THE ONLY SUBSTITUTE
SIN:
Sin is a term used to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e. Divine law. Sin includes a failure to do what is right. But sin also offends people; it is violence and lovelessness toward other people, and ultimately, rebellion against God.
Israelites understood sin as going in the wrong direction, the crossing of God’s boundaries that brings confusion, disorder and alienation into God’s order of creation. From the perspective of the priests, this disruption is frequently represented as pollution, a defilement of God’s pristine world. It is so serious that the only way to restore order is for the offender to die, to remove the pollution and chaos from the world. Eze 18:4, Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
GOD’S GRACE:
Here, the Israelites came to one of their most profound insights into the nature of God. They understood that God has the power as Creator immediately to carry out the penalty promised to the humans for violation of the boundaries. He could restore the order and harmony of His creation by immediately removing the cause of the disruption. But the Israelites also understood that God has chosen not to act as that kind of judge. He has chosen to seek the reconciliation of humanity to Himself rather than to carry out a penalty or to preserve a pristine world by force. They understood God in terms of mercy and grace as much as in terms of justice!
Israelites also realized that in a liturgical act of worship, the offering of the sacrifice acknowledges that were it not for the grace of God, it is the worshipper who would die! Yet, it is also a symbol of the grace and mercy of God, the recognition that God has chosen to accept less than the life of the worshipper, less than absolute retributive justice. There is a sacrament that testifies to the nature of God.
The clearest illustration of this understanding of sacrifice is found in the rituals associated with the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. This day was observed after the New Year celebration in the fall to confess the people’s sins of the past year. After the proper preparations, a bull was sacrificed and its blood sprinkled before the mercy seat, the symbolic throne of God in the Temple. This symbolized the cleansing or covering of the pollution caused by the sins of the people. Since the life is in the blood and hence the shedding of blood represented the loss of life itself, the removal of the disruption caused by sin.
Then two goats were chosen to represent the people’s sins. One of the goats was sacrificed and its blood also symbolically sprinkled. The rest of the sacrifices would then be burned on the altar as an offering to God. This graphically illustrated the seriousness of sin. The second goat became the scapegoat. The priest would first place his hands on the goat’s head while confessing the sins of the people. Then the goat was driven into the desert as a symbol of the removal of sin, the removal of the disorder and alienation caused by sin and the restoration of God’s order, God’s peace in the world.
Besides this annual atonement, sacrifices could be made periodically for various sins committed by individuals or the community as a whole. While the specific rituals varied, sacrifice was the central feature, usually the sacrifice of an animal. Again, the primary function of the sacrifice was to acknowledge in an act of worship the seriousness of the offense and the disruption it would inevitably introduce into the community. The liturgy provided the structure and the occasion in which public confession could be made to the community and to God. The sacrifice provided a graphic symbol of the removal of the disruption or pollution that unfaithfulness to God had introduced. That removal served to affirm the continued relationship between the worshipper and his/her community and God.
Yet from our modern perspective so influenced by purely legal ways of thinking introduced from the first centuries of the church, we tend to see Old Testament sacrifice in negative terms as the working out of a penalty. In fact, a careful examination of the Old Testament reveals that sacrifice was intended as a symbol of God’s grace, a joyous celebration of a God who could not be manipulated by enchantment, yet who freely chose to reconcile sinful humanity to Himself. The Israelites did not view God only as one who was eager to punish transgression, although divine judgment and justice was certainly part of how they understood God. They saw that God’s response is one of forgiveness and grace!
SEA OF BLOOD:
The Old Covenant sailed on a sea of blood, for two vast reasons. First, to emphasize the seriousness of sin. The Bible takes sin seriously, more than any other religion. Sin alienates one from God. Sin is rooted in the souls of humanity. Sin cannot be vindicated by any self-help program. Sin leads to death—and it will not be denied. The second reason is the costliness of forgiveness. Death is the payment. It will either the life of an innocent substitute or ours!
The violations of God’s boundaries, with the resulting disruption and defilement of the community and the world, were taken so seriously in the Old Testament that the sacrificial rituals were observed for accidental or unintentional sins also (Lev. 4-5; Job 1:5). The idea was that, sin even if accidental, brought a disruption of God’s order and harmony that needed correction. In fact, in the Old Testament covenant, it was only these unwitting sins that could be addressed in worship by sacrifice. Sins deliberately committed, with a “high hand,” were considered to be a total rejection of God and his covenant. This placed the person outside of relationship with God, a situation that could not be addressed in worship of God.
So in the course of time, millions of animals and birds were slain by Israel’s priests and Levites as part of the worship installed by Yahweh the Almighty God of Israel. It was a ghastly, gory drama to say the least; and it went on year after year for many centuries. Nevertheless, costly and gory though the sacrificial system was, it was designed by the Almighty to teach several very important lessons; which no other educational process could hope to match. The lessons Yahweh wanted to teach His people, and the angelic host which looked on in stunned amazement, were as follows:
That the result of disobedience is death: the death of each animal being a dramatic reminder of that fact that the process of purging sin is a costly and gory affair. That access to Yahweh’s presence without first being purged from sin is totally impossible: for only the purified believer could stand before a righteous God! All others must keep at a distance or risk being consumed by His holiness and glory. That God Himself would - at the appointed time - pay the enormous price of salvation by shedding His own life blood in the person of His only begotten Son. And that a repentant sinner would be forgiven his sin, if he had faith in the Most High and presented the prescribed offering.
GOD’S STANDARDS:
We may think, it is not fair of God to set the standard of holiness so high that we cannot reach it, and then judge us for falling short. God has not set an arbitrary standard of holiness as the King sets an arbitrary standard of height for his Life Guards. A man may have all the other qualifications, but if he is an inch too short he is disqualified. God has not really set a standard at all; He is the standard. He is holiness in the absolute-holiness Personified-and to preserve His own character, He must maintain that absolute standard in all His dealings with man, irrespective of the tremendous problems it creates for both Him and us.
Our conscience and our common sense compels us to admit that, we had fallen short, as far as we are concerned, of God’s standard of absolute holiness and that therefore we are sinners in His sight. Quick on our admission of having sinned came God’s condemnation that the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Thus, as far as God’s standard was concerned, we are lost, and as God’s standard was the only one by which we are to be judged in Eternity, we are hopelessly lost. We begin to see that it didn’t matter at all what we thought, or what our friends told us; the judgment would be on what God has said, not what our friends told. Moreover, because in His judgment we had all sinned, there was no use in looking to our fellows for help, for they were under the same condemnation as ourselves.
But why should God judge our sin as worthy of death? It is because of His infinite holiness no sin could exist in His presence. In Central Africa a native chief may club his wife to death on slight provocation without falling in the slightest degree in the estimation of his people, while the same act in our land would have to be paid for by the life of the murderer. The act is the same in both lands, but in one instance no judgment; in the other, quick retribution; and the difference is simply the result of our enlightenment. If a sin in Central Africa which is considered as nothing would lose a man his life in our land, think, if you can what a sin which appears to us as nothing must look like to an infinitely Holy God - For God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all (I John 1:5).
