2. The Mosaic ritual was inaugurated by a covenant (Ex 24). The sacrifices then oflered are called burnt-offerings and peace-offerings (v.^). This latter term usually implies that the flesh of the sacrifices was eaten by the worshippers, and accord- ingly we read that the elders did ' eat and drink ' in the presence of (iod (v.''). The covenant between Jacob and Laban (Gn 31'^) was of a similar nature. Other covenants are betAveen God and Abraham (Gn 1 ;■)"*), and in Jer 34". It was a feature of these sacrifices that the animals sacrificed were divided, or the blood was divided, so that tlie parties to the covenant Mere assumed into a mystic unity of life. It is this particular sacrifice that is adduced in the Epistle to the Helirews as signalizing the cove- nant between God and Israel (He 9-"). We have then these points to notice— (1) Everything in the subsequent history of the relations between God and Israel depended upon the fact that this cove- nant had been made. (2) It was a celebration of friendship between God and Israel, involving rever- ent obedience on their part, and securing to them
the immense privilege of being welcome to draw indefinitely upon the aid of the Almighty. (3) The covenant was sealed by sacrifice, and more partic- ularly by blood. This is insisted on in He 9'* as giving an element of effective force to what was done. An oath is spoken of in somewhat similar terras (He 6"')- A covenant made by sacrifice M'as not only dramatic and memorable, but it had a sanctity, as of a visible oath (cf. 1 S IP, Jer34'8-20).
In all this there was no emergence of the ques- tion of sin, nor was amends ottered to God for sin. There was set forth a tie of friendship between God and His peojde, to begin with : of the exist- ence of which friendship the whole events of the deliverance from Egypt were incontrovertible proof. At the same time the root-idea of a friendship sub- sisting between God and His people, and the ob- taining of His favour by propitiation, if that should be necessary, are not widely ditterent. A usually friendly attitude on the part of God is the presup- position which underlies the ottering of sacrifice to remove His displeasure because of particular sins, or to obtain His favovir in any sjiecial enterprise (1 S 7'). The Creator has bestowed innumerable benefits upon His creatures, and is justly to be re- garded by them as their Friend. If Israel limited this to themselves, and had a feeling of their pro- prietary interest in God, and His in them, there is in that feeling the germ of the doctrine of special providence, and of God's interest in the salvation of individuals ; and all the confidence and intimacy of faithful att'ection therein contained may be ap- propriated to the believer's relationship with God. The ignorance of those who thought they alone had a portion in God does not invalidate the truth and beauty of the mutual affection which that very ignor- ance allowed them to realize.
3. Under the general shelter of tliis covenant relationship the sacrifices of the Mosaic law were instituted (Gal 3'''- '**). These consisted of two great classes, Sin-otterings and Peace-otterings. There were sin-ott'erings for the nation (Lv 4'^), for the priests (v.^), and for individuals (v.-^) : of which the first two w-ere entirely consumed by fire, and the last were eaten only by the priests {w^^). Guilt-offerings, with whate\er differences, belonged to the same general class ; and Avith them may be reckoned the various offerings of purifica- tion. All these assumed their most characteristic form in connexion with the yearly- Day of Atone- ment (Lv 16). Peace-offerings, on the other hand, may be taken to include the Passover, and all offerings of first-fruits and tithes and bloodless sacrifices. Thus Christ acknowledged the one class (sin-offering) when He bade the leper 'offer for thy cleansing what Moses commanded ' (Mk f'*) ; and the other class (peace-offering) when He said, 'Leave there thy gift before the altar' (Mt 5-'*). As we have seen, the sacrifices oflered at the making of the covenant were peace-offerings. These were acts of homage, and .seals of a happy relationship between God and His people. Thus Solomon offer- ing sacrifices received a gracious revelation that he miglit ask what he i)leased (1 K 3^ cf. Ps. 20^).
Sin-offerings took notice of human unworthiness to approach God. The offences atoned for by sacri- fice were sins of ignorance or inadvertence, and also misfortunes such as leprosy (Lv 14'"). For wilful disobedience tliere was no sacrifice (Nu 15'", 1 S 2» 3'^ 1 Jn 5"'). Where there was a civil pen.alty, there was a sacrifice as well. That is to say, tiie fact of sin against God was taken into account (Lv 6'^). The holiness of God was the dominating principle of the OT sacrifices for sin. Whatever was unsightly and degrading was to be abhorred : regard to propriety was enforced. By purity and seemliness of outward behaviour every- thing that tended to pollute the mind was atro-
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SADDUCEES
phied, and only what was helpful to the higher nature was allowed to influence the future. Con- stituted as human nature is, physical purity is not only a picture of godliness but a help to it. Thus the OT sacritices outclassed the customs of the heathen by their blamelessness, and collaborated with the prophets and with God's providences to inculcate a high quality of conduct (Lv 20'-^, 1 Co 10=0).