Leviticus Chapter 6

Leviticus 6 — “The Fire Must Be Kept Burning: Atonement, Restitution, and the Daily Offering of Holiness”

Leviticus 4 taught that sin requires atonement.
Leviticus 5 taught that sin must be confessed and repaired.
Leviticus 6 now shows how atonement is lived daily through priestly service and continual sacrifice.

This chapter teaches one central truth:

Forgiveness received must become holiness practiced, and the fire of sacrifice must never be allowed to die.

1. Sin Against One’s Neighbor

“If anyone sins and commits a breach of faith against the LORD by deceiving his neighbor…” (Lev 6:2)

Sin against man
is also sin against God.

St Augustine writes:

“He lies to God who injures his brother.”
(Sermons)

Typology:

Christ restores both relationships:
with God and with man.

The Cross is vertical and horizontal —
reconciling heaven and earth
and neighbor with neighbor.

2. Theft, Fraud, and False Oaths

(vv. 2–3)

These are everyday sins:

• stealing
• lying
• keeping what is not yours

St Gregory the Great teaches:

“Small injustices grow into great blindness.”
(Homilies)

Typology:

Adam stole what was forbidden.
Christ gives what is His.

Sin takes.
Grace gives.

3. Confession and Restitution

“He shall restore what he took… and add a fifth to it.” (v. 5)

Repentance includes repair.

St Ambrose writes:

“Justice completes repentance.”
(On Repentance)

Typology:

Christ restores more
than was stolen by sin.

We are called to imitate
His generosity in restitution.

4. The Ram for the Guilt Offering

(v. 6)

The sinner brings a ram
without blemish.

St Jerome comments:

“The guilty man brings a victim for himself.”
(Commentary)

Typology:

Christ is the ram caught in the thicket,
the substitute for Isaac,
the bearer of guilt.

He dies in our place
to make restitution for us.

5. “The Priest Shall Make Atonement”

(v. 7)

The priest acts
between God and sinner.

St Augustine teaches:

“The priest stands where the sinner cannot.”
(Sermons)

Typology:

Christ is the true Priest
who enters the sanctuary
with His own blood.

6. The Law of the Burnt Offering

(vv. 8–13)

The burnt offering burns
all night until morning.

St Gregory the Great writes:

“The fire of the altar mirrors the vigilance of the soul.”
(Homilies)

Typology:

Christ’s sacrifice endures
from evening to morning:

• from Good Friday
• to Easter morning

The Cross burns
until Resurrection dawns.

7. The Fire Must Not Go Out

“A fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.” (v. 13)

This is the heart of the chapter.

St Augustine writes:

“The love of God must not cool in the heart of the priest.”
(Sermons)

Typology:

Christ’s sacrifice
is eternally present to the Father.

The Church must keep alive:

• prayer
• worship
• sacrifice

Faith is not occasional.
It is continual.

8. The Priest’s Daily Duty

(vv. 9–12)

The priest:

• removes ashes
• adds wood
• keeps fire burning

St Jerome remarks:

“He removes what is spent so that the fire may live.”
(Commentary)

Typology:

The priest removes old sin
and adds fresh obedience.

Christ removes our ashes
and gives new life.

9. Holy Garments

(vv. 10–11)

The priest changes clothes
to carry out ashes.

St Gregory the Great teaches:

“He changes garments because service requires purity.”
(Homilies)

Typology:

Christ lays aside glory
to bear our sins,
then takes it up again in Resurrection.

Service involves humility.

10. The Grain Offering of the Priests

(vv. 14–18)

The priests must also offer
a grain offering.

St Ambrose writes:

“He who serves the altar must himself be an offering.”
(On the Duties of the Clergy)

Typology:

Christ is both:

• priest
• offering

The Church must not only teach holiness
but live it.

11. “Most Holy”

(v. 17)

This offering is most holy
because it belongs wholly to God.

St Augustine explains:

“What is most holy is what is wholly given.”
(City of God)

Typology:

Christ belongs wholly to the Father.
The Church belongs wholly to Christ.

Partial dedication
is not holiness.

12. The Ordination Offering

(vv. 19–23)

The priest offers flour daily.

St Jerome comments:

“Those who serve must offer continually.”
(Commentary)

Typology:

Christ’s priesthood is eternal.

His offering is once for all,
yet always present before God.

13. The Law of the Sin Offering

(vv. 24–30)

The flesh is eaten
in a holy place.

St Gregory the Great teaches:

“The sacrifice feeds the one who offers it.”
(Homilies)

Typology:

Christ’s sacrifice feeds the Church.

The Cross becomes Eucharist.

14. Broken Vessels

(v. 28)

Earthenware must be broken.

St Augustine writes:

“Sin breaks the vessel that carried it.”
(Sermons)

Typology:

Christ’s body is broken
so that the Church may be filled.

What touches sin
must be cleansed or destroyed.

15. The Meaning of Leviticus 6

This chapter teaches:

• holiness after forgiveness
• vigilance in worship
• continual sacrifice
• daily priestly duty

It proclaims:

Grace begins in sacrifice
and continues in faithfulness.

16. Christ and the Perpetual Fire

Christ fulfills Leviticus 6 as:

• the eternal Priest
• the perpetual Sacrifice
• the Fire of divine love
• the Lamb offered always
• the Restorer of justice
• the cleanser of vessels

“He ever lives to make intercession.” (Heb 7:25)

17. The Church and the Perpetual Fire

In Christ, the Church becomes:

• a temple with burning fire
• a people of continual prayer
• a priestly nation
• a living sacrifice

St Paul writes:

“Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thess 5:19)

Faith must be fed
or it dies.

Spiritual Application

Repair what you have taken.

Keep the fire of prayer alive.

Serve God daily, not occasionally.

Remove the ashes of old sin.

Be clothed in holiness.

Let sacrifice become habit.

Christ in Leviticus 6

Jesus is:

• the Eternal Priest
• the Perpetual Sacrifice
• the Fire of Love
• the Restorer of Justice
• the Cleanser of Vessels
• the Living Altar
• the Intercessor before the Father

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
true Priest and eternal Sacrifice,
You offered Yourself once for all
and yet live forever to intercede for us.

Kindle in us the fire of Your love
that must never go out.
Teach us to live what You have forgiven,
to repair what we have harmed,
and to offer ourselves daily
as living sacrifices of praise.

Cleanse the vessels of our hearts.
Renew the fire of our devotion.
Make our lives an altar of prayer,
until the day when sacrifice gives way to vision
and we behold You
our Priest, our Fire, and our God
for ever and ever.

Amen.