Lev 19:2, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. Mat 5:48, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 1Jn 3:2-3, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
ANIMAL SACRIFICES:
Animal sacrifices may be traced back to the dawn of human history: to the creation of humans when Adam and his son Abel sacrificed animals to gain access to the Almighty’s presence and favour. Genesis 4:4, And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Since Adam’s day generations of believers have sacrificed animals as an expression of faith and a means of reconciliation (Gen.8:20-21, 12:7, 13:18). So down through the ages many thousands of animals were sacrificed as a means of access to Yahweh’s holy presence. Later, again by divine decree, animal sacrifices were included in the laws given to Israel through Moses: but with a difference: The blood of the sacrifices was to be brought to the Door of the Tabernacle (Exodus 29:11,32,42) and later to the Temple in Jerusalem and there an Aaronic priest would consecrate the sacrifice and apply its blood to the altar and the repentant sinner.
In the old covenant there were two sets of Laws. One the primary laws (Deut.6:5, Exodus 20:1-17), which were written on tablets of stone and the people of Israel agreed to obey them. Unfortunately Israel broke her part of the agreement. Isa 30:9, That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Israel committed spiritual adultery with pagan gods and grievously sinned. Having sinned, Yahweh’s secondary laws, involving animal sacrifices, cleansing, pardon and reconciliation came into effect. If forgiveness was not sought via this prescribed route then other secondary laws (penal laws) would be applied. There are more laws mentioned in the Scriptures which are concerning marriage, property, agriculture, food etc. For the purpose of reconciliation and forgiveness of their sins and trespasses, the Israelites were to offer the following sacrifices.
The Burnt Offering: For which a male lamb, ram, goat or bullock was prescribed. The case in 1 Sam.6:14 is extraordinary. The blood was sprinkled round about/upon the altar, and the entire animal was consumed on the altar. It was expressive of the entire self-dedication of the offerer to Jehovah.
The Sin/Trespass Offering: In which a bullock, a male or female goat, a female lamb a dove or a pigeon was used. The blood was symbolically displayed, but in different ways. The fat only was burnt on the altar. The flesh of those sin offerings of which the blood was taken into the sanctuary was burnt without the camp, whereas the flesh of other sin offerings and of trespass offerings belonged to the priests. No part of these offerings was eaten by the offerer; as in the peace offerings; for the sacrificer came as one unworthy of communication with God, and these offerings were for the purpose of expiation.
The Peace Offering: (a) Thank offerings in recognition of unmerited and unexpected blessing. (b) Votive offerings in payment of vows. (c) Freewill offerings, probably not in gratitude for a special favour but as an expression of irrepressible love for God (Lev.3). The blood was sprinkled; the fat was consumed on the altar; and when the offering was private, the breast and shoulder went to the priest and the rest of the flesh was eaten by the offerer and his friends before the Lord at the place of the sanctuary (Lev 3, 7:11-27; Ex.29:20-28; Deut.12:7, 18; 1 Sam 2:15-17).
The Daily Sacrifice: This sacrifice, as its name implies, was offered every day. One lamb was killed in the morning and another in the evening. The daily sacrifice is also called the continual burnt offering. Num 28:3-4, And thou shalt say unto them, this is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even.
Sabbath Sacrifice: In addition to the daily sacrifice there was the Sabbath sacrifice. Num 28:9-10, And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot. This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath beside the continual burnt offering.
New Moon Sacrifice: Then at the start of each month a further sacrifice was commanded. Num 28:11,15, And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the Lord shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
Sacrifices during the Passover Week: During the Passover week the following additional sacrifices were required. Num 28:16,19,24, And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord. But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish. After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
Sacrifices at Pentecost: At the Feast of First Fruits (Pentecost) further sacrifices were required. Num 28:26-31, But ye shall offer for burnt offerings for a sweet savour unto the Lord; 2 young bullocks, 1 ram, 7 lambs of the first year and 1 kid of the goats to make an atonement for you.
Sacrifices at Trumpets: At this Feast the number of sacrifices varied slightly. Num 29:1-5, And ye shall offer for a burnt offering 1 young bullock, 1 ram, 7 lambs of the first year without blemish and 1 kid of the goats for a sin offering to make atonement for you.
Sacrifices on the Day of Atonement: The sacrifices on this fast day were similar to those on the Feast of Trumpets. Num 29:7-11, 1 young bullock, 1 ram, 7 lambs of the first year and 1 kid of the goats. In Lev.16 we are told of how another bullock and two goats were involved in a special ceremony to make atonement for the priesthood and the people.
Sacrifices during Tabernacles: The sacrifices during Ingathering (Tabernacles) were numerous. According to the details given in Number 29:12-40 they were: Bulls Rams Lambs Goats first day: 13, 2, 14, 1; second day: 12, 2, 14, 1; third day: 11, 2, 14, 1; fourth day: 10, 2, 14, 1; fifth day: 9, 2, 14, 1; sixth day: 8, 2, 14, 1; seventh day: 7, 2, 14, 1; eighth day: 1, 1, 7, 1. Totals: 71+15+105+8 = 199 animals.
Annual Total: Adding these national sacrifices together the following totals emerge: Bulls, Rams, Lambs and Goats. Daily sacrifice 708; Sabbath sacrifice 96; New Moon 24, 12, 84 ,12; Passover Week 14, 7, 49, 7; Feast of Pentecost 2, 1, 7, 1; Feast of Trumpets 1, 1, 7, 1; Day of Atonement 2, 1, 7, 3; Tabernacles 71, 15, 105, 8. ANNUAL TOTAL: 114+37+1063+32 = 1246 animals.
All these sacrifices were to be accompanied by prescribed amounts of drink, flour and oil. These totals only represent those made by the nation of Israel. In addition there were the personal sacrifices made by individual Israelites. They included burnt Offerings, sin/trespass Offerings, peace and votive offerings. All these offerings, which totaled many thousands of animals each year, were made in addition to the totals already mentioned. The sacrificial system, in other words, was an extremely gory and costly affair involving many thousands of animals every year.
If a person could not afford an animal, there were provisions made for substitution of a grain offering (Lev 5:11-13). This suggests that it was not just the killing of an animal and the shedding of blood that was important, but the act of worship itself. This casts doubt on a commonly accepted idea that God rejected Cain’s offering because it was not a blood sacrifice (Gen 4:5). Grain offering is accepted only when the sinner is not able to afford an animal. Either a grain or blood sacrifice symbolized the forfeiture of life itself as an atonement (cleansing, covering) for the violation (Lev 1:4-13; Num 15:22-26).
Furthermore these sacrifices were not a mere appeasement of deity as it is the case with the gentiles. Though they did not by themselves achieve reconciliation with God, they did symbolize the forfeiture of life that can result from crossing God’s boundaries. They symbolized the recognition by the worshiper that his or her own life was to be forfeited. And they symbolized the repentance and contrition that God is willing to accept as a proper response to His offer of new life.
Sacrifices of the Gentiles: For the gentiles there were gods for everything: a god of rain, a god of crops, a god of death, etc. These gods represented the instability of the forces of nature and the precariousness of human existence. The world existed at the whim of these gods. They had to be constantly appeased and made happy to bring any order into the uncertainty of human life. If the gods were angry, they believed the world would collapse into a chaotic state that would destroy humanity and everything else. So, if the right sacrifice were not performed, it might not rain. Or, if a fertility ritual were not done at the proper time, the sun might not come up, or springtime might not come!
As a result, human relationship to their gods was magical with little moral or ethical accountability. Sacrifices, and worship, were magical acts to get the gods to do what the people wanted or needed. The greater the need, the more drastic the magical action required, even to the point of human sacrifice (2 Kings 3:26-27; note Micah 6:7).
