Understanding Sacrifice - 250206

SPEAKER A Hello, I'm Clive Nash. Welcome to Let God Speak. Today we will try to make sense of a dominant theme in the Bible sacrifice. Animal sacrifices get a mention right from the start of history. God sacrificed an animal to make clothing of skins for Adam and Eve after they had sinned. John the Baptist declared Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice, the Lamb of God who, who takes away the sin of the world. And in the last book of the Bible revelation, we see Jesus as the Lamb of God over and over again. Our panel will dig into this topic in just a moment. On our panel today we have Gayl Fong and John Kosmeier. Good to have you with us today. SPEAKER B Thank you. SPEAKER A I'm looking forward to our discussion of our topic. But before we begin, let's take time to pray. Our wonderful God, we just want to thank you that you have given us the Bible. And as we open the Bible and let you speak to us today, we pray for insight and understanding of the topic of the sacrificial system and that to which it's pointed. Jesus Christ himself. And so we pray for that blessing. In Jesus name, Amen. I'm going to read to begin with Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 11. Surprising verse here when you consider that God ordained sacrifices. Because here he says, to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices? Sacrifices to me, says the Lord, I have had enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls or of lambs or goats. So John, what was wrong with the sacrifices that are recorded here in Isaiah's gospel? SPEAKER B God gives us the answer in verse 13, the same chapter Isaiah reading from the new King James version, where God says, bring no more futile sacrifices. Incense is an abomination to me. The new moons, the sabbaths and the calling of assemblies. I cannot endure iniquity. SPEAKER A There's the key, the iniquity. SPEAKER B I cannot endure iniquity. And the sacred meeting. And this is where it was refusing to confess their sins that made all these sacrifices of no effect. And this is where without repentance, our prayers are futile. We need to repent. And then secondly, when you read verse 15 down to verse 17, when you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean, put away the evil of your doing. From before my eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. Here God gives a great list where they had to change their heart needed to be replaced by God. Otherwise the sacrifices were of no effect. SPEAKER A Yeah. So it wasn't just a matter of ritual. It was a matter of the heart matter, as you say, John. SPEAKER B When you go to Isaiah chapter 56, and there you read verse six and seven, also the sons of foreigner who joined themselves to the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants. Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and holds fast my covenant, even them I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer. And so here we have the acceptable sacrifices, their burnt offerings, and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar. For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. And so this is what God wanted to do, everybody. SPEAKER A Yeah. Now, in the introduction, Gayl, I mentioned that, you know, sacrifices went way back in terms of history. Can you think of an experience early on which demonstrates the acceptable and the unacceptable offerings? SPEAKER C Yes, there's several examples in the Old Testament. And if we go back to the very beginning, the earliest involves two children, two brothers actually, of Adam and Eve, the firstborn and the second born. And the Bible says in Genesis chapter four, verses three through to seven, and it says, and in the process of time, it came to pass that Canaan brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but he did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door and its desire is for you, but you should rule over it. So right here in the very beginning, Abel was obedient. His sacrifice was acceptable, but we find Cain's was unacceptable because of his disobedience. So I guess there's a lesson there for me as well and for everyone, that God is particular. And my decision must be, what does God want? Not what I want. SPEAKER A Yeah. So, John, what was important about the kind of sacrifice that Abel brought? SPEAKER B Yes, and Abel knew this in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15, where God says, and I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. And this is where Jesus was the one that was represented by the lamb. And you can't have vegetables representing the blood of Christ, because they don't have blood. And this is where life had to be sacrificed, an innocent life. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B And so Abel, he was aware that there was a messiah coming, and this is where he took the right sacrifice to bring before God. SPEAKER A Okay. Yes. So, Gael, do you think that Abel had some sort of insight into the plan of salvation? SPEAKER C Well, yes, I think he understood that he was a sinner in need of an atonement. SPEAKER A I'll teach you the basics. SPEAKER C Yes. Obviously, more light would come to the human race as time went on, but the price of transgression or sin had to be paid, and either by Abel in person or to whom the sacrificial lamb pointed. And it's put very nicely in the book Patriots and Prophets by Ellen G. White on page 72, through the shed blood, he looked to the future sacrifice, Christ dying on the cross of Calvary and trusting in the atonement that was there to be made, he had the witness that he was righteous and his offering accepted. So Hebrews sums up the contrast in offerings and attitudes as well. And read that In Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 4, the Bible says, by faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gift. Through it, he being dead, still speaks. So that was a powerful influence of his faith in the promise of a coming Messiah right there. And his motivation for giving was because of that faith that he had in God was reflected. SPEAKER A Yeah. Thanks, Gayl. John, when I think back to all these sacrifices of clean animals, clean birds, there were a multitude of them throughout time. For all these animals to lose their lives, it doesn't seem fair, does it? What do you think? SPEAKER B It isn't fair. But then you think of Jesus going to the cross. He was the righteous dying for the unrighteous, and here was the suffering of the just person for the unjust. That wasn't fair neither. And God had a problem because that's exactly what it was. It was just so unfair. SPEAKER A Yeah. Now, Gayl, there seems to be a text that's a little bit puzzling to some people because In Hebrews chapter 10:4, Hebrews 10:4 says, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. So if it wasn't possible for them to have a redeeming value, why have them at all? SPEAKER C Yes. Well, they were a constant reminder of the consequences of sin and has been said the wages of sin is. Is death. So Jack Blanco's paraphrase of Hebrews 10:4 says it this way. