although God had blessed them, cattle and sheep were still valuable possessions for any household. Offering a bull or a sheep required real sacrifice. For a typical household, giving up a bull or a sheep represented a significant loss of wealth.

We must not think this has nothing to do with us. If we imagine ourselves required to offer a bull or a sheep, we would realize how costly this was. The sacrificial laws teach us that whether dealing with sin or dedication, the worshiper must pay a price. It is not merely saying, “I am willing,” without cost. Sacrifice always involves cost, and often a significant one.

From God’s perspective, the provision of three options—bulls, sheep, or birds—reveals his mercy. God is truly merciful. Even in the matter of sacrifice, he makes provision for the poor. If you are poor and have sinned, or if you wish to dedicate yourself, you may offer birds.

This shows that God is not ultimately concerned with bulls, sheep, or birds. What God desires is that the worshiper sincerely dedicates himself to God, truly repents, and truly offers himself. That is what God seeks.

We also see a contrast between the true God and false gods. False idols are not like this. They demand extravagant offerings without mercy. But God’s sacrificial system takes into account different economic conditions and provides merciful accommodation.

Finally, we consider the manner of offering. The blood is sprinkled around the altar, and the entire sacrifice is burned. The burnt offering, in addition to atonement, primarily signifies complete dedication to God. That is why everything is burned and nothing is left behind.

This speaks to us directly. The burnt offering represents total commitment. When the tabernacle is established, the first sacrifice required is the burnt offering—complete dedication to God. This is God’s requirement for his people.

When God calls us out of the world, he calls us to complete separation unto himself. This dedication is total, with no reservation. God says, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” Is this a burden or a great blessing? That depends on our spiritual understanding.

Many people find worship tiresome. They find church life burdensome. They complain about gatherings, about Sabbath observance, about being asked to dedicate themselves fully, and their hearts are filled with resentment.

This reveals how shallow and distorted our understanding of God often is. The God who created the universe, the God who loves us and was crucified for us, says, “I will be your God.” For us, lowly creatures, this is an unspeakable blessing. How could this be bondage?

It is like a prince proposing marriage, or the CEO of the world’s greatest company inviting you to work with him. There is nothing more blessed than that.

When we obey God’s law, we may experience hardship, but in the end we will enter the glorious heavenly home with him. This worldview is something Christians must establish firmly. Without it, obedience will feel painful, and church life will feel meaningless.

In truth, there is no greater blessing than belonging to God. His call for complete dedication, like the burnt offering—where all the blood is poured out and the entire body is burned—is an immense blessing to us.

We may not have seen the beauty of heaven, but by faith we believe that what the Creator has prepared for us is the best. Brothers and sisters, be courageous and live a “burnt offering life.” Offer every aspect of your life to God, pour out the blood around the altar, and present your whole self. This is a good beyond measure.

Of course, the true burnt offering is not us—it is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the true burnt offering. He made atonement once for all and now sits at the right hand of the Father. In light of such love, what can we do except follow him completely?

This is a profound reminder for each of us. May God help us overcome our attachment to this world and keep our hearts fixed on the beauty of the heavenly kingdom. The God who created the universe and died for us on the cross calls us to be his people. What could be more blessed than this?

May God help us, under his calling, to live a burnt offering life—offering every aspect of our lives to God, obeying his law, and living a holy life. Do not waste time on trivial distractions, but live a life pleasing to God.

Alright, we will conclude today’s sharing here. Thank you, everyone.