SPECIAL TOPIC: SACRIFICES IN MESOPOTAMIA AND ISRAEL AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE
(For even more detail see the chart in NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 1020-1021.)
Ritual laws in Mesopotamia (i.e. the Land between the Rivers)
Sacrifice was primarily a meal offered to a god. The altar was the table of the god where the
meal was placed. Beside the altar was the incense brazier which was to attract the god's attention.
There was no ritual implication in the blood. The sword bearer cut the throat of the animal. The food was
shared between the gods, the priest-king, and the attendants. The offerer received nothing.
There was no expiatory sacrifice.
Sickness or pain was punishment from the gods. An animal was brought and destroyed;
this acted as a substitute for the offerer.
Israel's ritual was different and distinct. It seems to have originated in a person giving back to
God part of the resuslts of his labor for necessary food (cf. Gen. 4:1-4; 8:20-22).
Ritual laws in Canaan (very similar to Israel's)
Sources
biblical accounts
Phoenician literature
Ras Shamra Tablets from Ugarit concerning Canaanite deities and mythology from about 1400 B.C.
Israel's and Canaan's sacrifices are very much alike. However, there is no emphasis placed
on the blood of the victim in Canaanite sacrifices.
Ritual Laws in Egypt
Sacrifices were offered but not emphasized.
The sacrifice was not important but the attitude of the sacrificer was.
Sacrifices were made to stop the wrath of the gods.
The offerer hoped for deliverance or forgiveness.
Israel's Sacrificial System ‒ Israel's sacrifices were closer to Canaan's, although not necessarily related to them at all.
Descriptive Phrases
Sacrifice was a spontaneous expression of mankind's need for God.
The OT laws which regulate sacrifice cannot be said to initiate sacrifice (cf. Gen. 4:2-8; 8:20).
Sacrifice was an offering (animal, vegetable, or drink).
Must be an offering that was wholly or partially destroyed upon an altar in homage to God.
Sacrifice was an act of external worship (a prayer which was acted out).
The definition of sacrifice is "acted prayers" or "ritualized prayers." The significance of
ritual and our cultural bias against it is revealed in Gordon J. Wenham (Tyndale, Numbers, p. 25-39).
Leviticus and Numbers both contain large amounts of this type of material, which shows its importance from YHWH to Moses and Israel.
therefore, it is right that people bring tribute to God
it was a special kind of tribute or gift. It was something that the man needed to sustain
his own existence. It was more than just giving something, it was something he needed. It was giving his best.
It was giving a part of himself to God.
by destroying the gift it cannot be reclaimed
a burnt offering becomes invisible and goes up to God's realm
earlier altars were erected in places where YHWH appeared. The altar came to be looked
upon as a holy place, therefore, the offering was brought there.
Expressing consecration of one's entire life to God
(3) placed on mercy seat for High Priest and the nation on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16; see
Special Mercy Seat)
there were two types of sin offerings. The second is called the guilt offering or trespass offering
(see Special Topic: Guilt Offering).
In it the offender was to restore to his fellow Israelite that which was taken or damaged (i.e. restitution) along
with the animal sacrifice.
Procedures from Leviticus for the Different Sacrifices (Lev. 1-7)
Leviticus 1, burnt offering
Introductory Formula, "The Lord spoke to Moses," Lev. 1:1-2; 4:1; 5:14; 6:1,19; 7:22, 28
from the herd or flock
"when," Lev. 1:2, shows that this was not mandatory but voluntary
Burnt Offering, Lev. 1:3-17 (6:8-13)
Altar
(1) the brazen altar, also called altar of burnt offering, altar by door of Tabernacle, or altar of shittim wood,
covered with bronze (cf. Exod. 27; see Special Topic: Altar of Sacrifice)
(2) this distinguished it from the incense altar (golden altar) in the Holy Place (cf. Exod. 30; see
Special Topic: Altar of Incense)
(3) coals from brazen altar were taken to incense altar
(4) brazen altar was right in the middle of the entrance of the Tabernacle
(5) altar had horns which were its most sacred part. The blood was applied to the horns (cf. Exod. 30:10).
