Church of God Knowledge Encyclopedia

Sacrifices in the Old Testament

The sacrifices of the Old Testament refer to the rituals of worshiping God during the Old Testament times. Sacrifices were offered to God by His people, who had been separated from God due to their sins, to receive the forgiveness of sins, draw closer to Him, or show their gratitude to Him. Typically, they sacrificed animals such as sheep, cattle, and goats with blood shedding, and used them for burnt offerings.[1][2]

Illustration “High Priest Offering a Goat” from the Treasures of the Bible by Henry Davenport Northrop, 1894

From the time of Moses, the priests, who were appointed according to the law, offered sacrifices in the sanctuary; and from the time of Solomon, sacrifices were made in the Jerusalem Temple. In the New Testament times, through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, the sacrifices of the Old Testament were changed to worshiping God in spirit and in truth.[3]

Origin and History of the Sacrifices in the Old Testament

 
Illustration “Cain and Abel Offering Up Sacrifices” from The Story of the Bible From Genesis to Revelation by Charles Foster, 1879

The first ancestors of mankind, Adam and Eve, violated God’s command and committed the sin of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As a result, God blocked their access to the tree of life and they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. God taught us the way to restore the tree of life through the sacrifices given by Cain and Abel.

Cain, the oldest son of Adam and Eve, offered the products of the soil according to his own opinion, but Abel offered a sacrifice by shedding the blood of a lamb with a heart of obedience. God accepted Abel’s sacrifice but rejected Cain’s. Through this, God showed us which sacrifice was acceptable to Him.[4][5]

Since that time, the system of sacrificing animals was passed down from generation to generation, and many forefathers of faith offered sacrifices. Noah sacrificed animals after the flood,[6] and Abraham offered sacrifices in the same way.[7]

The practice of sacrificing animals and offering their blood was established as a regulation when the law was established during the time of Moses. From then on, the tribe of Levi, to which Aaron, the first high priest, belonged, served in the sanctuary and presided over all the sacrifices.

  • Sacrifice Offered by Melchizedek
Melchizedek, king of Salem, who appeared during the time of Abraham, was the only priest who offered a sacrifice in a different way from all the others.[8] Melchizedek offered a sacrifice with bread and wine; he represented Christ who would appear as the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek and establish the new covenant.[9]

Types of Sacrifices in the Old Testament

In the Bible, various types of sacrifices are mentioned, such as the sin offering, the guilt offering, the fellowship offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the heave offering. The sacrifices made in the sanctuary were very difficult for the people to understand, so only the priests were in charge of them. Sometimes, various sacrifices were offered together according to the feasts and ceremonies.[10]

The following is a summary of the different types of sacrifices in the Old Testament.

  • Classification of Sacrifices in the Old Testament
Class. Name Features
Classification by Purpose Sin Offering To atone for unintentionally committed sins (by community, high priest, or individual)
Guilt Offering To be forgiven of one’s crime
Fellowship Offering To reconcile the relationship between God and man
Classification by Offering Burnt Offering This was the most common sacrificial ceremony as animals were put on the altar and burned with fire
Grain Offering Offering grain without shedding blood
Drink Offering Wine or other fermented drink was poured over the sacrifice
Classification by Method Offering by Fire A way to offer a burnt offering or a grain offering by burning the offering
Heave Offering A way to offer an offering by heaving it
Wave Offering A way to offer an offering by waving it

Classification by Purpose

Sin Offering

The Israelites offered a sin offering when they were made aware of their sins after they unknowingly violated God’s command.[11] They also had to offer a sin offering when they refused to give testimony after making an oath, when they did not keep their oath made in words, or when they came into contact with something unclean. They also offered a sin offering when they had to be cleansed due to childbirth or illness.[12][13][14] The ordination ceremony of the priests, the vows of the Nazirites, and the dedication of the temple were classified as fellowship offerings, but a sin offering was also presented.