Requirement for the sacrifice: God in the Old Testament emphasized repeatedly that only ceremonially clean animals were acceptable for sacrifice. The animals had to be “without spot” (Num 19:2; 28:3,9,11; 29:17,26; etc.) and “without blemish” (Ex 12:5; 29:1; Lev 1:3, 10; 3:1, 6; 4:3, 23, 28, 32; 5:15, 18; 6:6; 9:2, 3; 14:10; 22:19, 21; 23:12, 18; etc.). The animals offered had to be perfect physical specimens (Duet 15:21). Any defect no matter how small disqualified that animal. You shall offer of your own free will a male without blemish from the cattle, sheep, or from the goats, but whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be accepted on your behalf.
And whoever offers a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it (Lev 22:19-21). The requirement for clean animals preceded the giving of the law for after the flood Noah offered to God burnt offerings of every clean animal and ever clean bird (Gen. 8:20).
Num 19:2, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: The requirement for this blood or the life given for the remission has to free from all sins and iniquities, without spot, without blemish and never yoked. All these requirements typified the moral perfection.
GOD PROVIDES HIMSELF A LAMB:
Each time an innocent animal’s blood was spilled and a worshipper entered the presence of the Almighty, it was a dramatic object lesson which pointed to the price Yahweh Himself would pay to make salvation possible. And what was the price that the Almighty Himself had planned to pay to secure man’s salvation? It was the life-blood of His only begotten Son. Yes every animal sacrifice that was made at God’s command was in fact a dramatic pointer to Christ’s death on Calvary! Indeed the whole sacrificial system was a symbolic drama unfolding the Almighty’s provision for man’s forgiveness, cleansing and eternal salvation from sin and death.
How true was Abraham’s description of Yahweh’s provision and personal involvement in sacrifice when he answered Isaac’s question about the sacrificial lamb: Gen 22:7-8, And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, my father: and he said, here am I, my son. And he said, behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
And God did provide the Lamb - His only begotten Son. Indeed He provided a grown Ram which portrays His own (still hidden) involvement in the Plan of Salvation. That experience was also a spiritual object lesson designed to teach Abraham and the watching heavenly host that Yahweh Himself would one day pay the ultimate sacrifice to secure man’s salvation.
JESUS IS THE SUBSTITUTE SACRIFICE:
We have noted that because of God’s nature which is holy, just and righteous; and man’s predicament which is guilty of sin, liable to the punishment of eternal death and in bondage to sin and Satan; the only possible way to save man is for a substitute to eliminate man’s guilt, pay the penalty and secure his release from bondage. There are many reasons why only the God-Man, Jesus Christ, could be the substitute for His people.
Necessity: Under the Old Testament, forgiveness or remission was obtained by the repentant saints through the offering of the required blood sacrifice. Though the blood of animals remitted the sins of the Old Testament saints, it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Heb 10:4). To remit means to forgive of or to release from the guilt or penalty of sins, while to redeem means to clear, buy back, or liberate by payment. Redemption requires a payment from someone to someone. But there is no payment with remission. So it has become a necessity that Jesus Christ Himself had to come to pay the price of redemption, not only for the New Testament saints but also for those saints who already had remission of sins that are past.
Another reason that Jesus Christ was to offer Himself as a sacrifice is that the people made it as ritual without repentance and contrition associated with sacrifice. Because of this in 1 Sam 15:22, Ps 51:15-17, Isa 1: 11-15 and Amos 5:21-24 God had to reject the animal sacrifice itself as the means of restoring relationship with Him. It is rather the brokenness of realizing the disorder sin causes that allows the relationship to be restored. This can be seen in the same Ps 51: 18-19 that the sacrifices are a proper symbol of the penitent worshipper who offers them with a true respect of their meaning, with recognition of the cost of sin and its forgiveness.
Only Jesus: Since man sinned, the paying of the penalty involved suffering of body and soul, such as only man is capable of bearing (John 12:27; Acts 3:18; Heb. 2:14; 9:22), in order that sin would be punished in the same nature which incurred the guilt of sin. Also he had to be without blemish and without spot, sinless and perfectly holy because if he himself had the guilt and pollution of sin, he could only suffer and die for his own sins and not for the people.
To meet all these requirements arising out of God’s nature and man’s predicament, He had to be a God-man in order to offer a sacrifice of infinite value to the Father. If the Messiah was a mere man or a mighty angel, then He would not have been able to atone for millions of people from every tribe, nation and tongue (Rev. 5:9). With both a human and divine nature, our Lord not only resisted all the assaults of Satan and temptations of life but conquered death itself.
Christ offered Himself without spot to God (Heb. 9:14). 2Co 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. 1Pe 2:22, Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. 1Jn 3:5, And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 1 Pet. 1:19, Sinners are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot .
When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, he proclaimed: Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Christ gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma (Eph. 5:2). Christ’s expiatory sacrifice removed the liability of God’s wrath and alienation, and our bondage to the law, sin and Satan, accruing from sin.
Christ’s suffering and death were vicarious. Jesus died in our place, as our substitute. Isa. 53:4-6, Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Ezekiel 45:17, And it shall be the PRINCE’S part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, in the Feasts, and in the new moons, and in the Sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: He shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.
Ezekiel’s Temple is a spiritual structure which Yahweh will inhabit through eternity: a structure built on the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ, his sacrifice and his life-blood which was shed for us: a sacrifice, which to the prophet Ezekiel, was still future. The responsibility of providing all the sacrifices in the Temple fell to the PRINCE.
It is a humbling thing to be died for! And we all have had moments of reflection when we have pondered the wonder of soldiers who have died for us have bought life and freedom that is limited, and that will one day end. They themselves were sinners, and needed atonement. If there were only someone who were not a sinner, who was willing to die, and would not have to purge his own sins, then his death would have vicarious, substitutionary grace. And if that perfect, sinless person were God Himself, infinite in power and grace and life, then his acceptance of our penalty would satisfy perfect justice. And this is exactly what happened.
Jesus Christ is God: Jesus provided enough evidence that He is both man and God to His friends and enemies again and again by what he said and did. He would be walking down the road, seemingly like any other man, then turn and say something like, ‘If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.’ Or, very calmly, after being accused of blasphemy, he would say, ‘The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ To the dead he might simply say, ‘Come forth,’ or, ‘Rise up.’ And they would obey. To the storms on the sea he would say, ‘Be still.’ And to a loaf of bread he would say, ‘Become a thousand meals.’ And it was done immediately.
Jesus continually referred to himself in ways that confounded his listeners. Jesus made the audacious statement, “Before Abraham was, I AM. He told Martha and others around her, I AM the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he is dead, yet shall he live. Likewise, Jesus would make statements like, I AM the light of the world, I AM the only way to God, or, I AM the truth.” These and several other of his claims were preceded by the sacred words for God, I AM. The significance of the term, I AM can be seen in the Old Testament.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, when Moses asked God His name at the burning bush, God answered, I AM. He was revealing to Moses that He is the one and only God who is outside of time and has always existed. Incredibly, Jesus was using these holy words to describe himself. Since the time of Moses, no practicing Jew would ever refer to himself or anyone else by I AM.
He was Jesus of Nazareth whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it (Acts 2:24). Because Jesus was God, He had power over life and death. John 10:18, No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again. Christ, who is both God and man, is the only one who meets every biblical condition of a substitute.
