The meaning of Old Testament sacrifice centers around the Hebrew verb kipper’ usually

translated “atone” or “cover”(Lev 1:4). The basic meaning could be “to cover” or “wipe away”.
Sacrifices were part of the Old Testament worship from the very beginning. Cain and Abel
brought sacrifices to God (Gen 4:4). Noah offered sacrifices to the lord. Abraham and Isaac,
Jacob and Joseph also offered sacrifices. The main purposes of sacrifices were for worship of the
Lord. “The people must worship God with the sacrifices of their hands, presenting, and offerings
unto the Lord by Fire.’( Lev 23:25). All of Israel was required to offer sacrifice.

At Mt. Sinai, Moses received instructions on how the people should worship God with sacrifices.
A sacrifice was a prized material objects that a worshipper offered to God to establish or
maintain a relationship with Him. The motives for offering sacrifices varied, but generally the
sacrifice expressed faith in God and repentance from sin. Three requirements surrounded all
sacrifices; every offering must belong to the one making the sacrifice; the sacrifice must be
greatly valued in the eyes of the one making the offering to God; and the sacrifice must be
greatly valued in the eyes of God- the one receiving the sacrifice.

In Lev.1-6 God directed His people to offer five different sacrifices of meat or produce from the
field. The offerings were for different reasons and titles i.e. the sin offering (Lev.4:1-35, 6:24-30)
which was for sins unconsciously or unintentionally committed; the guilt offering ( Lev 5:14, 6-
7) was a special type of sin offering where a person could make restitution to one against whom
he had sinned. Burnt offering (Lev 1); this was to satisfy Jehovah by signify an entire
consecration of the worshipper to Him. The peace offering (Lev 2:1-6, 6:14-18) , it was an
offering of flour ,unleavened bread ,cakes, waffles or ears of grain that were roasted. Only a
portion of this offering was given to God in worship. ( Towns and Whalley 2012: 29-31).

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