The Five Offerings Of Leviticus Part 3: Dove Offering

The Dove Offering.

Leviticus 1:14-17
¹⁴ And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.
¹⁵ And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:
¹⁶ And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:
¹⁷ And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord."
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The poorest of Israel brought a pair of turtle doves or young pigeons because that's all they could afford.  Unlike those who brought sheep, goats or bullocks, the bird was not cut into pieces nor it's entrails washed with water.  They are simply too small.  The head was twisted off by the priest and blood poured out at one side of the altar.
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What does it all mean?

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(Mournful Jesus.)

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Typology Of Believers.

Doves represent innocence.  They also have a mournful cry.  In fact, they are often called, "mourning doves."  As such, they are a picture of believers who are "mourning innocents."  This offering of birds depicts how some Christians see Jesus. 

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Ever see pictures of Jesus where He appears sad, pale and weak, like He's never been outside in the sun, as in the picture above?  That is how many see Him: As a mourning Innocent.  

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But that is not really an accurate picture of Him, is it?  No!  Jesus was a carpenter in a day and age where they didn't have power tools.  It required a great deal of physical strength to be a carpenter back then.  Far from being a pale, skinny weakling, His muscles had muscles!  

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(Jesus as a carpenter.)

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Mourning Innocents.

In the case of these Christians, The priest takes the dove from the worshipper.  The priest twists off its head.  The priest pours its blood out "at the side of the altar," but not around it on all sides because, again, they are too small.  They don't exactly have very much blood in their bodies.  The priest burns it on the altar.  The priest plucks out it's crop and feathers.
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Are you sensing a pattern here?  Of all three offerings, this one is completely handled without the worshipper's participation, except the bringing to him.  It typifies Churches and denominations where the priest pretty much does everything.  He is their intermediary, their intercessor, he absolves them of the sins they confess to him, instead of the ind the dove, are "mourning innocents."  They have a small revelation of Jesus and little knowledge, understanding or appreciation of His shed blood, as compared to someone who has, say, a "bullock" revelation.  They don't understand that ALL THEIR SINS are cleansed for their entire lives.  They see Him like a bird:  Someone who came down from heaven.

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The Meaning Of The Altar.

"Altar" depicts God's claims on sinful man.  The blood being poured out in only one place typifies that these folks don't believe that the blood avails for all of those claims but offers only partial forgiveness; good reason for all the "mourning."  

They know their sins are forgiven from birth to the moment of conversion, but they must confess as they go to be forgiven of sins committed afterward in order to get right with God again.  This is not true, mind you, it is simply their perception.  Your sins are cleansed for your entire life.  

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Doves are also fearful, fragile, and shy creatures.  These believers are actually afraid of God.  Timid in their approach to Him, they see Him as standing over them, possibly with a big stick, ready to smack them down for the least little infraction.  Sound like anyone you know?  

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Equal Standing Before God.

Understand, this has NO BEARING whatsoever on the their acceptance before God. This person is just as precious and acceptable to God as the one who offers a bullock.  It represents the lowest form of understanding of redemption.  
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HOWEVER:  It does affect their journey though life.  The smaller revelation of the efficacy of the blood of Christ, the less one can receive from God and walk in His blessings on this earth.  This affects their walk; not their standing.

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Isn't God Good!  No matter how great or small our understanding or view of Him, we can come to Him just as we are as long as we come bringing our Burnt Offering:  JESUS.  He is our acceptance before the Father!
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Please proceed to part 4 where we'll discuss the sheep and goat offering.

The Five Offerings Of Leviticus Part 2: The Burnt Offering

The Burnt Offering:  Olah [עֹלָ֤ה]

Leviticus 1:1-3

"Now the Lord called to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of the livestock—of the herd and of the flock.

“If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord."

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The Lord Called.

Chapter one of Leviticus is all about the Burnt offering.  In the first word of chapter one is the name of the book itself in Hebrew: "V'yakra."  It means, "And He (the LORD) called."  
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The LORD called to Moses "from the Tabernacle of Meeting," not from Mt. Sinai, in His Judicial role, but from "The Mercy Seat," between the wings of the Cherubim.  That's the place of grace!

