01/22/2018
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Sacrifice by
definition is:
1.
The offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some
material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.
2.
The person, animal, or thing so offered.
3.
The surrender or destruction of something prized or
desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more
pressing claim.
4.
The thing so surrendered or devoted.
Our Father God
loves to hear His Children {LGBTQI+ included} giving Him praise and
thanksgiving for all that He has done for them. It may not always be easy to
praise God because you may be going through a rough time that has left you
feeling as if God has abandoned you, or you may be sick in your body, or you
may have just got your heartbroken by someone you were close too. No matter
what difficult times may come your way God is always there when you offer up a
Sacrifice {because you do not feel like} of Praise to Him.
Through Him,
therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is
the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and
glorify His name. Hebrews 13:5
Throughout the
Word of God we learn about all different kinds of sacrifices that people have
made to the Lord. There is a sacrifice
of praise just because you want to show God how much you love Him. There were
ritual offerings made in the Old Testament. There are spiritual sacrifices and
personal sacrifices made all throughout the Bible.
Today we are
going to explore the many sides of sacrifice from the Old Testament all the way
to Calvary where Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice.
The earliest
example of an acceptable sacrifice recorded in the Bible was brought to the
Lord by Able.
But Abel brought [an offering of] the [finest]
firstborn of his flock and the fat portions. And the Lord had respect (regard) for Abel and for
his offering. Genesis 4:4
And Noah built
an altar to the Lord, and took of every [ceremonially] clean animal and
of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma [a soothing,
satisfying scent] and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again
curse the ground because of man, for the intent (strong inclination, desire) of
man’s heart is wicked from his youth; and I will never again destroy every
living thing, as I have done. Genesis 8:20-21
After God had
visited with Jacob declaring his new name to be Israel and that he would be
given the land God had given to Abraham and Isaac, Jacob set up a pillar
(memorial, monument) poured a drink offering of wine on it with oil to declare
it a sacred place for God’s purpose.
Jacob set up a
pillar (memorial, monument) in the place where he had talked with God, a pillar
of stone, and he poured a drink offering [of wine] on it; he also poured oil on
it [to declare it sacred for God’s purpose]. Genesis 35:14
Abraham proved his faithfulness and fear
of God (with reverence and profound respect) when he took his only son of
promise to sacrifice on the altar like God had commanded. The angel of the Lord
was sent to stop Abraham because he showed such great reverence and respect for
God and gave him a perfect ram to offer up instead. Genesis 22
To do
righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than
sacrifice [for wrongs repeatedly committed]. Proverbs 21:3
“Those who regard and follow
worthless idols turn away from their [living source of] mercy and
lovingkindness. “But [as for me], I will sacrifice to
You with the voice of thanksgiving; I shall pay that which I have vowed. Salvation
is from the Lord!”
Job was
determined to give God praise through all the trials that were coming upon him
and his family. He was so committed to God that he was willing to sacrifice his
own life if that was what was going to please God.
“Even though He
kills me; I will hope in Him. Nevertheless, I will
argue my ways to His face.” Job 13:15
David was so sorrowful for the sin he
committed with Bathsheba and killing her husband so he could have her for his
own. When Nathan was sent to him to let him know how much he had grieved the
heart of God, David was moved to repent and beg forgiveness. He did not believe
that an animal sacrifice was sufficient enough to cover the sins he had
committed and worked to show how sorrowful and penitent he was for breaking the
heart of God.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your
lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my
transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and
guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge
them; my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and
done that which is evil in Your sight, So that You are
justified when You speak [Your sentence] And faultless
in Your judgment. I was brought forth in [a state of]
wickedness In sin my mother conceived me [and from my beginning I, too,
was sinful]. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost
being, And in the hidden part [of my heart] You will
make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I will
be clean; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness and be satisfied; Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all
my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore
to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a
willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your
ways, And sinners shall be converted and return
to You. Rescue me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God
of my salvation; Then my tongue will sing joyfully of Your
righteousness and Your justice. O Lord, open my
lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin,
thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise. Psalm
51:1-17
Ritual Sacrifices in the
Old Testament
Thanks and praise to God who had mercy
on mankind when He sent Jesus to be our ultimate sacrifice. I really do not
think there are many “Men and Women” of God who could keep up with all the
ritual sacrifices found in Leviticus. And I know that not one of those smooth
talking Television Preachers would be willing to go through the rituals the
Levites had to go through each day to please God. Take time to read through
these rituals that God used to expect from mankind and I am sure you will be
thanking and praising God that we no longer have these expectations.
