The Old Testament is filled with figures and pictures of Christ, revealing His person and work.
The Old Testament serves as a portrait of Jesus, containing numerous figures that foreshadow His coming. Each book, particularly Leviticus, showcases His character and mission through sacrifices and offerings. In Leviticus 1, we see five offerings, each symbolizing different aspects of Christ, allowing us to understand not just His work but also His nature. The apostles, armed solely with the Old Testament, preached Christ because it is rich with truth about Him throughout its pages.
Leviticus 1
Christ is the mediator who enables us to approach God, as demonstrated by the sacrificial system.
In Leviticus 1, God speaks through a mediator, Moses, indicating that Jesus is the ultimate Mediator between God and man. The sacrificial system established in the Old Testament shows that the only way to approach God is through a substitute, which we find fulfilled in Christ. He is the perfect representative who stands on our behalf before God, allowing us to access the Father not through our own righteousness, but through His perfect obedience and sacrifice.
Leviticus 1, 1 Timothy 2:5
The sacrifice of Jesus is significant because it is the ultimate offering that satisfies God's justice.
Jesus' sacrifice fulfills the requirements of the sacrificial system laid out in the Old Testament, where animals were offered as substitutes for sin. He is depicted as the perfect and unblemished sacrifice, which means His offering was acceptable to God and satisfied divine justice. In the context of Leviticus 1, we see that the burnt offering was a fragrant aroma to God, indicating it pleased Him. This points to how Christ’s sacrifice reconciles us with God, demonstrating both His love and justice.
Leviticus 1, Isaiah 53:5, Ephesians 5:2
Identifying with Christ's sacrifice means recognizing Him as the substitute for our sins.
When we put our faith in Jesus, we are expressing a spiritual act of placing our sins upon Him, as seen in Leviticus 1 where the worshipper lays hands on the animal before sacrifice. This signifies that Christ bore our sins in His body and took upon Himself the punishment we deserve. Through this identification, we become united with Him, recognizing that His death was for our benefit, emphasizing the necessity of His atonement for our salvation.
Leviticus 1, 1 Peter 2:24
Christians should be amazed by Jesus because His sacrifice brings us into communion with God.
Being amazed by Jesus involves recognizing the beauty and worth of His person and work. The Father is completely pleased with the Son, and we are called to find delight in Him as well. When we grasp the magnitude of Christ's love demonstrated through His sacrifice, it propels us to deeper worship and admiration. The call to be amazed is an invitation to join in God's perspective on Jesus, aligning our hearts with that which brings Him glory.
Ephesians 5:2, Psalm 40:8
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