Outline Studies in the Old Testament for Bible Teachers

by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut

FIFTH STUDY

Institutions of Israelite Worship

Part One

In the Old Testament we note certain forms and institutions for worship, and as some of these received their shaping during the wilderness life of the Is´ra-el-ites, we give a brief account of such institutions at this place in the history.

I. Earliest of all institutions for worship we find the Altar, and throughout the Old Testament the altar worship stands prominent.

1. Its Principle, the root idea underlying the altar, was of a meeting between God and man. As the subject always came to his ruler with a gift in his hands, so the worshiper brought his offering to his god, whether Je-ho´vah, the God of Is´ra-el, or Ba´al, the divinity of the Ca´naan-ites.

2. Its Origin is unknown, but it was early sanctioned by a divine approval of the worship connected with it (Gen. 4. 3, 4; 8. 20; 12. 8).

3. Its Universality. There was scarcely a people in the ancient world without an altar. We find that the worship of every land and every religion was associated with altars. (See allusions in Isa. 65. 3; 2 Kings 16. 10; Acts 17. 23, to altars outside of the Is´ra-el-ite faith.)

4. Its Material. Among the Is´ra-el-ites it was of earth or unhewn stone. Where metal or wood was used it was merely for a covering, the true altar being of earth inside. The laws of Is´ra-el forbade any carving of the stone which might lead to idol worship (Exod. 20. 24, 25).

5. Its Limitation. In the patriarchal age the chief of the clan was the priest, the altar stood before his tent, and there was but one altar for the clan, which thus represented one family. When Is´ra-el became a nation only one altar was allowed by the law, carrying out the idea that all the Twelve Tribes were one family (Deut. 12. 13, 14; Josh. 22. 16). Yet the law, if known to the Is´ra-el-ites, was constantly ignored by the prophets (1 Sam. 7. 9; 1 Kings 18. 31, 32).

6. Its Prophetic Purpose, as revealed in the New Testament, was to prefigure the cross whereon Christ died (John 1. 29; Heb. 9. 22; 1 Pet. 3. 18).

II. The Offerings, as fully developed and named in the law, were of five kinds, as follows:

1. The Sin Offering. 1.) This regarded the worshiper as a sinner, and expressed the means of his reconciliation with God. 2.) The offering consisted of an animal. 3.) The animal was slain and burned without the camp. 4.) Its blood was sprinkled on the altar of incense in the Holy Place (Lev. 4. 3-7).

2. The Burnt Offering. 1.) This regarded the worshiper as already reconciled, and expressed his consecration to God. 2.) It consisted of an animal, varied according to the ability of the worshiper. 3.) The animal was slain and burned on the altar. 4.) Its blood was poured out on the altar, a token that the life of the worshiper was given to God (Lev. 1. 2-9).

3. The Trespass Offering.[4] 1.) This represented the divine forgiveness of an actual transgression, whether against God or man, as distinguished from the condition of a sinner represented in the sin offering. 2.) The offering consisted of an animal, generally a ram, though a poor person might bring some flour. 3.) The animal was slain and burned on the altar. 4.) The blood was poured out at the base of the altar (Lev. 5. 1-10).

4. The Meat Offering.[5] 1.) This expressed the simple idea of thanksgiving to God. 2.) It consisted of vegetable food. 3.) The offering was divided between the altar and the priest; one part was burned on the altar, the other presented to the priest to be eaten by him as food (Lev. 2. 1-3).

5. The Peace Offering. 1.) This expressed fellowship with God in the form of a feast. 2.) It consisted of both animal and vegetable food. 3.) The offering was divided into three parts, one part burned upon the altar, a second eaten by the priest, a third part eaten by the worshiper and his friends as a sacrificial supper. Thus God, the priest, and the worshiper were all represented as taking a meal together.

Blackboard Outline

I. Alt. 1. Prin. 2. Orig. 3. Univ. 4. Mat. 5. Lim. 6. Proph. Pur.
II. Off.

1. Si. Off.	Sin. rec. G.	An.	Sl. bur.	Spr. alt. inc.
2. Bu. Off.	Con. G.	An.	Sl. bur.	Pou. alt.
3. Tre. Off.	For. trans.	An.	Sl. bur.	Pou. ba. alt.
4. Me. Off.	Tha. Gd.	Veg.	Alt. pri.
5. Pea. Off.	Fel. G.	An. veg.	Alt. pri. wor.

Review Questions

What two institutions of the Old Testament are here presented? What shows the universality of the altar in connection with worship? What is said of the origin of the altar? Of what material were the earliest altars made? What was the religious idea in the altar? What prophetic purpose did the altar have? Name the five kinds of offerings. How did the sin offering regard the worshiper? What did the sin offering express? Of what did the sin offering consist? What was done with the offering? What was done with the blood? What was the design of the burnt offering? Of what did the burnt offering consist? What was done with the animal? What was done with the blood in the burnt offering? Wherein did the trespass offering differ from the sin offering? Of what did the trespass offering consist? What was done with the sacrifice? What did the meat offering express? Of what did it consist? How was the meat offering used? What was expressed by the peace offering? Of what did it consist? What was done with the peace offering?

