Or OBLATION, denotes whatever is sacrificed or consumed in the worship of God. For an account of the various offerings under the law, the reader is referred to the book of Leviticus.
See also SACRIFICE.
Offering is anything presented to God as a means of conciliating His favor: which being in the Jewish, as well as in all other religions, considered as the one thing needful, offerings accordingly have always constituted an essential part of public worship and private piety.
Offerings have been divided into three kinds: those which are designed to procure some favor or benefit; those which are expressive of gratitude for bounties or mercies received; those which are meant to atone for sins and to propitiate the Deity. Among the Hebrews we find a complex and multiform system of offerings extending through the entire circle of divine worship, and prescribing the minutest details. A leading distinction separates their offerings into unbloody and bloody. Used in its widest sense the term offering, or oblation, indicates in the Hebrew ritual a very great number of things—as the firstlings of the flock, first-fruits, tithes, incense, the shew-bread, the wood for burning in the temple. The objects offered were salt, meal, baked and roasted grain, olive-oil, clean animals, such as oxen, goats, doves, but not fish. The animals were required to be spotless, and, with the exception of the doves, not under eight days old, younger animals being tasteless and innutritious. The smaller beasts, such as sheep, goats, and calves, were commonly one year old. Oxen were offered at three years of age; in Judges (Jdg 6:25) one is offered which is seven years old. As to sex, an option was sometimes left to the offerer, as in peace and sin offerings; at other times males were required, as in burnt sacrifices, for, contrary to classical usage, the male was considered the more perfect. In burnt offerings and in thank offerings the kind of animal was left to the choice of the worshipper, but in trespass and sin offerings it was regulated by law. If the desire of the worshipper was to express his gratitude, he offered a peace or thank offering: if to obtain forgiveness, he offered a trespass or sin offering. Burnt-offerings were of a general kind. Hecatombs or large numbers of cattle were sacrificed on special occasions (see 1Ki 8:5; 1Ki 8:63). Offerings were also either public or private, prescribed or free-will. Sometimes they were presented by an individual, sometimes by a family; once, or at regular and periodic intervals. Foreigners were permitted to make offerings on the national altar. Offerings were made by Jews for heathen princes. In the case of bloody offerings the possessor, after he had sanctified himself, brought the victim, in case of thank-offerings, with his horns gilded and with garlands, etc. to the altar, where, laying his hand on the head of the animal, he thus, in a clear and pointed way, devoted it to God. Having so done, he proceeded to slay the victim himself; which act might be and in later times was, done by the priests, and probably by the Levites. The blood was taken, and according to the kind of offering, sprinkled upon the altar, or brought into the temple and there shed upon the ark of the covenant and smeared upon the horns of the altar of incense, and then the remainder poured forth at the foot of the altar of burnt-offerings. Having slain the animal, the offerer struck off its head, which, when not burnt, belonged either to the priest or to the offerer. The victim was then cut into pieces, which were either all, or only the best and most tasty, set on fire on the altar by the priests or the offerer, or must be burnt without the precincts of the holy city. The treatment of doves may be seen in Lev 1:14, sq.; 5:8. In some sacrifices heaving and waving were usual either before or after the slaying.
The place where offerings were exclusively to be presented was the outer court of the national sanctuary, at first the Tabernacle, afterwards the Temple. Every offering made elsewhere was forbidden under penalty of death. The precise spot is laid down in Lev 1:3; Lev 3:2, ’at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.’ The object, of these regulations was to prevent any secret idolatrous rites from taking place under the mask of the national ritual; and a common place of worship must have tended considerably to preserve the unity of the people, whose constant disagreements required precautions of a special kind (1Ki 12:27). The oneness, however, of the place of sacrifice was not strictly preserved in the troubled period of the Judges, nor indeed till the time of David (1Ki 3:2-3). Offerings were made in other places besides the door of the Tabernacle (1Sa 7:17; Jdg 2:5). High places, which had long been used by the Canaanites, retained a certain sanctity, and were honored with offerings (Jdg 6:26; Jdg 13:19). Even the loyal Samuel followed this practice (1Sa 9:14; 1Sa 9:19; 1Sa 9:25), and David endured it (1Ki 3:2). After Solomon these offerings on high places still continued. In the kingdom of Israel, cut off as its subjects were from the holy city, the national temple was neglected.