  • Method of Sacrifice: Sin offerings differed according to an individual’s status and circumstances. For priests and the community, bulls were sacrificed as a sin offering, and when a tribe leader committed a sin, a male goat without defect was sacrificed. Common people sacrificed a female goat or ewe without defect. They could sacrifice doves or young pigeons if that was all they could afford. As for those who could not afford doves or pigeons, they offered one-tenths of an ephah of fine flour. The priest laid their hands on the heads of the sacrifices and slaughtered them after the atonement was made. The blood was sprinkled seven times in front of the curtain of the sanctuary, and then it was put on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense or the horns of the altar of burnt offering according to their social status. The remaining blood was poured out under the altar of burnt offering. All the fat and some of the inner parts of sin offerings were burned on the altar of burnt offering. The remaining parts were burned outside the camp in a place where the ashes could be thrown. The priests took the meat of the sacrificed animals (Leviticus 4:1–35; 5:1–13).
  • Day of Atonement: God appointed the tenth day of the seventh month according to the sacred calendar as the Day of Atonement, the day when all the sins committed by the Israelites would be forgiven. On this day, the high priest was allowed to go into the Most Holy Place once a year and offered a sin offering by offering a bull for the high priest and a male goat for the people.[15]

Guilt Offering

When one sinned against the holy things, or had to be punished for unknowingly committing one of God’s forbidden decrees, they offered a guilt offering.[16] Also, God established a law to offer a guilt offering in addition to restitution when one took someone else’s property by deceiving him or her or did harm deliberately.[17]

  • Method of Sacrifice: Unlike the sin offering, what was used for a guilt offering did not depend on an individual’s social status. A female lamb, a female goat, or ram was sacrificed according to the person’s sins and transgressions; however, different offerings were made, depending on the individual’s circumstances, just like the sin offering. Those who had financial difficulties sacrificed doves or young pigeons, which they could afford. As for those who could not afford doves or pigeons, either, they offered one-tenths of an ephah of fine flour. When a guilt offering was offered as restitution for property damage, the full restitution had to be made with a fifth of the value added to it, and a ram without defect was offered as a guilt offering. The guilt offering was slaughtered, and its blood was to be sprinkled against the altar of burnt offering on all sides. All its fat and some of the inner parts were offered to God by fire. The meat was given to the priest just like the sin offering (Leviticus 5:17–19; 6:1–7).

Fellowship Offering

A fellowship offering was offered to thank God for forgiving their sins and wrongs, make a vow to God, or offer with a freewill.[18] Fellowship offering does not indicate a specific ceremony, but rather a general term for all the sacrifices offered voluntarily. Thank offerings, freewill offerings, and vows to God all belong to fellowship offerings.

  • Method of Sacrifice: Unlike the sin offering and the guilt offering, there was no specific animal that needed to be sacrificed. The sacrifice of fellowship offering was offered with bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers spread with oil, and cakes. The meat of thank offerings had to be eaten on the day, but the meat offered for fulfilling a vow or meat of freewill offering were allowed to be consumed by the following day. After the priest offered the fellowship offering, a ceremony of a heave offering and a wave offering was performed. As for the meat of the fellowship offering, some was given to the priests who held the sacrificial ceremony, and some was given to the person who brought the sacrifice (Leviticus 7:11–21; 28–34).

Classification by Offering

The method and meaning of sacrifices were different, depending on the offering used. It can be classified as a burnt offering, a grain offering, or a drink offering.

Burnt Offering

A burnt offering is a sacrifice by burning an animal on the altar.[19] This was the most common type of offering in the Old Testament times. It was offered as a regular burnt offering, and on the Sabbath and the feasts. In general, sheep, goats, and cattle were sacrificed, and those who could not afford them were allowed to offer a dove or a pigeon. With the fragrant smell of the burnt offering, they sought mercy from God’s wrath and received the forgiveness of their sins committed by themselves or the group.

A burnt offering is a ritual that uses fire, so it is a type of offering by fire. It is also different from the sin offering and the guilt offering, which allowed the use of grain, depending on the circumstances, since only animals were permitted to be used for a burnt offering. The fact that all the offerings are burned on the altar is another characteristic that distinguishes them from other offerings.[20]

Grain Offering

A grain offering was flour or bread made without yeast, burned with oil and incense. The people were to bring fine flour mixed with oil and incense or cakes or wafers made without yeast, baked in an oven, on a griddle, or cooked in a pot.[21]

The grain offering was also offered for the daily sacrifices or the Sabbath offering. It was not offered alone, but offered along with the burnt offering.[22][23]

On the Feast of Weeks, the fiftieth day after the Day of Firstfruits, a new grain offering was offered to God; two loaves made of fine flour were offered to God as a wave offering.[24]

Drink Offering

The drink offering is a sacrifice of pouring wine or other fermented drink over the sacrifice. It is a translation of the Hebrew word nesekh (נֶסֶךְ),[25] which comes from nacak (נְסַךְ)[26] meaning 'to pour out'. Drink offerings could not be offered alone, but always accompanied with other sacrifices.[27][28] A hin is a measure of the amount of liquid. The amount of wine used for the drink offering was different according to the sacrifices such as lambs, rams, and bulls.

