Sacrifices Acceptable to Jehovah

"Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices," says the apostle Paul.  (Hebrews 8:3) Note that Paul divides the offerings made by the high priest of ancient Israel into two categories, namely "gifts" and "sacrifices," or sacrifices for sins." (Hebrews 5:1) People generally give gifts to express affection and appreciation, as well as to cultivate friendship, favor, or acceptance.  (Genesis 32:20; Proverbs 18:16)  Similarly, many of the offerings prescribed by the Law can be viewed as "gifts" to God to seek his acceptance and favor.  Transgressions of the Law required restitution, and to make amends, "sacrifices for sins" were offered. The Pentateuch, especially the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, provides a broad array of material regarding different kinds of sacrifices and offerings. While it can be a real challenge for us to absorb and remember all the details, some key points regarding the various types of sacrifices merit our attention.

We may note that in Leviticus chapters 1 to 7, five principal types of offerings-burnt offering, grain offering, communion sacrifice, sin offering, and guilt offering-are described individually, even though some of them were actually  offered together. We note also that these offerings are described  twice in these chapters, with different objectives; once in Leviticus 6:8 to 7:6, showing the portions that were set aside for the priests and those that were reserved for the one doing the offering.  Then, in Numbers chapters 28 and 29, we find what might be viewed as a detailed timetable, outlining what was to be offered daily, weekly, monthly and at yearly festivals. 

Among the offerings made voluntarily as gifts or an an approach to God to gain his favor were the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and communion offerings.  Some scholars  hold that the Hebrew term for "burnt offering" means "an offering of ascent" or "and ascending offering." That is fitting because in a burnt  offering,the slaughtered animal was burned on the altar and sweet-smelling, or restful, odor ascended heavenward to God.  The distinctive feature of the burnt offering was that after its blood was sprinkled around the altar, the animal was offered in its entirety to God.  The priests made "all of it smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, and offering made by fire of a restful odor to Jehovah." -Leviticus 3:4, 9; Genesis 8:21. 

The grain offering is described in Leviticus chapter 2. It was a voluntary offering consisting of fine flour, usually moistened with oil, with frankincense added.  "The priest must grasp from it his handful of it fine flour and its oil along with  its frankincense; and he must make it smoke as a remembrance of it upon the altar, as an offering made by fire of a restful odor to Jehovah." (Leviticus 2:2) Frankincense was one of the ingredients of the holy incense  burned on the incense altar in the tabernacle and temple.  (Exodus 30:34-36)  King David evidently  had this in mind when he said:  "May my prayer be prepared as incense before you, the raising up of my palms as the evening grain offering." -Psalm 141:2. 

Next time: Conclusion of Sacrifices Acceptable to Jehovah

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000