Is Jesus Really “Up There” Begging God to Forgive You?
The burnt offering is considered the most important offering in Leviticus because it represents the absolute devotion of Jesus Christ to God. It was a spotless lamb, ram or whatever, flayed and its inward parts put on display. Its kidneys and head were taken out, and it was on the altar where they burned the fat portion. This offering is a fragrance that goes up to God as a pleasing aroma, as it is the blood of the burnt offering that was sprinkled on the altar seven times, which made the altar most holy. Thus, the burnt offering was the basis for other offerings to be accepted. It was offered continually, day and night, and the fragrance going up to God was pleasing to Him, and it drew Him near. Additionally, believers are a sweet-smelling savor of Christ to God, they smell like His beloved Son, and it’s His Son’s aroma that is the basis for our approach to God and our acceptance in Christ. Finally, it is the source of all of our comfort and strength and peace and joy, and understanding its significance can set us free from all fears.
Because of the complexity of this message, there are two outlines – one on the burnt offering and then one on the message itself.
Outline on the Burnt Offering
I. Burnt Offering in Leviticus (Leviticus 1:1-17)
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A. Importance of the burnt offering
- Represents the absolute devotion of Jesus Christ to God (Ephesians 5:2)
- Basis for other offerings to be accepted (Leviticus 9:17)
- Offered continually, day and night (Exodus 29:42)
- Fragrance going up to God was pleasing to Him (Genesis 8:21)
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B. Procedure of the burnt offering
- Spotless lamb, ram flayed and its inward parts put on display (Leviticus 1:6)
- Kidneys and head taken out (Leviticus 1:9)
- Blood of the burnt offering was sprinkled on the altar seven times (Leviticus 4:6)
- Fat portion burned on the altar (Leviticus 1:9)
- Altar made most holy (Leviticus 8:15)
II. Believers as a Sweet-Smelling Savor of Christ to God (2 Corinthians 2:15)
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Believers smell like His beloved Son
- Christ’s aroma is the basis for our approach to God and our acceptance in Christ (Hebrews 10:19-22)
III. Significance of the Burnt Offering
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Source of all of our comfort, strength, peace, and joy
- Understanding its significance can set us free from all fears (Psalm 34:4)
II. Believers as a Sweet-Smelling Savor of Christ to God (2 Corinthians 2:15)
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Believers smell like His beloved Son
- Christ’s aroma is the basis for our approach to God and our acceptance in Christ (Hebrews 10:19-22)
III. Significance of the Burnt Offering
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Source of all of our comfort, strength, peace, and joy
- Understanding its significance can set us free from all fears (Psalm 34:4)
II. Believers as a Sweet-Smelling Savor of Christ to God (2 Corinthians 2:15)
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Believers smell like His beloved Son
- Christ’s aroma is the basis for our approach to God and our acceptance in Christ (Hebrews 10:19-22)
III. Significance of the Burnt Offering
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Source of all of our comfort, strength, peace, and joy
- Understanding its significance can set us free from all fears (Psalm 34:4)
I. The Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1)
A. Advocate when we sin, not when we are righteous
B. Union with Christ and the fullness of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9)
II. The Trinity and experiencing union with Christ
A. The Father and Son are one, yet separate entities (John 10:30)
B. The Father’s will for the Son to lay down his life for the sheep (John 10:11)
III. The burnt offering in Leviticus and its relation to Jesus Christ
A. The offering’s fragrance pleasing to God (Leviticus 1:9)
B. The burnt offering as a type of Christ’s absolute devotion to God
C. Believers as a sweet-smelling savor to God (2 Corinthians 2:15)
IV. Righteousness in heaven and Christ’s offering of himself in love (Hebrews 10:12)
A. Union with Christ and freedom from fear and accusations
B. Christ interceding for us with the Father (Romans 8:34)
V. Jesus intercedes for us and makes us bold to receive blessings (Hebrews 4:16)
A. God does not condemn us (Romans 8:1)
B. Jesus as our advocate and propitiation for sins (1 John 2:1-2)
VI. The doctrine of propitiation and Paul’s teachings in Romans
A. The law reveals sin and makes us conscious of it (Romans 3:20)
B. Justification by grace and redemption through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24)
VII. The concept of propitiation and Jesus Christ’s offering
A. Jesus as our redemption and the manifestation of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:25-26)
B. The role of the law in relation to Jesus Christ’s righteousness (Galatians 3:24-25)
VIII. Propitiation and the forgiveness of sins
A. Forgiveness of past sins and sins committed under the first covenant (Hebrews 9:15)
B. Believers as co-heirs with Christ and his ascension (Romans 8:17; Ephesians 1:20)
IX. The greatness of Jesus’ name and his inheritance (Philippians 2:9; Ephesians 1:22)
A. Seated at the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:3)
B. Promised inheritance of the nations and a throne according to the Davidic covenant (Psalm 2:8; 2 Samuel 7:16)
X. Christ’s righteousness and opening the seals in Revelation 5
A. Sharing inheritance with ungodly sinners
B. The church’s current position in the heavenlies with Christ (Ephesians 2:6)
XI. The dangers of allegorizing the scriptures
A. Allegorizing promises to Christ as anti-Semitic and anti-Christ
B. The distinction between Israel and the church (Romans 11:25-26)
XII. Christ’s redemption of transgressions under the first covenant (Hebrews 9:15)
A. Believers as individually justified and members of Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
B. Believers receiving the spirit of sonship (Romans 8:15)
XIII. Satan and principalities accusing believers
A. The circumcision of Christ and termination of the old man (Colossians 2:11)
B. Christ disarming Satan and principalities (Colossians 2:15)
XIV. Jesus’ victory over the devil’s power of death (Hebrews 2:14)
A. Freedom from bondage due to fear of death
B. Eradicating all things that could be used for accusation (John 8:1-11)
XV. Jesus as the representative of the human race (1 Corinthians 15:45)
A. The seed of Abraham and David (Galatians 3:16; Romans 1:3)
B. Advocate against accusations and bringing the gospel (Revelation 12:10; Romans 1:16)
XVI. John’s message in 1 John
A. Salvation through belief in Jesus and confession of sins (1 John 1:9)
B. Denying a brother with testimony would be denying the truth of the gospel (1 John 4:20)