Lesson Two – The Five Principal Offerings
And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, [2] Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. [3] If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord. [4] 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. [5] And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
The actual means of expiation is typified in the animal sacrifices at the brazen altar. Only the death of Christ, however, was actually accepted by God as truly expiatory.
The word “expiatory” actually means propitiation. Propitiation is defined as “the atoning death of Jesus on the cross, through which He paid the penalty demanded by God because of man's sin, thus setting mankind free from sin and death.” The word comes from an old English word, “propitiate,” which means, "to appease." Thus, propitiation expresses the idea that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for sin, which a holy God demanded of man the sinner.
Although Jesus was free of sin, He took all our sins upon Himself and redeemed us from the penalty of death, which our sins demanded. As the writer of 1 John declared, "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world" <1 John 2:2>; (expiation, RSV). The blood of bulls and goats could not do this for us even though God established a pattern in the Old Covenant economy, which would “cover” those sins for a season. All these processes however, were never meant to fulfill the plan of salvation from creation – the LAMB OF GOD DIEING ON A CROSS and offering up HIS BLOOD to the FATHER for payment for man’s rebellion.
Hebrews 10:4
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Thus, to understand the Levitical offerings it is important to understand both the PLACE of sacrifice and also the SACRIFICIES themselves, which were used in this process. These sacrifices typified Christ’s sacrificial death as the propitiation spoken of by John for mankind’s sins.
Before this system, it’s safe to say that God’s people were already familiar with the prescribed order of approaching God. God clothed Adam and Eve in animal skins and presumable instructed them in the significance of sacrifices.
Genesis 3:21
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
Cain and Abel, being instructed by Adam or God, continued to offer sacrifices (Gen. 4:1-4). Noah, (Gen. 8:20); Abraham (Gen. 22:13-14); Jacob (Gen 31:54) Job, (Job 1:5); Moses (Ex. 3:18, 10:25) and Jethro (Ex. 18:25) ALL seemed to have had knowledge about sacrifices before the Levitical system.
Genesis 4:1-4
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. [2] And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. [3] And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. [4] And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Genesis 8:20
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 22:13-14
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. [14] And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
Genesis 31:54
Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
Job 1:5
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Exodus 3:18
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
Exodus 10:25
And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God.
Although only two kinds of burnt offerings were mentioned prior to the Levitical system, more may have been known about the BURNT OFFERING (Gen. 8:20, 22:2-13; Ex. 10:25; 18:12; Job 1:5; 42:8) and the DRINK OFFERING (Gen. 35:14), since the Hebrew word translated “sacrifice” in Genesis and Exodus (31:54, 46:1, Exo. 3:18, 5:3, 8, 17; 8:8 25-29, 10:25; 18:12) is a generic term.
The Hebrew words “zebach” and “zabach” are used in a general sense in these verses, meaning slaughtered animals. Later they were used primarily in connection with the peace sacrifice (Lev. 3:1,9, associated offerings, thanksgiving sacrifice (Lev. 7:12-13; and vow sacrifice (Lev. 7:16 and Numbers 15:3).
Leviticus 3:1
And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.
Leviticus 3:9
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
Leviticus 7:12-13
If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. [13] Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.
Leviticus 7:16
But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten:
Numbers 15:3
And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd, or of the flock:
Another word for sacrifices was OFFERING. Three Hebrew words are translated offering. Qurban is used in a general sense for blood of bloodless gifts brought to the altar. Minchah, with the exception of Gen. 4:3-4, is used exclusively for the MEAT offering. Terumah is used for gifts brought to the altar to be used in God’s service, usually in association with the heave offering.
Genesis 4:3-4
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. [4] And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
The greatest activity of sacrifices probably occurred at the time of the three harvests of Israel, which coincided with the national feasts of Leviticus 23 – Tabernacles, Passover, and Pentecost.
All males were required by God to come to the tabernacle at these times (Ex. 23:14-17; 34:22-23) and undoubtedly many individual offerings were made then in addition to the compulsory offerings of the nation when God promised special protection from invasion.
Exodus 23:14-17
Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. [15] Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) [16] And the feast of harvest, the Firstfruits of thy labors, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the field. [17] Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God.
Exodus 34:22-24
And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the Firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end. [23] Thrice in the year shall all your men-children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. [24] For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year.
Exodus 34:24
For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year.
The number of animals sacrificed in the compulsory offerings throughout the year totaled at least 1,269, with 32 on the first day of the feast of tabernacles. This was very small in proportion to the offerings made on an individual basis.