Voluntary Sacrifices
There were three voluntary offerings. The first was the burnt offering, a voluntary act of worship to express devotion or commitment to God. It was also used as atonement for unintentional sin. The elements of the burnt offering were a bull, a bird, or a ram without blemish. The meat and bones and organs of the animal were to be totally burnt, and this
was God’s portion. The animal’s hide was
given to the Levites, who could later sell it to earn money for themselves.
The Hebrew word for “burnt offering”
actually means to “ascend,“ literally to “go up in smoke.” The smoke from the
sacrifice ascended to God, “a soothing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9). Technically, any offering burned over an altar
was a burnt offering, but in more specific terms, a burnt offering was the
complete destruction of the animal (except for the hide) in an effort to renew
the relationship between Holy God and sinful man. With the development of the
law, God gave the Israelites specific instructions as to the types of burnt
offerings and what they symbolized.
A person could give a burnt offering at
any time. It was a sacrifice of general atonement—an acknowledgement of the sin
nature and a request for renewed relationship with God. God also set times for
the priests to give a burnt offering for the benefit of the Israelites as a
whole, although the animals required for each sacrifice varied:
Every morning and evening (Exodus 29:38-42; Numbers 28:2)
Each Sabbath (Numbers 28:9-10)
The beginning of each month (Numbers 28:11)
At Passover (Numbers 28:19)
With the new grain/first fruits offering at the Feast of Weeks (Numbers 28:27)
At the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah (Numbers 29:1)
At the new moon (Numbers 29:6)
The second voluntary offering was the grain offering, in which the fruit of the field was offered in the form of a cake or baked bread made of grain, fine flour, and oil and salt. The grain offering was one of the sacrifices accompanied by a ***drink offering*** of one-quarter hin (31 ounces) of wine, which was poured into the fire on the altar (Numbers 15:4–5). The purpose of the grain offering was to express thanksgiving in recognition of God’s provision and unmerited goodwill toward the person making the sacrifice. The priests were given a portion of this offering, but it had to be eaten within the court of the tabernacle.
Every morning and evening (Exodus 29:38-42; Numbers 28:2)
Each Sabbath (Numbers 28:9-10)
The beginning of each month (Numbers 28:11)
At Passover (Numbers 28:19)
With the new grain/first fruits offering at the Feast of Weeks (Numbers 28:27)
At the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah (Numbers 29:1)
At the new moon (Numbers 29:6)
The second voluntary offering was the grain offering, in which the fruit of the field was offered in the form of a cake or baked bread made of grain, fine flour, and oil and salt. The grain offering was one of the sacrifices accompanied by a ***drink offering*** of one-quarter hin (31 ounces) of wine, which was poured into the fire on the altar (Numbers 15:4–5). The purpose of the grain offering was to express thanksgiving in recognition of God’s provision and unmerited goodwill toward the person making the sacrifice. The priests were given a portion of this offering, but it had to be eaten within the court of the tabernacle.
A grain offering could be given to God either uncooked or cooked in an oven or pan (Leviticus 2:1; 4—5). The requirements for the grain offering were that it had to be finely ground and have oil and salt in it (Leviticus 2:1, 4, 13). It could not have any yeast (also called leaven) or honey in it (Leviticus 2:11). When a person brought a grain offering to the priests, a small portion of it was offered to God, with some frankincense, on the altar. The rest of the grain offering went to the priests (Leviticus 2:10). No specific amount of grain was required for an offering; people were free to give what they had.