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats or any other ritual to take away our sins or to change our hearts. Only God can do that. So that's from the clear word, page 1370. And additionally, the sacrifices were a prophetic act. So they were pointing to the ultimate sacrifice to come, which, of course, was Jesus, the Messiah, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the. SPEAKER A World when the sacrifices themselves would be done away with at that time. So, John, we sometimes use a phrase, type and antitype. Can you just explain what that idea means, that concept. SPEAKER B When you go to Hebrews chapter 10, it gives us a good example here. For the law, Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 1 for the law having a shadow of good things to come. And this is where God uses illustrations to show the reality. And here, when Abraham offered a lamb, it was foreshadowing that God would give his son as an offering and the sacrificial lamb of the goat, the bull, that all pointed forward to what Jesus would be doing when he came because he was the lamb of God. SPEAKER A Mm. SPEAKER B And so this is where we use these big theological terms to explain something which is simple. SPEAKER A Okay, so the type pointed to the antitype. SPEAKER B The type pointed 4 to the antitype shadow to the reality. Yes. SPEAKER A Okay, so again, looking in that same chapter, Gayl, John, Hebrews chapter 10:11 says that every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. Is this a good thing to remember? SPEAKER C Well, if we read on in the passage, it says, but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down at the right hand of God from that time, waiting till his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering, he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. So in contrast with the many offerings offered by the earthly priests, we know that there's one final offering of Jesus, and that was on the cross, and that was to end the sacrificial system. If we read just turning to Mark, chapter 15, verse 38, which is when Jesus, Mark writes about Jesus dying on the cross there. And the verse just before, in verse 37, Jesus breathes his last. So he actually. He actually dies in verse 37. But in verse 38, the Bible says then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So this was very significant because the types or shadows that pointed to the death of Jesus were now no longer necessary, that of bringing the blood of a lamb or an animal sacrifice and the priest presenting that blood and presenting your prayer and making Intercession. Now we can come boldly to the throne of grace. So the reality had now come. SPEAKER A Early in John's Gospel. John's Gospel John early in John's Gospel, we read of the coming of the Lamb of God, Jesus. You know where John the Baptist pointed to him said, behold the Lamb of God. What about the book of Revelation? I'd like to read a verse from Revelation chapter 5, which is one of many verses in Revelation which mentions the word Lamb and point towards Jesus. But here In Revelation chapter 5 and verse 6 it says, and I looked and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. So the image of the lamb appears almost 30 times. How constant is this symbol of the Lamb in the Bible, John? SPEAKER B Right through you've been reading from Revelation, but when you go back to Genesis chapter four, here we have a very clear picture of what was happening in Genesis chapter four and verse four. And Abel, there was Cain and then there was Abel. And here, the second son, Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock. It wasn't just any lamb, it was the firstborn of the flock. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering. And this is where it pointed forward to Jesus, God's firstborn. And he's the one who was going to take away the sin of the world. And so I can accept or reject him, just like Cain rejected and ended up killing Abel. How sad was that? And then when you go to the book of Exodus, chapter 12, you have there the story of the Passover when it was instituted. And I'll just summarise verses 1 to 11 where they had to take a lamb and they had to sacrifice it, take the blood, put it on the door post so that when the angel who was going to destroy the firstborn, he would come to that, see the blood and the firstborn would be saved. And that's a real picture of the salvation that God has. And I'm just so glad that we live in New Testament times. The death of Christ, just think of how many animals that saved. We don't make sacrifices of animals anymore because Jesus came and 4,000 years was long enough. Thank you. 2,000 years without animal sacrifices was wonderful. So the death of Christ not only saved us, but it's also saved a lot of animals. SPEAKER A Yes. I remember visiting, by the way, with a Samaritan priest in Israel, and they still have sacrifices. They're Samaritans, but I think it's once a year. But they're still looking for the Messiah to come. We know that Jesus has come. He is the Messiah. SPEAKER B And the emphasis, of course, was on the fact that the lamb was faultless. And here Christ was without believers. SPEAKER A Yeah. Without sin. SPEAKER B Yeah. Without sin. SPEAKER A Yeah. So this idea of sacrifice or lamb or other clean animals too. Goats were possibility. This runs throughout the Old Testament, doesn't it, Gayl? SPEAKER C It does. And if you've ever heard Handel's Oratorio the Messiah, you'll remember that a number of the songs are actually quoted from the book of Isaiah, the Gospel prophet. And for example, just reading in Isaiah chapter 53 and verses 7 and 8, and so beautifully put. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent. So he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgement. And who will declare his generation? For he was cut off from the land of the living for the transgressions of my people. He was stricken. So Jesus died for you and he died for me. And. And that beautiful verse that a lot of Christians would have put in their memory. