Why was the sacrificial altar divided north and east?

[donanobis]

I have now got to Leviticus in my bible study as part of my NY resolution and have a(nother) question.

In Leviticus, when a sheep or goat was offered “The man who brings it will kill it before the Lord on the north side of the altar…” For a bird “the priest will remove the crop and the feathers and throw them on the east side of the altar with the ashes”

What is the significance of the “north” and “east” directions? There may be more (south and west) but that is all I have seen so far.

Why was the sacrificial altar divided thus? Is there any correlation to the altar we use in the present day for Mass as far as offering in a certain direction?

11 ‘He shall slay it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 1

16 ‘He shall also take away its crop with its feathers and cast it beside the altar eastward, to the place of the ashes.

dona

 

[NotWorthy]

First of all, if there is any book that is good to read as a Lenten Devotion, it’s Leviticus! :yawn:

I’m not sure of the reasoning, but I will look in my Navarre Study Bible to see if they have any light to shed on the subject.

One thing you will notice with the Old Testament, as people traveled East, they traveled away from God. As they traveled to the west, they approached God. Adam and Eve traveled East after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Abram traveled west to approach the land God promised to them. Israel crossed the Jordan from the east to the west to enter Israel.

For this reason, you’ll see the sanctuary on the western side of the Temple and the Tabernacle. Have you ever wondered why so many Churches face east?

So the birds that you mentioned, which often represent sin in the Old Testament, may need to be placed on the east side of the altar, to show that we are traveling further away from God when we sin.

 

[patrick457]

First of all, if there is any book that is good to read as a Lenten Devotion, it’s Leviticus! :yawn:

I’m not sure of the reasoning, but I will look in my Navarre Study Bible to see if they have any light to shed on the subject.

One thing you will notice with the Old Testament, as people traveled East, they traveled away from God. As they traveled to the west, they approached God. Adam and Eve traveled East after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Abram traveled west to approach the land God promised to them. Israel crossed the Jordan from the east to the west to enter Israel.

For this reason, you’ll see the sanctuary on the western side of the Temple and the Tabernacle. Have you ever wondered why so many Churches face east?

So the birds that you mentioned, which often represent sin in the Old Testament, may need to be placed on the east side of the altar, to show that we are traveling further away from God when we sin.

I wonder about something: if we apply this east-west idea to other instances of OT travel, does that mean that Israel was, in a sense, travelling ‘away from’ God when they crossed the sea or went into Sinai (because they traveled from west to the east)?

 

[donanobis]

First of all, if there is any book that is good to read as a Lenten Devotion, it’s Leviticus! :yawn:

I shall continue my NY resolution in spite of Lent!! So, there! It may be like going to Mass, once you get lax about it, well you know the rest. However, if you were giving me a compliment, then THANK YOU! sorry about the misunderstanding. I’m new to CAF and am not used to how people relate to each other, (yet, but I’m learning).

I’ve read so many comments on CAF complaining about Exodus and Leviticus but I have found it less than something to yawn about. When you invite the Holy Spirit along, all kinds of inspirations/questions pop up! Even if another spirit (God forbid) peeks in and suggests something, no harm done if your intention is in the right place? Would you agree with that?

If you look at the OT as a foreshadowing of the NT, it actually becomes quite fascinating and inspiring, almost like a giant puzzle.

I’m not sure of the reasoning, but I will look in my Navarre Study Bible to see if they have any light to shed on the subject.

thank you,. looking forward to your answer.

dona

 

[NotWorthy]

I wonder about something: if we apply this east-west idea to other instances of OT travel, does that mean that Israel was, in a sense, travelling ‘away from’ God when they crossed the sea or went into Sinai (because they traveled from west to the east)?

Well, they traveled “toward” the promised land (since Egypt is west of Israel), but I don’t know.

 

[NotWorthy]

I shall continue my NY resolution in spite of Lent!! So, there! It may be like going to Mass, once you get lax about it, well you know the rest. However, if you were giving me a compliment, then THANK YOU! sorry about the misunderstanding. I’m new to CAF and am not used to how people relate to each other, (yet, but I’m learning).

I have trouble getting inspired while reading Leviticus. I love Genesis and Exodus, but can get bogged down in the rest of the Pentateuch (I just finished Numbers this morning and I’m heading into Deuteronomy).

I’ve read so many comments on CAF complaining about Exodus and Leviticus but I have found it less than something to yawn about. When you invite the Holy Spirit along, all kinds of inspirations/questions pop up! Even if another spirit (God forbid) peeks in and suggests something, no harm done if your intention is in the right place? Would you agree with that?

If you look at the OT as a foreshadowing of the NT, it actually becomes quite fascinating and inspiring, almost like a giant puzzle.

thank you,. looking forward to your answer.

dona

You would love an online Bible Study at AgapeBibleStudy.Com! Michal Hunt is doing all of the Pentateuch. She has just finished Exodus and is soon going to start on Leviticus (in March). You will find the study well worth your time! She’s also got numerous studies on New Testament Scriptures (John, Romans, Hebrews, James, Revelation, etc.).

Good Luck!

 

[NotWorthy]

Was it significant of some great sign or something? Did it point to something far greater?

I had to laugh when I read what the Navarre says:

Some scholars think that the fact that the killing of the animal took palce on the north of the altar had to do with the idea that God dwelt away in the north (see Isaiah 14:13, Ezekiel 1:4, and Psalms 48:3). However,** it seems likely that the only reason the north is mentioned is that this was the only part of the altar that was free**. The southern side was taken up by the staircase leading to the altar; on the west was the bronze basin containing the water for the washings (see Exodus 30:18 and 40:30), while the east was where the ashes were collected (see Leviticus 1:16)

In other words, the northern part of the altar was the only place the sacrifice would fit!

Its like I say to the various numerologists looking for spiritual significance in every number mentioned in the Bible. “Sometimes a number is just a number!”

 

[donanobis]

Was it significant of some great sign or something? Did it point to something far greater?

I had to laugh when I read what the Navarre says:
In other words, the northern part of the altar was the only place the sacrifice would fit!

Sounds pretty darn logical to me. :twocents: Thanks for looking it up.

Its like I say to the various numerologists looking for spiritual significance in every number mentioned in the Bible. “Sometimes a number is just a number!”

You mean those who say they have cracked the **bible code **are full of ‘moose droppings’’ ? (couldn’t find a smilie for this) I have not read any books about it but doesn’t this have to do with numbers? Are those who crack this code numerologists?

dona

 

[NotWorthy]

You mean those who say they have cracked the **bible code **are full of ‘moose droppings’’ ? (couldn’t find a smilie for this) I have not read any books about it but doesn’t this have to do with numbers? Are those who crack this code numerologists?
dona

Those who THINK that they have cracked the code are full of Moose Droppings (maybe its better NOT to have a smilie for that!).

There is significance in numbers in the Bible… I fully understand that. But the secret code that unlocks all the secrets of the Bible… well, yes, moose droppings is a very good way to put it.