The grain offering is described as “a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord” (Leviticus 2:10). Grain offerings would often be presented after a burnt offering, which was an animal sacrifice God required for the atonement of sin. Blood had to be shed for the remission of sins to take place, so a grain offering would not serve the same purpose as a burnt offering. Instead, the purpose of a grain offering was to worship God and acknowledge His provision. The burnt offering, which had strict regulations and could have nothing added to it, aptly represents the fact that we take no part in our atonement for sin. The grain offering, however, could be somewhat “personalized” in its presentation. It was to be given out of a person’s free will, just as our worship is our free will offering to God today.
It’s interesting to note that during the Israelites’ forty years of wilderness wandering grain would have been quite scarce. This made grain offerings more costly and precious for the people to offer to God. Giving a grain offering in those circumstances represented the Israelites’ complete dependence on God to provide for their needs each day.
Jesus fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17), and we no longer have to do sacrifices as they
did in the Old Testament. But, if the grain offering is similar to our offering
of worship, it’s interesting to consider: how much does our worship today cost
us?
***The Drink Offering***
It has been speculated that the offering of an animal, grain, oil, and wine—the smoke making a “soothing aroma to the LORD”—is a metaphor for providing food for God, an important cultural requirement in the Middle East. What we do know is that the pouring out of a drink offering is a metaphor for the blood Jesus spilled on the cross. Jesus spoke to this directly in Luke 22:20 when He instituted the New Covenant. He picked up a cup of wine and said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled the need of a drink offering by His blood literally pouring out when the soldier pierced His side with a spear (John 19:33).
Paul took the metaphor further, twice using the image of a drink offering to describe his own service. In Philippians 2:17, he challenged the church in Philippi to live a life worthy of his dedication to them. In 2 Timothy 4:6, he sensed the end of his ministry, again comparing his efforts to wine poured out of a vessel onto an altar.
The third voluntary offering was the peace offering, which consisted of any unblemished animal from the worshiper’s herd, and/or various grains or breads. This was a sacrifice of thanksgiving and fellowship followed by a shared meal.
The modern idea of a peace offering is
that of “a propitiatory or conciliatory gift.” A man who offends his wife will
often visit a florist with the thought that bringing home flowers will help
smooth things over—the bouquet will be a “peace offering” of sorts. Propitiate
means “to make someone pleased or less angry by giving or saying something
desired,” and conciliatory means “intended to placate or pacify.” These
definitions are interesting because the phrase peace offering has come
to mean something completely different—almost the exact opposite—of what it
originally meant in the Bible.
A peace offering in the Old Testament Law is described in Leviticus 7:11–21. It was a voluntary sacrifice given to God in three specific instances. First, a peace offering could be given as a freewill offering, meaning that the worshiper was giving the peace offering as a way to say thank you for God’s unsought generosity. It was basically just a way to praise God for His goodness. The second way a peace offering could be given was alongside a fulfilled vow. A good example of this was when Hannah fulfilled her vow to God by bringing Samuel to the temple; on that occasion she also brought a peace offering to express the peace in her heart toward God concerning her sacrifice—it was a way to say, “I have no resentment; I am holding nothing back in the payment of my vow.” The third purpose of a peace offering was to give thanksgiving for God’s deliverance in an hour of dire need. None of these three reasons to sacrifice had anything to do with propitiation, with appeasing God, or with pacifying Him.
There were under the Old Covenant sacrifices intended to represent propitiation (Leviticus 1-2; 4) but with the understanding that God has always been a God of grace (see Ephesians 2:8–9). He does not expect us to appease Him with our works but only to confess our need and dependence on Him. Under the Old Covenant, this relationship was expressed by the sacrificial system, which always looked forward to the sacrifice of the Messiah. Under the New Covenant, the Law has been written on our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3), and the Holy Spirit of God gives us the power to live our lives accordingly (Romans 8:1–8; 1 Thessalonians 1:5). The sacrifices we give now are spiritual (Hebrews 13:15) and living (Romans 12:1).