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. Whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. This is a wonderful door that he's opened salvation to everyone because of his suffering. And this is a simple truth, but profound at the same time. And Paul puts it this way in First Corinthians 5, 7, and I'm just reading the second part of that verse. He says, for Christ, our Passover was sacrificed for us. And just as John has been explaining the Passover before type meeting antitype, you. SPEAKER A Were talking about the Passover before John. The Hebrews were instructed before the sacrifice to openly display the lamb. Do you think that has a parallel in the ministry of Jesus? SPEAKER B The ministry of Jesus very clearly shows that he had nothing to hide and that all of his actions were just and right. When you go to John, chapter 18, and here Christ was being tried by the high priest. John, chapter 18 and verse 20, Jesus answered the high priest and he said, I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple where the Jews always meet. And in secret I have said nothing. And so the whole of Christ's life was laid out before the people who were with him at that time. And they found no fault in him. He was without blemish. And so this is where, just like the sacrifice was tested and tried. So we find that Jesus, he too was without fault. And yet the Apostle Paul says in second Corinthians that he was made sin for us so that we might become the righteous of God in him. And so we swap places. Christ becomes a sinner, we become the saved. SPEAKER A Well, he becomes sin. SPEAKER B He became sin, yes. SPEAKER A Yeah, not a sinner, but he became sin for us. When the Israelites came back from Babylonian captivity, one of the prophets of that period was Haggai, and one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament. And In Haggai, chapter 2, verses 6 and 7, I read this. For thus says the Lord of hosts. Once more, it is a little while. I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations. And here's the significant phrase here. And they shall come to the desire of all nations. And I will fill this temple. This is the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts. Of whom is he speaking here in this prophetic utterance? Gayl? SPEAKER C Well, in verse nine, it says the glory. Just reading on, in Haggai, Chapter 2, the Glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former. So the desire of a nation was Jesus Christ. He was the long anticipated Saviour. And when Solomon dedicated the first temple, the Shekinah glory filled the temple. Just reading in First Kings, chapter 8, verses 10 and 11. And it came to pass when the priest came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud. For the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. So this didn't happen when the second temple was dedicated after the Babylonian captivity, But Jesus himself would come to that temple. And in that sense, the glory of the latter temple was going to exceed the first. I liken this divine presence to the promise of the Holy Spirit. To each one of us. We can be a holy temple, an indwelling for the spirit of the living God. And in the book of Corinthians, First Corinthians, chapter 6 and verse 19:20. You may be familiar with this passage. The Bible says, or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own. For you were bought at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. SPEAKER A Yeah. Thank you, Gayl. Now I'm Going to read a passage from Exodus, chapter 33, verses 19 to 21, which says. Then he said, I will make all my goodness. This is God speaking. I will make all my goodness pass before you and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But he said, you cannot see my face, for no man shall see me and live. And the Lord said, here is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. Sin, John. Sin has separated us from God, hasn't it? We can't come into his presence. SPEAKER B Very difficult. And it's amazing that Jesus came. And Matthew chapter 1, verse 23 says, Behold, the virgin shall be with child. Bear a son and they shall call his name Immanuel. And then they translate means God with us. He has taken upon himself humanity. He becomes weary. He touches people and he heals them. And Christ became very much one of us. SPEAKER A What a blessing. SPEAKER C Amen. SPEAKER A So, Gayl, how thankful are you that Jesus reveals the Father to you? SPEAKER C It's absolutely amazing and wonderful because without the revelation of God the Father, through the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, I would have a very limited view of God. But as John writes, what Jesus said to his disciples on that day, In John chapter 14, verse 9, Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me? Philip, he who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, show us the Father? So like Philip, I can better understand the love of God the Father through the revelation of himself in Jesus Christ. SPEAKER A Yeah. Thank you, Gayl. Well, I'm afraid the clock is against us, as it usually is on these programmes. There's so much more that we can say about this, isn't there? And thank you, John. John Kosmeier is one of my guests today. And Gayl Fong, you've been a guest here as well. Thank you for your presentation. And my name is Clive Nash. You know, there are some today who think that this life is all there is. They think that we are alone in a cold, dark world of tooth and claw. But how thankful we can be for the truths of the Bible. God is our creator. Even though we have strayed from his divine plan for us as a human race, he has made a way for reconciliation and it involved sacrifice. I trust that our panel has given you the assurance that the blood of Jesus brings you forgiveness, hope and eternal life. We're glad you joined us today on Let God Speak. Please tell others about this programme. Remember, all past programmes of this Let God Speak are available on our website, 3abnaustralia.org.au. you can find our teacher's notes there too. You can email us on [email protected]. join us again next time. Until then, God bless. SPEAKER B You have been listening to let God speak, a production of 3ABN Australia television. To catch up on past programmes, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au. Call us in Australia on 02 4973 3456. Or email [email protected]. we'd love to hear from you.