Numbers 28:16-29:40 / Luke 3:23-38 / Psalm 62 / Proverbs 11:18-19
Christ died once for all men… and when Jesus came, He fulfilled every letter of the law…
If you’ve ever read the Old Testament books that line out all the sacrifices required under the law – I mean all of them, and it’s exhausting – you would become so thankful for two things. One, that you did not live in a time when you had to abide by these daily, monthly, and special holy day sacrifices. Two, that Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice, taking away all the sins of the world.
The more I read, the more I wonder how the people of Israel had time to do anything other than prepare animals, flour, olive oil and wine for the unceasing sacrifices. Think about it – they had to harvest the wheat, beat off the chaff, store the grain, and when it was time grind it by hand (no electricity and fancy appliances). They had to choose the perfect animals with no blemishes, then kill and butcher them according to the prescribed laws. They had to harvest the olives, and press the oil, again by hand. They had to harvest the grapes, press the grapes, and ferment them into homemade wine. Are you tired yet? I am!
Multiply this by millions of people and households and this process was literally never-ending. Imagine the amount of cattle required. Imagine the smell of cattle all around you, all day every day… the fire on the altar, the smoke, the smell of burning meat… I’m sorry to belabor this, but the enormity of what was required must be felt so the cost of what Jesus brought can be more fully appreciated.
The people of God were looking to the day when Messiah would come and rescue His people. Never-mind that some of them thought He would free them from Roman rule and set up an earthly kingdom (we do tend to think in human terms first). When Messiah came, not everyone recognized Him for who He was; even those who had studied the prophetic passages in scripture all their lives.
The One Who was perfect came to rescue the imperfect. He Who knew no sin became sin for us so that we might be made right with God.
Hebrews 10:1-10 is too good not to include here…
The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”
8 First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
Jesus, I’m thankful for Your sacrifice