(6) the horns were possibly for:
(a) symbol of hands to hold up the offering
(b) symbol of strength or prevailing power (Deut. 33:17; 2 Sam. 22:3.)
(c) later, anyone who grabbed the horns of the altar was safe until his case was decided by the court (1 Kgs. 1:50-51; 2:28)
The Offering
(1) bullock without blemish which was mentioned first because of its importance and cost, Lev. 1:3
(2) male goat or sheep, Lev. 1:10
(3) turtle doves or young pigeons, Lev. 1:14 (provision for the poor)
Place of Burnt Offering was at the door of the Tent of Meeting
Laying on of the Hands ‒ this was only for the bulls, not for goats, sheep or birds, Lev. 1:4 (see
Special Topic: Laying On of Hands)
(1) the offerer did this himself (not the priest)
(2) many feel it was a symbolic action of the transferring of guilt
(3) some believe it meant that
(a) this animal comes from this particular individual
(b) the sacrifice was to be presented in the offerer's name
(c) the fruit of this sacrifice belongs to the one who placed his hands on the animal
Slaughtering
(1) bull ‒ "before the Lord" by the man making the sacrifice. The offerer had to kill,
skin, and cut up the animal.
The priest's role (except in case of public sacrifices) began when the man brought the animal to the altar.
(2) sheep or goat, Lev. 1:11 ‒ "on north side of altar before the Lord." This designated a specific place for these lesser animals.
(3) bird ‒ The priest killed and offered this sacrifice. The offerer had to remove the bird's crop.
(a) The priest threw blood against the altar, and sprinkled it round about the altar.
(b) The life of the animal was in the blood (cf. Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:11). Life already belonged to God, therefore,
the blood represented no part of the gift of the man.
(c) The bird's blood was drained on the side of the altar and not consumed in fire.
Handling of the Flesh
(1) bull, Lev. 1:6
(a) The offerer skinned the offering; the priest could keep the skin (cf. 7:8)
(b) The offerer cut it into pieces
(c) The officiating priest placed the offering on the altar in an arrangement as it was when alive
(d) The legs and entrails were washed with water from the laver
(2) The priest burned the whole animal on altar
Significance of Burnt Offering
A gift to God
Seen as the most valuable kind of sacrifice
It seems to deal with the concept of sin in general or thanksgiving
Most perfect representation of sacrificial idea
Symbolic offering of one's life
Represents complete consecration of the life of an individual to the service of God
Graded value of offering
(1) bull
(2) sheep ‒ goat
(3) birds
This shows that anyone conscious of spiritual need could approach God. God made provision for all men.
Special Instructions for Priest, Lev. 6:8-12
Burnt offering remained all night on hearth of the altar
Fire was to be kept burning continually under a burnt offering
Instructions involving the Priest's dress
Instructions involving the removal of the ashes
Leviticus 2:1-16 (6:14-23), grain offering
Introduction
This chapter deals with the grain offering
Grain offering was from the root meaning "gift." It became a technical term for
non-animal, or vegetable gifts.
After the Exile the grain offering appears as a supplement to the burnt offering and peace
offering and the rabbis say it could be offered alone by the very poor.
Salt covenant was also mentioned in Num. 18:19 and 2 Chr. 13:5. Salt was the
opposite of leaven. It was used as a symbol of the covenant of God because it was non-corruptible and lasting.
The Grain Offering involved one's daily labor being given to God.
It was a gift to God from the daily food of the people.
It was generally a supplement (especially in post-exile days) to the burnt or peace offering.
Sacrifice was God's provision for the priest. Only a small part was burnt as a memorial of the whole.
The word "memorial" describes the offered portion, or that part which brings the whole before the Lord.
New Testament concept of the Lord's Supper as "memorial" expresses this Old Testament concept.
