Probably the earliest and most basic form of sacrifice. It is seen fundamentally as a gift to God, either in thanksgiving for his goodness or for atonement for sin.
Hebrew names for the burnt offering
Deuteronomy 33:10 The rarer Hebrew expression means something whole or complete; Psalm 66:13 The commoner expression in Hebrew means that which “goes up” to God. See also 1 Samuel 7:9; Psalm 51:19
He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You —
Early examples of burnt offerings
Genesis 8:20 Genesis 22:2–8, Genesis 22:13; Exodus 10:25, Exodus 18:12, Exodus 20:24, Exodus 24:5; Job 1:5
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Regulations concerning the burnt offering
How the offering is to be made
Leviticus 1:1–17, Leviticus 6:8–13, Leviticus 7:8 the entitlement of the priest; Malachi 1:8
Occasions for making the offering
Numbers 28:9–10 It was an additional offering on the Sabbath. Exodus 29:38–42; Ezra 3:3; Leviticus 8:18–21 at the ordination of priests; Leviticus 16:3, Leviticus 16:24; Numbers 28:11–14 on the first of the month, the new moon; Numbers 28:19, Numbers 28:23; Leviticus 23:12, Leviticus 23:18; Numbers 28:27; Numbers 29:2, Numbers 29:6; Numbers 29:13; Luke 2:24 for purification after childbirth
On the Sabbath day, present two unblemished year-old male lambs, accompanied by a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, as well as a drink offering. This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
Burnt offerings in idolatrous worship
Warnings about misplaced confidence in the burnt offering
1 Samuel 15:22 See also Isaiah 1:11–15; Jeremiah 7:21–22; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:25; Micah 6:6–8
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.
NT references to the burnt offering
Jesus Christ endorsed the prophets' teaching
Mark 12:33–34 See also Matthew 9:13, Matthew 12:7
and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.
The holy life of Jesus Christ is the perfect burnt offering
Hebrews 10:5–10 See also Hebrews 10:14
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight. Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’” In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law). Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.