Steve Conover: Thank you for joining us for the Friends of Israel Today. I'm Steve Conover, executive director here at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. I'd like to encourage you to visit us at foiradio.org, foiradio.org. There you can connect with us. We have over a decade of content on the site. It features Chris Katulka's insightful teaching and various interview guests. Once again, that's foiradio.org. Today, our teacher, Chris Katulka, begins a new three-part series on ancient Israel's required sacrifices beginning with the burnt offerings. We'll learn how God made a way for sinful people to approach a holy God. 

We're looking forward to this, but first in the news, a rare and historic meeting between Yechiel Leiter, and Nada Hamadeh signals a potential shift in the longstanding tensions between Israel and Lebanon. Centered on disarming Hezbollah, the talks also hint at a broader and more ambitious goal, opening the door to normalization between the two nations.

You know, this historic meeting came on the heels of Israel's decisive attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel is not attacking Lebanon. They are attacking the Iranian proxy that has overtaken Lebanon like a cancer. With the downfall of the Islamic Republic, so goes its proxies. Now is not the time to let up, and it's the reason Lebanon is coming to the table for peace.

Chris Katulka: As we begin this new segment on the sacrifices of Israel, we're stepping into one of the most important themes in all of scripture. It's how a sinful people approach a Holy God. Now, in our recent series, we literally walked through the tabernacle itself. We moved from the gate in the east where we found the altar, and then we moved into where we saw the laver and the holy place where the table of showbread, the menorah, and the altar of incense was. And then finally, we stepped behind the veil to the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy of Holies, the very throne room of God himself. But now we need to pause and ask a really very important question here. How did an Israelite approach the God who dwelt in the tabernacle? How could a sinful human being come near a Holy God without being consumed?

Well, the answer begins at the altar and the answer is sacrifice. Over the next few weeks, we're going to look at several of the major offerings described in the book of Leviticus. We're going to consider the whole burnt offering, the fellowship offering, and the sin offering. Each one reveals something unique about worship and atonement and thanksgiving and access to God. But we begin with the whole burnt offering because in many ways, it sets the tone for the entire sacrificial system. It's actually the first offering that's described in Leviticus. It's what opens the book of Leviticus in Leviticus chapter one. And I'm going to tell you, that's not accidental. The Lord begins here because this offering, it captures something foundational about approaching him. The whole burnt offering certainly speaks of devotion and surrender and the complete giving over of a life to God, but we must say it carefully.

This is not devotion standing completely on its own. It's devotion made possible through atonement. Before the worshiper can belong holy to God, the barrier of sin and guilt must be dealt with through a substitute. And you could say this sacrifice is a two for one. Sin and devotion bound together in one offering, the whole burnt offering. And Leviticus chapter one opens with the Lord calling Moses from the tent of meeting and giving instructions for the Israelites when they bring an offering to him. And it says if a man brought a burnt offering from the herd, he was to offer that as a male without blemish. And if from the flock, again, a male without blemish. If he couldn't bring an animal from the herd or flock, he could bring a bird. And some scholars even believe the grain offering that's laid out in Leviticus chapter two was connected to the whole burnt offering.

See, God wanted all people to approach him to worship. The same sacrifice of devotion could be brought from the very wealthy who could give an entire bull to those who have some means to bring a lamb and the less fortunate could bring a bird to the very poor who could only offer grain. And the options varied according to a person's means, but the principle remained the same. What was offered to the Lord had to be without defect. The offering was not to be injured, diseased, or even second rate. It had to be costly, sound, and acceptable. The right way. See, it's the right way that teaches us something about God. He is not to be approached with leftovers. He's not to be honored by what costs us nothing. Worship that draws near to him demands what is fitting for his holiness. The worshiper was to bring the offering to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, and he would then lay his hand on the head of the animal.

And the text says it would be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. That sentence is one of the keys to the whole burnt offering altogether. The laying on of the hand was deeply significant. It identified the worshiper with the sacrifice. The animal was standing in his place. The life of the substitute represented the life of the one bringing it. The worshiper didn't approach God on the basis of his own innocence or purity or worthiness. He came by the means of another life given in his place. See, then the animal was killed before the Lord and the priests, Aaron's sons, would take the blood and throw it against the sides of the altar. And the animal would be skinned and cut into pieces and arranged on the wood and then completely burned on the altar. The whole animal was offered to the Lord.