Most sacrifices in the Old Testament system were not eaten by worshipers, but the peace offering was meant to be eaten—only a portion of the animal or grain brought to the altar was burned; the rest was given back to the worshiper and to the poor and hungry. The beautiful picture here is of God’s provision for His people, both physically and spiritually. His grace and goodness are present throughout the offerings. In the peace offering, God was providing what we need: a way to thank Him for His goodness and physical sustenance.
God is not interested in taking from us. That is not His heart at all. But the lie we so often believe is that our good actions bring about His goodness, and our sinful actions must be paid for in personal sacrifice. The peace offering shows that worshipers in the Old Testament were not any more responsible for their salvation than worshipers in the New Testament.
A peace offering in the Old Testament Law is described in Leviticus 7:11–21. It was a voluntary sacrifice given to God in three specific instances. First, a peace offering could be given as a freewill offering, meaning that the worshiper was giving the peace offering as a way to say thank you for God’s unsought generosity. It was basically just a way to praise God for His goodness. The second way a peace offering could be given was alongside a fulfilled vow. A good example of this was when Hannah fulfilled her vow to God by bringing Samuel to the temple; on that occasion she also brought a peace offering to express the peace in her heart toward God concerning her sacrifice—it was a way to say, “I have no resentment; I am holding nothing back in the payment of my vow.” The third purpose of a peace offering was to give thanksgiving for God’s deliverance in an hour of dire need. None of these three reasons to sacrifice had anything to do with propitiation, with appeasing God, or with pacifying Him.
There were under the Old Covenant sacrifices intended to represent propitiation (Leviticus 1-2; 4) but with the understanding that God has always been a God of grace (see Ephesians 2:8–9). He does not expect us to appease Him with our works but only to confess our need and dependence on Him. Under the Old Covenant, this relationship was expressed by the sacrificial system, which always looked forward to the sacrifice of the Messiah. Under the New Covenant, the Law has been written on our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3), and the Holy Spirit of God gives us the power to live our lives accordingly (Romans 8:1–8; 1 Thessalonians 1:5). The sacrifices we give now are spiritual (Hebrews 13:15) and living (Romans 12:1).
Most sacrifices in the Old Testament system were not eaten by worshipers, but the peace offering was meant to be eaten—only a portion of the animal or grain brought to the altar was burned; the rest was given back to the worshiper and to the poor and hungry. The beautiful picture here is of God’s provision for His people, both physically and spiritually. His grace and goodness are present throughout the offerings. In the peace offering, God was providing what we need: a way to thank Him for His goodness and physical sustenance.
God is not interested in taking from us. That is not His heart at all. But the lie we so often believe is that our good actions bring about His goodness, and our sinful actions must be paid for in personal sacrifice. The peace offering shows that worshipers in the Old Testament were not any more responsible for their salvation than worshipers in the New Testament.
Throughout the ages,
people have been tempted to think that sacrifices create God’s favor. This
belief is evident in our modern understanding of a peace offering as a
propitiation for wrongdoing. But only Christ’s sacrifice creates favor with God
and covers wrongdoing, and the Old Testament sacrifices were a picture of that
future provision.
The high priest was given the breast of the
animal; the officiating priest was given the right foreleg. These pieces of the
offering were called the “wave offering” and the “heave offering” because they
were waved or lifted over the altar during the ceremony.
The wave offering, part of the offerings
of the Mosaic Law, was the symbolic act indicating that the offering was for
the Lord. Portions of the things offered were literally waved in the air before
the Lord. The wave offering is first seen in Exodus 29:19-28 in the
description of the ordination ceremony of Aaron and his sons. This is the only
instance where part of the wave offering was consumed by fire (Exodus 29:25). The remainder
was “waved” to God but taken by Aaron, his sons, and Moses.
