It is the twelfth year of Solomon’s reign and the newly minted Temple had been active for close to a year now. King David provided the material and blueprints for the beautiful edifice that will be inhabited by God’s Spirit. However it was David’s son Solomon who labored to have the most amazing house built for Jehovah. Up until this time God had only dwelt among His people in a tent. Now, the Levitical priesthood would serve God at a permanent location in Jerusalem, the nation of Israel’s capital city.
Now, we travel north of Jerusalem to Issachar. Issachar was about 2-4 days journey by foot north of Jerusalem. The tribe of Issachar was given land between Zebulun, and Manasseh. Issachar was Jacob’s ninth son, his fifth with Leah.The tribe of Issachar was known for fighting alongside Deborah, of which she was a member. The men of Issachar were known as “men who had understanding of the times” (1 Ch. 12:32).
In this land we are introduced to a man by the name of Joah who was a member of Issachar. Joah was employed by a more wealthy man to shepherd a flock. Everyday he went and called for the flock from the sheep gate. It was Joah’s responsibility to make sure the flock had something to eat, and drink, and to protect them from any predators. Joah was responsible to repay his owner if there was any loss of the flock.
Joah had been married to his wife, Moriah for fifteen years. Together they had two children, a daughter named Jerusha, and son named Joseph. They were not a wealthy family, but they always had what they needed. Joah came from a long history of faithful followers of Jehovah. However, Joah had been experiencing guilt of sin, and wrestling with doubt. Quietly he kept his shame and fear to himself. As he led his flock in the northern pastures of Israel he would spend time alone with his thoughts:
“How do I know my sins can be forgiven?”
“How can I keep all of God’s laws?”
“Does Jehovah really forgive me?”
“How can I remove my guilt and shame?”
“Will the Covenant Lord of Israel accept me?”
Day after day, night after night, Joah lived with these questions. He desired liberty, longed for assurance, and desperately needed forgiveness. His questions, doubt, and guilt were miserable comforters.
The Whole Burnt Offering
After several nights of lost sleep Joah decided to take a few steps of faith. It wasn’t the time of the Passover, or the day of Atonement. But in order for Joah to lift the burden of sin, and doubt he was going to have to offer a sacrifice. Joah remembered the laws concerning the Whole Burnt Offering. Joah could still hear his mother teaching him as a child about this sacrifice from the first part of Leviticus. The Law and sacrifices were an important aspect of the Hebrew home. Deep down inside, Joah knew God was faithful to His covenant with Israel.
The first sacrifice described in Leviticus (chap. 1; also 6:8–18) is the “olah” sacrifice. By virtue of its coming first in the list of sacrifices, we can assume its importance. With the exception of the Day of Atonement, where the sin offering took center place, the “olah” sacrifice was the most important sacrifice at Israelite festivals (Num. 28–29). Perhaps even more importantly, the “olah” was offered twice each day, once in the morning and once in the evening (Num. 28:1–8).
The Hebrew word “olah” is defined as “rising up” and refers to the smoke rising from off of the sacrifice, the smoke ascending from earth unto heaven, which was very pleasing unto the Lord. Everything from the Whole Burnt Offering went up in smoke. Unlike some of the other sacrifices, no portion of this sacrifice was to be consumed by the priests. The entire offering went up in smoke.
Unfortunately for Joah he would have to travel close to 150 miles south to Jerusalem to get to Solomon’s temple. Such a trip would take 2-4 days of walking depending on the weather and any other unexpected events.
Not only would the journey be exhausting, Joah was going to have to provide the sacrifice. This too was going to be costly, but of course sacrifice always costs something. The law said that a man could offer what he could afford. However, if the offerer could afford a bull, lamb, or goat, but only brought dove then it would not be accepted. Israel’s history was plagued with the story of Cain not bringing the offering that he could afford. Such a sacrifice was rejected by God, and if Joah tried to do the same thing it too would be rejected. And listen, Joah already felt worthless and rejected due to his sin, there was no sense in trying to bring something less than he could afford.