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Translator Issue.

What did God talk To him about?  The work of His Son on the cross.  You noticed, I'm sure, the underlined phrase, "Of his own free will?"  The translation here is, shall we say, a bit unfortunate.  It makes it appear as if Jesus could choose whether or not to offer Himself.  
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While It's true, Jesus offered Himself freely, the Hebrew doesn't say, "of His own free will."  It says He did it for His "RADZON."  In other words, for His "ACCEPTANCE."  Because of His "Radzon" before His Father, you and I can have the same "Radzon" before God as well!

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The Law Of First Mention.

There's a "law," if you will, in Biblical interpretation called, "The Law of First mention."  It is the principle in the interpretation of Scripture which states:  "The first mention or occurrence of a subject in Scripture establishes an unchangeable pattern, with that subject remaining unchanged in the mind of God throughout Scripture."
Below is the first mention of the word, "Burnt offering;" (In Hebrew, "Olah.") 

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Sweet Savor.

Genesis 8:20-21:

“And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings (Olah) on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.” 

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The Effect Of The Burnt Offering.

The Father talks about this offering first because it is nearest and dearest to His heart.  The verse above describes the effect on His heart:  
"And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake;"

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Wow!  In Hebrew, the word, "savor," means "a savor of rest."  This offering, more than all others, gave pleasure and rest to His heart.   It was never all those innocent animals that gave rest to His heart.  No.  He looked past those animals and saw the work of His Son.  THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT REST TO HIS HEART.

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Though Abel was the first one to offer a burnt offering, this first mention of the word, "olah," was when Noah offered his after the flood.  In Abel's case, the word "olah" doesn't appear because the Master Storyteller is painting pictures of Jesus again!  

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An Ascending Offering.

You see, the Ark that Noah built is a typology of Jesus.  After the "floodwaters" of Judgment washed over Him at the cross, having fully paid for every sin, He became our Burnt Offering.  It ascended to God like **sweet smelling perfume.  After His work was finished, THEN He became our Burnt Offering.  

(**We'll discuss this more in the last part of this series.) 
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It is an "ascending offering."  In other words, it goes up or ascends TO GOD.  It depicts Jesus' in His acceptance, or "radzon," TO GOD on our behalf as the perfect sacrifice without spot or wrinkle.  He qualified for that death because He was born without sin and lived a perfect life.  

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As our Burnt Offering, Jesus' Righteousness is transferred TO us.

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Perfect Sacrifice.

Paul, a man of intelligence, said of Jesus that "He knew no sin."  John, the Apostle of love, said,  "In Him is no sin."  And Peter, a man of action, said of Jesus, "He did no sin."  He could not have represented us as our perfect sacrifice if He either knew, did or had sin in Him.  HE HAD NONE.

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How did He pay for our sins?  They were placed on Him like a garment.  That "garment" was completely burned up in the fires of God's judgment until they were all gone; BURNT TO ASHES.   

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Acceptable Animals.

Animals for the Burnt Offering were always male, "of the herd or of the flock."  In other words, domesticated animals, not wild because Jesus was perfectly obedient to His Father, not "wild," doing His Own will. 

Male, in Biblical typology, signifies "Godward."  In other words, of benefit TO God.  Female typifies that it is of benefit TO Man.

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The animal could be either a bullock, a ram or a bird, such as a pair of turtle doves or young pigeons.  They must have NO DEFECT and be slaughtered BY THE WORSHIPPER, with the exception of the birds. 

The type of animal offered by each individual was determined by their economic status.  If the person was very poor he could bring a pair of turtle doves or young pigeons; those of middle income brought a goat or a lamb and the wealthiest brought a bullock.  Each was brought to the priest and examined to make sure it was WITHOUT BLEMISH:

Anything that reminded God of His Son. 

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That's how we know Jesus was born into a poor family because His family brought a pair of turtle doves to the Temple at His dedication when He was one month old.
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Please proceed to Part 3 where we'll discuss the Dove as a burnt offering.