NEEDS OF THE SINNERS:
When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He set up as part of the covenant relationship a system of sacrifices that had at its heart the shedding and offering of the blood of unflawed animals to make atonement for ourselves. These sacrifices were typical (that is, as types, they pointed forward to something else). Though sins were in fact left unpunished (Rom. 3:25) when sacrifices were faithfully offered, what actually blotted them out was not the animals’ blood (Heb. 10:11) but the blood of the antitype, the sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, whose death on the cross atoned for all sins that were remitted before the event as well as sins committed after it (Rom. 3:25-26; 4:3-8; Heb. 9:11-15).
As sinners, we lived in bondage to sin and to the kingdom of Satan. As sinners, we deserved to die as the penalty for sin. As sinners, we deserved to bear God’s wrath against sin. As sinners, we were separated from God by our sins. God the divine Judge, is angry with guilty sinners.
Scripture depicts all human beings as needing to atone for their sins but lacking all power and resources for doing so. We have offended our holy Creator, whose nature it is to hate sin (Jer 44:4; Hab 1:13) and to punish it (Ps 5:4-6; Rom 1:18; 2:5-9). No acceptance by, or fellowship with, such a God can be expected unless atonement is made, and since there is sin in even our best actions, anything we do in hopes of making amends can only increase our guilt or worsen our situation. This makes it ruinous folly to seek to establish one’s own righteousness before God (Job 15:14-16; Rom 10:2-3); it simply cannot be done.
But against this background of human hopelessness, Scripture sets forth the love, grace, mercy, pity, kindness, and compassion of God, the offended Creator, in Himself providing the atonement that our sin has made necessary. This amazing grace is the focal center of New Testament faith, hope, worship, ethics, and spiritual life; from Matthew to Revelation it shines out with breathtaking glory.
JESUS CHRIST MEETS ALL THE NEEDS OF THE SINNERS:
Exo 34:6-7, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty. If the Old Testament saints weren’t forgiven they all would have gone to hell when they died. But the Old Testament saints were forgiven but not redeemed until Christ’s death.
Heb 9:12,15, Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
I Pet 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Pet 2:21,24, Christ also suffered for us...who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.
It is Divine justice that demands satisfaction, and it is the Divine compassion that makes the satisfaction. God is the one who holds man in a righteous captivity, and He is the one who pays the ransom that frees him from it. God is the holy Judge of man who requires satisfaction for sin; and God is the merciful Father of man who provides it for him. This fact not only proves the doctrine of vicarious atonement of at most severity, but also evidences it to be the height of mercy and compassion.
New Testament references to the blood of Christ are repeatedly sacrificial (Rom 3:25; 5:9; Eph 1:7; Rev 1:5). As a perfect sacrifice for sin (Rom 8:3; Eph 5:2), Christ’s death was our redemption i.e., our rescue by ransom: the paying of a price that freed us from the jeopardy of guilt, enslavement to sin, and expectation of wrath (Rom 3:24; Gal 4:4-5; Col 1:14).
Propitiation: The Cross propitiated God i.e., quenched his wrath against us by expiating our sins and so removing them from His sight (Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 4:10). 1Jn 2:2, And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
The cross had this propitiatory effect because in His suffering Christ assumed our identity, as it were, and endured the retributive judgment due to us which is the curse of the law (Gal 3:13), as our substitute, in our place, with the damning record of our transgressions nailed by God to His cross as the tally of crimes for which He was now dying (Col 2:14; Matt 27:37; Isa 53:4- 6; Luke 22:37). 1 Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, with atoning sacrifice more properly rendered propitiation.
Reconciliation: Christ’s death was God’s act of reconciling us to Himself, overcoming his own hostility to us that our sins provoked (Rom 5:10; Col 1:20-22). 2Cor 5:18-19, And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
Col. 1:20, For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Redemption: Gal 3:13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. Christ redeemed us from bondage to sin and to Satan, and are indeed slaves to righteousness. 2 Cor 5:21, For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Romans 3:24-25, Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God. Rom 6:18, Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Sacrifice: Christ’s death as a sacrifice paid the penalty for our sins. Heb 9:26, For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
1 Cor 15:3, Christ was offered to bear the sins of many. Christ’s atoning death ratified the inauguration of the new covenant, in which access to God under all circumstances is guaranteed by Christ’s one sacrifice that covers all transgressions (Matt 26:27-28; 1 Cor 11:25; Heb 9:15; 10:12-18).
Gal 1:4, The Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our father. John 10:30, I and my Father are one. Rom 8:32, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
SALVATION:
The word salvation encompasses the following: Redemption: A word which means to buy back one’s own possessions, which have either been lost, stolen or mortgaged. Purification: A process of cleansing which converts a filthy person to an acceptable state of purity. Sanctification: The process of setting apart a soul for sacred use. Atonement: To set at-one those who previously had been at variance. Glory: The granting of honour and power in the Kingdom of Heaven. Eternal Life: To grant immortality to the ransomed soul.
Rom 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The death sentence for the sinners is twofold. One is the physical death. The other one is the second death which is the spiritual death or the death of the soul. But God in His mercy has provided for us escape from this second death by the atonement of our soul through the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Heb 9:22, And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Isa 53:10, Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Lev 17:11, For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Mat 26:28, For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Christ died for us! This is where God the Holy Spirit makes the truth of “atonement” very personal! The truth of salvation is magnificent, and hard to grasp in all its splendor— that God should care for mortal men and women. But that He should care for common, ordinary people like me and you is incomprehensible apart from divine revelation. But God does care! And Jesus died not only for great and famous people in other times and other places; Jesus died for all.
His sacrifice was also intended to be made personal. Though the redemptive provision is for all, it is only for those individuals who have appropriated it for themselves and personalized the "exchange of life", their personal sins were forgiven. Could we really be happy in the presence of One whose love we had rejected, and whose great sacrifice we had not counted worthy of our acceptance? God's love would have forgiven the sinner, but God's righteousness forbade Him. God's righteousness would have judged the sinner, but God's love restrained Him.
In Revelation 6:16, God tells us how those will feel, who refuse now to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and persist in going into eternity in their sins. They call on the mountains and the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.
Every reference to the Saviour’s blood is in fact a reference to ‘his life.’ Sure, Yeshua’s sacrifice was the act of giving up His life. However, His ‘sacrificial death’ doesn’t cleanse us. It is the faithful application of his life-giving blood to our souls that cleanses us from sin. In ancient days, it wasn’t the animal’s death that cleansed the sinner; it was the application or ‘sprinkling of its blood’ upon the sinner that symbolically cleansed him.
They are justified and received the status of adopted children in God’s family (Gal 4:5). Jesus Christ not only came to reveal God, as the Eternal Word, He came to make us the sons and daughters of God as we receive Him by faith! And so He has fully paid our penalty for sin. If we will receive the free gift of atonement, as the Holy Spirit enables us to reach out and take it by faith, we shall be saved. Not because sin is not deadly, and not because we have not sinned, and not because God has simply “excused” sin, but because Jesus died, and so we do not need to pay the penalty ourselves! Jesus died for us!
Heb. 7:25-27, Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his owns sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
Therefore Christ, as fully man was the substitute for mankind in taking the penalty and God’s wrath for our sin. As fully God and fully man His death reconciled those who have faith in Him to God. He also is the only one who could properly intercede or mediate between God and man. Who but the Lord of glory could intercede simultaneously for millions of people twenty four hours a day?
