Sinners cannot come to God without a sacrifice. We all know that. God has stamped this fact upon the consciences of all men by creation. Every man in the world knows that God is, and that God is both holy and just, that he will punish sin.

[Romans 1:18-20] "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; [19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. [20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"

Every man knows by nature that God demands both righteousness and satisfaction.

[Romans 2:14-15] "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: [15] Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)"

Yes, every man knows, by nature, because God has stamped indelibly upon his conscience, that sin demands blood atonement. It is for this reason that throughout history, in all parts of the world (civilized and barbaric) men and women have attempted to appease the wrath of God and ease their consciences of guilt by blood sacrifices, even by the sacrifices of their own children.

This natural God consciousness, from which no in this world man can ever completely escape, is never a saving knowledge of God, but condemning. The depravity of man’s heart and his heart enmity against God perverts his judgment and always turns him away from light into darkness. In obstinate rebellion, he holds or holds down and suppresses the truth of God in unrighteousness, and turns the truth of God into a lie, changing “the glory of the incorruptible God into an made like unto corruptible man” (Rom. 1:23-25).

Illustration: “Their gods look an awful lot like themselves.”

Still, these are facts know to all men. The heathen know them and you know them. No matter how sternly you try to suppress them, you know these are facts, from which you cannot escape.

1. God is holy, righteous and just, a God who must and will punish sin.

2. You are a sinner, guilty and under the curse of God.

3. God demands both righteousness and satisfaction.

4. You will meet God in judgment.

If you think about these things, they torment your soul. So you try to put them out of your mind. But they keep gnawing at you. However, you will never be able to find the answer to the demands these things make upon your conscience until you learn from God’s own Word why these things are so and how the great and glorious Lord God who made you can forgive your sin completely and make you righteous.

Are you interested in these things? Would you like to have your conscience satisfied? What would you give to be able to think honestly about yourself, your sin, God Almighty, righteousness, judgment and eternity, without fear? Give me your attention (O may God graciously force you to give me your attention!), and I will show you THE WAY.

From the very beginning, God has demanded satisfaction for sin; and from the very beginning he has declared that he would get satisfaction from a Substitute, by blood atonement. From the very beginning, the Lord God has promised that he will forgive sin; but he has also declared that he will forgive sin only by blood atonement. It is written, “without shedding is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).

Proposition: The holy Lord God demands blood atonement, and he provides what he demands in Christ.

This is what is taught in the typical sacrifices he demanded of Israel under the Mosaic law, as they are described in Leviticus 1. Today, I want us to see what God teaches us about the glorious work of our great God and glorious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the typical sacrifices of Turtledoves or Pigeons. Our text will be Leviticus 1:14-17.

{Leviticus 1:14-17} And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. {15} And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: {16} And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: {17} And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

The sacrifices of burnt offering could be a sacrifice chosen from the herd, or from the flock, or from the fowls. If it was a sacrifice from the herd, it must be a male without blemish. If it was taken from among the sheep or the goats, it also had to be a male without blemish. However, if the sacrifice offered was from the fowls, it might either be male or female, and there was no requirement even that it must be without blemish. That was not by accident, but by divine decree. – In order to save us, the holy Lamb of God must be made to be sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21).

1. Adam’s Sacrifice at the Gate of Eden (Gen. 3:15 and 21)

[Genesis 3:15] "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

[Genesis 3:21] "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."

2. Abel’s Sacrifice (Gen. 4:3-5)

[Genesis 4:3-5] "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. [4] And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: [5] But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."

3. Noah’s Sacrifice (Gen. 8:20-22)

[Genesis 8:20-22] "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. [21] And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. [22] While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

4. Abraham’s Sacrifice (Gen. 15:9-11)

[Genesis 15:1] "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."

[Genesis 15:5-6] "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. [6] And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."

[Genesis 15:9-11] "And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. [10] And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. [11] And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away."

5. Abraham’s Prophecy (Gen. 22:8)

6. The Paschal Lamb (Ex. 12:1-13 – “When I see the blood, I will pass over you!”)

Thus, we see that all who ever knew God, came to him with a blood sacrifice. Believing God, Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Moses, all believed the promise made in Genesis 3:15, and offered a typical sacrifice which by divine institution represented the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. They did not trust those sacrifices that typified Christ. Those sacrifices could never take away sin. These men were not heathen! They were taught of God. They trusted Christ.

Hear and understand what I am saying. – If you would find atonement and righteousness, if you would find acceptance with God, you must, like these ancient believers, look to Christ. You must believe on the Son of God (Rom. 3:19-26; 8:1-4).

[Romans 3:19-26] "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. [20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. [21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; [22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

[Romans 8:1-4] "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Now, let’s see how this gospel message of blood atonement and substitutionary redemption is taught in Leviticus 1:14-17, in typical sacrifices of turtledoves or pigeons.

I. These sacrifices (the turtledove and the pigeon) are distinct eminent types of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior (v. 14; Luke 2:21-30).

[Leviticus 1:14] "And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons."

A. The Lord Jesus Christ, in his manhood, always identified himself with the poor and needy, because he came here to redeem and save poor, needy, helpless, destitute, bankrupt sinners.