The Five Offerings Of Leviticus: Part 1 - Introduction

Exodus 20:22-24

"Then the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold YOU shall not make for yourselves. AN ALTAR OF EARTH you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you."

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(The Law was given at Mt. Sinai.)

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God first commanded the Israelites to offer burnt offerings here in the book of Exodus.  However, it is in Leviticus, the book of laws, where they are described in great detail.  

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Why did He institute this system?  Because Israel had boasted, quite self-righteously I might add, "All that You command, we can do it."  That's why He gave the Ten Commandments in the first place.  But He knew full well that there was NO WAY THEY COULD OBEY THE BIG TEN.  The problem was, they didn't know it.

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The Knowledge Of Sin.

This should come as no surprise since the law was not given for us to try and keep. Paul says in Romans 3:20:  "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
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No one, of course, is in favor of lawLESSness.  Quite the contrary.  But understand this:  The Law was given so that we would see the futility of trying to obey it.  THAT IT DOES 
VERY WELL.  God wants you and I to come to the end of ourselves and CRY OUT FOR HELP TO JESUS.

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Laws Concerning Sacrifices.

There were five different kinds of sacrifices, all to describe that one, beautiful work of Jesus.  They are recorded in the first five chapters of the book of Leviticus, followed by all the laws of the sacrifices.  Five is the number of Grace!  

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It is so amazing that in this book (where the pages of your Bible might be stuck together?), that you find some of the most beautiful, warm and wonderful pictures of pure Grace!  AWESOME!  

Jesus' sacrifice was so perfect, so complete and so beautiful that it took five, plus one from Numbers 19, to describe His one perfect offering. 

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We Must Know All Five. 

When we first come to God, we approach Him in our trespasses and sins.  In other words, via the "sin and trespass offerings."  In the order of His book, however, God puts them last.  All we really understand about Him in the beginning is that we are sinners saved by grace, and that's ok.  But it's not ok to stay there.  God expects us to mature; to grow in grace and in the knowledge of His Son; to know all five.

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In time, we must grow beyond merely understanding what has become of our sins because of the cross, as wonderful as that is, to understanding that we have peace with God.  We are now hid with Christ in God and have become the righteousness of God, represented by the Burnt Offering.

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You see, if all you understand is that your sins are forgiven, you haven't grown spiritually. The more you understand, the clearer picture you have of Jesus, and the more deeply you fall in love with Him.  That's how you grow and are transformed from glory to glory:  By beholding Him!

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(The Ashes of the Red Heifer.)

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Only In Numbers.

There is one law which, surprisingly, is ONLY FOUND IN NUMBERS, not Leviticus, the book of laws.  The Ashes of the Red Heifer.  The Holy Spirit, as usual, has a very good reason for only putting it here which, by the way, totally baffled Solomon.  The link below will take you part one of a study on this cryptic law; but I warn you, it's in 9 parts. 
Solomon, in all his wisdom, regretted that was not able to decipher it.  That means if you get it, you are smarter than him!  In all fairness, though, he didn't have the key to unlock the mystery...but we do!

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https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/04/06/whats-in-your-water-part-1-of-9/

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The Offerings Of Leviticus.

These are the 5 offerings of Leviticus in the order God has placed them in the Bible:

#1. Burnt offering: Ch. 1

#2. Grain offering: Ch. 2

#3. Peace offering: Ch. 3

#4. Sin offering: Ch. 4

#5. Trespass offering: Ch. 5

The chapters immediately following contain all the laws of the offerings.

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The first three offerings are ascending offerings, a sweet smelling aroma to the LORD.  But the last two, the sin and tresspass offerings, are not a sweet aroma because they contain dung, which depicts our sins.
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In part two, we'll be talking about the Burnt Offering, because God mentions it first.  So, since it is most important to Him, we'll them study according to His order, even though we approach God from the opposite direction:  Via the "sin offering."  

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So, Church, let's go crack open those Bibles and study these wonderful chapters!  

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Please proceed to Part 2.

