Sunday, 20 September 2015

Sacrifices in Leviticus

This morning at CBC we're continuing our teaching series 'From Sinai to the Promised Land', and we're looking at Priests and Sacrifices. I will come back and add a bit more to this post later, but here is a table that details each of the five main offerings in Leviticus and how each is to be offered and what it is for.


  1. All offerings were to be ‘without defect’ in the case of animals, and the ‘finest’ in terms of flour etc. Only the best is acceptable.
  2. The person bringing the sacrifice was to slaughter it just outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting - that is, in the Courtyard of the Tabernacle.
  3. The altar was the Altar of Burnt Offerings mentioned in Exodus 27. Mention of the Alter above always refers to the Altar of Burnt Offerings. When the Altar of Incense is intended this is mentioned in full. There was a horn on each corner of the altar. This altar was in the courtyard of the Tabernacle. (Not to be confused with the Altar of Incense which was inside the Holy Place (not to be confused with the Holy of Holies.)) 
  4. Slaughtering, skinning, cutting up were usually roles for the individual bringing the sacrifice.
  5. Arranging meat on the altar, handling the blood and burning was the role of the priest.
  6. This was the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies.
  7. Regulations about the who, where, what and when of the Fellowship Meal are given in Leviticus 7

Offering
Read
Sacrifice
Ritual
Elements
Instructions
Purpose/additional notes
Burnt Offering
Lev. 1:1-17; 6:8-13; 8:18-21; 16:24
Bull or ram (a)
Present at entrance to Tent of Meeting (b) 
Lay hands on head and slaughter (d)
Ram - slaughtered at N side of altar.

Skin & cut into pieces.

Wash internal organs and legs
Blood
Priest: Splash against sides of altar (c)
Voluntary offering; atonement for sin.
Skin
Kept by priest
Head, fat, meat
Burn on the altar (e)
Washed organs, legs
Burn on the altar
Dove, pigeon (for the poor)
P: Bring to altar and wring off the head
Blood
Drain on side of altar
Remove crop and feathers
Crop and feathers
Throw with the ashes, E of altar
Tear open

Burn on the altar
Grain Offering
Lev. 2:1-16; 6:14-23
Finest flour, olive oil, incense. Without yeast or honey. Always add salt.
P: Take handful of flour, oil and all incense

Burn on the altar
Voluntary offering

Rest
Belongs to the priests. Eat without yeast in the sanctuary area
Fellowship Offering
Lev. 3:1-17; 7:11-36
Male or female cow, sheep, goat
Lay hands on head and slaughter at entrance to Tent of Meeting.
Blood
P: Splash against sides of altar
Voluntary offering; thanksgiving; communal meal
Internal organs with fat, kidneys, liver. (Lamb’s tail)
Burn on the altar
Breast, right thigh
Priest’s share
Rest of the meat
Eaten by the people (ceremonially clean) as fellowship meal (g)
Sin Offering

Lev. 4:1-5:13; 6:24-30; 8:14-17; 16:3-22
Priest
Young bull
Lay hands on head and slaughter at entrance to Tent of Meeting.
Blood
Dip finger and sprinkle seven times in front of curtain of sanctuary (f)
Mandatory atonement for unintentional sin
Put some on horns of Altar of Incense
Pour rest at base of Altar of Burnt Offering
Fat, kidney, liver
Burn on the altar
Skin, flesh, head, legs, organs, intestines
Burn outside camp in ceremonially clean place
Whole Community
Young bull
Elders lay hands on head and slaughter
Priest performs as above

Leader
Male goat
Lay hands on head and slaughter
Blood
Priest - put on horns of altar, rest poured out as above
Fat
Burn on altar
Meat
Eaten by priests, in sanctuary area
Individual
Female goat/lamb
Lay hands on head and slaughter
Priest performs as for leader

2 doves/pigeons (for the poor)
First bird (sin offering): P: Wring its neck
Blood
Splash on side of altar
Drained at base of altar
Second bird: burnt offering


Finest flour, no oil or incense (for the very poor)
As grain offering


Guilt Offering
Lev. 5:14-6:7; 7:1-10
Ram

Blood
Splashed against sid of altar
Mandatory atonement for unintentional sin requiring restitution.
Make restitution + 1/5 and give to priest.
Make atonement.
Fat, kidney, liver
Burn on altar
Meat
Eaten by priests, in sanctuary area

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