The Bible leaves no room for doubt. In John 14:6, Christ says: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” Acts 4:12, says: “There is none other Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
John 8:32, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
SIN:
Sin is a term used to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e. Divine law. Sin includes a failure to do what is right. But sin also offends people; it is violence and lovelessness toward other people, and ultimately, rebellion against God.
Israelites understood sin as going in the wrong direction, the crossing of God’s boundaries that brings confusion, disorder and alienation into God’s order of creation. From the perspective of the priests, this disruption is frequently represented as pollution, a defilement of God’s pristine world. It is so serious that the only way to restore order is for the offender to die, to remove the pollution and chaos from the world. Eze 18:4, Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
GOD’S GRACE:
Here, the Israelites came to one of their most profound insights into the nature of God. They understood that God has the power as Creator immediately to carry out the penalty promised to the humans for violation of the boundaries. He could restore the order and harmony of His creation by immediately removing the cause of the disruption. But the Israelites also understood that God has chosen not to act as that kind of judge. He has chosen to seek the reconciliation of humanity to Himself rather than to carry out a penalty or to preserve a pristine world by force. They understood God in terms of mercy and grace as much as in terms of justice!
Israelites also realized that in a liturgical act of worship, the offering of the sacrifice acknowledges that were it not for the grace of God, it is the worshipper who would die! Yet, it is also a symbol of the grace and mercy of God, the recognition that God has chosen to accept less than the life of the worshipper, less than absolute retributive justice. There is a sacrament that testifies to the nature of God.
The clearest illustration of this understanding of sacrifice is found in the rituals associated with the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. This day was observed after the New Year celebration in the fall to confess the people’s sins of the past year. After the proper preparations, a bull was sacrificed and its blood sprinkled before the mercy seat, the symbolic throne of God in the Temple. This symbolized the cleansing or covering of the pollution caused by the sins of the people. Since the life is in the blood and hence the shedding of blood represented the loss of life itself, the removal of the disruption caused by sin.
Then two goats were chosen to represent the people’s sins. One of the goats was sacrificed and its blood also symbolically sprinkled. The rest of the sacrifices would then be burned on the altar as an offering to God. This graphically illustrated the seriousness of sin. The second goat became the scapegoat. The priest would first place his hands on the goat’s head while confessing the sins of the people. Then the goat was driven into the desert as a symbol of the removal of sin, the removal of the disorder and alienation caused by sin and the restoration of God’s order, God’s peace in the world.
Besides this annual atonement, sacrifices could be made periodically for various sins committed by individuals or the community as a whole. While the specific rituals varied, sacrifice was the central feature, usually the sacrifice of an animal. Again, the primary function of the sacrifice was to acknowledge in an act of worship the seriousness of the offense and the disruption it would inevitably introduce into the community. The liturgy provided the structure and the occasion in which public confession could be made to the community and to God. The sacrifice provided a graphic symbol of the removal of the disruption or pollution that unfaithfulness to God had introduced. That removal served to affirm the continued relationship between the worshipper and his/her community and God.
Yet from our modern perspective so influenced by purely legal ways of thinking introduced from the first centuries of the church, we tend to see Old Testament sacrifice in negative terms as the working out of a penalty. In fact, a careful examination of the Old Testament reveals that sacrifice was intended as a symbol of God’s grace, a joyous celebration of a God who could not be manipulated by enchantment, yet who freely chose to reconcile sinful humanity to Himself. The Israelites did not view God only as one who was eager to punish transgression, although divine judgment and justice was certainly part of how they understood God. They saw that God’s response is one of forgiveness and grace!
SEA OF BLOOD:
The Old Covenant sailed on a sea of blood, for two vast reasons. First, to emphasize the seriousness of sin. The Bible takes sin seriously, more than any other religion. Sin alienates one from God. Sin is rooted in the souls of humanity. Sin cannot be vindicated by any self-help program. Sin leads to death—and it will not be denied. The second reason is the costliness of forgiveness. Death is the payment. It will either the life of an innocent substitute or ours!
The violations of God’s boundaries, with the resulting disruption and defilement of the community and the world, were taken so seriously in the Old Testament that the sacrificial rituals were observed for accidental or unintentional sins also (Lev. 4-5; Job 1:5). The idea was that, sin even if accidental, brought a disruption of God’s order and harmony that needed correction. In fact, in the Old Testament covenant, it was only these unwitting sins that could be addressed in worship by sacrifice. Sins deliberately committed, with a “high hand,” were considered to be a total rejection of God and his covenant. This placed the person outside of relationship with God, a situation that could not be addressed in worship of God.
So in the course of time, millions of animals and birds were slain by Israel’s priests and Levites as part of the worship installed by Yahweh the Almighty God of Israel. It was a ghastly, gory drama to say the least; and it went on year after year for many centuries. Nevertheless, costly and gory though the sacrificial system was, it was designed by the Almighty to teach several very important lessons; which no other educational process could hope to match. The lessons Yahweh wanted to teach His people, and the angelic host which looked on in stunned amazement, were as follows:
That the result of disobedience is death: the death of each animal being a dramatic reminder of that fact that the process of purging sin is a costly and gory affair. That access to Yahweh’s presence without first being purged from sin is totally impossible: for only the purified believer could stand before a righteous God! All others must keep at a distance or risk being consumed by His holiness and glory. That God Himself would - at the appointed time - pay the enormous price of salvation by shedding His own life blood in the person of His only begotten Son. And that a repentant sinner would be forgiven his sin, if he had faith in the Most High and presented the prescribed offering.
GOD’S STANDARDS:
We may think, it is not fair of God to set the standard of holiness so high that we cannot reach it, and then judge us for falling short. God has not set an arbitrary standard of holiness as the King sets an arbitrary standard of height for his Life Guards. A man may have all the other qualifications, but if he is an inch too short he is disqualified. God has not really set a standard at all; He is the standard. He is holiness in the absolute-holiness Personified-and to preserve His own character, He must maintain that absolute standard in all His dealings with man, irrespective of the tremendous problems it creates for both Him and us.
Our conscience and our common sense compels us to admit that, we had fallen short, as far as we are concerned, of God’s standard of absolute holiness and that therefore we are sinners in His sight. Quick on our admission of having sinned came God’s condemnation that the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Thus, as far as God’s standard was concerned, we are lost, and as God’s standard was the only one by which we are to be judged in Eternity, we are hopelessly lost. We begin to see that it didn’t matter at all what we thought, or what our friends told us; the judgment would be on what God has said, not what our friends told. Moreover, because in His judgment we had all sinned, there was no use in looking to our fellows for help, for they were under the same condemnation as ourselves.
But why should God judge our sin as worthy of death? It is because of His infinite holiness no sin could exist in His presence. In Central Africa a native chief may club his wife to death on slight provocation without falling in the slightest degree in the estimation of his people, while the same act in our land would have to be paid for by the life of the murderer. The act is the same in both lands, but in one instance no judgment; in the other, quick retribution; and the difference is simply the result of our enlightenment. If a sin in Central Africa which is considered as nothing would lose a man his life in our land, think, if you can what a sin which appears to us as nothing must look like to an infinitely Holy God - For God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all (I John 1:5).