There are FIVE PRINCIPAL OFFERINGS which we will discuss in this study that are found in the Levitical system:
1. Sin
2. Trespass
3. Burnt
4. Meat
5. Peace
There are other offerings mentioned in scripture by various names such as heave, first fruits, wave, vow, voluntary or freewill, and drink offerings. The four classes of people who offered these were:
The priest
Congregation
Rulers
Common Person
They were offered daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or whenever a need arose, all of which makes it more difficult to distinguish one offering from another. These offerings are described in great detail in the first seven chapters of Leviticus and often thought to have been used in the same order as given there – the burnt, followed by the meat, peace, sin, and trespass offerings. In actual use, however, if they were all to be offered the sin or trespass offering was offered first because expiation of SIN is needed FIRST. Afterwards the priest then offered the BURNT offering, the peace offering and the meat offering (Lev. 9:1-22; 14:10-32; 16:1-24; Num. 6:9-17)
The five principal offerings can also be divided into two categories:
The Sweet Savour
The Non-Sweet Savour
The burnt, meat and peace offerings were offerings made with a sweet savour unto the Lord. They are called pleasant odor offerings (Eph, 5:2; Lev. 1:9, 2:9). This distinction is not because of any pleasantness in the smell of burning meat, but because they typically represented the absolute perfection and obedience of Christ.
Ephes. 5:2
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
Leviticus 2:9
And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
The sin and trespass offerings were not called a sweet savour offering because GOD IS NOT PLEASED WITH SIN. This division is made clear in Numbers 15:1-12, which reveals that the sin and trespass offerings did not have an accompanying meat and drink offering, as did the other offerings. The fat of the sin offering mentioned in Lev. 4:31 is called a sweet savour because the fat of any offering was a sweet savour.
Numbers 15:1-12
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, [3] And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd, or of the flock: [4] Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the Lord bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil. [5] And the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb. [6] Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil. [7] And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the Lord. [8] And when you prepare a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the Lord: [9] Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil. [10] And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. [11] Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid. [12] According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.
Just as God gave specific laws to govern the place of sacrifice – the brazen altar – He also gave specific instructions concerning which animals were to be offered there. A variety of animals were used in the sacrifices and offerings. They were oxen, sheep, goats, pigeons, and turtledoves. The term herd, or bevy, was used to designate the oxen. A common offering of the herd was a male calf called a BULLOCK. The females were called HEIFERS, COWS or KINES. The flocks were the sheep and goats (Lev. 1:10). Kid goats refer to the male goats. Male sheep were called RAMS, and young sheep were called LAMBS or EWE.
The only fowls offered were turtledoves and pigeons. The turtledove was smaller than the pigeon, and common around dwellings, so it was more easily obtainable for the poor. These animals were used also in the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 15:9-10).
Genesis 15:9-10
And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. [10] And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
All animals used in the sacrifices were edible, meeting the legal dietary conditions for clean animals: i.e. parting of the hoof and chewing of the cud, and so forth (Lev. 11:1-9; Deut. 4:3-8). Only perfect animals were acceptable since they represented a perfect sacrifice like Christ’s (Lev. 22:17-25 and Deut. 15:21, 17:1).
Deut. 15:21
And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.
Deut. 17:1 - Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Leviticus 22:17-25 - And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [18] Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the Lord for a burnt offering; [19] Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. [20] But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. [21] And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. [22] Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord. [23] Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. [24] Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land. [25] Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.
The only exception to this was the FREEWILL offering in which stunted or deformed animals were acceptable.
Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts that you may offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
All sacrifices had to be at least eight days old (Lev. 22:27d) and Ex. 22:30). However, how old they could be in not specifically stated, although some set the age at three because that was the age of the animals offered in the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 15:9-10). Nevertheless, Gideon was instructed by God to offer a young bullock that was seven years old (Judges 6:25). It was prohibited to sacrifice both mother and offspring on the same day (Lev. 22:28).
The common bloodless offering consisted of fine wheat flour.
It is easy to form a picture of the brazen altar as always heaped with animals. One may wonder how so many animals could be burned on an altar with a surface area of only 100 square feet. Actually, the only offering in which the animal was burned was the burnt offering. For the sin, trespass, and peace offerings, only the FAT, BLOOD, KIDNEYS and CAUL were offered on the brazen altar.
There are four main commands in scripture regarding offerings:
Do not offer the blood of any sacrifice with leavened bread. Leaven symbolized evil (2 Cor. 5:5-8).
Do not leave the fat of any sacrifice until the morning.
Bring the Firstfruits of the land to the house of the Lord (Exodus 23:19).
Do not boil a kid sacrifice in his mother's milk (Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deut. 14:21; cp. Leviticus 22:28; Deut. 22:6). This could refer to a superstitious harvest custom in which a kid boiled in its mother's milk was used to propitiate gods and sprinkled on crops as a charm to increase production the coming year.
For the purpose of this study, let’s look at the issues regarding the FAT and the BLOOD of the animal sacrifices.
In the Old Testament economy, the fat was regarded with as much sacredness as the blood
Leviticus 3:17
It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
Leviticus 7:22-27
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [23] Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. [24] And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. [25] For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. [26] Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. [27] Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
In the New Covenant, fat in not mentioned once. Blood continues to be of importance however as it is mentioned numerous times in the apostle’s writings concerning Christ’s death and its fulfillment of these animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant.
God forbid the Israelites to eat the fat of any animals, although it could be utilized in other ways. The penalty for eating the fat was for the offender to be “cut off from his people.” A practical reason for burning fat was that it would fuel the fire and thus help to consume the rest of the offering.
