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The ritual through which the Hebrew people offered the blood or the flesh of an animal to God as a "substitute payment" for their sin. Sacrifice and sacrificing originated in the Garden of Eden immediately following the FALL of man. Adam and Eve made loincloths of leaves to cover their sinfulness, then hid from God because their provision was inadequate in their own minds. God then killed animals and made larger tunics for Adam and Eve. God's covering covered men adequately, while man's covering was insufficient.
These coverings were declared acceptable by God, because they covered more of man's body and they were produced by the shedding of blood. Furthermore, the curses and the promise of a redeemer <Gen. 3:14-19> fell between man's attempt to cover his sin <Gen. 3:7> and God's adequate covering <Gen. 3:21>. Man's reaction to God's provision <3:14-19> was faith and hope in the Lord. Adam called his wife Eve, which means "the mother of all living" <Gen. 3:20>. God's provision of adequate coverings for Adam and Eve symbolized that man could come before God, the source of all life, in the confidence that he would not die.
These principles of sacrifice are confirmed in the account of Cain and Abel <Gen. 4:3-5>. Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain for two reasons <Heb. 11:4>. First, he conformed to the provisions and concepts which God had previously established with Adam and Eve. Second, Abel's offering recognized the just penalty for sin-- death-- and God's gracious provision of an acceptable substitute. To Abel God's provision was a sacrifice-- the substitution of a living being for himself. Abel received God's approval because He believed God and had faith in what God promised <Gen. 4:4-5>.
When Noah came out of the ark, his first act was to build an altar upon which he sacrificed animals to God. This pleased God not because God was hungry but because Noah's act was a recognition that God understood his sinfulness, its penalty, and the necessity of blood sacrifice as a divine provision <Heb. 11:39-40>. Noah represented all mankind who now recognized God's gracious provision and promise. God pledged never again to curse the ground <Gen. 8:20-22>, and He blessed Noah because of his faith.
Eventually, God called Abraham, who rejoiced in anticipation of the appearance of a promised redeemer <John 8:56>. Abraham regularly worshiped God by offering sacrifices to Him. God taught Abraham that the ultimate sacrifice would be the sacrifice of a human being, one of Adam's descendants-- an only son provided miraculously by God.
The fullest explanation of the concept of sacrifice is found in the Mosaic Law. In this code sacrifice has three central ideas: consecration, expiation (covering of sin), and propitiation (satisfaction of divine anger). Only consecration had a kind of sacrifice which spoke of it alone. This was the vegetable or meal offerings. These could not be brought to God, however, unless they were preceded by an expiatory offering, or an animal or bloody sacrifice. There was no consecration (commitment) to God apart from expiation (dealing with the penalty and guilt of sin). Man could not approach God and be right with Him without the shedding of blood.
The general word for sacrifices in the Mosaic Law was qorban-- literally "that which is brought near." The fuller designation of these sacrifices was a gift of holiness <Ezek. 20:40>. The word qorban was used of anything given or devoted to God, so it included more than sacrifices presented at the altar. Sacrifice, however, referred to items placed on the altar to be consumed by God. Hence, there was no sacrifice apart from the altar.
The Old Testament also referred to sacrifices as food for Jehovah <Lev. 3:11,16; 22:7> and an offering made by the fire for the satisfaction of Jehovah <Lev. 2:2,9>. As a spiritual being, God did not need physical food. Nevertheless, He did insist that these sacrifices be given to Him. Sacrifice as worship is man giving back to God what God has previously given him as a means of grace. Ultimately, these sacrifices speak of the one final and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ <Heb. 10:11-18>.
The gift aspect of sacrifice was emphasized by the many divine regulations determining what was acceptable to God. For man to determine what pleased God would put man in the place of God. Therefore, God determined what was pleasing to Him. Whatever was offered had to be "clean" (acceptable, or symbolically without sin). Not everything designated "clean," however, was to be offered as a sacrifice. Of the clean animals, only oxen, sheep, goats, and pigeons were acceptable offerings. Likewise, of the clean vegetables, only corn, wine, and oil were proper.
These materials were selected perhaps to teach that man should give to God from that which sustains his life. In short, man was required to give God the gift of his life. Therefore, God repeatedly emphasized that He did not need or desire food and sacrifices themselves. He wants man's love, commitment, and service <Deut. 6:5; 1 Sam. 15:22>.
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament confirm that sacrifices were presented as a symbolic gesture. Man was obligated, because of his sin, to present offerings by which he gave another life in place of his own. These substitutes pointed forward to the ultimate substitute, Jesus Christ <Heb. 10:1-18>.
According to God's command, the animal sacrificed had to be physically perfect in age and condition. Through the perfection of this animal perfection was presented to God. Ultimately, this symbolized the necessity for man to present himself perfect before God by presenting the perfect one in his place <1 Pet. 1:18-19>. The true Lamb of God, innocent of all sin, took away sin <John 1:29>.
After the animal was selected and presented at the altar, the first act was the laying on of hands by the person presenting the offering. By this act the worshiper symbolically transferred his sin and guilt to the sacrificial animal which stood in his place. The sacrifice symbolically pointed to the Savior who would do for the believer what he could not do for himself. He would take upon Himself sin and guilt and accomplish redemption for His people <Is. 53:4-12; Matt. 1:21>.
In the great atonement festival, two goats depicted this redemptive act. One goat died, its death symbolizing how the ultimate sacrifice in the future would pay the penalty for the believer's sin. Its blood was applied to the MERCY SEAT in the HOLY OF HOLIES, symbolizing how the great sacrifice would cover man's sin, bring unworthy man into God's presence, and make full restitution to God. On the head of the second goat the priest symbolically conferred the sin of God's people. Then this goat, known as the SCAPEGOAT, was sent into the wilderness to symbolize the removal of the people's sin.
In the second act of the ritual, the offerer killed the animal on the north side of the altar. Details such as the stipulation of the north side taught the worshiper that this act must be done exactly as God prescribed in order to be acceptable to Him. This slaying was an important element in the whole process of making sacrifice. By it the offerer acted out his guilt and involvement in the death of the victim and in the death of the promised redeemer.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
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