Call it ignorance or just plain lack of intelligence, but I always assumed that the priests were responsible for one-hundred percent of the sacrifices under the Mosaic system. The worshippers brought the animals, of course, but I (innocently) thought the priests took over from there.
A re-reading of Leviticus 1 makes me second guess that whole idea. If you look at Leviticus 1:5, you’ll notice the following sequence. The sons of Israel are the audience (Leviticus 1:2), he offers it at the door of the Tabernacle (Leviticus 1:3), then he lays his hand on the animal (Leviticus 1:4) and he slaughters the bull (Leviticus 1:5).
Unless I’m mistaken in my pronoun usage, it appears that the same person that kills the actual animal for the sacrifice is the same person that brought the sacrifice in the first place. For me, that changes things entirely.
Sacrifice should always be personal—always. It should always cost us something (2 Samuel 24:24), but it should also be something that means something to us. God gave His “only begotten Son” (John 3:16) for our sins, demonstrating clearly the depth of His love. Abraham, likewise, was poised to sacrifice his son Isaac, whom he loved (Genesis 22:2).
The personal nature of sacrifice is obviously designed as a deterrent to what the sacrifice means in the first place. Nobody wants to give up something they love so much; they do so because of sin. Theoretically, if there was no sin, there would be no need for sacrifice. Of course, Romans 3:23 teaches differently.
When the worshipper brought the best of their flock before the Lord for sacrifice, I’m sure their thoughts drifted to the reason they were there in the first place. Maybe it was a sin of passion, a plea for help, or a prayer of thankfulness.
Either way, as they brought the animal, looked into its eyes, and drew the knife, they did so with the knowledge that something else was dying for them. What a humbling though that is.
Maybe that’s one reason we take Communion every Sunday. As we sit in silence and meditate on Jesus’ sacrifice, we think back to the fact that Jesus only died because of us. If it helps, take it a step further: He died for me.
Sacrifice is designed to be personal. Is it personal for you?