Under the load and the multiplicity of these outward oblations, however, the Hebrews forgot the substance, lost the thought in the symbol, the thing signified in the sign; and, failing in those devotional sentiments and that practical obedience which offerings were intended to prefigure and cultivate, sank into the practice of mere dead works. Hereupon began the prophets to utter their admonitory lessons, to which the world is indebted for so many graphic descriptions of the real nature of religion and the only true worship of Almighty God (Isa 1:11; Jer 6:20; Jer 7:21, sq.; Hos 6:6; Amo 5:22; Mic 6:6, sq.; comp. Psa 40:6; Psa 51:17, sq.; Pro 21:3).
In the Hebrew, an offering, minchah, is distinguished from a sacrifice, zebah, as being bloodless. In our version, however, the word offering is often used for a sacrifice, as in the case of peace offerings, sin offerings, etc. Of the proper offerings, that is, the unbloody offerings, some accompanied the sacrifices, as flour, wine, salt; others were not connected with any sacrifices. Like the sacrifices, some, as the first fruits and tenths, were obligatory; other were voluntary offerings of devotion. Various sorts of offerings are enumerated in the books of Moses. Among these are,\par 1. Fine flour, or meal;\par 2. Cakes baked in an oven;\par 3. Cakes baked on a plate or shallow pan;\par 4. Cakes cooked in deep vessel by frying in oil, (English version, "frying pan," though some understand here a gridiron or a plate with holes;)\par 5. First fruits of the new corn, either in the simple state or prepared by parching or roasting in the ear, or out of the ear. The cakes were kneaded with olive oil, or fried in a pan, or only dipped in oil after they were baked. The bread offered for the altar was without leaven; for leaven was never offered on the altar, nor with the sacrifices, Lev 2:11-12 . But they might make presents of common bread to the priests and ministers of the temple. Honey was never offered with the sacrifices, but it might be presented alone, as first fruits, Lev 2:11-12 . Those who offered living victims were not excused from giving meal, wine, and salt, together with the greater sacrifices. Those who offered only oblations of bread or of meal offered also oil, incense, salt, and wine, which were in a manner their seasoning. The priest in waiting received the offerings from the hand of him who brought them, laid a part on the altar, and reserved the rest for his own subsistence as a minister of the Lord. Nothing was wholly burned up but the incense, of which the priest retained none. See Lev 2:2,13 Num 15:4-5 .\par In some cases the law required only offerings of corn or bread, as when they offered the first fruits of harvest, whether offered solemnly by the nation, or as the devotion of private persons. The unbloody offerings signified, in general, not so much expiation, which was the peculiar meaning of the sacrifices, as the consecration of the offerer, and all that he had to Jehovah. Only in the case of the poor man, who could not afford the expense of sacrificing an animal, was an unbloody offering accepted in its stead, Lev 5:11 . See SACRIFICES.\par
Offering, Gen 4:3, Oblation, Lev 2:7. The offerings in Jewish worship were either bloody or bloodless, or animal and vegetable. Of animals only tame ones were used, as oxen, goats, and sheep, and the dove. Lev 5:11, etc. From the vegetable kingdom, wine, flour, etc., were set apart. Human sacrifices or offerings were especially forbidden. Lev 18:21; Lev 20:2. The first offerings of which record is made are those of Cain and Abel. Gen 4:3-8. The second offering is that of Noah, Gen 8:20, after the flood. The various offerings were the burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, peace-offerings, and the sin and trespass-offerings. The burnt-offering was to be a male without blemish, of the herd and of the flock, offered voluntarily at the door of the tabernacle, the hand of the offerer being upon the head of the victim. Lev 1:2-4. The design of the burnt-offering was an atonement for sin. Lev 1:4; comp. Heb 10:1-3; Heb 10:11. It was presented every day, Exo 29:38-42, on the Sabbath, Num 28:9-10, and on the great day of atonement, Lev 16:3, and the three great festivals. Num 28:11-31; Num 29:1-40. The meat-offering, R.V., "meal-offering," consisted of flour, or cakes, prepared with oil and frankincense. Lev 2:1; Lev 6:14-23. It was to be free from leaven and honey, but was to have salt. Lev 2:11; Lev 