Apostle Paul, in his second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy), sensed his impending death and wrote that he was already being poured out like a drink offering.[29]

Classification by Method

Sacrifices were made in different ways, depending on the type of offering or the purpose of the sacrifice. They can be divided into offerings by fire, heave offerings, or wave offerings.

Offering by Fire

‌Both the burnt offering and the grain offering are burnt by fire, so they are part of the offerings by fire.[30][31]

Heave Offering

To heave means to lift. A heave offering is an offering presented by lifting it. It is a type of sacrifice in which the sacrifice is raised high on the altar of burnt offering and then put down. This symbolizes that the offering is presented to God and then received back by the priest from God.[32][33]

Wave Offering

A wave offering was offered to God by waving it. Particularly on the Day of Firstfruits, the priest offered a wave offering by waving a sheaf of the first grain.[34]

Sacrifices in the Old Testament Are Worship in the New Testament

 
Worship service in the New Jerusalem Pangyo Temple of the World Mission Society Church of God

Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, the Old Testament sacrifices were transformed into worship offered in spirit and in truth.[35] Jesus taught that it was no longer necessary to offer sacrifices in the temple; instead, worship should be conducted in spirit and in truth.[36]

  • Sacrifices are closely related to the forgiveness of sins, but the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament could not achieve complete atonement.[37] Jesus Christ, sacrificed on the cross as a sin offering, fulfilled all the feasts at once.[38][39] Consequently, performing the intricate Old Testament sacrifices is no longer necessary in the New Testament times.
  • Since the earthly sanctuary is a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary,[40] the Old Testament sacrifices made in the earthly sanctuary help us understand Christ’s providence of redemption for humanity. Moreover, as the Old Testament sacrifices were made perfect through the worship of the new covenant, we can realize God's blessings in the worship service through the blessings of these sacrifices.

The Bible also says that the saints, who are being made holy by obeying God’s teachings, are living sacrifices to God and our spiritual act of worship.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1–2


An offering to God is holy and must be without blemish.[41][42] The Old Testament sacrificial regulations teach us that the saints, who have received forgiveness of sins through Christ’s sacrifice, must live a holy and godly life before Him.[43][44]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Genesis 46:1
  2. ↑ Exodus 10:25
  3. ↑ "John 4:21–24".
  4. ↑ "Genesis 4:1–5".
  5. ↑ "Hebrews 11:4".
  6. ↑ "Genesis 8:20".
  7. ↑ "Genesis 15:9–18".
  8. ↑ "Genesis 14:17".
  9. ↑ "Hebrews 5:8".
  10. ↑ Numbers 6:13-20
  11. ↑ "Leviticus 4:13".
  12. ↑ "Leviticus 5:1–6".
  13. ↑ "Leviticus 15:13–15".
  14. ↑ "Leviticus 15:30".
  15. ↑ "Leviticus 16:2–34".
  16. ↑ "Leviticus 5:15–19".
  17. ↑ "Leviticus 6:2–7".
  18. ↑ "Leviticus 7:11–12".
  19. ↑ 5930. olah, Bible Hub
  20. ↑ "Leviticus 1:1–17".
  21. ↑ "Leviticus 2:1–9".
  22. ↑ "Numbers 28:4–6".
  23. ↑ "Numbers 28:9–10".
  24. ↑ "Leviticus 23:15–17".
  25. ↑ 5262. necek, Bible Hub
  26. ↑ 5260. nesak, Bible Hub
  27. ↑ "Exodus 29:40–41".
  28. ↑ "Numbers 15:5–10".
  29. ↑ "2 Timothy 4:6".
  30. ↑ "Leviticus 23:27".
  31. ↑ "Leviticus 23:13".
  32. ↑ "Leviticus 7:14".
  33. ↑ Numbers 15:19–21
  34. ↑ "Leviticus 23:11".
  35. ↑ "Hebrews 7:11–12".
  36. ↑ "John 4:21–24".
  37. ↑ "Hebrews 9:9–10".
  38. ↑ "Hebrews 9:11–12".
  39. ↑ Matthew 5:17
  40. ↑ "Hebrews 8:5".
  41. ↑ "Leviticus 1:3".
  42. ↑ "Leviticus 3:1".
  43. ↑ "Philippians 2:15".
  44. ↑ "1 Peter 1:15–16".
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