The fundamental idea of sacrifice in the Old Testament is that of substitution, which

again seems to imply everything else--atonement and redemption, vicarious

punishment and forgiveness. The firstfruits go for the whole products; the firstlings for

the flock; the redemption-money for that which cannot be offered; and the life of the

sacrifice, which is in its blood (Lev 17:11), for the life of the sacrificer. Hence also the

strict prohibition to partake of blood. Even in the 'Korban,' gift (Mark 7:11) or free-will

offering, it is still the gift for the giver. This idea of substitution, as introduced, adopted,

and sanctioned by God Himself, is expressed by the sacrificial term rendered in our

version 'atonement,' but which really means covering, the substitute in the acceptance

of God taking the place of, and so covering, as it were, the person of the offerer. Hence

the Scriptural experience: 'Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is

covered...unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity' (Psa 32:1,2); and perhaps also the

Scriptural prayer: 'Behold, O God, our shield, and look upon the face of Thine Anointed'

(Psa 84:9). Such sacrifices, however, necessarily pointed to a mediatorial priesthood,

through whom alike they and the purified worshippers should be brought near to God,

and kept in fellowship with Him. Yet these priests themselves continually changed; their

own persons and services needed purification, and their sacrifices required constant

renewal, since, in the nature of it, such substitution could not be perfect. In short, all

this was symbolical (of man's need, God's mercy, and His covenant), and typical, till He

should come to whom it all pointed, and who had all along given reality to it; He whose

Priesthood was perfect, and who on a perfect altar brought a perfect sacrifice, once for

all--a perfect Substitute, and a perfect Mediator (Heb 10:1-24).

At the very threshold of the Mosaic dispensation stands the sacrifice of the Paschal

Lamb connected with the redemption of Israel, and which in many respects must be

regarded as typical, or rather anticipatory, of all the others. But there was one sacrifice

which, even under the Old Testament, required no renewal. It was when God had

entered into covenant relationship with Israel, and Israel became the 'people of God.'

Then Moses sprinkled 'the blood of the covenant' on the altar and on the people (Exo

24). On the ground of this covenant-sacrifice all others rested (Psa 50:5). These were,

then, either sacrifices of communion with God, or else intended to restore that

communion when it had been disturbed or dimmed through sin and trespass: sacrifices

in communion, or for communion with God. To the former class belong the burnt- and

the peace-offerings; to the latter, the sin - and the trespass-offerings. But, as without the

shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, every service and every worshipper had,

so to speak, to be purified by blood, and the mediatorial agency of the priesthood called

in to bring near unto God, and to convey the assurance of acceptance.

The readiest, but perhaps the most superficial, arrangement of sacrifices is into bloody

and unbloody. The latter, or 'Minchah,' included, besides the meat- and drink-offering,

the first sheaf at the Passover, the two loaves at Pentecost, and the shewbread. The

meat-offering was only brought alone in two instance--the priest's offering (Lev 7:12)

and that of jealousy (Num 5:15), to which Jewish tradition adds the meat-offerings

mentioned in Leviticus 2. If in Leviticus 5:11 a meat-offering is allowed in cases of

extreme poverty as a substitute for a sin -offering, this only further proves the

substitutionary character of sacrifices. From all this it will be evident that, as a general

rule, the meat-offering cannot be regarded as separate from the other or bloody

sacrifices. In proof of this, it always varied in quantity, according to the kind of sacrifice

which it accompanied (Num 15:1-12; 28:1-12; 39:1, etc.).