The five offerings overviewed in Leviticus 1 – 7 picture the Cross work of our Lord Jesus (Heb. 10: 1 – 12). These five along with the drink offering mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament provide distinct vantage points from which to review our Lord’s death. It takes six offerings to convey the power of our Lord’s crucifixion. The five in Leviticus are divided into three and two. The first three (burnt, grain and fellowship) are the “pleasing aroma” offerings because that phrase occurs with reference to all three (1: 9, 13, 17; 2; 2, 9, 12; 3: 5, 16). These offerings picture the God-ward side of the Cross. They show us how the Cross was viewed by God.
The burnt offering illustrates the dedication of our Lord’s Cross. The entirety of the offering was to be consumed on the altar. Nothing was to be withheld. Jesus did not flinch before the Cross. He gave Himself completely. He suffered indescribably in His body but no one can comprehend what He endured spiritually as He was for the first time torn from perfect harmony with His Father. Jesus endured the engulfing flame of the very wrath of God on the Cross. He gave all.
The grain offering illustrates the presentation of our Lord’s Cross. This offering provides us with an understanding of how we must present our Lord to the world. We present our Lord in His purity. The offering was to be without leaven. Leaven was a symbol of evil therefore our sharing must present Christ in His unadulterated purity. We must present Jesus in His integrity because the offering was to be without honey. We do not preach or share a candy-coated Christ or a confectionary Christianity. We must not ladle honey over the offense of the Cross. We present our Lord in His vitality. The grain offering was with salt. Salt adds zest to food and reminds us that Jesus presented as He is to men and women as they are is always inviting.
The fellowship offering illustrates the reconciliation of our Lord’s Cross. [I]n Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself (2 Cor. 5: 19). This offering presents the Prince of Peace Who offers peace with God and God’s people. God offers us the unprecedented opportunity to enjoy fellowship with Him continually (Rev. 3: 20). The unique thing about the fellowship offering is that it was the only offering which included a communal meal. A portion was returned to the one presenting the offering to share with family and friends in a feast. It illustrated the unity God’s people shared with Him but also the unity they shared among themselves. In a single work our Lord reconciled us to Himself and to all who know him as well. For he is our peace, who made both groups (Jew and Gentile) one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility (Eph. 2: 14).
These offerings pleased God and the sacrifice of our Lord pleased God as well. The Cross of our Lord satisfied the unrelenting justice of our God making it possible for condemned men and women to enter into fellowship with him. He presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3: 26).