“The wages of sin is death.” This sobering truth is seen across the whole Bible, but Leviticus’ first offering shows it in a seldom-realized light: in the gory details of animal sacrifice, in the intense symbolism of laying hands on that animal, and in the roles of the parties involved, we see mercy and grace. God provides a means by which his people can escape right punishment, but still pay the “wage” to be made right with God. Sin demands death, so animals were killed daily. But in Jesus, the wage for sin was paid once and for all.