How was the extremely large number of animal sacrifices in the Old Testament possible?

Thus we know for certain that the most fundamental requirement of all, the Levitical ritual, was not practised; and if they did not prove faithful in that which was most urgent as well as least difficult in point of means for executing it, we can hardly suppose that they carried out their obedience in what was surrounded with immense if not insuperable obstacles. Even before the law from Abraham's days there certainly was no injunction more solemn or more obligatory than the circumcision of every male child; yet we are assured that no male was circumcised during Israel's wandering for forty years through the wilderness. This fact appears to be of some importance, because notoriously difficulties have been raised, on the score of practicability, as to the various ordinances requiring sacrifices and offerings where the means did not appear. We hear of sin and trespass-offerings, peace and burnt-offerings, meat-offerings and drink-offerings, not to speak of the daily lambs and occasional victims. Men have reasoned with great detail, especially in recent years, enquiring how all this could be done in the desert by a people who found it hard enough to pass unscathed themselves, though they had Jehovah their God with them to feed them with angels' bread, and water if need were from the rock. But God, in fact, is always left out of the calculations of unbelief. For although there were flocks and herds led into the wilderness with the children of Israel at the command of Jehovah, and they may have added more from enemies they conquered, the fact just now referred to meets and removes a host of objections raised about it, and proves that the nature of these ordinances has not been understood.

As regards the small number of priests making it impossible they could fulfil their services, unless in the case of the offering of birds, it is a mistake to think the priest had anything to do, save to receive the blood and arrange a burnt-offering on the altar. All the operations of slaying, flaying, cutting up, were done by the offerer. But let it be remembered we are speaking of history.

In Numbers 28 and Numbers 29, we have very full instructions as to the various sacrifices that were to be offered — day by day, both morning and evening; on the sabbaths; at the beginning of the months; and on the occasion of the great feasts that marked the Israelitish year. In verse 2 they are spoken of as "My offering," "My bread," "My sacrifices." Thus God claimed them as His right. They were not optional but compulsory.

Every morning and evening the blood of a spotless lamb was to be poured out at the foot of the altar, and all the pieces of it were to be offered up as a whole burnt-offering (see Lev. 1), and the sweet savour of the propitiatory sacrifice went up from the altar to God. There was a positive commandment never to let the fire of the altar go out; it was a perpetual ordinance for the children of Israel. However numerous the various sacrifices which might be offered on this altar, according to the detailed instructions in the book of Leviticus, the daily morning and evening burnt-offering was never to be omitted. "It is a continual burnt-offering which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord." For the Sabbath and for the other feasts special sacrifices were appointed; but these were never to replace or exclude "the continual burnt-offering." (Num. 28, 29.)

Precious was this offering. So at all their feasts, and on stated occasions provided by the law, as well as on special occasions as they arose in after years, this offering was always in season. Each morning and each evening it was offered up on the altar - the first sacrifice in the morning, the last in the evening. This was a standing ordinance in Israel, ever to be remembered and observed. At the close of each week, on the Sabbath, a special burnt-sacrifice was appointed in addition. At the commencement of each month a burnt-offering of the flock and of the herd was enjoined. At each of the feasts, and on each day of the feasts, special burnt-offerings were commanded; and so on the day of atonement. At Aaron's consecration, too, this sacrifice had its place, and again at the setting apart of the Levites. No mother in Israel would rejoice over the birth of her child, whether male or female, without bringing for her purification the appointed sacrifice for a burnt-offering. Each leper, too, that was cleansed was reminded of his need of it ere he could re-enter his tent in the camp, and be at home there again; and every one, whether man or woman, made unclean by an issue was taught the importance, in his or her case, of bringing a burnt-offering to God. So on special occasions Samuel at Mizpeh (1 Sam. 7), David on mount Moriah (2 Sam. 24), Elijah at Carmel (1 Kings 19), offered burnt-offerings to the Lord. And on that day when the Lord, under the symbol of the ark, first took up His Abode in Jerusalem, David sacrificed burnt offerings after they had carried it into the tent prepared for it on mount Zion. (2 Sam. 6)