And that's what makes this offering distinct. See, unlike other offerings that we're going to look at in the next few weeks, where a part was burned and a part was eaten, see, the whole burn offering was consumed entirely by the fire. Nothing was held back. Nothing remained for the worshiper or for the priest to eat. The whole animal ascended in smoke to the Lord. In fact, the Hebrew idea behind the burnt offering carries the sense of “that which goes up.” Olah, that's what it means. It's the olah offering, “that which goes up.” This was an offering that ascended to God in its entirety. The complete burning of the animal means that the entire life of the offering is given over to God. But the reason that total surrender can be acceptable is because atonement had already been placed through the shedding of blood. See, the worshiper's devotion then is not a self-generated merit.

It's the grateful response made through atoning sacrifice. And notice where it all happens. It happens at the altar. And the repeated phrase in Leviticus chapter one is also striking, that the burnt offering that's described is pictured as a “pleasing aroma to the Lord.” And see, that phrase can sound strange to some modern ears, especially when we think of sacrifice in strictly physical terms. But see, God is not pleased because he enjoys the smell of burning flesh in some crude sense. And he's not a God like the god of the pagans who's hungry all the time and you have to feed your god. This God, our God, is pleased because the offering that's brought is done in obedience by faith according to his commandments. And because through that sacrifice, atonement is made and the worshiper is accepted before him. See, the pleasing aroma is the fragrance of an offering that satisfies the demands of holiness and makes renewed devotion possible.

And the whole burnt offering wasn't just offered by individuals. It actually also appears in the daily, weekly, monthly, and festival worships of the entire nation of Israel. Morning and evening, burnt offerings were offered. Sabbaths also included burnt offerings. New moons included burnt offerings. The appointed feasts from Leviticus chapter 23 included burnt offerings as well. The nation of Israel lived by the reality that access to God required atonement and that those who had been accepted by sacrifice were to be wholly his. Israel's relationship with God was continually framed by these two realities that were held together. Guilt and sin that was removed by a substitution and devotion offered in response. And finally, I just want to say this, the sacrificial system, especially the whole burnt offering, is not just the story of a man finding a way to his God. It's the story of God making a way for man, his creation, to draw near to him.

See, left to ourselves, we could never invent an acceptable offering. We could never devise a path or a plan into his presence. The altar, the priesthood, the offering, the blood, the fire, the instructions, all of it came from God. Even in Leviticus, you can see grace that comes before the command. See, God had already redeemed Israel from Egypt. God had already brought them through on dry ground. God had already provided the covenant with them. God had already chosen to dwell among them. At this point, the sacrifices were not the way to earn salvation and redemption. They were God's given means by which a redeemed people could actually live in fellowship with their holy king. And the burnt offering standing first among those offerings that we're going to see from Leviticus chapter one through seven made clear that fellowship with God rests on atonement and leads to surrender.

And yet, as central and significant as the whole burnt offering was to the Israelites, it was never meant to be the final answer. Every animal offered on that altar pointed beyond itself. Every morning burnt offering had to be followed by another. Every festival sacrifice had to be repeated. Every individual worshiper would need to return again and again. Why? Because animal blood could only symbolize substitution, but it could not ultimately remove sin in its fullest and final sense. See, the whole burnt offering was real, meaningful, and ordained by God, but it was also anticipatory. We anticipated something greater from it, and it was pointing forward. And that's where we have to turn in these closing moments to Jesus, the Messiah. So when we come back, we're going to see how Jesus, the Messiah, fulfills the role of the whole burnt offering. So stick around.

Steve Conover: Chris, Psalm 23 is probably one of the most familiar and comforting passages in all of Scripture, but there's a lot of depth we often miss in God's Word.