Part Two
The Tabernacle

1. When the family of A´bra-ham grew into a people its unity was maintained by regarding the altar—and but one altar for all the Twelve Tribes—as the religious center of the nation.

2. To the thought of the altar as the meeting place with God was added the conception of God dwelling among his people in a sanctuary and receiving homage as the King of Is´ra-el (Exod. 25. 8).

3. Thus the altar grew into the Tabernacle, which was the sanctuary where God was supposed to dwell in the midst of the camp. As was necessary among a wandering people, it was constructed of such materials as could be easily taken apart and carried on the march through the wilderness.

In considering the Tabernacle and its furniture we notice the following particulars:

I. The Court, an open square surrounded by curtains, 150 by 75 feet in extent, and occupying the center of the camp of Is´ra-el (Exod. 27. 9-13). In this stood the Altar, the Laver, and the Tabernacle itself.

II. The Altar of Burnt Offerings stood within the court, near its entrance. It was made of wood plated with "brass" (which is supposed to mean copper), was 7½ feet square and 4½ feet high. On this all the burnt sacrifices were offered (Exod. 27. 1; 40. 29), except the sin offering.

III. The Laver contained water for the sacrificial purifyings. It stood at the door of the tent, but its size and form are unknown (Exod. 30. 17-21).

IV. The Tabernacle itself was a tent 45 feet long, 15 feet wide. Its walls were of boards, plated with gold, standing upright; its roof of three curtains, one laid above another. Whether there was a ridge-pole or not is uncertain. It was divided, by a veil across the interior, into two apartments, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies (Exod. 36. 8-38).

V. The Holy Place was the larger of the two rooms into which the tent was divided, being 30 feet long by 15 wide. Into this the priests entered for the daily service. It contained the Candlestick, the Table, and the Altar of Incense (Heb. 9. 2).

VI. The Candlestick (more correctly, "lampstand") stood on the left side of one entering the Holy Place; made of gold, and bearing seven branches, each branch holding a lamp (Exod. 25. 31-37).

VII. The Table stood on the right of one entering the Holy Place; made of wood, covered with gold; 3 feet long, 1½ feet wide, 2¼ feet high; contained 12 loaves of bread, called "the bread of the presence" (Exod. 37. 10, 11).

VIII. The Altar of Incense stood at the inner end of the Holy Place, near the veil; made of wood, covered with gold; 1½ feet square and 3 feet high. On it the incense was lighted by fire from the Altar of Burnt Offerings (Exod. 30. 1, 2).

IX. The Holy of Holies was the innermost and holiest room in the Tabernacle, into which the high priest alone entered on one day in each year (the Day of Atonement); in form a cube of 15 feet. It contained only the Ark of the Covenant (Heb. 9. 3).

X. The Ark of the Covenant was a chest containing the stone tablets of the Commandments; made of wood, covered on the outside and inside with gold; 3 feet 9 inches long, 2 feet 3 inches wide and high. Through gold rings on the sides were thrust the staves by which it was borne on the march. Its lid, on which stood two figures of the cherubim, was called "the mercy seat." On this the high priest sprinkled the blood on the Day of Atonement (Exod. 25. 17, 18; Heb. 9. 7).

Blackboard Outline

The Tabernacle

I.	Cou. sq. 150. 75. (Al. Lav. Tab.)
II.	Alt. woo. br. 7½. 4½ .
III.	Lav. do. ten.
IV.	Tab. 45. 15. bds. cur. (H.P. H.H.)
V.	Ho. Pl. 30. 15. (Can. Tab. Alt. Inc.)
VI.	Can. go. 7 bran.
VII.	Tab. 3. 1½. 2¼. 12 loa.
VIII.	Alt. Inc. woo. gol. 1½. 3.
IX.	Ho. Hol. 15. 15. 15. (Ar. Cov.)
X.	Ar. Cov. wo. go. 3,9. 2,3. "mer. se."

Review Questions

How was the unity of the Is´ra-el-ite people maintained? What was the conception or thought in the Tabernacle? Why was it constructed of such material? What was the court of the Tabernacle? What were the dimensions of the court? What stood in the court? What were the materials of the Altar of Burnt Offerings? What was the size of this altar? What was the laver, and where did it stand? What was the Tabernacle itself? Into what rooms was it divided? How was it covered? What were the dimensions of the Holy Place? What did the Holy Place contain? What was the form of the candlestick? Where did the candlestick stand? Of what was the Altar of Incense made? What were its dimensions? For what was this altar used? What were the dimensions of the Holy of Holies? What did the Holy of Holies contain? Who alone entered this room, and how often? What was the Ark of the Covenant? What was the "mercy seat"?

Part Three
The Sacred Year

I. Among the Is´ra-el-ites certain institutions of worship were observed at regular intervals of time which have been called the Periodical Institutions. These were:

1. The Sabbath, observed one day in seven; of which the root idea is the giving to God a portion of our time. (See references in the Old Testament: Gen. 2. 3; Exod. 20. 8-11; Isa. 56. 2; 58. 13.) In the New Testament we find the first day of the week gradually taking its place among the early Christians (Acts 20. 7; 1 Cor. 26. 2; Rev. 1. 10).