The distinction between the terms "holy" and "most holy" are:
(1) "holy" ‒ priest and family could eat it at any clean place
it expressed thankfulness to God because of fellowship with God, family, and friends
it was usually the final act in a series of sacrifices in which reconciliation had been established
the burnt offering expressed the costliness of obedience, while the peace offering expressed
the joy and happiness of fellowship with God
male or female but without blemish
varieties of offering
(1) from herd; male or female
(2) the distinction that was made between the sheep and the goat was because
of the fat of the tail of the sheep
(a) lamb of flock ‒ male or female
(b) goat of flock ‒ male or female
(3) identification of sacrifice was the same as the burnt offering
(4) sprinkling of blood around altar
(5) burning of choice parts on altar to God
(a) fat (sheep-fatty tail) symbolized prosperity
(b) kidneys, lobe of liver symbolized the seat of the will and emotions
(c) fatty portions placed on offerer's burnt offering or on morning lamb offering
thanksgiving offering included (Lev. 7:11-14)
(1) unleavened cake mixed with oil
(2) unleavened wafers spread with oil
(3) fine flour mixed with oil
Priest's Portion, Lev. 7:28-34
breast belonged to the officiating priest as a wave offering
waving involves the placing of the offering upon the offerer's hands and the priest's hands. It
showed the offering offered by the offerer to God, and then its reception back by the priest.
right thigh belonged to officiating priest
heave offering was lifted to God and received back by the priest
Offerer's Portion, 7:15-18
A Thanksgiving Offering shall be eaten on day of giving, Lev. 7:15
A Votive (vow) or Freewill Offering shall be eaten on day of offering or on the next day, Lev. 7:16
This portion was all that was not given to God and by God to the priest
God symbolically eats with the offerer and his family and friends in this offering
This offering stresses that fellowship relationships have been restored
Leviticus 4:1-5:13 (6:24-30), sin offering
Introduction
This is the first offering in which atonement was the dominant element.
This sacrifice re-establishes the covenant between man and God. It restores fellowship.
This offering involves:
(1) Sins of ignorance
(2) Sins of inadvertence
(3) Sins of passion
(4) Sins of omission
(5) It did not atone for sins committed intentionally in haughty rebellion against God. There
was no sacrifice for intentional, high handed, premeditated sin (cf. Num. 15:27-31). Special Topic: Unintentional Sins
Meaning
This offering expiated the guilt and punishment for sins.
iv. remaining blood poured out at base of altar of burnt offering
(e) he placed all the fat on the altar to be burned
(f) all the rest of the animal will be taken outside the camp to a clean place, v. 12, where the ashes are poured out
from the altar; there the remainder of the animal is burned
For the Nation, Lev. 4:13-21 (similar to the Day of Atonement, Lev. 16)
(1) they sinned when commands of the law were not met, Lev. 4:13-21
(2) procedures
(a) the Elders brought a young bullock without blemish to altar
(b) the Elders laid hands on head
(c) the Elders slaughtered the animal
(d) the annointed priest sprinkled the blood before veil (see
Special Topic: Veil, I. C.) seven times
i. this cleansed Tabernacle
ii. symbolically opened the way to God
iii. blood placed on horns of incense altar
iv. rest poured out at base of altar of sacrifice
(e) all of it offered on the altar
(f) all the rest of the animal was taken outside the camp to a clean place, v. 12, where the ashes were poured out from
the altar; there the remainder of the animal was burned
While the Sin Offering dealt with sin committed, the Guilt Offering had to do with the damage
that was done to a covenant partner and what restitution was possible.
The sin and trespass offerings were very similar.
The rights of the individual were expressed in the Ten Commandments (Exod. 20; Deut. 5; see Special Topic: Ten Commandments).
(1) home
(2) accumulation of good
(3) life
This offering emphasizes the harm done to a brother in sinning, and the restitution of
the cost of that which was damaged plus 1/5 more.
"If a person sins and does any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done,
though he was unaware, still he is guilty, and shall bear his punishment."
ANE sacrifices, so different from Israel, were offered to