Chris Katulka: And that's exactly why I love our new video series, Psalm 23: Ancient Hebrew Wisdom for Today. Dan Price, one of our great teachers here at The Friends of Israel, takes you verse by verse through David's most well-known Psalm and really opens your eyes to the richness of the shepherd imagery rooted in Israel's culture.

Steve Conover: In this video, you'll begin to see how personal this Psalm really is, how David's walk with the Lord as his shepherd points us directly to Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

Chris Katulka: And Steve, the companion Study Guide is excellent. It includes Scripture, background insights, and thoughtful questions, making it ideal for personal study, family devotions, or small groups in Sunday school.

Steve Conover: If you're looking for deeper trust and encouragement in your walk with the Lord, I can't recommend this study enough. 

Chris Katulka: So you can order your copy of the video series and Study Guide, Psalm 23: Ancient Hebrew Wisdom for Today at foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. 

Chris Katulka: Welcome back, everyone. We're talking all about the sacrifices from the book of Leviticus. And if the burnt offering in Leviticus speaks of a blameless substitute, wholly given over to God, then Jesus is the fulfillment of that offering in all its beauty and power. He is the true unblemished one. And unlike every other human being that ever lived, Jesus was without spot, without defect, innocent, and without sin. He did not simply bring an offering—He became the offering. He offered himself to the Father in perfect obedience. But here again, we should keep the full biblical shape in mind. Christ is not only the picture of devotion, He is the one whose self-offering truly accomplishes atonement. His wholehearted obedience to the Father and His atoning death belonged together.

He is the offering wholly given to God, and he is the substitute through whom all guilt is actually taken away. And this is exactly how the New Testament speaks of Jesus. In Ephesians 5:2, it says, “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to the Lord.” And again, what Paul's saying there in Ephesians echoes Leviticus. Jesus is that pleasing aroma. He is the one whose life ascends to God in perfect obedience and complete surrender. He's not dragged unwillingly to the altar. He lays his life down freely. From the beginning to the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus is wholly devoted to the will of the Father. And unlike the offerings of Leviticus, his sacrifice doesn't need to be repeated. It's final. It's sufficient. It's “once for all,” as the writer of Hebrew says. The shadows have given way to the substance.

The altar of burnt offering in Israel prepared the people to understand the cross, but only in Jesus do we find the full and final offering that truly reconciles sinners to God. He is our whole burnt offering, not only because he was fully devoted, but because his devotion took the form of a sin-bearing, wrath-satisfying, guilt-removing, self-offering before the Father. But there is also an application here for all of us. If Jesus is our whole burnt offering, then our response is not merely gratitude in the abstract world. Our response is consecration. See, Romans chapter 12:1 picks up on the sacrificial language and applies it directly to the Christian life. Paul writes, "I urge you..” in Romans 12:1, “I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." 

Notice the order. Paul doesn't say, "Present yourselves so that God will show you mercy." He says, "By the mercies of God, present yourself." In other words, because Christ has offered Himself for us, because atonement has been made, we now offer ourselves to God. We don't climb onto an altar to be consumed for atonement. See, Christ has already done that work fully and finally, but we are called to a life of wholehearted surrender. The whole burnt offering teaches us that God does not ask for a corner of our lives. He doesn't just ask for Sunday morning. He doesn't just ask for leftovers. He calls us to yield ourselves to him wholly. Our mind, our body, our time, our ambitions, our possessions, our plans, our desires—all of it belongs on the altar of service to the Lord. But see, we don't do that to make ourselves acceptable. We do it because through Christ, we already are.

And that is a needed word in an age of half-hearted religion. So many want forgiveness without surrender. So many want blessing without obedience. Nearness to God without the cost of devotion. But the burnt offering reminds us that true worship means holding nothing back. Still, we must say one more time that our surrender does not create our acceptance. Christ's sacrifice does that. Only then can our lives become a fitting response. See, the Lord is not honored by fragments. He is worthy of all that we are and only grace can make such a response possible. And what better response could there be to Christ who gave all of Himself for us? He did not love us partially. He did not obey the Father halfheartedly. He did not stop short of the cross. He gave Himself fully and in giving Himself fully, he dealt with our guilt and sin completely.

