Offering/Sacrifice

Gifts to God. They show that a person trusts God and wants to do what He commands. The Old Testament Law gave a long list of instructions about how offerings were to be made, when they should be given, and for what purpose. Offerings were usually animals, wine, oil, or grain and were a symbol of sins confessed and then taken away by God. Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the final, once-for-all sacrifice to bring forgiveness of sins to all who believe in Him.

Some of the offerings mentioned in the Old Testament include the following:

Burnt Offerings. Calves, lambs, rams, or goats burned upon the altar in the temple or tabernacle. The animal had to be in perfect condition. Blood was sprinkled around the altar, and the entire animal (except the skin) was burned up in the fire. Burnt offerings were always for sin.

Drink Offerings. A pouring out of liquids—usually wine and oil (separately or mixed together)—as an offering. They were always given with other sacrifices—never alone.

Evening Sacrifice. One of the daily sacrifices made to God in the tabernacle or temple. Every morning and every evening an animal was burned as a sacrifice to God. With it was offered a grain offering and a drink offering.

Grain Offerings. Vegetable offerings were mixed with fine flour, oil, and flavorings and made into bread or cakes. Sometimes these offerings were burned at the altar. Other times, part was burned and the rest was given to the priest.

Peace Offerings. Given to make peace with God. Any animals normally used for sacrifices were given (except birds). In peace offerings, the breast and shoulder of the animal were given to the priest. The blood was sprinkled on the altar and the fat burned. The person who made the offerings and his friends ate the rest of the meat in the tabernacle or temple. Eating it there showed that God was a guest at the meal.

Sin Offering. A calf, a male or female goat, a female lamb, a dove, or a pigeon. The sin offering was for the sins of an individual that affect his or her life.

Trespass or Guilt Offering. A ram or a male lamb given to God when a person hurt someone else by his sin—as in stealing. In such cases, the person not only had to make a trespass offering to God but also had to pay back what he had stolen or make up the wrong he had done.

Wave Offerings. Motions made by the priest when a peace offering was given. A wave offering meant that the breast of the animal was placed in the high priest’s hands and “waved” before the Lord to show that it had been given to God’s representative—the priest. In the similar heave offering, the right thigh of the animal (the choicest part) was treated in a similar way as the wave offering and then eaten by the priests.

Other Offerings. Sometimes offerings of gold, silver, or other items were collected for building purposes, for worship, or to help people. David took offerings for the building of the temple. A poor widow gave an offering in the temple that Jesus admired. Paul praised an offering the Philippian church sent to him.