So he went and purchased a lamb from his employer. Joah knew that flock well. He knew which lambs were weak and sickly. He knew which ones were the very best. Joah went to retrieve one that he knew might not be very expensive. But his heart smote him, and he turned and found the healthiest lamb that had neither a spot or blemish in its coat. Moriah’s eyes widened when she heard what that lamb was going to cost.
“I know this is going to cost us, and put us behind a little, but it will be worth it once we get to Jerusalem” Joah said to Moriah. Joah in his mind rehearsed what David said to Araunah concerning the burnt sacrifice: “I will buy it from your a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing” (2 Sam. 24:24). Joah paid for the healthy lamb, and began gathering everything together for the journey to Jerusalem. With his wife and two children with him he headed towards forgiveness.
A two to four day journey by foot was difficult, but with each step in the hot dusty sand Joah’s steps got lighter. Even though he had sweat running down his face, and his back, hips and feet were aching Joah felt a little better as they approached Jerusalem.
However there was a moment, despite hearing his children asking how much longer the trip would be, and their mother trying to encourage their patience that Joah looked down and caught a glimpse of that lamb. Joah had seen that lamb before in the flock that he shepherded. That lamb had been with them now for close to three days journey, and not once did that lamb try to run away. There wasn’t one time that the lamb cried out in fear. The lamb was silent, and innocent. Joah remembered an old saying among the tribes, “and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Journey Towards Jerusalem
Joah, Moriah, Jerusha and Joseph finally made it to Jerusalem on the afternoon of the fourth day. Israel’s capital seemed quiet that afternoon. The usual hustle and bustle of the city streets were strangely quiet. The sun was about to set, and the city was starting to cool. Peaking over the homes and buildings of the stood Solomon’s Temple. Joah had been to Jerusalem for Solomon’s Temple inauguration. He remembered the crowds, the festivities, the sacrifices and the glory. What a glorious day that was.
Joah secured a place for his family to stay for a few days, then he proceeded to the Temple with the lamb. Joah’s own guilt, was starting to be displaced with the guilt that this poor innocent lamb was about to take his place.
Joah approached the Temple courtyard. He was met by a couple of the Levitical priests, one was obviously older than the other. Joah could smell the burning flesh from the altar.
The younger of the two priests asked Joah, “What are you offering the Lord?” Joah replied, “A burnt offering.” “Good” replied the priest, “the law says we are to offer one burnt offering in the morning and one in the evening. This happens to be the one we will use for the evening sacrifice. What have you brought to sacrifice?” Joah, with a lump in his throat said, “This lamb. I am hoping this will be acceptable for my offering and forgiveness.” The older of the two priests began to inspect Joah’s lamb. “This is a spotless lamb, my son.”
Joah, the approved lamb, and the priests progressed towards the bronze altar. The altar was 30 feet by 30 feet by 15 feet tall. The altar is stained with blood on its bronze horns. There is still ash burning on the altar from the previous sacrifice. The wind caught some of the smoke and began to burn Joah’s eyes. Beneath the altar is a basin where the spilled blood is caught. Joah’s stomach begins to get queasy, he had never been this close to the altar before and the sight of burning flesh and spilled blood made him feel weak. Joah’s nerves start to rattle in fear that he might do something wrong or embarrassing. Joah feared embarrassment about as much as he feared the Lord.
“Son, you need to put your hand on the lamb’s head. And here, take this knife and slit its throat” said the young priest. Joah felt his knees buckle, and another lump came up in his throat.
According to the Law the sacrifice must be identified with the offerer. The sacred event would begin as soon as the offerer placed his hand on the sacrifice. The innocent lamb was going to take his place, the spotless lamb would be Joah’s substitute. The act of laying a hand on the animal was connected with atonement and forgiveness. This was a sacred act of Joah imparting his sins, doubts, fears and guilt upon the lamb. Joah never intended to hurt that innocent lamb, but he also did not intend to offend God with his sin. But if Joah was going to be accepted by God, then he needed to place his guilt-ridden hands on the lamb.