Other instances of wave offerings include the breast of a peace offering (Leviticus 7:28-34), a lamb from the cleansing sacrifice of a healed leper (Leviticus 14:12), and two loaves of bread and two lambs of the sacrifice affiliated with the ***Feast of Weeks*** (Leviticus 23:15-21). The largest wave offering was of an entire tribe. Because of their loyalty during the episode with the golden calf (Exodus 32), God accepted the Levites in the service of His temple in place of the firstborn male of each Israelite family (Numbers 3:12).
Other instances of wave offerings include the breast of a peace offering (Leviticus 7:28-34), a lamb from the cleansing sacrifice of a healed leper (Leviticus 14:12), and two loaves of bread and two lambs of the sacrifice affiliated with the ***Feast of Weeks*** (Leviticus 23:15-21). The largest wave offering was of an entire tribe. Because of their loyalty during the episode with the golden calf (Exodus 32), God accepted the Levites in the service of His temple in place of the firstborn male of each Israelite family (Numbers 3:12).
A wave offering was a portion of a sacrifice presented to God, then released by God for the use of those involved in the sacrifice. The meat fed the families of the priests. The Levites served first the tabernacle and then the temple, fulfilling the obligation of the rest of the Israelites. Both were God’s provision for those who sacrificed themselves in service to Him.
The fat, kidneys, and lobe of the liver were given
to God (burnt), and the remainder of the animal was for the participants to
eat, symbolizing God’s provision. The vow offering, thanksgiving offering, and
freewill offering mentioned in the Old Testament were all peace offerings.
***The Feast of Weeks***
Described in Leviticus 23, The Feast of
Weeks is the second of the three “solemn feasts” that all Jewish males were
required to travel to Jerusalem to attend (Exodus 23:14–17; 34:22–23; Deuteronomy 16:16). This
important feast gets its name from the fact that it starts seven full weeks, or
exactly 50 days, after the Feast of First fruits. Since it takes place exactly
50 days after the previous feast, this feast is also known as “Pentecost” (Acts 2:1), which means
“fifty.”
Each of three “solemn feasts”—Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles—required that all able-bodied Jewish males travel to Jerusalem to attend the feast and offer sacrifices. All three of these feasts required that “first fruit” offerings be made at the temple as a way of expressing thanksgiving for God’s provision. The Feast of First fruits celebrated at the time of the Passover included the first fruits of the barley harvest. The Feast of Weeks was in celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Tabernacles involved offerings of the first fruits of the olive and grape harvests.
Since the Feast of Weeks was one of the “harvest feasts,” the Jews were commanded to “present an offering of new grain to the Lord” (Leviticus 23:16). This offering was to be “two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah” which were made “of fine flour . . . baked with leaven.” The offerings were to be made of the first fruits of that harvest (Leviticus 23:17). Along with the “wave offerings” they were also to offer seven first-year lambs that were without blemish along with one young bull and two rams. Additional offerings are also prescribed in Leviticus and the other passages that outline how this feast was to be observed. Another important requirement of this feast is that, when the Jews harvested their fields, they were required to leave the corners of the field untouched and not gather “any gleanings” from the harvest as a way of providing for the poor and strangers (Leviticus 23:22).
To the Jews, this time of celebration is known as Shavuot, which is the Hebrew word meaning “weeks.” This is one of three separate names that are used in Scripture to refer to this important Jewish feast. Each name emphasizes an important aspect of the feast as well as its religious and cultural significance to both Jews and Christians. Besides being called the Feast of Weeks in Leviticus 23, this special feast celebration is called the “Day of the First fruits” in Numbers 28:26 and the “Feast of Harvest” in Exodus 23:16.
The Feast of Weeks takes place exactly 50 days after the Feast of First fruits. It normally occurs in late spring, either the last part of May or the beginning of June. Unlike other feasts that began on a specific day of the Hebrew calendar, this one is calculated as being “fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:15–16; Deuteronomy 16:9–10).
Like other Jewish feasts, the Feast of Weeks is important in that it foreshadows the coming Messiah and His ministry. Each and every one of the seven Jewish Feasts signifies an important aspect of God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.
