We jump into Leviticus (or ease into it!), and it’s tough reading, opening with:

The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock. (Leviticus 1.1, 2, ESV)

“WHEN one of you brings an offering…” It is expected that people will want to bring an offering, and when they do it will be livestock from the herd or from the flock. There follow detailed instructions on how to slaughter and present the offering whether it’s “from the herd” (verses 3 – 9) or “from the flock” (10 – 13) or “birds” (14 – 17). Each of those sets of instructions ends with

“…a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

But one key thought is buried in the first paragraph:

If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1.3 – 4, ESV, emphasis mine)

It’s a voluntary offering, and its blood will be shed “That he may be accepted before the LORD.”

From the beginning, access to God has always been by blood sacrifice. Even in the Garden, Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves, but God covered them with animal skins:

And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. (Genesis 3.21, ESV)

As difficult as Leviticus is for modern readers, without a fundamental understanding of blood sacrifice, Jesus’ death on the cross makes no sense.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. (Leviticus 17.11, ESV)

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Hebrews 9.22, NKJV)

For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another–He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. (Hebrews 9.24 – 28, NKJV, emphasis mine)

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26.26 – 28, NKJV)

Circling back to “that he may be accepted,” we are reminded that it’s not my merit, but Jesus’ death on the cross that grants me access to God:

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,… (Hebrews 10.19, NKJV)