Leviticus 1:3-13 New International Version (NIV)
3 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord. 4 You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. 5 You are to slaughter the young bull before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 You are to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 7 The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. 9 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
10 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, you are to offer a male without defect. 11 You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 12 You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. 13 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
Look at the detailed instructions! God is very detailed. He had a purpose in giving these instructions. The Israelites were starting from scratch. God needed to teach his people a whole new way of life. They had to get rid of pagan practices. They needed to learn true worship. These details kept Israel from slipping back into the old lifestyle. Each law painted a graphic picture of how serious sin is on a person. It shows God’s great mercy in forgiving. When you become a believer in Jesus, you are on a path to a new life. But, it can be easy to slide back into the old lifestyle. That is why you must read your Bible daily, find a church to attend and fellowship, and take time to get to know God. It takes time and practice to build the new self and leave the old self behind.