Jesus was crucified as the “Passover Lamb” and rose from the grave at the Feast of First fruits. Following His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending to heaven (Acts 1). Fifty days after His resurrection and after ascending to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as promised (John 14:16–17) to indwell the disciples and empower them for ministry. The promised Holy Spirit arrived on the Day of Pentecost, which is another name for the Feast of Weeks.
The spiritual significance's of the Feast of Weeks are many. Some see the two loaves of leavened bread that were to be a wave offering as foreshadowing the time when the Messiah would make both Jew and Gentile to be one in Him (Ephesians 2:14–15). This is also the only feast where leavened bread is used. Leaven in Scripture is often used symbolically of sin, and the leavened bread used in the Feast of Weeks is thought to be representative of the fact that there is still sin within the church (body of Christ) and will be until Christ returns again.
On the Day of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks, the “first fruits” of the church were gathered by Christ as some 3,000 people heard Peter present the gospel after the Holy Spirit had empowered and indwelt the disciples as promised. With the promised indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the first fruits of God’s spiritual harvest under the New Covenant began. Today that harvest continues as people continue to be saved, but there is also another coming harvest whereby God will again turn His attention back to Israel so that “all of Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).
Mandatory Sacrifices
There were two mandatory sacrifices in the Old Testament Law. The first was the sin offering (Leviticus 4; 6:24–30; 8:14–17; 16:3–22). The purpose of the sin offering was to atone for sin and cleanse from defilement. There were five possible elements of a sin sacrifice—a young bull, a male goat, a female goat, a dove/pigeon, or 1/10 ephah {2.3 quarts or 2.2 liters} of fine flour. The type of animal depended on the identity and financial situation of the giver. A female goat was the sin offering for the common person, fine flour was the sacrifice of the very poor, and a young bull was offered for the high priest and the congregation as a whole, and so on. These sacrifices each had specific instructions for what to do with the blood of the animal during the ceremony. The fatty portions and lobe of the liver and kidneys were given to God (burnt); the rest of the animal was either totally burned on the altar and the ashes thrown outside the camp (in atoning for the high priest and congregation), or eaten within the tabernacle court.
The other mandatory sacrifice was the trespass offering (Leviticus 6:1-7), and this sacrifice was exclusively a ram. The trespass offering was given as atonement for unintentional sins that required reimbursement to an offended party, and also as a cleansing from defiling sins or physical maladies. Again, the fat portions, kidneys, and liver were offered to God, and the remainder of the ram had to be eaten inside the court of the tabernacle.
The sacrifices in the Old Testament pointed forward to the perfect and final sacrifice of Christ. As with the rest of the Law, the sacrifices were “are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:17). Christians today recognize Christ’s atoning death on the cross as the only needed sacrifice for sin, offered once for all (Hebrews 10:1–10). His death opened the “holy place” for us (Hebrews 10:19–22) so that we can freely enter God’s presence and offer our “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15; 9:11–28; 4:14—5:10).
Each of three “solemn feasts”—Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles—required that all able-bodied Jewish males travel to Jerusalem to attend the feast and offer sacrifices. All three of these feasts required that “first fruit” offerings be made at the temple as a way of expressing thanksgiving for God’s provision. The Feast of First fruits celebrated at the time of the Passover included the first fruits of the barley harvest. The Feast of Weeks was in celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Tabernacles involved offerings of the first fruits of the olive and grape harvests.
Since the Feast of Weeks was one of the “harvest feasts,” the Jews were commanded to “present an offering of new grain to the Lord” (Leviticus 23:16). This offering was to be “two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah” which were made “of fine flour . . . baked with leaven.” The offerings were to be made of the first fruits of that harvest (Leviticus 23:17). Along with the “wave offerings” they were also to offer seven first-year lambs that were without blemish along with one young bull and two rams. Additional offerings are also prescribed in Leviticus and the other passages that outline how this feast was to be observed. Another important requirement of this feast is that, when the Jews harvested their fields, they were required to leave the corners of the field untouched and not gather “any gleanings” from the harvest as a way of providing for the poor and strangers (Leviticus 23:22).
