Lesson 6

“When Adam, according to God's special directions, made an offering for sin, it was to him a most painful ceremony. His hand must be raised to take life, which God alone could give, and make an offering for sin. It was the first time he had witnessed death. As he looked upon the bleeding victim, writhing in the agonies of death, he was to look forward by faith to the Son of God, whom the victim prefigured, who was to die man's sacrifice”

Ellen G. White, The Story of Redemption, p. 50

“At the cherubim-guarded gate of Paradise the glory of God was revealed, and hither came the first worshipers. Here their altars were reared, and their offerings presented”

Ellen G. White; Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 83-84

Abel offered a thanksgiving sacrifice.(Genesis 4: 4)

Noah offered a burnt offering after the Flood. (Genesis 8:20)

Abram used to build an altar to God everywhere

he lived in.(Genesis 12:8)

Isaac offered sacrifices to God,

too.(Genesis 26:25)

Jacob erected an altar in

Bethel, in order to

thank God.(Genesis 35:3)

Leviticus sacrificing system raised five types of sacrifice:

1.Burnt offerings.

2.Peace sacrifices.

3.Offerings for sin.

4.Offerings for transgression.

5.Offerings of flour.

Birds (Lv. 14: 5)

Sheep (Ex. 12: 5)

Male goat (Nm. 29: 5)

Ewe lamb (Lv. 14: 10)

Red heifer (Nm. 19: 2)

Pigeon or turtledove (Lv. 12: 6)

Heifer (Dt. 21: 3)

Ram (Lv. 9: 4)

Young bullock (Nm. 15: 24)

Lamb (Ex. 12: 5)Bullock

(Lv. 4: 10)

They were generally offered voluntarily.

They were defined for these next events:

In daily sacrifices of morning and evening.

In consecrations.

In special and feast days.

For purification.

In vow of a Nazarite.

Along with the offering for Poor’s sin or when congregation sinned by ignorance.

The offerer placed his hand on the animal, beheaded it and quartered it.

After that, the priest placed it on the altar and sacrifice was completely consumed.

The blood was sprinkled all over the altar and around it.

Along with the sacrifice, salt, fine flour, oil, wine and frankincense were offered.

Burnt offerings represented a consecration to God, being an expression of personal devotion, gratitude and joy.

Daily sacrifice (a lamb without blemish), represented Christ’s perpetual ministry in favour of sinners.

It was a thanksgiving offering; a party went after it. Part of the animal, which wasn’t consumed on the altar nor set aside for the priests, was eaten in that party.

Furthermore, it was offered in these events:

For the performance of a personal vow.

In consecrations.

In Pentecost, along with bread.

For the performance of a vow of a Nazarite.

The offerer placed his hand on the head of the victim and beheaded. Then he waved the priest before the Lord.

The priest burnt its fat and sprinkled the blood all over the altar and around it. The wave breast and heave shoulder were for the priest.

Along with this offering, unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, flour, oil, wine and salt were offered.

The fact that God gave the meat of the sacrifice to worshipper’s relatives and friends to eat in his presence, indicates that the offering strengthened the relationship of the pact through communion with God and with other Israelites.

To be quits with God is the greatest joy we can conceive. This is the legacy that Christ left when He said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you”. The peace of Christ is that calm security that starts with confidence in God.

They made atonement when an individual, or the entire congregation sinned by IGNORANCE. Whether the rank of the person, a more or less expensive sacrifice was demanded.

Furthermore, they were offered under these circumstances:

Perjury under oath.

Corruption by dead.

Filth of a man.

Imprudent oath.

Consecrations and special days.

Purification and vow of a Nazarite.

If the priest or the entire congregation sinned, blood was sprinkled over the veil of the holy place and over the horns on the censer. The rest of the animal was burnt completely outside the camp.

If a leader or a person from the people sinned, the blood was sprinkled over the horns on the altar and the rest of the animal was eaten by the priest.

The offerer placed his hand on the victim and beheaded it.

The priest burnt on the altar the fat and other innards. He placed part of the blood and the rest of it was shed next to the altar. The offering was accompanied with salt.

Christ died for the sins of everyone and, like when the congregation sinned, He had to die outside Jerusalem and He went up to intercede on our behalf with His blood in the Holy Place of the celestial Sanctuary(Hebrews 13:10-14; 9:24)

“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood”

(Hebrews 13:12)

They were prescribed if there were any KNOWN SINS.

Furthermore, they were offered if these cases:

Sacrilege by ignorance.

Rape of a married slave.

Purification of leprosy.

Accidental violation of the vow of a Nazarite.

It was the same procedure that in the case of offering for sin, except that the blood wasn’t placed over the altar’s horns, but was sprinkled over the altar and around it. Salt was added to it, too.

“He can be delivered from the guilt of sin, from the condemnation of the law, from the penalty of transgression, only by virtue of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ”.

Ellen G. White, That I May Know Him, April 14

They came with every burnt offering and offering of peace. They were generally offered without yeast; if yeast was added, it wouldn’t be burnt on the altar. Honey was never added.

Salt, oil, wine and incense accompanied it.

This offering of the fruits of the earth was recognition of the generous provision that God gave to his people. Everything belonged to God, but He asked only a little portion to be brought to His presence, as an expression of gratitude.

How kind God was! Divine justice required punishment for sin, but divine mercy had already found a way to redeem human race: by the voluntary sacrifice of the Son of God (Pet. 1 1:20; Eph. 3:11; Tim. 2 1:9; Rev. 13:8). God established the ritual of sacrifices in order to bring a visual help to man, so he could understand part of the price that had to paid for atone for his sin. The innocent lamb had to give its blood in man’s place and its skin in order to cover the nakedness of the sinner, so man could always remember the Son of God (who would have to give His life to atone for man’s transgression and whose justice was the only thing enough to cover him) through symbols. We don’t know how deep Adam understood redemption’s plan, but we are sure that enough of it was revealed to him so he could be sure that sin wouldn’t endure forever; that from woman’s seed the Redeemer will be born, that the lost dominion will be recovered and happiness will be restored in Eden. The Gospel of salvation is the main subject all over the Holy Scriptures. Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, about Genesis, 3:15

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