What did the sacrificial system teach Israel?
The sacrifices taught Israel a hard lesson with every offering: sin costs a life, and the worshiper must own it, laying a hand on the victim's head before it dies in his place. Yet the same sacrifices repeated year after year proved they could never actually cleanse the conscience. The whole system was a shadow waiting for the once-for-all offering it pointed toward.
This question arose from studying What was the tabernacle for?.
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Sin costs a life
Before anything else, the altar taught the price tag: 'the life of the flesh is in the blood', and God gave that life 'to make atonement for your souls', 'for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.' Every morning sacrifice said the same thing over breakfast fires across the camp. Forgiveness was never cheap; someone innocent always bled so the guilty could keep living.
For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.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.
Substitution: an innocent life for the guilty
The worshiper did not send an animal; he brought one, his own, from his own herd, and 'he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.' The gesture transferred the burden: this death stands for mine. Isaiah says it happened at the cross too, that Yahweh 'has laid on him the iniquity of us all.'
“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When anyone of you offers an offering to Yahweh, you shall offer your offering of the livestock, from the herd and from the flock.Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Two goats, one lesson: carried away
On the Day of Atonement Aaron confessed 'all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins' over the live goat, putting them on its head. Then 'the goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land'. One goat died under judgment; the other removed guilt out of sight. Together they pictured both payment and removal, so that Israel could hear: 'from all your sins you shall be clean before Yahweh.'
Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land, and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness.And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before Yahweh.For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.
The repetition proved the system insufficient
If the offerings worked, they would have stopped being offered, Hebrews argues, because worshipers 'once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins.' Instead there was 'a yearly reminder of sins', for 'it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.' David already knew this: God's delight was never the animal but 'a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.'
For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. Or else wouldn’t they have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering.For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Christ is what the altar was pointing at
The shadow gave way to the substance: 'by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.' He 'offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God', and 'by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.' Where sins are remitted, 'there is no more offering for sin.' John names Him 'the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'
by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
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Why did Israel wander for forty years?→“Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it!”And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”Why did God let Israel go hungry in the wilderness?→“You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. He humbled you, and allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know; that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of Yahweh’s mouth.And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”What did Moses set before Israel at the end?→“Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.”Must Christians keep the Sabbath?→“He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”Explore further
Why did Jesus have to die?→Jesus Christ trail“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”What price can buy forgiveness?→The Gospel trail“none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.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.
The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land, and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness.And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
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