Leviticus 1

“If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD” (v3).  The Israelites were nomadic shepherds in the desert, taking their herds and flocks with them from camp to camp as they slowly made their way to the Promised Land.  Giving up an animal for worship was a significant cost, especially one “without blemish.”   But this gesture of faith and trust allowed the worshipper to be “accepted before the Lord.”

The sacrifices were a “pleasing aroma” to the Lord (v9), because they allowed sinful men and women to draw close to His holy presence.