Episode 79: Justice and the Altar

Written By Milo Curtis

SUMMARY
Join Milo and Olivia as they explore how our understanding of justice shapes how we approach the altar. They unpack how the Tabernacle Altar shapes our understanding of sacrifice and justice.

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INTRODUCTION
Join Milo and Olivia as they explore how our understanding of justice shapes how we approach the altar. They examine the five Old Testament sacrifices (burnt, grain, peace, sin, and guilt offerings), and unpack how the Tabernacle Altar shapes our understanding of sacrifice, how justice starts within us, and why the altar points to Christ’s ultimate act of justice.

THE CARDINAL VIRTUE JUSTICE

Justice is the moral quality or habit which perfects the will and inclines it to render to each and to all what belongs to them.

Two directions of Justice

  1. Toward God: Offering the appropriate sacrifice honors God and recognizes His sovereign right.

  2. Toward neighbor: Offering the appropriate sacrifice brings reconciliation and right relationship with others.

Justice without sacrifice is a cold charade of charity that serves no one. Sacrifice without justice is pointless at best and idolatrous at worst.

ALL OFFERINGS REQUIRED…

  • The best of what you could offer

  • The offering system exists to ensure justice with God and others

1. BURNT OFFERINGS (Leviticus 1)

  • Offering: The WHOLE animal. Typically a bull, sheep, or bird.

  • Purpose: The atonement of sin so that relationship with God could be restored.

  • Cost: High – they didn’t get anything back. No meat to eat or share. Giving your best animal was a big deal, especially for a farmer or herdsman—it was income, food, future.

2. GRAIN OFFERING (Leviticus 2)

  • Offering: Fine flour, oil, and frankincense (a valuable spice) which were valuable, everyday items, that represented a person’s labor and provision.

  • Purpose: A voluntary act of worship presented to God as an expression of thanksgiving, devotion, and honor.

  • Cost: Moderate. A portion of the offering was burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, and the rest was given to the priests as food. This act acknowledged that everything a person had—food, work, harvest—was from God, and offering a part back to Him was a sign of gratitude and honor.

3. PEACE OFFERING (Leviticus 3)

  • Offering: the fat portions of an animal sacrifice

  • Purpose: Symbolized a relationship of peace, harmony, and joy between the worshiper, God, and the people.

  • Cost: High. After the fat portion was offered to God, the remainder was used as a meal for  the worshiper, part by the priests, and the community.

4. SIN OFFERING (Leviticus 4)

  • Offering: Had to be an unblemished animal, typically a bull, goat, or lamb.

  • Purpose: A mandatory sacrifice that addresses unintentional sins that were committed out of ignorance or weakness rather than deliberate rebellion. When a person or even the community sinned unknowingly, this offering provided a way to be cleansed and restored to right standing with God.

  • Cost: High. The priest would offer the fat and certain organs on the altar and then the rest of the animal was disposed of outside the camp. No one benefited from this offering.

5. GUILT OFFERING

  • Offering:  God commanded that the fat and certain organs, usually of a ram, be burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to God. im (Leviticus 3:16, 7:31).

  • Purpose: This was specifically required when a person committed sins that involved violating another person’s rights or dishonoring what belonged to God, such as theft, deception, or misuse of sacred property.

  • Cost: High-The guilt offering involved the sacrifice of an animal and full restitution. The offender repaid the value of what was taken or damaged plus an additional 20%. This combination of sacrifice and repayment underscored that true repentance requires both spiritual cleansing and tangible acts of justice and reconciliation.         

JESUS IS THE SACRIFICE THAT LEADS TO…

  • A life of restored relationship

  • A life of gratitude and provision

  • A life of peace

  • A life free from sin

  • A life free of guilt and shame

CONTACT US at hello@thisresilientsoul.com. We are always looking for ways to deepen the quality and expand the impact of this podcast. So if you have some ideas on how we can do that we welcome your input.

Theme Music by Caleb Prasad

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Episode 78: The Gate - Tabernacle Series