Expert: Brenda Martin - 1/8/2010

Question
I am still not clear who gives the animal and how often one comes to sacrifice an animal.  Does the patriarch do it for the whole family once a year, but there is something being offered every morning and every evening.  So still not clear who, whose animal and how often.  what about the women?

Answer
"WHO GIVES THE ANIMAL AND HOW OFTEN ONE COMES TO SACRIFICE AN ANIMAL?"

In Leviticus chapters 1 to 7, there are five principal types of offerings mentioned; burnt offering, grain offering, communion sacrifice, sin offering, and guilt offering—are described individually, even though some of them were actually offered together.

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 the yearly festivals.

1. For sin of the high priest bringing guilt upon the people (Le 4:3): The high priest brought a bull and laid his hand on the bull’s head; the bull was slaughtered.

2. For sin of the entire assembly (some sin made by the assembly, of which the leaders were not aware until later) (Le 4:13): The congregation brought a bull; the OLDER MEN laid their hands on the bull’s head; one slaughtered it; the remainder of the procedure was the same as for a sin of the high priest. (Le 4:14-21)

3. Sin of a chieftain: The procedure was similar, except a male goat was used, and blood was not taken into the Holy Place.(Le 6:24-26, 29)

4. Sin of an individual Israelite: A female kid of the goats or a female lamb was used; the procedure was the same as for the sin of a chieftain. (Le 4:27-35)

5) For the entire assembly, a kid of the goats was used (Nu 15:22-26); for an individual, a female goat in its first year. (Nu 15:27-29)
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BEFORE the Law covenant was established the FAMILY HEADS offered a thanksgiving sacrifice; ones like Noah (Ge 8:18-22; 9:8-16) Job (Job 1:5) & Abraham.

Under the Law covenant the OFFERER laid his hand on the animal’s head (acknowledging the offering as his offering, and for him, in his behalf). (Le 1:4)

Then it was the LEVITE PRIESTS duties to; slaughter the sacrifices brought by the people, sprinkle the blood on the altar, cut up the sacrifices, keep the altar fire burning, cook the meat, and accept all other offerings, such as the grain offerings.

DAILY, two year-old rams constituted the CONSTANT burnt offering.

At the start of the months and in connection with the annual festivals, aside from the constant burnt offering, rams and male lambs were sacrificed. (Nu 28:11, 17-19, 26, 27; 29:1-38)

I hope this explains it better now.

All the best
Brenda