So now, the call of a disciple is to say, "Lord, because you gave yourself for me, because you have made atonement for me, I give myself to you." As we close, the whole burnt offering stands before us as both gospel and challenge. It tells us first that we need a substitute and that God has provided one in his Son. But it also tells us that those who are reconciled to God are called to live holy for him. See, Jesus is our true whole burnt offering. And because of Him, we now come to God, not with animals on an altar, but with yielded hearts and surrendered lives. And the prayer of every believer should be this, “Lord, because Christ has made atonement for me, receive all that I am. Hold nothing back. Let my life through Christ be wholly yours.”

Steve Conover: Israel, on the verge of becoming a state, a teenaged Holocaust survivor arrives on her shores alone. His name is Zvi Kalisher. Little did he know his search for a new life in the Holy Land would lead him to the Messiah. Zvi, enthusiastic to share his faith, engaged others in spiritual conversations, many of which can be found in our magazine, Israel My Glory. While Zvi is now in the presence of his Savior, his collected writings from well over 50 years of ministry continue to encourage believers worldwide. Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life of Zvi.

Mike Kellogg: I was reminded recently of the shortness of physical life, but because our souls are eternal, we all must prepare for eternity. Just this week, I visited two widows. One woman's husband was a believer and the other woman's husband professed the Lord on his deathbed. His surviving family are unbelievers. I went to their home to comfort them and to share how they could have eternal life. When I arrived, the family's rabbi was present and he read from the Psalms and many traditional Jewish books. The family then gave me the opportunity to speak. As you know, I was his friend and I also wanted to be his brother.” Someone asked, "How could you be his brother since you had different fathers?" I answered, "We can be brothers if we receive the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts by his Spirit." One replied, "This man died before his time.”

It is written," I said. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed by the name of the Lord. As you know to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the heaven, a time to be born, and a time to die. The Lord will give you eternal life if you come with open hearts. Acknowledge your sin and say, "Oh Lord, receive us as your children." The rabbi asked me in which yeshiva I teach. I assured him I do not teach in a yeshiva, nor have I ever attended one. I said, "In the yeshiva, you will learn many stories, but if you follow God's Word, you will learn facts about what God has done for you and for all those who believe on him.” “What do you know about the Lord?" 

"I will tell you something important that you do not know. You cannot sacrifice a chicken for sin.” The rabbi asked, “Is there another way? " "Yes," I replied. And then I read Isaiah 53 and Leviticus 17:11 for all to hear. Everyone waited for the rabbi to answer, but he was silent. "Rabbi, what do you have to say?” The rabbi asked me, "Why are you doing this?” I answered, “Because I want you to be saved and live forever.” He replied, “But you can see our friend here. He is dead.” “Yes,” I said, “His body's dead, but his soul is alive with the Lord.” “Are you sure?” he asked. “He told me he received the Lord Jesus as his Savior. If so, I know he is now in the Lord's presence. There are many Jewish people in Israel today who believe that Jesus is Messiah.” They found this hard to believe. The rabbi was very interested as I continued to explain the plan of salvation and how he could have a personal relationship with a living God through his Son, Jesus Christ.

"You have placed me in a hard position," the rabbi admitted. "I must seriously think about what you have told us.” Please join me in praying for this rabbi and the others. Each one heard the gospel. We trust the Holy Spirit will work in their lives and reveal to them the truth.

Steve Conover: Thank you for joining us for today's episode of The Friends of Israel Today. Don't forget to order your copy of the video series and study guide, Psalm 23: Ancient Hebrew Wisdom for Today. You can order it at foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. Join us next week. We continue part two in our series on ancient Israel's required sacrifices. As mentioned, our web address is foiradio.org. Our mailing address is FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey, 08099. Again, that's FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey, 08099. You can call our listener line. That number is 888-343-6940. Again, that's 888-343-6940. Today's program was engineered by Bob Beebe, edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. Our executive producer is Lisa Small. Our associate producer is Sarah Fern, the late Mike Kellogg read Apples of Gold. Our host and teacher is Chris Katulka, and I'm Steve Conover, executive director of The Friends of Israel. The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's Chosen People.