A Hand on the Head
“And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.”Leviticus 1:4 (KJV)
Over and over in Leviticus, the worshipper does something very personal before the offering dies. “And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.”
On the day of atonement, the high priest did it for the whole nation. “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat.”
The hand on the head was a picture of transfer. My sin, placed on another. Isaiah saw where that picture was going: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Peter tells us it happened at the cross. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” Your sin was laid on him, and it was accepted for you.
Count it yourself
“his hand upon the head” appears 7 times in Leviticus.
What sin are you still carrying that God has already laid on Christ?
Lord Jesus, you bore my sins in your own body on the tree. I lay them on you, and thank you that it is accepted for me. Amen.