Lev 19:2, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. Mat 5:48, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 1Jn 3:2-3, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
ANIMAL SACRIFICES:
Animal sacrifices may be traced back to the dawn of human history: to the creation of humans when Adam and his son Abel sacrificed animals to gain access to the Almighty’s presence and favour. Genesis 4:4, And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Since Adam’s day generations of believers have sacrificed animals as an expression of faith and a means of reconciliation (Gen.8:20-21, 12:7, 13:18). So down through the ages many thousands of animals were sacrificed as a means of access to Yahweh’s holy presence. Later, again by divine decree, animal sacrifices were included in the laws given to Israel through Moses: but with a difference: The blood of the sacrifices was to be brought to the Door of the Tabernacle (Exodus 29:11,32,42) and later to the Temple in Jerusalem and there an Aaronic priest would consecrate the sacrifice and apply its blood to the altar and the repentant sinner.
In the old covenant there were two sets of Laws. One the primary laws (Deut.6:5, Exodus 20:1-17), which were written on tablets of stone and the people of Israel agreed to obey them. Unfortunately Israel broke her part of the agreement. Isa 30:9, That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Israel committed spiritual adultery with pagan gods and grievously sinned. Having sinned, Yahweh’s secondary laws, involving animal sacrifices, cleansing, pardon and reconciliation came into effect. If forgiveness was not sought via this prescribed route then other secondary laws (penal laws) would be applied. There are more laws mentioned in the Scriptures which are concerning marriage, property, agriculture, food etc. For the purpose of reconciliation and forgiveness of their sins and trespasses, the Israelites were to offer the following sacrifices.
The Burnt Offering: For which a male lamb, ram, goat or bullock was prescribed. The case in 1 Sam.6:14 is extraordinary. The blood was sprinkled round about/upon the altar, and the entire animal was consumed on the altar. It was expressive of the entire self-dedication of the offerer to Jehovah.
The Sin/Trespass Offering: In which a bullock, a male or female goat, a female lamb a dove or a pigeon was used. The blood was symbolically displayed, but in different ways. The fat only was burnt on the altar. The flesh of those sin offerings of which the blood was taken into the sanctuary was burnt without the camp, whereas the flesh of other sin offerings and of trespass offerings belonged to the priests. No part of these offerings was eaten by the offerer; as in the peace offerings; for the sacrificer came as one unworthy of communication with God, and these offerings were for the purpose of expiation.
The Peace Offering: (a) Thank offerings in recognition of unmerited and unexpected blessing. (b) Votive offerings in payment of vows. (c) Freewill offerings, probably not in gratitude for a special favour but as an expression of irrepressible love for God (Lev.3). The blood was sprinkled; the fat was consumed on the altar; and when the offering was private, the breast and shoulder went to the priest and the rest of the flesh was eaten by the offerer and his friends before the Lord at the place of the sanctuary (Lev 3, 7:11-27; Ex.29:20-28; Deut.12:7, 18; 1 Sam 2:15-17).
The Daily Sacrifice: This sacrifice, as its name implies, was offered every day. One lamb was killed in the morning and another in the evening. The daily sacrifice is also called the continual burnt offering. Num 28:3-4, And thou shalt say unto them, this is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even.
Sabbath Sacrifice: In addition to the daily sacrifice there was the Sabbath sacrifice. Num 28:9-10, And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot. This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath beside the continual burnt offering.
New Moon Sacrifice: Then at the start of each month a further sacrifice was commanded. Num 28:11,15, And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the Lord shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
Sacrifices during the Passover Week: During the Passover week the following additional sacrifices were required. Num 28:16,19,24, And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord. But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish. After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
Sacrifices at Pentecost: At the Feast of First Fruits (Pentecost) further sacrifices were required. Num 28:26-31, But ye shall offer for burnt offerings for a sweet savour unto the Lord; 2 young bullocks, 1 ram, 7 lambs of the first year and 1 kid of the goats to make an atonement for you.
Sacrifices at Trumpets: At this Feast the number of sacrifices varied slightly. Num 29:1-5, And ye shall offer for a burnt offering 1 young bullock, 1 ram, 7 lambs of the first year without blemish and 1 kid of the goats for a sin offering to make atonement for you.
Sacrifices on the Day of Atonement: The sacrifices on this fast day were similar to those on the Feast of Trumpets. Num 29:7-11, 1 young bullock, 1 ram, 7 lambs of the first year and 1 kid of the goats. In Lev.16 we are told of how another bullock and two goats were involved in a special ceremony to make atonement for the priesthood and the people.
Sacrifices during Tabernacles: The sacrifices during Ingathering (Tabernacles) were numerous. According to the details given in Number 29:12-40 they were: Bulls Rams Lambs Goats first day: 13, 2, 14, 1; second day: 12, 2, 14, 1; third day: 11, 2, 14, 1; fourth day: 10, 2, 14, 1; fifth day: 9, 2, 14, 1; sixth day: 8, 2, 14, 1; seventh day: 7, 2, 14, 1; eighth day: 1, 1, 7, 1. Totals: 71+15+105+8 = 199 animals.
Annual Total: Adding these national sacrifices together the following totals emerge: Bulls, Rams, Lambs and Goats. Daily sacrifice 708; Sabbath sacrifice 96; New Moon 24, 12, 84 ,12; Passover Week 14, 7, 49, 7; Feast of Pentecost 2, 1, 7, 1; Feast of Trumpets 1, 1, 7, 1; Day of Atonement 2, 1, 7, 3; Tabernacles 71, 15, 105, 8. ANNUAL TOTAL: 114+37+1063+32 = 1246 animals.
All these sacrifices were to be accompanied by prescribed amounts of drink, flour and oil. These totals only represent those made by the nation of Israel. In addition there were the personal sacrifices made by individual Israelites. They included burnt Offerings, sin/trespass Offerings, peace and votive offerings. All these offerings, which totaled many thousands of animals each year, were made in addition to the totals already mentioned. The sacrificial system, in other words, was an extremely gory and costly affair involving many thousands of animals every year.
If a person could not afford an animal, there were provisions made for substitution of a grain offering (Lev 5:11-13). This suggests that it was not just the killing of an animal and the shedding of blood that was important, but the act of worship itself. This casts doubt on a commonly accepted idea that God rejected Cain’s offering because it was not a blood sacrifice (Gen 4:5). Grain offering is accepted only when the sinner is not able to afford an animal. Either a grain or blood sacrifice symbolized the forfeiture of life itself as an atonement (cleansing, covering) for the violation (Lev 1:4-13; Num 15:22-26).
Furthermore these sacrifices were not a mere appeasement of deity as it is the case with the gentiles. Though they did not by themselves achieve reconciliation with God, they did symbolize the forfeiture of life that can result from crossing God’s boundaries. They symbolized the recognition by the worshiper that his or her own life was to be forfeited. And they symbolized the repentance and contrition that God is willing to accept as a proper response to His offer of new life.
Sacrifices of the Gentiles: For the gentiles there were gods for everything: a god of rain, a god of crops, a god of death, etc. These gods represented the instability of the forces of nature and the precariousness of human existence. The world existed at the whim of these gods. They had to be constantly appeased and made happy to bring any order into the uncertainty of human life. If the gods were angry, they believed the world would collapse into a chaotic state that would destroy humanity and everything else. So, if the right sacrifice were not performed, it might not rain. Or, if a fertility ritual were not done at the proper time, the sun might not come up, or springtime might not come!
As a result, human relationship to their gods was magical with little moral or ethical accountability. Sacrifices, and worship, were magical acts to get the gods to do what the people wanted or needed. The greater the need, the more drastic the magical action required, even to the point of human sacrifice (2 Kings 3:26-27; note Micah 6:7).
