Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Leviticus chapter 1.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%201&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When any man of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock.  If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect;  he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.  He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf.  He shall slay the young bull before the LORD;  and Aaron’s sons the priests shall offer up the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting.  He shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces.  The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.  Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head and the suet over the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar.  Its entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water.  And the priest shall offer up in smoke all of it on the altar for a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD.”  Leviticus 1:1-9.

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The two phrases highlighted above in bold italic font, “a male without defect” and “a soothing aroma to the LORD” point us to Christ Who could be a sacrifice for our sins, because He was without sin, “a male without defect”, and He was pleasing to God, “a soothing aroma to the LORD”.

Regarding Christ being without sin, “a male without defect”, consider the following verses.

“For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  Hebrews 9:13-14.

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:15-16.

Regarding Christ being pleasing to God, “a soothing aroma to the LORD”, consider the following verses. 

“After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water;  and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”  Matthew 3:16-17.

“For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.  Therefore, when He (Christ) comes into the world, He says,

“SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,
BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;
IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.
“THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME
(IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME)
TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’”

…  By this will (God the Father’s will) we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;  but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.  For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”  Hebrews 10:4-7 and 10-14.

“In Him (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will (God the Father’s will), according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him (Christ) with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.”  Ephesians 1:7-10.