| “No One is Left Out” 14 “If your offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you shall choose your offering from turtledoves or pigeons. 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head, and turn it into smoke on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar. 16 He shall remove its crop with its contents and throw it at the east side of the altar, in the place for ashes. 17 He shall tear it open by its wings without severing it. Then the priest shall turn it into smoke on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the Lord.” Leviticus 1:14-17 (New Revised Standard Version) *********************************************** Maintaining relationships requires effort. Even the most enduring human relationships will face challenges. When broken, relationships require a combination of emotional, personal, and practical sacrifices to preserve and restore what was lost. In His relationship with Israel, God established a system of animal sacrifices to bridge the gap between human sinfulness and His holiness. The burnt offering regulated in Leviticus 1 served this purpose by permitting voluntary offerings of three types of animals–according to what the giver could afford–to atone for sin and gain God’s acceptance. The ultimate fulfillment of this privilege was Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice on the Cross that atoned for humanity’s sin and restored the broken relationships between God and humanity. Reference: Faith Pathway, Bible Studies for Adults, Sunday School Publishing Board Volume 110, No. |