Key Verse : And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a trespass offering” (Leviticus 7:5).
Sacrifices in the Old Testament were symbolic gestures showing the obligation of sinful man to present another life in place of his own. Thus, substitution pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the remission of the sins of the world.
There were various forms of sacrifices in Bible days, namely, burnt offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings and trespass offerings. By these, the offerer expressed his loyalty and devotion to God. However, presenting the blood of animals to God symbolized the offering of the worshipper’s life to God for his sins and pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. Whether the sacrifices were of bulls, grains, goats or sheep, the object of sacrifice had to be physically perfect with no defects.
The system of sacrifice symbolized the necessity for people to present themselves perfect before God (Romans 12:1). This emphasized the sacredness of an offering set apart unto the Lord.
Christ has paid the supreme penalty by yielding His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. This is final and complete as there is no other sacrifice for sin. We are enjoined to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is [our] reasonable service”. The Lord no longer delights in the abundance of sacrifices but in a contrite and broken spirit. This is the acceptable sacrifice. What sacrifice are you offering to God today? Jesus Christ, the only Son of God is the last sacrifice.
Thought for the Day : Outside Christ, all other sacrifices are invalid.