In the Old Testament, the Hebrew sacrificial system consisted of sweet savor and non-sweet savor offerings. There were offerings consumed by flames, while others were eaten. Some offerings were for those who were in fellowship with God and others for those who desired to be.
Why all the complexity? The intricacies of the sacrificial system were necessary to picture the coming ultimate sacrifice of God’s Lamb, Jesus, who died for the sins of the world. (John 1:29)
There were five basic sacrifices required of the Jewish people. Each of them reveals something about the Savior. First, the “Burnt Offering” portrays Christ’s total surrender to the will of His Father. His life was totally consumed to atone for our sin, as our substitute. (2Corinthians 5:21).
Secondly, the “Meal Offering” typifies Christ’s moral and spiritual purity. In spite of severe testings, He lived and died sinlessly so that He might be the “Bread of Life” to those who put their trust in Him (John 6:35).
Third, the Hebrews were required to bring their “Peace Offering” before the Lord. It pictures the sinless Christ, purchasing our peace with God by shedding His own blood. “For he is our peace…” (Ephesians 2:14a).
The fourth offering was called the “Sin Offering” and portrays Christ as God’s sacrificial Lamb. According to the Bible, Jesus actually carried my sin to the cross in His own body, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…” (1Peter 2:24).
While the “Sin Offering” pictures Christ as removing the guilt of sin, the final offering, called the “Trespass Offering,” illustrates how Christ’s sacrifice would repair the damages incurred by unintentional failures, and keep me in good standing with God.
The resurrection of Christ confirms that He was all that was required to take away the sins of the world. God is totally satisfied with my Savior!