Old Testament Background

Evangelical Free Church of Walnut

sunesis institute_

The Birth of a Culture

Part 2: The Sacrifices and Holy Days

The SacrificesSacrificial System (Leviticus 1-7, 12:6-8, 14:12-18, 22:17-30, and 27)

Sacrifice Elements Significance Notes

BURNTOFFERING

Bull, Ram, Male Goat – if ableMale Dove, Male Pigeon – if poor

Without Blemish

PropitiationDevotion/Commitment

to God

VoluntaryAlways male

GRAINOFFERING

Meal OfferingTribute Offering

Flour, Bread, or GrainIncense

Thanksgiving for God’s Provision

VoluntaryUnleavened and prepared with

olive oil and salt

FELLOWSHIPOFFERING

Thank OfferingVow Offering

Freewill Offering

Any Clean Animal Without Blemish

Grain Offering

Fellowship with GodThanks for specific blessingRitual expression of a vow

General thankfulness

VoluntaryThe Freewill Offering could have

an abnormal limb but not an injury, disease, rash, or infection

SIN OFFERING

Specified Animal without Blemish

Payment for unintentional sinPurification and restitution

from ritual uncleanness

MandatoryPrimarily focuses on

unintentional sins and ritual impurities that at times were

unavoidable

GUILT OFFERING

Ram or Lamb without Blemish(Plus restitution)

Propitiation for intentional sins against others or unintentional sins against the holiness of God

MandatoryAlso made by lepers for

purification

The Holy Days The Purpose of a “Holy Day”A day set apart to remember/celebrate somethingA consistent reminder to the Israelites

A reminder of how God made them a nationA reminder of how God set them free from slavery

To keep the nation unifiedAll Israelite men were to be present in Jerusalem for the three major feasts (Exodus 23:17)The children grew up clearly seeing that they were part of a nation, not just a tribe

The Holy Days The Purpose of a “Holy Day”They are foundational to almost every culture

The adoption of pagan holidays was forbiddenCelebrating pagan holidays led to their destruction

They are the key way to influence future generationsAs long as there is a holiday, the next generations will ask “Why?”It is the responsibility of the parent generation to

accurately explain and faithfully observe the holiday

The Holy Days The “Non-holyday”No rest requiredMorning and Evening Burnt Offering

Year-old unblemished lambTwo quarts of fine flour mixed with one quart of

crushed olive oilOne quart of wine/beer

The Holy Days The SabbathWeekly day of restWeekly day of learning and worshiping GodBurnt Offerings (in addition to the daily offerings)

Two year-old lambs without blemishFour quarts of fine flour mixed with one quart of

crushed olive oilOne quart of wine/beer

The Holy Days The New MoonMonthly Day of Celebration Burnt Offerings – in addition to the daily offerings

2 young bulls without blemish1 young ram without blemish7 male lambs, 1 year old, without blemish

Grain offering6 quarts of flour and oil with each bull4 quarts of flour and oil with the ram2 quarts of flour and oil with each lamb

The Holy Days The New MoonDrink offering

Two quarts of wine/beer with each bullOne and a third quart wine/beer with the ramOne quart of wine/beer with each lamb

One additional goat as a sin offering

The Holy Days The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover)Seven days of eating only unleavened breadPassover meal reminded the Israelites of their slavery and salvation

Bitter herbs slaveryEating unleavened bread the left in a hurryLamb reminded them of blood on the doorpost

Salvation not from their own goodnessSalvation was from an act of faith

1st and 7th day was a sacred assembly – no working

The Holy Days The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover)Burnt Offerings (in addition to daily sacrifices)Two young bulls without blemishOne young ram without blemishSeven male lambs, one year old without blemishGrain offering

Six quarts of flour and oil with each bullFour quarts of flour and oil with the ramTwo quarts of flour and oil with each lamb

One male goat for a sin offering

The Holy Days Feast of Weeks (a.k.a. “Pentacost”)Reminded the people that God was their providerA day of sacred assembly and no common working There was to be a sacred assembly to present offerings of “new grain” or firstfruits

No new grain was to be consumed until after this feast

Burnt Offerings (in addition to the regular daily sacrifices)

Two young bulls without blemishOne young ram without blemishSeven male lambs, one year old without blemish

The Holy Days Feast of Weeks (a.k.a. “Pentacost”)Grain offering

Six quarts of flour and oil with each bullFour quarts of flour and oil with the ramTwo quarts of flour and oil with each lamb

Drink offeringTwo quarts of wine/beer with each bullOne and a third quart wine/beer with the ramOne quart of wine/beer with each lambOne additional goat as a sin offering

The Holy Days Feast of Trumpets Kicked off a month of feasts and sacred assemblies

Feast of Trumpets – 1st of TishriDay of Atonement – 10th of TishriFeast of Tabernacles – 15th thru 21st of Tishri

A day of sacred assembly, no common workingA day of sounding trumpets and great jubilation

The Holy Days Feast of Trumpets Burnt Offerings – in addition to the daily sacrifices

One young bull without blemishOne young ram without blemishSeven male lambs, one year old without blemish

Grain offeringSix quarts of flour and oil with the bullFour quarts of flour and oil with the ramTwo quarts of flour and oil with each lamb

One additional goat as a sin offering

The Holy Days Day of AtonementA day of sacred assembly, no work was to be doneA day of self-denialBurnt offerings

One young bull without blemishOne young ram without blemishSeven male lambs, one year old without blemish

Grain offeringSix quarts of flour and oil with the bullFour quarts of flour and oil with the ramTwo quarts of flour and oil with each lamb

One additional goat as a sin offering

The Holy Days Feast of TabernaclesSeven day festivalBuild booths and camp out with their familiesBurnt Offerings (offered 7 days in a row)

Bulls 13 on day 1, 12 on day 2, 11 on day 3, and so on until 7 on day 7

2 rams14 male lambs a year old

The Holy Days Feast of TabernaclesGrain offering

Six quarts of flour and oil with each bullFour quarts of flour and oil with each ramTwo quarts of flour and oil with each lamb

Drink offeringTwo quarts of wine/beer with each bullOne and a third quart wine/beer with each ramOne quart of wine/beer with each lambOne additional goat as a sin offering

The Holy Days Feast of Tabernacles8th day was a solemn assembly, no common workBurnt Offerings

One bull without blemishOne ram without blemishSeven male lambs, one year old, without blemish

Grain offeringSix quarts of flour and oil with each bullFour quarts of flour and oil with the ramTwo quarts of flour and oil with each lamb

The Holy Days Feast of Tabernacles8th day was a solemn assembly, no common workDrink offering

Two quarts of wine/beer with each bullOne and a third quart wine/beer with the ramOne quart of wine/beer with each lambOne additional goat as a sin offering

The Holy Days Later Holy DaysFeast of Purim

Remembers the deliverance from Haman’s plotThe story of Esther/Hadassah

Feast of Dedication (Hanukah)Remembers the purification of the temple in 164 BCThe lamp burned for 8 days with only 1 day’s oil