SACRIFICE
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SACRIFICE
tems, and fimling its logical result in human sacrifice) that the more costly tlie offering, the more surely must it meet with acceptance. At the same time, probably in order to impress this truth on the mind, and also to guard against corruption by heathenish ceremonial, and against the notion that sacrifice in itself, without obedience, could avail (see 1 Sam. xv, 22, 23), the place of offering was expressly limited, first to the Taber- nacle, afterwards to the Temple. (For instances of in- fringement of this rule uncensured, see Judg. ii, 5; vi, 26; xiii, 19; 1 Sam. xi, 15; xvi, 5; 2 Sam. vi, 13; 1 Kings iii, 2, 3. Most of these cases are special, some authorized by special command; but the law probablj- did not attain to its full strictness till the foundation of the Temple.) This ordinance also necessitated a periodical gathering as one nation before God, and so kept clearly before their minds their relation to him as their national King. Both limitations brought out the great trutli that God himself provided the waj' by which man should approach him, and that the method of reconciliation was initiated by him, and not by them.
In consequence of the peculiarity of the law, it has been argued (as by Oiitram, Warbiirton, etc.) that the whole system of sacrifice was only a condescension to the weakness of the people, borrowed, more or less, from the heathen nations, especially from Egypt, in order to guard against worse superstition and positive idolatry. The argument is mainly based (see Warburton,Z'2c. Leg. iv, § vi, 2) on Ezek. xx, 2.5, and similar references in the Old and New Test, to the nullity of all mere ceremo- nial. Taken as an explanation of the theory of sacri- fice, it is weak and superficial; it labors under two fatal difficulties, the historical fact of the primeval existence of sacrifice, and its typical reference to the one atone- ment of Christ, which was foreordained from the very beginning, and had been already typified, as, for exam- ple, in the sacrifice of Isaac. But as giving a reason for the minuteness and elaboration of the Mosaic cere- monial so remarkably contrasted with the freedom of patriarchal sacrifice, and as furnishing an explanation of certain special rites, it may probably have some val- ue. It certainly contains this truth: that the craving for visible tokens of God's presence, and visible rites of worship, from which idolatry proceeds, was provided for and turned into a safe channel by the whole ritual and typical system, of which sacrifice was the centre. The contact with the gigantic system of idolatry which prevailed in Egypt, and which had so deeply tainted the spirit of the Israelites, would doubtless render such provision then especially necessary. It was one part of the prophetic office to guard against its degradation into formalism, and to bring out its spiritual meaning with an ever-increasing clearness.
3. Post-Mosaic Sacrifices. — It ^vilI not be necessary to pursue, in detail, the history of Post-lNIosaic sacri- fice, for its main principles were now fixed forever. The most remarkable instances of sacrifice on a large scale are by Solomon at the consecration of the Temple (1 Kings viii, C3), by .Jehoiada after the death of Atha- liah (2 Chron. xxiii, 18), and bj' Hezekiah at his great Passover and restoration of the Temple- worship (2 Chron. xxx, 21-24). In each case the lavish use of victims was chiefly in the peace-offerings, which were a sacred national feast to the people at the table of their Great King.
The regular sacrifices in the Temple service w-ere :
(a.) Tinrnt-nferingn.
1. The daily biirn't-oflrerinss (Exod. xxix, 38^2).
2. The double burnt-oflTerings on the Sabbath (Numb, xxviii, 9, 10).
3. The biinit -ofTerings at the great festivals (Numb, xxviii, 11-xxix, 30).
(6.) Meat-ofei infia.
1. The daily meat-ofTerinKS accompanyincr the daily bnrnt-offei-inKS (flour, oil, and wine) (Exod". xxix, 40, 41).
2. The shew-breart (twelve loaves with fiankinceuse), I'enewed every Sabbath (Lev. sxiv,5-0).
3. The specinl nieMt-offeiiiigs at the Sabbath and the great festivals (Numb, xxviii, xxix).
4. The first - finits, at the Passover (Lev. xxiii, 10-14), at Pentecost (xxiii, 17-20), both " wave-oflerinjrs ;" the liist-frnits of the doii<;h and threshing-floor at the harvest- time (Numb. XV, 20, 21 ; Deut. xxvi, 1-11), called '• heave- ofleriugs."
(c.) Sin-offerings.
^. Sin-ofteiing (a kid) each new moon (Numb, xxviii, 15).
2. Sin-offerings at the Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Trumjiets, and Tabeiiiacles (Numb, xxviii, 22, 30 ; xxix, 5, 16,19,22,25,28,31,34,38).
3. The offering of the two goats (the goat sacrificed, and the scape-goat) for the people, aiid of the bullock for the priest himself ou the Great Day of Atonement (Lev. xvi).
(d.) Incense.
1. The morning and evening incense (Exod. xxx, 7, 8).
2. The incense on the Great Day of Atonement (Lev. xvi, 12).
Besides these public sacrifices, there were offerings of the people for themselves individually : at the purifica- tion of women (Lev. xii) ; the presentation of the first- born, and circumcision of all male children ; the cleans- ing of the leprosy (ch. xiv) or any uncleanness (ch. xv) ; at the fulfilment of Nazaritic and other vows (Numb, vi, 1-21) ; on occasions of marriage and of burial, etc., besides the frequent offering of private sin- offerings. These must have kept up a constant suc- cession of sacrifices every day, and brought the rite home to every man's thought and to every occasion of human life. See Sacrificiai. Offerings.