The first instruction that God gives to Moses from within the sanctuary is given priority of order for a reason. The ‘burnt offering’ is the most important of the prescribed offerings because it is the only one in which the whole animal is burnt on the altar. Other offerings convey part of the picture that God wanted to convey, but this one captures the whole picture. The Hebrew word that is translated “offering” means ‘to ascend,’ and indeed this is the goal. The animal of the offering represented the one bringing it. And the goal is to ascend into God’s presence. When the animal was burnt on the altar it was transformed into smoke which rose up to God and became “an aroma pleasing to the LORD”. In prescribing this offering God was painting a graphic picture for his people; a picture that pointed forward to Christ’s sacrifice for us. Christ is our sacrifice, and when we identify with him (symbolised here by the placing of hands on the offering) all that is signified by the burnt offering happens to us. As we offer ourselves to God through Christ (who is both the sacrifice and the high priest) we are (by his sacrifice) transformed into something pleasing to God. Our flesh (representing the sinful nature) is burned away, allowing our spirit to rise up and commune with God. I encourage you to reflect on each element of this ritual because there is a message in each part. But here is the main idea: to set your spirit free to commune with God you must offer your body to him as a living sacrifice.
Offer yourself over to God and ask him to help you relinquish anything that you are holding back.
Read Leviticus 1 and Romans 12:1
