They came day after day in a steady stream, entering the temple with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. They came bearing their gifts, animals of various kinds to be presented to the priests. They came bringing their sacrifice for purification of sins and to make reparation to God. They came to make their offerings to the priests, who would take such offerings to the altar of the Lord and burn them in the sacrificial rite. The people of God came to make such offerings to God through the priests who would carry out the rituals day after day so that sins might be cleansed, and they could obtain the peace that they sought. The people came to make their offerings, but it was the priests who took those offerings to the altar and made the sacrifice. It was the priests who would spill the …