Our Offerings: Exaltation or Excrement?

Man-made religious systems suffer from an ever-increasing depraved sense of what the being worshiped wants or needs with regard to offerings and sacrifices.  Arnobius addressed this problem as he attacked the sacrificial practice of the pagans.  Finally, he engages them with a reversal of roles.

Lo, if dogs—for a case must be imagined, in order that things may be seen more clearly—if dogs, I say, and asses, and along with them water-wagtails, if the twittering swallows, and pigs also, having acquired some of the feelings of men, were to think and suppose that you were gods, and to propose to offer sacrifices in your honor, not of other things and substances, but of those with which they are wont to be nourished and supported, according to their natural inclination,—we ask you to say whether you would consider this an honor, or rather a most outrageous affront, when the swallows slew and consecrated flies to you, the water-wagtails ants; when the asses put hay upon your altars, and poured out libations of chaff; when the dogs placed bones, and burned human excrement* at your shrines; when, lastly, the pigs poured out before you a horrid mess, taken from their frightful hog-pools and filthy maws?

The Case against the Pagans, Book VII, 17.1

The apologist wants to help these worshipers understand that just as animals might bring something pleasing to themselves but disgusting to humankind, the pagans' reaction would be anger and revulsion.  This is only logical since the true intent of the sacrifice is to please self, not the supposed recipient who would consider the offering unpalatable and noxious.

Would you not in this case, then, be inflamed with rage that your greatness was treated with contumely, and account it an atrocious wrong that you were greeted with filth?  But, you reply, you honor the gods with the carcasses of bulls, and by the slaughter of other living creatures.  And in what respect does this differ from that, since these sacrifices, also, if they are not yet, will nevertheless soon be, dung, and will become rotten after a very short time has passed?  Finally, cease to place fire upon† your altars, then indeed you will see that consecrated flesh of bulls, with which you magnify the honor of the gods, swelling and heaving with worms, tainting and corrupting the atmosphere, and infecting the neighboring districts with unwholesome smells.

The Case against the Pagans, Book VII, 17.2

If the gods to whom this supposed feast of meats and foods turned the tables and insisted the worshiper eat first, the truth of the slop and refuse offered would be manifest as the worshiper runs for cover and repents for daring to be so careless.

Now, if the gods were to enjoin you to turn these things your own account, to prepare luncheons and dinners from them‡ in the usual way; you would flee to a distance, and, execrating the smell, would beg pardon from the gods, and bind yourselves by oath never again to offer such sacrifices to them.

The Case against the Pagans, Book VII, 17.3

How has the Lord's people fared in this regard?  Before giving the Law, God made definite statements concerning sacrifices.§  Then on Sinai, he specified exacting requirements to Moses in the Levitical code for offerings to be considered acceptable.  Failure to adhere could and did have devastating results as in the fate of Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-2).  Even seemingly minor infractions tangentially related incurred God's discipline (2 Sam 6:6-7; 1 Chr 13:9-10) in order to reinforce that God's things are to be regarded as holy.  After these strict and striking examples, the elect maintained proper reverence for a certain amount of time, though the fervor waned.  The latent sin nature worked and worshipers grew lax and began to divert from what they had been taught.  Eventually, apathy set in.  The people either sought after other gods or approached the true God with unsuitable sacrifices.

God exposes the hypocrisy shown by the latter who know the truth but are apathetic.  Through the prophet Malachi (1:6-8) he speaks:

A son honors his father, and a servant his master.  If then I am a father, where is my honor?  And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name.  But you say, “How have we despised your name?”  By offering polluted food upon my altar.  But you say, “How have we polluted you?”  By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised.  When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil?  And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.”

Someone will remark, “Surely Christians do a better job of this.  We have the abiding Holy Spirit.”  Such is not the case.  Notable examples of Christians acting in unholy ways have resulted in death and sickness (Acts 5:1-11; 1 Cor 11:29-20; 1 John 5:16).  The lack of similar instances serves more to demonstrate the Father's tender mercies than any idea of increasing levels of goodness in the elect.

Care is be exercised when seeking the Lord's presence in worshiping him.  God holds his name in high esteem.  What is practiced, whether or not planned and performed in sincerity, must accord with those things revealed about himself.  This takes humble, yet dedicated, effort, but not doing so reveals that we have no regard for who he is.  To that end I leave the final remarks—again given to Malachi (1:9-14):

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering.  For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.  But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.  But you say, “What a weariness this is,” and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering!  Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.  Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.  For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

* Compare Arnobius' satirical device to the divine commands in Exodus 29:13-14.
† Lit., “under,” i.e., under the sacrifices on your altars.
‡ I.e., from the putrefying carcasses.
§ See Job 42:8.