Leviticus

Leviticus starts off with 5 major offerings so the people will keep God in their remembrance.

I am not a theologian. As a person that reads the Bible and tries to understand the nature of God, I write in the context of what the Bible says to me about who God is. I want to know Him for myself. I encourage you to read as well - see what God is saying to you and how this is suppose to impact your life.

1. Burn Offering - The burnt offering is a complete and total offering that is to be given to God. Nothing is left over once the burnt offering is given. It's kind of like giving everything to God for His pleasure. Nothing is left over at all. 3 times when talking about this offering it says "the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord." Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17
2. Grain Offering - The grain offering underscores the importance that God holds for those who dedicate themselves for service towards him. "And the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the Lord's food offerings. Leviticus 2:9-10; 16. 
3. Peace Offering - "The fat in ancient Israel represented the very best part of the animal. The fat would be like filet mignon, i.e., the most succulent and savory part of the animal. To present this to the Lord was a way of acknowledging that He was the One worthy of most honor. (Crossway - ESV Bible Commentary) It seems like every offering given, was given with the idea that it would be totally given to God. There was no idea of partial giving. It was definitely an all or nothing proposition. And all of this is a "food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord." Leviticus 3:5; 11, 16
4. Sin Offering - This offering sets the groundwork that by ourselves it is impossible to please God. it starts off by saying "If anyone sins unintentionally..." Leviticus 4:2. If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally..." Leviticus 4:13. "When a leader sins, doing  unintentionally..." Leviticus 4:22. "If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally..." Leviticus 4:27. It's as if God knows that it is hard for people to keep His laws in mind. He made a way for the priest to intercede. "And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed, and he shall be forgiven." Leviticus 4:20,26,31,35. To show the consistency of God, Hebrews 4:14-15 -Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."
5. Guilt Offering - The thing that stands out to me here is that even if we do something wrong to our "neighbor" it has an impact on our relationship with God. Restitution must be made to God, because it is His story. "If anyone sins and commits a breach of faith against the Lord by deceiving his neighbor in a matter of deposit or security, or through robber, or if he has oppressed his neighbor or has found something lost and lied about it, swearing falsely - in any of all the things that people do and sin thereby - if he has sinned and has realized his guilt and will restore what he took by robbery or what he got by oppression or the deposit that was committed to him or the lost thing that he found or anything which he has sown falsely, he shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and it given to him whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt." Leviticus 6:1-5 But it doesn't stop there! "And he shall bring to the priest as a compensation to the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent for a guilt offering." Leviticus 6:6

All of this was so that God's people would know this one key thing:

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:1-2 ESV)

All of this comes with a promises both good and bad:

“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. (Leviticus 26:3-13 ESV)

“But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.

(Leviticus 26:14-20 ESV)

Let's remember that all of our actions have an impact on our relationship with God. Let's try in all areas to understand how God is involved in all of our actions, and although we are not required to keep all of these offerings, we still have a High Priest who intercedes on our behalf. Let's be thankful that God cares about how we live, and let us struggle to live in a way that brings God glory and honor.