Doves

[God told Moses to tell the people] “’’And when the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting, a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.  

“’’Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood.  This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female. 

“’’But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.’’” Leviticus 12:8

With this Old Testament sacrifice (repeated in the New Testament – Luke 2:22), God provided for those of various means to meet this requirement.  

Two mandatory sacrifices were offered to atone for sin and cleanse from defilement.  There were five possible options that were acceptable in order on the identity and financial situation of the giver:

1.      a young bull

2.     a male goat

3.     a female goat

4.     a dove/pigeon

5.     one tenth of an ephah of fine flour.

For example, a female goat was the sin offering for the common person, fine flour was the sacrifice of the very poor, a young bull was offered for the high priest and the congregation, and so on.

Each sacrifice had specific instructions for what to do with the blood of the animal during the ceremony.  The fatty portions and lobe of the liver and kidneys were given to God by burning them. 

The rest of the animal was either totally burned on the altar and the ashes thrown outside the camp (in atoning for the high priest and congregation) or eaten within the tabernacle court.

Take care with love, especially His, from Darlene, who still prays for you each day.