Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Leviticus
Book: Leviticus
Chapter: 1
Overview:
The offerings.
(1,2) From the herds.
(3-9) From the flocks,
and of fowls.
(10-17)
1,2 The
Offering of sacrifices was an ordinance of true
religion, from the fall of
Man unto the
Coming of Christ. But
till the Israelites were in the
Wilderness,
No very particular
regulations seem to have been appointed. The general design of
these laws is
Plain. The sacrifices typified
Christ; they also
shadowed out the believer's duty, character, privilege, and
Communion with
God. There is scarcely any thing spoken of the
Lord Jesus in
Scripture which has not also a reference to his
people. This
Book begins with the laws concerning sacrifices;
the most ancient were the burnt-offerings, about which
God here
gives
Moses directions. It is taken for granted that the people
would be willing to bring offerings to the
Lord. The very
Light
of nature directs
Man, some way or other, to do honour to his
Maker, as his
Lord. Immediately after the fall, sacrifices were
ordained.
3-9 In the due performance of the Levitical ordinances, the
mysteries of the spiritual world are represented
By
corresponding natural objects; and future events are exhibited
in these rites. Without this, the whole will seem unmeaning
ceremonies. There is in these things a
Type of the sufferings of
the
Son of God, who was to be a
Sacrifice for the sins of the
whole world. The burning body of an
Animal was but a faint
representation of that
Everlasting misery, which we all have
deserved; and which our blessed
Lord bore in his body and in his
soul, when he died under the load of our iniquities. Observe, 1.
The
Beast to be offered must be without
Blemish. This signified
the strength and purity that were in
Christ, and the holy
Life
that should be in his people. 2. The owner must offer it of his
own free will. What is done in religion,
So as to please
God,
must be done
By Love.
Christ willingly offered himself for us.
3. It must be offered at the door of the
Tabernacle, where the
brazen
Altar of burnt-offerings stood, which sanctified the
Gift: he must offer it at the door, as one unworthy to enter,
and acknowledging that a sinner can have
No Communion with
God,
but
By Sacrifice. 4. The offerer must
Put his
Hand upon the head
of his
Offering, signifying thereby, his desire and
Hope that it
might be accepted from him, to make
Atonement for him. 5. The
Sacrifice was to be killed before the
Lord, in an orderly
manner, and to honour
God. It signified also, that in Christians
the
Flesh must be crucified with its corrupt affections and
Lust. 6. The priests were to sprinkle the
Blood upon the
Altar;
for the
Blood being the
Life, that was it which made
Atonement.
This signified the pacifying and purifying of our consciences,
By the sprinkling of the
Blood of
Jesus Christ upon them
By
Faith. 7. The
Beast was to be divided into several
Pieces, and
then to be burned upon the
Altar. The burning of the
Sacrifice
signified the sharp sufferings of
Christ, and the devout
affections with which, as a holy
Fire, Christians must offer up
themselves, their whole
Spirit, soul, and body, unto
God. 8.
This is said to be an
Offering of a sweet savour. As an act of
obedience to a Divine command, and a
Type of
Christ, this was
Well-pleasing to
God; and the spiritual sacrifices of Christians
are acceptable to
God, through
Christ, 1Pe 2:5.
10-17 Those who could not offer a
Bullock, were to bring a
Sheep or a
Goat; and those who were not able to do that, were
accepted of
God, if they brought a
Turtle-
Dove, or a
Pigeon.
Those creatures were
Chosen for
Sacrifice which were mild, and
gentle, and harmless; to show the innocence and
Meekness that
were in
Christ, and that should be in Christians. The
Offering
of the
Poor was as typical of
Christ's
Atonement as the more
costly sacrifices, and expressed as fully
Repentance,
Faith, and
devotedness to
God. We have
No excuse, if we refuse the pleasant
and reasonable service now required. But we can
No more offer
the
Sacrifice of a broken
Heart, or of praise and thanksgiving,
than an Israelite could offer a
Bullock or a
Goat, except as
God
hath first given to us. The more we do in the
Lord's service,
the greater are our obligations to him, for the will, for the
ability, and opportunity. In many things
God leaves us to fix
what shall be spent in his service, whether of our time or our
substance; yet where
God's
Providence has
Put much into a
Man's
power, scanty offerings will not be accepted, for they are not
proper expressions of a willing mind. Let us be devoted in body
and soul to his service, whatever he may
Call us to give,
venture, do, or suffer for his sake.