2. The New Moon, which was the opening day of each month; regarded as a sacred day, and celebrated with religious services (Num. 10. 10; 2 Kings 4. 23).

3. The Seven Annual Solemnities, the important occasions of the year, six feasts and one fast day.

4. The Sabbatical Year. One year in every seven was to be observed as a year of rest, and the ground was not to be tilled (Lev. 25. 2-7).

5. The Year of Jubilee. Once in fifty years the Is´ra-el-ites were commanded to give liberty to slaves, freedom to debtors, and general restitution of alienated inheritances (Lev. 25. 9, 10). How far the "Sabbatical Year" and "the Year of Jubilee" were actually kept among the Is´ra-el-ites we have no means of knowing; but the commands concerning them were given in the law.

II. We take for special notice among these periodical institutions the Seven Annual Solemnities of the Sacred Year. Most of these were instituted in the time of Mo´ses, but two of them arose later. We consider them all, however, in this place, rather than at the closing of the history, where two of the feasts properly belong. These may be classified as:

1. The Three Great Feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles; all observed at the capital, and requiring the people to make annual pilgrimages to Je-ru´sa-lem.

2. The Annual Fast: the Day of Atonement.

3. The Three Lesser Feasts: Trumpets, Dedication, Purim. These were observed throughout the land, as well as in Je-ru´sa-lem.

With regard to each of these we will note: 1.) Its time. 2.) The event which it commemorated. 3.) How it was observed.

1. The Feast of Passover (Luke 22. 1).

1.) Was held in the spring, on the fourteenth of the month Abib, or Nisan, corresponding to parts of March and April (Exod. 12. 18).

2.) Commemorated the exodus from E´gypt (Exod. 12. 42).

3.) Observed with the eating of unleavened bread and the slain lamb (Exod. 12. 19-21).

2. The Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2. 1).

1.) Was held early in the summer, on the fiftieth day after Passover, in the month Sivan, corresponding to May and June.

2.) Commemorated the giving of the law.[6] (See Exod. 19. 1, 11.)

3.) Observed by "first fruits" laid on the altar, with special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 15-21).

3. The Feast of Tabernacles (John 7. 2, 10).

1.) Held in the fall, after the ingathering of crops, from the 15th to the 21st of the seventh month, Ethanim, corresponding to September and October (Lev. 23. 34).

2.) Commemorated the outdoor life of the wilderness (Lev. 23. 43).

3.) Observed by living in huts or booths, and by special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 35-42).

4. The Day of Atonement, the only fast required by the Jew´ish law.

1.) Held in the fall, on the tenth day of the month Ethanim (Lev. 23. 27), five days before the Feast of Tabernacles.

2.) Showing the sinner's reconciliation with God.

3.) On this day only in the year the high priest entered the Holy of Holies (Exod. 30. 10).

5. The Feast of Trumpets.

1.) Held on the first day of the seventh month, Ethanim, corresponding to September or October (Lev. 23. 24).

2.) This feast recognized the "New Year Day" of the civil year.[7]

3.) It was observed with the blowing of trumpets all through the land.

6. The Feast of Dedication, not named in the Old Testament. (See John 10. 22.)

1.) This was held in the winter, on the 25th of the month Chisleu (December), and for eight days thereafter.

2.) It commemorated the reconsecration of the Temple by Ju´das Mac´ca-be´us, B. C. 166, after its defilement by the Syr´i-ans.

3.) It was observed by a general illumination of Je-ru´sa-lem; hence often called "the feast of lights."

7. The Feast of Purim, not named in the New Testament, unless it be referred to in John 5. 1.

1.) Held in the early spring, the 14th and 15th of the month Adar (March) (Esth. 9. 21).

2.) Commemorating Queen Esther's deliverance of the Jew´ish people (Esth. 9. 22-26).

3.) Observed with general feasting and rejoicing.

Blackboard Outline

I. Per. Inst. 1. Sab. 2. Ne. Mo. 3. Sev. Ann. Sol. 4. Sab. Ye. 5. Ye. Jub.
II. Sac. Yea.

1. Gr. Fe.		1. Pass. spr. ex. Eg. sla. la.
		2. Pen. sum. giv. la. fir. fru.
		3. Tab. fal. lif. wil. liv. huts.
2. Ann. Fa.	4. Day. At. fal. sin. rec. pr. H. Hol.
3. Les. Fe.		5. Trum. fal. N. Ye. bl. trum.
		6. Ded. win. rec. Tem. ill. Jer.
		7. Pur. spr. Esth. del. fea. rej.

Review Questions

What is meant by "Periodical Institutions"? Name the five general periodical institutions of the Is´ra-el-ites. What did the Sabbath commemorate? What were the new moons? How many times in the year were observed by the Is´ra-el-ites? What was the Sabbatical Year? What was the Year of Jubilee? Name the three great feasts. When was each great feast observed? What did each feast commemorate? How was each feast observed? What took place on the Day of Atonement? What did the Day of Atonement represent? What were the three lesser feasts? When was each observed? What did each lesser feast commemorate? How were these feasts observed?

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