Requirement for the sacrifice: God in the Old Testament emphasized repeatedly that only ceremonially clean animals were acceptable for sacrifice. The animals had to be “without spot” (Num 19:2; 28:3,9,11; 29:17,26; etc.) and “without blemish” (Ex 12:5; 29:1; Lev 1:3, 10; 3:1, 6; 4:3, 23, 28, 32; 5:15, 18; 6:6; 9:2, 3; 14:10; 22:19, 21; 23:12, 18; etc.). The animals offered had to be perfect physical specimens (Duet 15:21). Any defect no matter how small disqualified that animal. You shall offer of your own free will a male without blemish from the cattle, sheep, or from the goats, but whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be accepted on your behalf.
And whoever offers a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it (Lev 22:19-21). The requirement for clean animals preceded the giving of the law for after the flood Noah offered to God burnt offerings of every clean animal and ever clean bird (Gen. 8:20).
Num 19:2, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: The requirement for this blood or the life given for the remission has to free from all sins and iniquities, without spot, without blemish and never yoked. All these requirements typified the moral perfection.
GOD PROVIDES HIMSELF A LAMB:
Each time an innocent animal’s blood was spilled and a worshipper entered the presence of the Almighty, it was a dramatic object lesson which pointed to the price Yahweh Himself would pay to make salvation possible. And what was the price that the Almighty Himself had planned to pay to secure man’s salvation? It was the life-blood of His only begotten Son. Yes every animal sacrifice that was made at God’s command was in fact a dramatic pointer to Christ’s death on Calvary! Indeed the whole sacrificial system was a symbolic drama unfolding the Almighty’s provision for man’s forgiveness, cleansing and eternal salvation from sin and death.
How true was Abraham’s description of Yahweh’s provision and personal involvement in sacrifice when he answered Isaac’s question about the sacrificial lamb: Gen 22:7-8, And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, my father: and he said, here am I, my son. And he said, behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
And God did provide the Lamb - His only begotten Son. Indeed He provided a grown Ram which portrays His own (still hidden) involvement in the Plan of Salvation. That experience was also a spiritual object lesson designed to teach Abraham and the watching heavenly host that Yahweh Himself would one day pay the ultimate sacrifice to secure man’s salvation.
JESUS IS THE SUBSTITUTE SACRIFICE:
We have noted that because of God’s nature which is holy, just and righteous; and man’s predicament which is guilty of sin, liable to the punishment of eternal death and in bondage to sin and Satan; the only possible way to save man is for a substitute to eliminate man’s guilt, pay the penalty and secure his release from bondage. There are many reasons why only the God-Man, Jesus Christ, could be the substitute for His people.
Necessity: Under the Old Testament, forgiveness or remission was obtained by the repentant saints through the offering of the required blood sacrifice. Though the blood of animals remitted the sins of the Old Testament saints, it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Heb 10:4). To remit means to forgive of or to release from the guilt or penalty of sins, while to redeem means to clear, buy back, or liberate by payment. Redemption requires a payment from someone to someone. But there is no payment with remission. So it has become a necessity that Jesus Christ Himself had to come to pay the price of redemption, not only for the New Testament saints but also for those saints who already had remission of sins that are past.
Another reason that Jesus Christ was to offer Himself as a sacrifice is that the people made it as ritual without repentance and contrition associated with sacrifice. Because of this in 1 Sam 15:22, Ps 51:15-17, Isa 1: 11-15 and Amos 5:21-24 God had to reject the animal sacrifice itself as the means of restoring relationship with Him. It is rather the brokenness of realizing the disorder sin causes that allows the relationship to be restored. This can be seen in the same Ps 51: 18-19 that the sacrifices are a proper symbol of the penitent worshipper who offers them with a true respect of their meaning, with recognition of the cost of sin and its forgiveness.
Only Jesus: Since man sinned, the paying of the penalty involved suffering of body and soul, such as only man is capable of bearing (John 12:27; Acts 3:18; Heb. 2:14; 9:22), in order that sin would be punished in the same nature which incurred the guilt of sin. Also he had to be without blemish and without spot, sinless and perfectly holy because if he himself had the guilt and pollution of sin, he could only suffer and die for his own sins and not for the people.
To meet all these requirements arising out of God’s nature and man’s predicament, He had to be a God-man in order to offer a sacrifice of infinite value to the Father. If the Messiah was a mere man or a mighty angel, then He would not have been able to atone for millions of people from every tribe, nation and tongue (Rev. 5:9). With both a human and divine nature, our Lord not only resisted all the assaults of Satan and temptations of life but conquered death itself.
Christ offered Himself without spot to God (Heb. 9:14). 2Co 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. 1Pe 2:22, Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. 1Jn 3:5, And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 1 Pet. 1:19, Sinners are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot .
When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, he proclaimed: Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Christ gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma (Eph. 5:2). Christ’s expiatory sacrifice removed the liability of God’s wrath and alienation, and our bondage to the law, sin and Satan, accruing from sin.
Christ’s suffering and death were vicarious. Jesus died in our place, as our substitute. Isa. 53:4-6, Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Ezekiel 45:17, And it shall be the PRINCE’S part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, in the Feasts, and in the new moons, and in the Sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: He shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.
Ezekiel’s Temple is a spiritual structure which Yahweh will inhabit through eternity: a structure built on the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ, his sacrifice and his life-blood which was shed for us: a sacrifice, which to the prophet Ezekiel, was still future. The responsibility of providing all the sacrifices in the Temple fell to the PRINCE.
It is a humbling thing to be died for! And we all have had moments of reflection when we have pondered the wonder of soldiers who have died for us have bought life and freedom that is limited, and that will one day end. They themselves were sinners, and needed atonement. If there were only someone who were not a sinner, who was willing to die, and would not have to purge his own sins, then his death would have vicarious, substitutionary grace. And if that perfect, sinless person were God Himself, infinite in power and grace and life, then his acceptance of our penalty would satisfy perfect justice. And this is exactly what happened.
Jesus Christ is God: Jesus provided enough evidence that He is both man and God to His friends and enemies again and again by what he said and did. He would be walking down the road, seemingly like any other man, then turn and say something like, ‘If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.’ Or, very calmly, after being accused of blasphemy, he would say, ‘The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ To the dead he might simply say, ‘Come forth,’ or, ‘Rise up.’ And they would obey. To the storms on the sea he would say, ‘Be still.’ And to a loaf of bread he would say, ‘Become a thousand meals.’ And it was done immediately.
Jesus continually referred to himself in ways that confounded his listeners. Jesus made the audacious statement, “Before Abraham was, I AM. He told Martha and others around her, I AM the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he is dead, yet shall he live. Likewise, Jesus would make statements like, I AM the light of the world, I AM the only way to God, or, I AM the truth.” These and several other of his claims were preceded by the sacred words for God, I AM. The significance of the term, I AM can be seen in the Old Testament.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, when Moses asked God His name at the burning bush, God answered, I AM. He was revealing to Moses that He is the one and only God who is outside of time and has always existed. Incredibly, Jesus was using these holy words to describe himself. Since the time of Moses, no practicing Jew would ever refer to himself or anyone else by I AM.
He was Jesus of Nazareth whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it (Acts 2:24). Because Jesus was God, He had power over life and death. John 10:18, No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again. Christ, who is both God and man, is the only one who meets every biblical condition of a substitute.
