After a two-part
introduction on why we should study the offertory system (1, 2), I now want to kick
off the series with a basic overview of the structure of the system and the primary purpose of each offering. The details of how to perform the 5 main offerings are presented in Leviticus 1-7, and this forms the core of the system. In this post and the next, I will give the main distinctive qualities of each offering and suggest both their
Old and New Covenant significance. Also, I would like to present them in a different order than they appear in Leviticus, beginning with
the sin offerings.
Offerings
for Sin
The single biggest
distinction in the different types of offerings is that 3 of them - the burnt, grain, and peace offerings - have nothing to do with sin! Only 2 of them - the sin offering and the
guilt offering - deal with forgiveness. For this reason, those 3 are all
described as "a sweet aroma to the LORD." Although it is God's great
pleasure to extend mercy and grace to us when we have sinned and ask forgiveness, it is a sweet aroma to
Him when we come before Him blameless to offer praise and worship. That is
why, in order for one or more of these 3 sweet-aroma offerings to be given, one of
the 2 types of sin offering was always made first: so that the offerer of the sweet aroma would come before God blameless, having
been forgiven because of the sin offering, and the worship or praise would then be acceptable to God.