HERE were five classes of offerings ordained by Jehovah in Israel; and, in the law of the offerings given to Moses in Horeb, they are stated in the following order: (1) the burnt offering; (2) the meal offering; (3) the sin offering; (4) the trespass offering; (5) the peace offering. Each of these offerings was designed for a special use; all figured the one great offering of Christ Himself. Their importance is very great; and some of them, such as the burnt offering―the chief idea in which is the consuming of the sacrifice by fire upon the―altar were established at the very beginning of God’s way of mercy with fallen man. Also the peace offering, which is a well-known symbol of communion with the offerer and Jehovah in the sacrifice offered, has an origin probably as ancient. These offerings show to us what was necessary in relation to sacrifices made to God by man. In the New Testament, we find in plain teaching the truths which these sacrifices signify; so that, whether in Old Testament days or in our own New Testament times, they presented to man some of the most important lessons he could learn.
In England we hear a great deal about the sacrifice and the altar―subjects of the most intense necessity for our spiritual well-being; for we may say, if we are right or wrong in our ideas as to sacrifice and altar, we are―as far as knowledge goes―right or wrong in our thoughts respecting our approach to God.
It occurs to us to suggest to our readers some enquiries on these vital matters.
In the Book of Leviticus, chapters 1. to 7., which treat of the five offerings and their law, there are laid down certain directions as to the mode of bringing these offerings to God and sacrificing them to Him. These directions are God’s own; and, having said this, we need not dwell further upon their importance. We find the offerer, the offering, the priest, and the altar, covered by these directions; and, in order that the sacrifice should be acceptable with God, it was necessary that the conditions He laid down concerning offering, offerer, priest, and altar should be fulfilled.
For the present we will merely consider the directions affecting the offerer and the priest.
Each of these persons had specific duties to perform in relation to the offering and the altar. What the priest did and what the offerer did were distinct. There was no confusion possible―no interchange of fulfilment of the respective duties enjoined upon them. It is obvious that, if a priest sinned and brought an offering for his sin, he was an offerer when so doing. He was not at that particular moment acting as a priest. Hence, we shall find that on such occasions the priest did what the ordinary offerer did; but when the priest ministered at the altar, he did certain things which the offerer did not do.
Now, let us first enquire, How many specific acts in relation to the offering and the altar were the duty of the priest to perform? We will give a few as instances. Lev. 1: The priests brought the blood of the sacrifice; sprinkled the blood round about the altar; put fire upon the altar; laid the wood in order upon the fire; laid the parts of the sacrifice in order upon the wood. See chap. 6. The priests ate the meal offering and also the sin offering. Will our readers find out how many such specific acts in all were performed by the priest in his service of the altar?
Next, let us enquire, How many specific acts in relation to the offering and altar were performed by the offerer? We will give a few of these as instances. The offerer brought the offering to Jehovah. Lev. 1 He offered it; he put his hand upon its head; he killed it. We do not enumerate more, for we propose a Bible search to our readers, and beg them to tabulate the acts of the priest and the acts of the offerer, collecting them from these seven chapters of Leviticus. Let it be remembered that an offering could not be offered acceptably to Jehovah if these principles or laws were not obeyed. Next, let the search contain the reasons for these acts and for their performance by offerer and priest.
We shall have to show, later on, whether the service of the altar in the Christian Church, and the sacrifice of the Mass there, are after the model of Jehovah’s ordained sacrifices. Our readers, happily, are numbered amongst those who take their stand for time and for eternity upon the Scriptures; and hence what is written on these vital questions is to them of eternal importance. We trust many of our readers will search their Bibles upon the subject; and any who can favor us with the result of their search are requested to do so before the close of July.