NEEDS OF THE SINNERS:
When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He set up as part of the covenant relationship a system of sacrifices that had at its heart the shedding and offering of the blood of unflawed animals to make atonement for ourselves. These sacrifices were typical (that is, as types, they pointed forward to something else). Though sins were in fact left unpunished (Rom. 3:25) when sacrifices were faithfully offered, what actually blotted them out was not the animals’ blood (Heb. 10:11) but the blood of the antitype, the sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, whose death on the cross atoned for all sins that were remitted before the event as well as sins committed after it (Rom. 3:25-26; 4:3-8; Heb. 9:11-15).
As sinners, we lived in bondage to sin and to the kingdom of Satan. As sinners, we deserved to die as the penalty for sin. As sinners, we deserved to bear God’s wrath against sin. As sinners, we were separated from God by our sins. God the divine Judge, is angry with guilty sinners.
Scripture depicts all human beings as needing to atone for their sins but lacking all power and resources for doing so. We have offended our holy Creator, whose nature it is to hate sin (Jer 44:4; Hab 1:13) and to punish it (Ps 5:4-6; Rom 1:18; 2:5-9). No acceptance by, or fellowship with, such a God can be expected unless atonement is made, and since there is sin in even our best actions, anything we do in hopes of making amends can only increase our guilt or worsen our situation. This makes it ruinous folly to seek to establish one’s own righteousness before God (Job 15:14-16; Rom 10:2-3); it simply cannot be done.
But against this background of human hopelessness, Scripture sets forth the love, grace, mercy, pity, kindness, and compassion of God, the offended Creator, in Himself providing the atonement that our sin has made necessary. This amazing grace is the focal center of New Testament faith, hope, worship, ethics, and spiritual life; from Matthew to Revelation it shines out with breathtaking glory.
JESUS CHRIST MEETS ALL THE NEEDS OF THE SINNERS:
Heb 9:12,15, Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
I Pet 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Pet 2:21,24, Christ also suffered for us...who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.
It is Divine justice that demands satisfaction, and it is the Divine compassion that makes the satisfaction. God is the one who holds man in a righteous captivity, and He is the one who pays the ransom that frees him from it. God is the holy Judge of man who requires satisfaction for sin; and God is the merciful Father of man who provides it for him. This fact not only proves the doctrine of vicarious atonement of at most severity, but also evidences it to be the height of mercy and compassion.
New Testament references to the blood of Christ are repeatedly sacrificial (Rom 3:25; 5:9; Eph 1:7; Rev 1:5). As a perfect sacrifice for sin (Rom 8:3; Eph 5:2), Christ’s death was our redemption i.e., our rescue by ransom: the paying of a price that freed us from the jeopardy of guilt, enslavement to sin, and expectation of wrath (Rom 3:24; Gal 4:4-5; Col 1:14).
Propitiation: The Cross propitiated God i.e., quenched his wrath against us by expiating our sins and so removing them from His sight (Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 4:10). 1Jn 2:2, And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
The cross had this propitiatory effect because in His suffering Christ assumed our identity, as it were, and endured the retributive judgment due to us which is the curse of the law (Gal 3:13), as our substitute, in our place, with the damning record of our transgressions nailed by God to His cross as the tally of crimes for which He was now dying (Col 2:14; Matt 27:37; Isa 53:4- 6; Luke 22:37). 1 Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, with atoning sacrifice more properly rendered propitiation.
Reconciliation: Christ’s death was God’s act of reconciling us to Himself, overcoming his own hostility to us that our sins provoked (Rom 5:10; Col 1:20-22). 2Cor 5:18-19, And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
Col. 1:20, For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Redemption: Gal 3:13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. Christ redeemed us from bondage to sin and to Satan, and are indeed slaves to righteousness. 2 Cor 5:21, For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Romans 3:24-25, Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God. Rom 6:18, Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Sacrifice: Christ’s death as a sacrifice paid the penalty for our sins. Heb 9:26, For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
1 Cor 15:3, Christ was offered to bear the sins of many. Christ’s atoning death ratified the inauguration of the new covenant, in which access to God under all circumstances is guaranteed by Christ’s one sacrifice that covers all transgressions (Matt 26:27-28; 1 Cor 11:25; Heb 9:15; 10:12-18).
Gal 1:4, The Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our father. John 10:30, I and my Father are one. Rom 8:32, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
SALVATION:
The word salvation encompasses the following: Redemption: A word which means to buy back one’s own possessions, which have either been lost, stolen or mortgaged. Purification: A process of cleansing which converts a filthy person to an acceptable state of purity. Sanctification: The process of setting apart a soul for sacred use. Atonement: To set at-one those who previously had been at variance. Glory: The granting of honour and power in the Kingdom of Heaven. Eternal Life: To grant immortality to the ransomed soul.
Rom 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The death sentence for the sinners is twofold. One is the physical death. The other one is the second death which is the spiritual death or the death of the soul. But God in His mercy has provided for us escape from this second death by the atonement of our soul through the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Heb 9:22, And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Isa 53:10, Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Lev 17:11, For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Mat 26:28, For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Christ died for us! This is where God the Holy Spirit makes the truth of “atonement” very personal! The truth of salvation is magnificent, and hard to grasp in all its splendor— that God should care for mortal men and women. But that He should care for common, ordinary people like me and you is incomprehensible apart from divine revelation. But God does care! And Jesus died not only for great and famous people in other times and other places; Jesus died for all.
His sacrifice was also intended to be made personal. Though the redemptive provision is for all, it is only for those individuals who have appropriated it for themselves and personalized the "exchange of life", their personal sins were forgiven. Could we really be happy in the presence of One whose love we had rejected, and whose great sacrifice we had not counted worthy of our acceptance? God's love would have forgiven the sinner, but God's righteousness forbade Him. God's righteousness would have judged the sinner, but God's love restrained Him.
In Revelation 6:16, God tells us how those will feel, who refuse now to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and persist in going into eternity in their sins. They call on the mountains and the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.
Every reference to the Saviour’s blood is in fact a reference to ‘his life.’ Sure, Yeshua’s sacrifice was the act of giving up His life. However, His ‘sacrificial death’ doesn’t cleanse us. It is the faithful application of his life-giving blood to our souls that cleanses us from sin. In ancient days, it wasn’t the animal’s death that cleansed the sinner; it was the application or ‘sprinkling of its blood’ upon the sinner that symbolically cleansed him.
They are justified and received the status of adopted children in God’s family (Gal 4:5). Jesus Christ not only came to reveal God, as the Eternal Word, He came to make us the sons and daughters of God as we receive Him by faith! And so He has fully paid our penalty for sin. If we will receive the free gift of atonement, as the Holy Spirit enables us to reach out and take it by faith, we shall be saved. Not because sin is not deadly, and not because we have not sinned, and not because God has simply “excused” sin, but because Jesus died, and so we do not need to pay the penalty ourselves! Jesus died for us!
Heb. 7:25-27, Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his owns sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
Therefore Christ, as fully man was the substitute for mankind in taking the penalty and God’s wrath for our sin. As fully God and fully man His death reconciled those who have faith in Him to God. He also is the only one who could properly intercede or mediate between God and man. Who but the Lord of glory could intercede simultaneously for millions of people twenty four hours a day?
The Bible leaves no room for doubt. In John 14:6, Christ says: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” Acts 4:12, says: “There is none other Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
John 8:32, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.