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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (30-1-2000 Guisborough Evangelical Church)
Earlier in Genesis, sacrifices were connected with Noah,
Abraham and Jacob. Some believe that sacrifice is implied when coats of skin
were worn by Adam and Eve. But it is in the time of Moses that detailed
regulations and codification of sacrifices are given. It is true there are
sacrifices in other religions. There is a widespread sense of sin and need for
sacrifice to make amends. But in the Bible God takes hold of and purifies this
practice.
Sacrifices, as laid out in the
Bible, were not a means of magic and bribery to persuade God to bless. But they
were God’s gift, and appointment and mark of His grace. Also, Old Testament
sacrifices were not ends in themselves, but point forward to Christ and
fulfilment in Him. The great mark of sacrifices in the Bible is that they were
appointed by God, and not devised by men.
We are not going to get lost in the details of particular sacrifices as laid out in the book of Leviticus. We will take a bird’s eye view, and bring it all together. Seeing the subject as a whole, we will consider the materials, ritual, kinds occasions, meaning and fulfilment of sacrifices.
Clean animals and birds without physical blemish were to be chosen for sacrifice. They were usually male and mature. Only the best was good enough for God – the best bullock, goat, sheep, dove or pigeon. In non-animal sacrifices, the gifts given to God were earned by the sweat of the brow – cereals, flour, wine, staple articles of the kitchen.
Certain acts were performed by the priest and by the worshipper. These acts were basically the same, though in detail there was some variation in each offering. The worshipper brought near the offering, and laid his hands on it to identify it as his, indicating that it represented him. The animal was slaughtered, the blood collected by the priest in a basin, and normally sprinkled on the altar. Some of the offering was burnt on the altar as belonging to God. In the case of the burnt offering, all was offered to God. Remaining portions were eaten by the priests and worshippers in the sacrificial meal.
(a) The burnt offering. (‘Olah’ – “that which goes up”) This was the only offering in which a non-Israelite could share. The whole of this offering was consumed on the altar except for the skin, which was for the priests. The burnt offering symbolized the worshipper’s complete homage and dedication to God. It showed the surrender of self and gratitude to God through the animal which represented him. It was always offered at great festivals, morning and evening sacrifices, Sabbath, first day of the month.
(b) Peace offering. This was the best loved of all sacrifices. Its distinctive feature was the feast for the worshippers. Certain portions of the offering were burnt on the fire for sweet sorrow to the Lord. Female animals were allowed. The priest held the breast and thigh, which were waved or held up before the Lord. They were presented to Him, and received back from Him. Then the worshippers and guests ate and rejoiced before the Lord. So peace was expressed through fellowship with God and with one another.
(c) Meal offering (or grain offering). Often accompanied the burnt and peace offering. Included, flour, oil, salt, cakes, frankincense and wine. The consecrated life involves offering of homely, industrious life. Part was burnt on the altar, and the rest eaten by the priests. The worshipper ate nothing.
(d) Sin offering and guilt offering. The atoning element of the sacrifice was more emphatic in these offerings than in the burnt or peace offering. These offerings were brought to make atonement or amends, to repair the breaches in fellowship with the Lord. They expressed a desire for access into God’s presence. The animals used were bulls, goats, or doves and pigeons for the poor. If it was being offered for the sin of the High Priest or the whole congregation, blood was sprinkled seven times before the veil, and once a year on the Day of Atonement on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. Also part was sprinkled on the horns of the incense altar, and the rest at the base of the altar of burnt offering. The carcase was wholly destroyed by fire. If the offering was being made for the sin of a ruler, or an ordinary citizen, the priests ate the carcase. The sin offering was for lepers, consecrating priest, and mother after childbirth, and for unwitting sins, mistakes and rash actions. The guilt offering was mainly for sins against one’s neighbour – deception, misappropriation, robbery, oppression, false swearing and seduction.
National and individual occasions; morning and evening
every day; Sabbath; new moons; Passover; Festivals of unleavened bread, first
fruits and tabernacles; personal dedication and expiation of sin; when making
vows; after childbirth; cleansing of a leper. But above all, on the annual Day
of Atonement.
