Leviticus 1:1-9: a reflection

1The LORD called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying, 2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When anyone of you offers an offering to the LORD, you shall offer your offering of the livestock, from the herd and from the flock. 3“‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without defect. He shall offer it at the door of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. 4He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5He shall kill the bull before the LORD. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 6He shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 7The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay wood in order on the fire; 8and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar; 9but he shall wash its innards and its legs with water. The priest shall burn all of it on the altar, for a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD.

The book of Leviticus opens with instructions for the burnt offering, and one small action carries deep meaning. When a worshiper brought his offering, he was to lay his hand on the head of the animal, and it would be accepted for him, to make atonement for him. By laying his hand on the offering's head, the worshiper identified himself with it; the animal would die in his place, bearing what he deserved, so that he might be accepted before God.

Notice the meaning of that laid-on hand. It was a gesture of substitution: the worshiper identified himself with the offering, and the offering took his place, dying so that he might live and be accepted. The worshiper did not come to God on the basis of his own worthiness; he came with an offering that would stand in for him, bear his guilt, and make atonement, so that he could be accepted. Another died in his place, that he might draw near.

That laid-on hand points forward to Christ. The whole system of offering pointed to the one true sacrifice, Christ, on whom our sin was laid, who died in our place, bearing what we deserved, so that we might be accepted before God. We do not come to God on the basis of our own worthiness, any more than the ancient worshiper did; we come through Christ, our offering, who took our place. When you come to God, do not trust in your own worthiness to make you acceptable. Come through Christ, on whom your sin was laid, who died in your place; lay your hand, as it were, on him, identifying yourself with the one true offering, and be accepted before God through the sacrifice that atones.

Lord, in the burnt offering, the worshiper laid his hand on the head of the animal, and it was accepted in his place to make atonement for him; another died so that he might be accepted before you. Thank you that this laid-on hand points to Christ, on whom my sin was laid, who died in my place, bearing what I deserved, so that I might be accepted. I do not come to you on the basis of my own worthiness, any more than the ancient worshiper did; I come through Christ, my offering, who took my place. When I come to you, keep me from trusting in my own worthiness to make me acceptable. Help me come through Christ, on whom my sin was laid, who died in my place, laying my hand, as it were, on him, identifying myself with the one true offering. Accept me through the sacrifice that atones, and let me rest not in myself but in Christ, my substitute and my acceptance before you.