A reading of the Old Testament will show that the whole religious service revealed to Israel was principally worship. There was a sanctuary, — a threefold sanctuary, we might say, — court, holy, and most holy place; there was a priesthood, carefully set apart to God; there were sacrifices, daily and special; there were special set times, or feasts, for the offering up of prescribed sacrifices. All this was to emphasize to the Israelite that he was a worshiper. The sacrifices which more particularly met his need, such as the sin- and trespass-offerings, were still presented to God in worship; while a far more prominent place was given to the burnt-offerings, which were more directly acts of worship, of a sweet savor to God. A notable feature of the ritual was the repetition of this offering on certain occasions (Num. 28) , while such was the multitude of beasts offered at the dedication of the temple that the altar of burnt-offering was not sufficiently large, and the court had to be used for a similar purpose (1 Kings 8:64).

For the bullock, or for the offering from the flock, the sons of Aaron were needed. One priest could place the dismembered sheep on the altar, but more than one was needed to do that work, when a bullock was in question. And in every case where the burnt offering was a beast of any kind, the sons of Aaron were engaged in sprinkling the blood round about on the altar before God. The amount of work to be done evidently regulated the number of priests whose services were called into requisition. On the other hand, whatever the animal might be that was offered in sacrifice, there was always but one priest, who burnt it on the altar (9). It was priestly work to deal with the blood, and it was priestly work to officiate at the altar; but it was the offerer's part to prepare the animal for the altar, either by washing the inwards and legs of the beast, or by removing the crop and its filth from the bird. The offerer's doing this was significant. For the one of whom the victim, the offerer, and the priest were all types, needed not the services of another to cleanse Him. He Himself was all clean, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Hence as the Holy One offering up Himself, it was the part of the offerer of the burnt sacrifice to provide that whatever was laid on the altar should be already clean. In this the type falls short of the antitype, for the offerer cleansed the animal; yet it was in perfect keeping with the truth about the person of the Lord Jesus, that the offerer, not the priest, should see that the animal was clean. But who that understands anything of man, could have conceived that one born of woman could be in Himself perfectly clean. None could have surmised that, true though it was, as we gladly own, of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence in this as in other particulars, we see how all was really arranged of God.

The number of carts with these lavers (10) was necessary for the large number of animals that must be washed before being offered. At the dedication of the temple, 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep were offered! (ch.8:63). How good it is to know that the offering of the Lord Jesus has canceled all those Old Testament offerings (Heb.10:1-14). But those many offerings do draw attention to the fact that an infinitely great sacrifice must eventually be offered if the sins of mankind were to be atoned for.

The dedication of the temple required sacrifice, just as anything dedicated to the Lord must be accompanied by sacrifice, as was true even in the case of the Lord Jesus when consecrated to God soon after His birth (Lk.2:22-24). The sacrifice then spoke of His own sacrifice, which is infinitely more valuable than 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep. These were peace offerings, speaking of the fellowship between God and the people accomplished by the sacrifice of Christ, making the way clear for God to dwell with mankind, as the temple illustrates. When these were offered, the house was dedicated (v.63). At the same tune Solomon consecrated the middle of the court for the offering of these sacrifices, because they were too many to offer on the copper altar.

Now when we remember the vast numbers, that gathered to the appointed place, Jerusalem, and that there were only from ten to twenty to each lamb, the number of passover lambs must have been very great. See Josephus, Wars, vi., ix. 3, and Book ii., chap. 14:3 ― 56,000 lambs are said to have been sacrificed. And further, as the passover occupied some considerable time it would seem that most of the night would be occupied before all had eaten it, only nothing must be left until the morning. There was a division in the service of the supper before the lamb was eaten; so that there is no contradiction or difficulty when we read, "Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not in to the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the passover." Thus it would appear they returned to finish the passover by eating the lamb at the very hour they delivered Jesus to the Gentile power to be tried and killed. (John 18:28.)