[Luke 2:21-30] "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. [22] And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; [23] (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) [24] And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. [25] And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. [26] And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. [27] And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, [28] Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, [29] Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: [30] For mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

B. Turtledoves and pigeons are held out in Holy Scripture as excellent, eminent types of our Savior.

The dove is not only the epitome of humility, meekness, devotion purity and chastity; it is also the constant emblem of peace and reconciliation. It is recognized as such the world over; but that fact is really insignificant. The dove is held before us in Holy Scripture as the type, picture and symbol of peace, of Christ who is our peace.

It was a dove that brought the olive branch back to Noah, declaring that the storm of God’s wrath was over; and after our Lord Jesus Christ had, by the sacrifice of himself, completely and forever exhausted the wrath of God for his people, he sent the Holy Spirit (The Dove of Heaven!) to his church, declaring reconciliation by blood atonement (Acts 2).

1. This is exactly what was symbolized in our Lord’s baptism (Matt. 3:13-17).

[Matthew 3:15-17] "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. [16] And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: [17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

2. When the time of love comes for the calling of Christ’s redeemed ones, he sends the Dove of heaven with the olive branch of peace, declaring that justice is satisfied, wrath is gone, judgment is over, and reconciliation is accomplished!

II. As the dove was slain by the priest, with one violent stroke, so the Lord Jesus Christ, our all-gloriuos Savior, was slain by the violent stroke of God’s holy wrath when he bore our sins in his own body on the cursed tree (v. 15; Isa. 53:10-11).

[Leviticus 1:15] "And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:"

If we did not understand by divine Revelation what this scene represented it would be an abhorrent thing to behold. But, blessed be our God, we do understand what was portrayed here.

[Isaiah 53:10-11] "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. [11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."

This thing was done before the Lord. The dove’s blood was squeezed from its slaughtered body not upon the altar, but over the side of the altar, for all to see. There it ran down to the ground and symbolically spoke for God’s elect (those for whom the blood was shed) from beneath the altar (Rev. 6:9). Like the blood of Abel, so the blood of the slain dove cried from the ground. As Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance upon him who had murdered him, the blood of the dove, the blood of Christ, cries out from the altar of God, but it speaks better things than the blood of Abel. Our Savior’s blood cries out perpetually for the forgiveness of those very sinners by whose hands and for whose sins he was slain!

III. As this slain dove’s intrals (its crop) were ripped out and its feathers plucked out and thrown away on the east side of the altar in the place of ashes, our blessed Savior has by the sacrifice of himself forever put away our sins!

[Leviticus 1:16] "And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes."

Yet, I would have you notice again that it is not the priest but the sacrificing sinner who plucked off its crop with its feathers, and cast it all upon by the place of ashes out of God’s sight. Though we have absolutely nothing to do with the putting away of our sins, when we come to God trusting Christ, we do by faith cast them away!

A. The crop refers to the entrails, the waste, the dung, the filth of the animal. – Our sins!

B. The feathers are the dove’s covering. – Our righteousnesses!

C. Both have been forever cast away! – The Lord God has cast away our sins. – We have cast away our righteousness!

IV. Like this dove, the Lord Jesus Christ was burned upon the altar of God, precisely as God himself ordained it (v. 17).

[Leviticus 1:17] "And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD."

A. The dove had to be split, but not divided.

Though its body was violently split down the middle, it was not to be divided, or torn in two. Remember, this (like all the sacrifice) was done by divine order, exactly as God commanded, because it represented Christ who was crucified for us by the determinate counsel of God.

1. When he died in our place our Savior’s soul was separated from his body; but his humanity was not divided from his deity.

2. Though he was forsaken by his Father as our Substitute when he was made to be sin for us, he was never divided from him as the Son of God. – The union of the holy Trinity can never be broken!

3. Though our Redeemer died for us and has gone away into heaven, he can never be separated from his church, which is his body, “the fullness of him that filleth all in all.” – He said, “Lo, I am with you always!”

B. Then, after the worshipper had split the dove of sacrifice, the priest took it and burned it upon the altar.

O blessed Son of God, my Savior,

Burned with the fires of hell for me,

Let my heart burn with love for Thee!

C. This slain dove, like our Lord Jesus Christ, our crucified Redeemer, was “a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord.”

“Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor” (Eph. 5:2).

Now, let me tell you exactly what this means, and I will send you home rejoicing, if God the Holy Spirit will enable you to enter into and believe the gospel here proclaimed. – Since God has accepted the sacrifice, he has accepted the sinner for whom the sacrifice was made. – Since God has accepted Christ, he has forever accepted those for whom Christ died! – Since God has accepted the sinner’s Substitute, he has forever, immutably, completely accepted every sinner who trusts his dear Son, because the Substitute and the sinner for whom he died are one, perfectly, completely, absolutely and forever one. How absolute is this union? Listen, believe, rejoice and give glory to God!

1. Is Christ called the Dove? – He calls his church “My Dove!”

2. Is the Lord Jesus called the Lily? – He calls his church “a lily.”

3. We delight to say to him, “Behold, thou art fair, my beloved.” – With equal, yea, with infinitely greater delight, he says to us, “Behold, thou art fair, my love!”

4. Is our Savior the Son of God? – We are the sons of God in him!

5. Is this Man “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS?” – He declares that the name of his church is “The Lord our righteousness!”

Oh, how sweet the gospel is to this poor sinner! Blessed Son of God, O my Beloved, I am the sin you were made, and you are my Righteousness! – I am the death you died, and you are my Life! – You have taken from me all that I am and all that was mine, and have given to me all that you are and all that is yours! – Blessed, blessed, blessed exchange of grace!