Sacrifices

[Nooj]

Why did God institute a system of animal/grain sacrifices?

 

[Aibrean]

It was a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God (Jesus).

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

 

[Nooj]

It was a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God (Jesus).

You realise that the sacrificial system was not just about atonement of sins? See Leviticus 3 for a 'peace offering', which had to do with giving thanks to God.

So why did God want or need those sort of sacrifices? Why sacrifices at all?

 

[LoneSheep]

It had to do with the atonement of sin, giving God some of your bounty in thanks for his blessings, or just communion with God.

The penalty of sin is death, but God allowed sacrifices as a conduit to forgiveness. Jesus Christ was the greatest sacrifice that atoned for all sin and offerings.

He does not actually delight in these:

"your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me" (Jer 6:20).
"Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel;...I spoke not unto your fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them saying, Obey my voice and I will be your God, and you shall be my people: and walk you in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you" (Jer 7:22-23).​

"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams" (I Sam 15:22).
"To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice...The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination" (Prov 21:3,27).
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart..." (Psa 51:17; Isa 66:2).
He shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness (Psa 51:19).​

 

[DeaconDean]

Why did God institute a system of animal/grain sacrifices?

You do realize that the whole sacrifical system, grain or otherwise, was instituted long before the Levitical Laws were given?

God Bless

Till all are one.

 

[Nooj]

You do realize that the whole sacrifical system, grain or otherwise, was instituted long before the Levitical Laws were given?

Of course. But that just feeds into my question. Noah gave a burnt offering after the Flood, Abraham prepared to give a burnt offering of his son Isaac to God - none of these sacrifices were done for the atonement of sin. So 'the sacrifices were a foreshadowing of Jesus to come' cannot be the full answer.

It's odd don't you think that God told the Israelites (and people before them) to adopt a system of sacrifice that very much resembled the pagan peoples around them. Very odd indeed.

The penalty of sin is death, but God allowed sacrifices as a conduit to forgiveness. Jesus Christ was the greatest sacrifice that atoned for all sin and offerings.

If the Old Testament system of sacrifices forgave sin, why was Jesus necessary?

 

[Deba]

I guess that depends on if you view Jesus as atonement for sin only.

Animals are sinless.

 

[Nooj]

This is an off-topic question, but I guess it's better asked here than anywhere else. Why did Jesus come in the first century CE, and not in the time of David? Why not right after Adam and Eve came out of Eden?

 

[DeaconDean]

Of course. But that just feeds into my question. Noah gave a burnt offering after the Flood, Abraham prepared to give a burnt offering of his son Isaac to God - none of these sacrifices were done for the atonement of sin. So 'the sacrifices were a foreshadowing of Jesus to come' cannot be the full answer.

If the Old Testament system of sacrifices forgave sin, why was Jesus necessary?

Lets see here, if we can shed a little light on this.

Genesis 8:21

Ver. 21. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour,.... Or a "savour of rest" {e}; he was delighted and well pleased with his sacrifice, which was offered up in the faith of the sacrifice of Christ; the apostle says, "is for a sweetsmelling savour", Eph 5:2 referring to this passage; that being a satisfaction to the justice of God, an appeasing of his wrath, and a propitiation for the sins of men:

Source

The Meal Offering: the fine flour speaks of the evenness and balance of the character of Christ; of that perfectionin which no quality was in excess, none lacking; the fire, of his testing by suffering, even unto death; frankincense, the fragrance of His life God-ward (cf. Ex. 30:34) absence of honey; -his was not that mere sweetness which may exist apart from grace; oil mengled, Christ was born of the Spirit (cf Mt. 1:18-23); oil upon, Christ as baptized with the Spirit (cf. Jn. 1:32; 6:27); the oven, the unseen suffernings of Christ - His inner agonies (cf. Heb. 2:18; Mt. 27:45-46); the pan, His more evident sufferings (e.g. Mt. 27:27-31); salt, the pungency of the truth of God - that which arrests the action of leaven.

If you will notice, of seven "clean" beasts, God had Noah take into the ark, to be reserved for the offering after the flood. (Gen. 7:2)

And in some instances, a "grain offering" could be substituted in the cases of poverty.

We see the differences spelled out in the two types of sacrifices in Cain and Abel. One was the frist-fruits of the herd, the other of the first-fruits of the harvest.

And another point, we only see a small portion of Noah's life. He lived some 500 years before he began the Ark project. Then, it took 100 years to build it. 1 year in the ark during and after the ark. And then 350 years later, he died. All total, Noah lived to be 950 years old.

Do we know what Noah did every minute of every hour of every day that he was on the ark?

How do we know Noah didn't sin while on the ark?

How do we know Noah's wife, or sons or his daughters-in-law did not sin while in the ark?

As to Abraham, we know even after Abraham was said to have been "counted for righteousness" he sinned. Abraham was a liar. He lied a number of times on his journey.

If the Old Testament system of sacrifices forgave sin, why was Jesus necessary?

Now here is the difference.

The OT sacrifices could only "cover" or "hide" for lack of a better word, a persons sins. Much like a blanket covers a person. The OT sacrifices were pale in comparison to that of Jesus in that if your sinned, you would have to sacrifice. And your sin was "covered". But, if you sinned again, that called for another sacrifice. In Jesus' sacrifice, it was "once for all". (cf. Heb. 10:10)

Its a good thing I did not live during those days because I would have to live raising sheep to take to the temple.

God Bless

Till all are one.

 

[DeaconDean]

This is an off-topic question, but I guess it's better asked here than anywhere else. Why did Jesus come in the first century CE, and not in the time of David? Why not right after Adam and Eve came out of Eden?

Because the time was not right.

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." -Rom. 5:6 (KJV)

"Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." -1 Tim. 2:6 (KJV)

God Bless

Till all are one.