This was the most important day
in the whole year for offering of sacrifices. It was an annual occasion of
national repentance. There were special sacrifices made for the High Priest and
the whole People of Israel. The High Priest had special white linen garment to
wear on this special day. The Blood of the sin offering was sprinkled on the
mercy seat in the Holy of Holies on this one day.
Among the sacrificial animals were two he goats. One was sacrificed, and the other had the sins of the people confessed over it by the High Priest, and it was sent out as a scapegoat into the wilderness, symbolizing the carrying away of the sins of the people into an uninhabited land.
As mentioned before, it is quite
wrong to see these Old Testament sacrifices as devices dreamed up by men to
bribe God to be gracious. They were God’s appointment and provision for man.
The giving was all on God’s side. The initiative was His. For the life of a
creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for
yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life (Leviticus
17:11). Here is God’s grace and not man’s religious devising. Its crowning
statement is God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (John
3:16).
Sacrifices taught that sin
brings the penalty of death. It shuts man out of communion with God. He is
totally unfit to be in God’s presence. Because of sin, he is exposed to
God’s wrath and judgement. But remission is through the death of an animal
substitute. “Blood” in this context means the life of a substitute – and
that is what must be poured out in death for remission to be possible. Therefore
in the sacrifice, another has died, and paid the penalty of death, so that
forgiveness is possible, fellowship can be restored, and man is welcome again in
God’s presence.
The essence of sacrifice – sin
must be punished. A substitute must die if the offender is to be forgiven.
God’s justice must be satisfied. God’s love provides what justice requires. The
law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the
shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).
Penal substitution must be one
of the great Evangelical emphases – despite liberal cries of it being
“immoral” and “incredible”. Men love to pass over God’s justice and
wrath, preferring to emphasise only the God of love, whom they say would never
require a substitutionary death before giving forgiveness.
Undoubtedly there were
limitations in the Old Testament sacrifices. They were only for those in the
covenant, and were mainly for unconscious and not deliberate sins. Also, in the
deepest sense, sin was not truly forgiven by the sacrifices, for they were only
symbols. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Hebrews
10:4). They were types and pointers to the perfect atonement for sin to be
offered later. They were imperfect because they had to be repeated week by week,
year by year. They did not really achieve atonement for they were only pictures
and symbols.
Their value was that they taught the seriousness of sin, the holiness of God, God’s wrath against sin, approach only through sacrifice, and acceptance only through a substitute.
These weaknesses in the Old
Testament sacrifices are especially highlighted in the New Testament book of
Hebrews. They were only temporary, only picture lessons, not real atonement for
sins, not final because they had to be constantly repeated, and the priests
themselves were sinners (Hebrews 10:2,4,11; 7:27). They are only a shadow of
the good things that are coming (Hebrews 10:1). They have all passed away
now, because the real thing has come into being. Fulfilment has been found in
Christ, the Son of God, who is worthy to be called God because He is sinless,
and He offered Himself. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he
offered himself (Hebrews 7:27). By the grace of God, He tasted death for
every man, in obedience to God’s will. How much more, then, will the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God,
cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the
living God! (Hebrews 9:14). His work is complete, when this priest had
offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of
God (Hebrews 10:12).
Christ has gained access for us
by His own blood into God’s presence (Hebrews 9:12). Therefore he is able
to save completely those who come to God through him (Hebrews 7:25). We can
all come – not just the High Priest once a year – men and women, Jew and
Gentile, into God’s holy presence by the blood of Christ. Therefore let us
draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies
washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22). Because of Christ, we can enjoy
eternal redemption. The work of atonement is now complete. The final sacrifice
has been made. Nothing needs to be added or improved on. “The finished work of
Christ.”
Our acceptance is on the basis of the Cross alone, not our good works, or prayers, or church attendance. We need to know Christ our High Priest. Fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess (Hebrews 3:1). We have come to share in Christ (Hebrews 3:14). We are people of faith (Hebrews 11:1) and can approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
