Leviticus 7:37-38

This is the law. .. to offer their oblations.

The gospel of the sacrifices

I. There was a divine institution and command of god, for the offerings and sacrifices which were under the law.

1. An offering in general is anything presented to the Lord to become peculiarly His, and to be typical of Christ and gospel mysteries.

2. The legal offerings were set apart for God, with respect to Christ and His great sacrifice and offering up of Himself unto God for us.

3. Some have distinguished them into three sorts.

(1) Such as were offered at the brazen altar, or the altar of burnt-offering, which represented the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ.

(2) Such as were offered in the sanctuary, more near to the Holy of Holies, viz., the shewbread and the incense at the altar of incense; which had respect to His intercession for us at the throne of grace, in the virtue and by the merit of that sacrifice which He before had shed and offered up.

(3) Such as were offered in the Holy of Holies; which represented the full attainment of the ends of both the former, viz., our full access unto and communion with God through the influence both of the death and oblation as likewise of the prayers and intercession of Christ for us.

4. The sacrifices that were offered at the brazen altar are commonly distributed into two sorts--sacrifices of expiation, and sacrifices of thanksgiving. It is the former sort whereof the text speaks.

(1) These propitiatory sacrifices were offerings most holy to the Lord; for atonement, or for appeasing of His wrath; by the destruction of the sacrifice; to shadow forth the true atonement and expiation of sin, by the death of Jesus, and our reconciliation to and communion with God through Him.

(2) For further rules of illustration, take these propositions--

(a) The institution of sacrifices was presently after the sin and fall of man; but the renewed institution and further direction and regulation of them was by Moses unto Israel.

(b) In this renewed institution and regulation of their offerings and sacrifices, there were sundry adjuncts and ceremonies, some whereof were required and some severely forbidden to be added to them, all which were mystical and significant,

1. Adjuncts required. Sacrifices to be offered only at this ore altar. Salt. Music. Incense. Many ceremonious actions,

2. Adjuncts forbidden. In general, any conformity or compliance with the pagans in their rites and ceremonies. In particular, leaven and honey.

(c) The occasions upon which they were to be offered,

1. When under guilt of sin.

2. For the obtaining of any needful mercy,

3. To testify their joy and thankfulness for mercies received,

4. In the instituted seasons of them.

II. The sacrifices of propitiation under the law, may be referred to there six kinds or sorts--burnt-offering, meat-offering, peace-offering, sin-offering, trespass-offering, and offering of consecrations.

1. There were some things in which these all agreed.

(1) They were all offered at the brazen altar.

(2) They were all holy of holinesses.

(3) They were all offerings made by fire.

(4) They were all propitiatory.

2. The difference consisted--

(1) Partly in the different matter of them. An ox or a sheep in some; flowers and wine in others.

(2) Partly in the particular ends and designs and occasions of them.

(3) Principally in the different ceremonies accompanying them.

Lessons:

1. Keep close to the rule of Divine institution in matters of worship.

2. See the worth and value of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the necessity of it, fur the justification and salvation of lost sinners. (S. Mather.)