2:13. With this was connected the drink-offering, which was never used separately, but was an appendage of wine to some sacrifices. Exo 29:41. A meal-offering was presented every day with the burnt-offering. Exo 29:40-41. The first-fruits, offered at Pentecost, Lev 23:17-20, and at the Passover, Lev 23:10-14, were called wave-offerings; those offered in harvest-time, Num 15:20-21, heave-offerings. Peace-offerings were eucharistic in their nature, and were offered in thanksgiving or at a special dedication of something to the Lord. Lev 3:1-17; Lev 7:11-21. The animal as well as the vegetable kingdom contributed to this class of offerings. The sin and trespass-offerings were expiatory. They included an offering for the sins of ignorance. Lev 4:2. There are sins that are "debts" to God, more numerous, it may be, than our transgressions. The prayer the Lord taught regards sins as "debts." Mat 6:12. Our thanksgivings now are to be offered through Christ, and the Hebrews were required to present sacrifices with their thanksgivings. Lev 7:15. Sin-offerings were presented by the high priest for personal offences, for national sins, and on the great day of atonement, when he confessed the sins of the whole nation with his hand on the scapegoat’s head, and the goat was driven off into the wilderness. Lev 16:1-34, etc. These offerings all had a typical significance, and prefigured the atonement of Jesus Christ, on whom was laid the iniquity of us all, and "his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." 1Pe 2:24.
See SACRIFICE:
OFFERING.—See Sacrifice and Offering.
See Sacrifice.
All the offerings described in the Scriptures are connected directly or indirectly with CHRIST JESUS. Most of them are pictures of the work of the Saviour in one form or another. In Eph 5:2 we read that CHRIST is our offering and our sacrifice. The offering is that which we give to GOD because we love Him, honor Him and trust Him. The sacrifice is that which is given to GOD in exchange for redemption, forgiveness and His other gifts.
The Passover lamb was a sacrifice, not an offering. The offerings and that which they represent are given as follows:
Wave Offering Exo 29:24 (c) This is typical of presenting before GOD all the beauties and the virtues of the Lord JESUS CHRIST as the One in whom we trust and in whom we delight in lieu of anything in ourselves.
Lev 23:17, 20 (c) You will notice that these loaves are baked with leaven, for they represent the person of the offerer. There is always sin in us. We are never sinless. Therefore, the offering that represents us contains leaven which is always an evil substance. There was no leaven in any of the other offerings which represent the Lord JESUS.
Burnt Offering Lev 1:3 (c) This represents the offering of the entire person of the Lord JESUS to be accepted instead of our entire person. We receive the blessings of His perfection and GOD accepts His perfection in the place of our imperfection.
Drink Offering Gen 35:14 (c) This type represents the utter consecration of the believer who pours out all his life for the service of his Lord.
Meat Offering Lev 2:1 (c) This is a picture of the beautiful, smooth life of the Lord JESUS CHRIST offered to GOD instead of the horrible, rough life that we have lived. (We are saved by His life Rom 5:10). This is the same as the "meal" offering.
Peace Offering Lev 3:1 (c) By this is illustrated the way in which our Lord JESUS by the sacrifice of Himself made peace for us by the Blood of His Cross. (Col 1:20).
Ignorance Offering Lev 4:2 (c) Here is revealed the sweetness of GOD’s care in that the sacrifice of CHRIST is efficacious for the sins which are committed unknowingly and therefore are not confessed.
Trespass Offering Lev 5:6 (c) This offering is for the actual sins which are committed day by day and must be met by the sacrifice of our blessed Lord. "Christ died for our sins" (1 Corinthians 15:3). This relates to our conduct rather than to our character.
Sin Offering Lev 5:17 (c) This type represents the suffering of the Lord JESUS for sinners. This relates to our character rather than to our conduct.
Heave Offering Num 18:24 (c) This is a type of that which is offered to the Lord of our gifts, talents, activities, etc., which shows Him that we love Him and are happy to give to Him.
All the above types are summed up as pictures and types of our Lord JESUS in Eph 5:2, where we read that He "hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour."
See GIVING; SACRIFICE.