We are starting in the book of Leviticus with chapter one with our word for today. קָרְבָּן offering, gift. It is used 80 times in the Old Testament, 6 times in our chapter. We find our word used in offering sacrifices to idols and false gods. Ezekiel 20:28, 30 For when I had brought them into the land that I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of קָרְבָּנָ֔ם their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings … Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things? The other 79 times our word is used to refer to worship of the true God with the tabernacle and temple worship. These uses are predominately in the books of Leviticus and Numbers. This is how our word is used 6 times in our chapter today. Leviticus 1:1-3, 10, 14 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 יַקְרִ֥יב offering to the Lord, you shall bring קָרְבַּנְכֶֽם your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock. “If קָרְבָּנוֹ֙ his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish … If קָרְבָּנ֧וֹ his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall bring a male without blemish … If קָרְבָּנ֖וֹ his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring קָרְבָּנֽוֹ his offering of turtledoves or pigeons. The last use in the Old Testament of our word is in reference to the future vision of the temple. Ezekiel 40:2-5, 42-43In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” And behold, there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area … And there were four tables of hewn stone for ... the burnt offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered … And on the tables the flesh of הַקָּרְבָֽן the offering was to be laid. We understand this to be referring to Christ priestly work of interceding for us to God the father. The Holy Spirit makes this connect in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews 8:1-6 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. I’ll close with this great passage which makes this point very clear of Christ mediating work for us. Hebrews 9:24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