The fat was from the covering of the inwards, or viscera, the kidney fat, which completely surrounds the kidneys, and fat from the loins. Fat from these sources were primarily suet and easily removable. If the offering was a sheep, the rump and tail was also removed. On the rump and tail of the broad tailed sheep, a long tailed sheep of the Middle East, was a large deposit of fat, which sometimes weighed more than 20 pounds. This had to be CUT OFF since it was not suet. (Lev. 3:9)
Although there is no antitype for fat, it is obvious that fat represented perfection and good health in the sacrificial animal. God required the best for the offering simply because it typified Christ, the best of God. It is for this reason that the fat of a sin offering could be called a sweet savour even though the sin offering itself was not. (Lev. 4:31). God was pleased with Christ as our propitiation, but not with the sin that he bore.
Leviticus 4:31
And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the Lord; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
The laws governing blood and its prominence during sacrifice tend to indicate its tremendous importance. Depending on the offering and occasion, blood was applied to the mercy seat in the holy of holies, the inner veil, the horns of the incense altar in the sanctuary and on the altar in the outer court (the Brazen Altar).
The methods of applying the blood, which could be as much as three gallons from a large animal, were sprinkling, putting (smearing), pouring, and strewing (sprinkling). Only the SIN OFFERING had the blood sprinkled, put or poured. All the other offerings were strewed. Sprinkling and smearing were usually done with the fingers. (Lev. 4:6,17,25,30,34; 8:15; 9:9; 16:14-19) This was not done with hyssop, which was used only in ceremonial cleansings. (Num. 19:6,18; Psalms 51:7).
In all there are 20 places where the blood was applied under the Old Covenant economy:
1. Horns of the broken altar (Leviticus 4:7)
2. At the foot of brazen altar
3. In front of the veil (Leviticus 4:6)
4. Horns of brazen altar (Leviticus 4:30)
5. On the brazen altar (Leviticus 1:5,11; Leviticus 3:2)
6. On the side of the brazen altar (Leviticus 5:9)
7. In the holy place (Leviticus 6:30; Leviticus 16:27)
8. On the tip of the right ear of priests (Leviticus 8:23-24)
9. On the right thumb of priests (Leviticus 8:23-24)
10. On the great right toe of priests (Leviticus 8:23-24)
11. On houses (Leviticus 14:51-53)
12. On the right ear of persons cleansed (Leviticus 14:25,28)
13. On the right thumb of those cleansed (Leviticus 14:25,28)
14. On the great right toe of those cleansed (Leviticus 14:25,28)
15. On the mercy seat (Leviticus 16:14-15)
16. In front of the tabernacle (Numbers 19:4)
17. On the people (Exodus 24:6-8)
18. On the book of the covenant (Exodus 24:6-8)
19. On the priests (Exodus 29:21)
20. On the garments of priests (Exodus 29:21)
The blood was sprinkled only at the mercy seat (Lev. 16:14-15) and on the brazen altar – the place of sacrifice – on the Day of Atonement, at the inner veil for the sin offering for the congregation and the high priest. (Lev. 4:6,17), or on the side of the brazen altar when a bird was used by the poor for a sin offering (Lev. 5:9). At the other times, the blood was “put” or smeared only on the horns of the brazen altar, for the sin offering of a ruler or common person (Lev. 4:25,30, 34), Day of Atonement (16:18) or on the horns of the incense altar for the sin offering of the high priest or congregation and Day of Atonement.
The remaining blood was poured out at the bottom of the brazen altar, probably on the inside, to facilitate drainage into the ash pans. The blood at all other offering was always sprinkled (Hebrew for strew) round about upon the altar. This, too, was probably applied to the inside of the altar so it could drain into the ash pans.
The first biblical law regulating the use of blood is found in Genesis 9:4, which forbids the eating of any animal not well bled, because life is in the blood.
Genesis 9:4
But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
The same principle is established in the Mosaic Law. The blood of any animal, sacrificial or not, was forbidden to be eaten (Lev. 3:17; 7:26-27; 17:10-16; 15:23)
Leviticus 3:17
It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
Leviticus 7:26-27
Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. [27] Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
Leviticus 17:10-16
And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. [11] For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul. [12] Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood. [13] And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catches any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. [14] For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. [15] And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean. [16] But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.
Deut. 15:23
Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.
The penalty for eating blood was to be cut off from the nation. This penalty was well ingrained into the Jewish consciousness. Thus, there regulations were incorporated into the early New Testament church, which was predominantly Jewish (Acts 15:20)
Acts 15:20
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
The kidneys are a vital organ of all higher life forms. They are necessary for the removal of waste products from the blood. Kidney can be translated rein, meaning “the mind.’ Both kidneys of the sacrificial animals, along with all the fat that surrounded them were offered on the brazen altar. Also offered was the caul, a small fold of fatty skin above the liver
Since the blood is the literal vehicle of LIFE, whether animal or human, only it could adequately typify LIFE, and give full meaning to God’s provision for the expiation of our sins, as well as the efficacy of Christ’s blood.
We will take this matter up in lesson four more thoroughly and deal with the fulfillment of each type offering under the system itself.