Tish B'AV: An Evil Day

Numbers 13:31-33
"But the men who had gone up with him (Caleb) said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
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Twelve spies went into Canaan, the land God had promised them, and spied out the land.  Each man was a head of their tribe, each one a prominent leader in Israel.
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They found a land indeed flowing with milk and honey.  When they came to the valley of Eshcol, which means, "Cluster of grapes," they found clusters so big, two men had to carry them on a pole between them!
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Focused On The Negative.
But what did they focus on?  Was it God's promise to them that He would give them the land?  No.  They focused on the giants; the Anakim.
(For more on this topic, follow this link:
https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/06/23/faith-to-come-out-hesitant-to-go-in/)
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Well, you remember what happened.  Joshua and Caleb, who brought back a good report, were almost stoned to death because they didn't agree with the majority.
Numbers 14:10
"And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel."

God Himself came down and broke up the fight!  He was so angry with the Children of Israel He wanted to wipe them all out,  except that Moses interceded for them.
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...and what was the date of this occurrence?  Tish B'AV:  The 9th of Av.  It's the original evil day.
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9th Of Av Historical Events.
#1.  The Israelites accept the false report of the 10 spies that the land of Canaan would be "impossible" to conquer.  They even wept over the false belief that God had set them up for failure.  BIG MISTAKE.  Afterward, they wandered for 40 years.
Why did this happen?  Because they didn't believe God. 
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#2.  Destruction of the 1st Temple by Nebuchadnezzar, which was built by Solomon.
It was a a beautiful building, but why was it destroyed?  
Israel kept rebelling against God.  He sent prophet after prophet after prophet to them but, after a short time, they fell away again.  
Finally, He sent them into exile in Babylon for 70 years at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.
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#3.  655 years later, the 2nd Temple, built by Ezra and Nehemiah, was destroyed by the Romans in 70A.D.  Why did this happen?
God had sent His Only Son to them, and what did they do?  They rejected Him and ultimately nailed Him to a cross.
Now, they do not bear this guilt alone.  It was the Romans who physically nailed Jesus there.  We are all responsible.
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Yet God was still merciful, even though after Jesus ascended back to His Father, many Jews went back to temple sacrifices.  But after 40 years, 40 being the number of probation, so to speak, He said, "Enough!"  Because God had moved out, there was no protection for the temple and the Romans were able to destroy it.
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After the Jewish people were cast out of their land, they were scattered to every nation on earth.  They were in country after country, ad each one ultimately rejected God's people and they had to leave again.  They were reviled and persecuted everywhere they went.  Those leaders and nations who did evil to them ultimately paid a heavy price.  Most disappeared from the world scene, usurped by others.
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More Evil Days.
#5.  The first crusade officially commenced on Tish B'Av in 1096.  They destroyed Jewish communities in France and the Rhineland.
#5.  Jews were expelled. From England on 1290 on this day.
#6.  They were expelled from France in 1306 on the 9th of Av.
#7.  Spain expelled the Jews on this day in 1492.
#8.  Germany entered WWll on Tish B'Av 1914.
#9.  When Hitler came on the scene, the beginning of his extermination of the Jewish people began on the 9th of Av.
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None of these world leaders knew or cared anything about the Jews or their calendar.   They had no idea what day it was.  Yet history is clear and the correlation unmistakable.
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Jewish people all around the world remember the 6 million Holocaust victims on this day.  So many sad occurrences.  So much sorrow, heartache and destruction.
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(Aerial view of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Israel.) 

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Joy Comes In The Morning.
But through it all, they are the ONLY nation that has endured all this and survived to be stronger than ever.  That's a testimony to our God!  
Many Jewish people today have come to know their Messiah, Jesus.  Fut for those who have not, I believe He is very soon going to turn their sorrow into JOY!   
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On that great and terrible day when they are almost destroyed, the rest of the nation that have not met Jesus will shout for Him:  "Baruch haba b'shem Adonai:  Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!"   He will split the clouds and return for them.....with us in tow.....and rescue them!!!
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THE 9TH OF AV SHALL NO MORE BE AN EVIL DAY!!!