Joah blinked his eyes nervously still blinking the sting of the smoke out of them, all the while holding back his tears and anguish. His other hand held the knife that would take the life of the lamb. Joah whispered a prayer as the priests fetched their tools and prepared the altar, “Adonai, Elohim, please forgive me of my trespasses and sin. Cover me again. Please accept this innocent lamb’s life as a substitute for my own.” Joah closed his eyes and quickly slit the throat of the lamb. This dramatic event was an emotional experience- the animal died at the hand of the Joah, it crumpled to the ground at his feet. The blood spilled from his lifeless body. The priests hurried to catch the blood in the basin, and then dashed the blood against the altar. The priests began to skin the sacrifice, and cut it into pieces. The young priest washed the entrails, while the older priest burned the cut up pieces, which included the head and fat.
Joah stood trembling at the sight that seemed like it passed so quickly. Joah watched in amazement as the priests burned everything on the altar. With the whole burnt offering the priests took nothing for themselves, the entire sacrifice was for the Lord. It represented the offerer. The sacrifice was for atonement, the Hebrew word for atonement in Leviticus 1:4 means to “appease,” “pacify,” or “cover.” In other words, Joah was being cleansed of impurities, and becoming reconciled to God.
The priests and Joah watched the innocent lamb burn to ash upon the altars. The blood ran down the horns and the sides of the altar, and the fire consumed the sacrifice. From the fire arose the smoke and ascended into the heavens. One last time the smell of sacrifice filled the streets of Jerusalem. The sacrifice had been accepted because it was done in faith. To underscore this point Leviticus says that the burnt offering has a pleasing aroma to God. The smell of the animal burning on the open flame in the courtyard must have given off a pleasing aroma to Jehovah. It wasn’t just the aroma, but the sacrifice that pleased him.
The priests were merely mediators of forgiveness. The lamb was the substitute, and Joah was the recipient of forgiveness. In gratitude he lifted up his hands and cried out to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The priests began to clean up to prepare for their evening’s rest. However, Joah stayed until the entire sacrifice was consumed.
Joah was forgiven, but in the back of his mind he knew he would have to do it all over again. You see, this sacrifice, and the others like it would have to be offered over and over again. Just as Joah longed for forgiveness he ached for a time when something greater than the priesthood, something greater than the altar and the temple, something greater than King Solomon would come and complete the journey to forgiveness.
The New Testament Offering
Now we jump ahead some thirteen generations to this same place where Joah stood. This time we stand at Herod’s temple, Solomon’s temple had been destroyed.
It was a solemn procession in Jerusalem that day. The crowd watched as the Lamb of God was slowly led away. They had beaten and mocked him, they had scandalized his name, they had sentenced him to die on a cross in open shame.
The John the Baptist, who was the son of a Levitical priest, declared Jesus Christ to be the Lamb of God, the one without spot or blemish, in whose mouth was found no guile. The Romans and the Jews laid their hands on him, and He who knew no sin became sin that we might become the righteousness of God.
They led him to an altar, not one made of bronze, but one of wood. They nailed him altar thinking they were simply killing a blasphemer, and a rebel. Instead Jesus was the substitute for them, for Joah and for us. Like a lamb led to slaughter he opened not his mouth. They lifted Him up, and he bore our griefs, carried our sorrows, and took our affliction. Like Joah’s lamb he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and his chastisement was for our peace. His wounds where the blood spilled brought about healing. The Covenant Lord of Israel laid on him the iniquity of us all. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush Him (Isaiah 53:1-12).
Jesus was the High Priest presenting the offering. Jesus was the Lamb of God the innocent substitute offered on the altar as a sweet savor unto God. You and I are the recipients of God’s forgiveness and grace. It was our guilt and sin that was laid upon him.
Conclusion
The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”
First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,
“This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
Then he says,
“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.”
And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (Hebrews 10:1-23)
*Preached at First Apostolic Church, January 21, 2018. You can listen and watch here.