To the Jews, this time of celebration is known as Shavuot, which is the Hebrew word meaning “weeks.” This is one of three separate names that are used in Scripture to refer to this important Jewish feast. Each name emphasizes an important aspect of the feast as well as its religious and cultural significance to both Jews and Christians. Besides being called the Feast of Weeks in Leviticus 23, this special feast celebration is called the “Day of the First fruits” in Numbers 28:26 and the “Feast of Harvest” in Exodus 23:16.
The Feast of Weeks takes place exactly 50 days after the Feast of First fruits. It normally occurs in late spring, either the last part of May or the beginning of June. Unlike other feasts that began on a specific day of the Hebrew calendar, this one is calculated as being “fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:15–16; Deuteronomy 16:9–10).
Like other Jewish feasts, the Feast of Weeks is important in that it foreshadows the coming Messiah and His ministry. Each and every one of the seven Jewish Feasts signifies an important aspect of God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.
Jesus was crucified as the “Passover Lamb” and rose from the grave at the Feast of First fruits. Following His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending to heaven (Acts 1). Fifty days after His resurrection and after ascending to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as promised (John 14:16–17) to indwell the disciples and empower them for ministry. The promised Holy Spirit arrived on the Day of Pentecost, which is another name for the Feast of Weeks.
The spiritual significance's of the Feast of Weeks are many. Some see the two loaves of leavened bread that were to be a wave offering as foreshadowing the time when the Messiah would make both Jew and Gentile to be one in Him (Ephesians 2:14–15). This is also the only feast where leavened bread is used. Leaven in Scripture is often used symbolically of sin, and the leavened bread used in the Feast of Weeks is thought to be representative of the fact that there is still sin within the church (body of Christ) and will be until Christ returns again.
On the Day of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks, the “first fruits” of the church were gathered by Christ as some 3,000 people heard Peter present the gospel after the Holy Spirit had empowered and indwelt the disciples as promised. With the promised indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the first fruits of God’s spiritual harvest under the New Covenant began. Today that harvest continues as people continue to be saved, but there is also another coming harvest whereby God will again turn His attention back to Israel so that “all of Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).
Mandatory Sacrifices
There were two mandatory sacrifices in the Old Testament Law. The first was the sin offering (Leviticus 4; 6:24–30; 8:14–17; 16:3–22). The purpose of the sin offering was to atone for sin and cleanse from defilement. There were five possible elements of a sin sacrifice—a young bull, a male goat, a female goat, a dove/pigeon, or 1/10 ephah {2.3 quarts or 2.2 liters} of fine flour. The type of animal depended on the identity and financial situation of the giver. A female goat was the sin offering for the common person, fine flour was the sacrifice of the very poor, and a young bull was offered for the high priest and the congregation as a whole, and so on. These sacrifices each had specific instructions for what to do with the blood of the animal during the ceremony. The fatty portions and lobe of the liver and kidneys were given to God (burnt); the rest of the animal was either totally burned on the altar and the ashes thrown outside the camp (in atoning for the high priest and congregation), or eaten within the tabernacle court.
The other mandatory sacrifice was the trespass offering (Leviticus 6:1-7), and this sacrifice was exclusively a ram. The trespass offering was given as atonement for unintentional sins that required reimbursement to an offended party, and also as a cleansing from defiling sins or physical maladies. Again, the fat portions, kidneys, and liver were offered to God, and the remainder of the ram had to be eaten inside the court of the tabernacle.
The sacrifices in the Old Testament pointed forward to the perfect and final sacrifice of Christ. As with the rest of the Law, the sacrifices were “are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:17). Christians today recognize Christ’s atoning death on the cross as the only needed sacrifice for sin, offered once for all (Hebrews 10:1–10). His death opened the “holy place” for us (Hebrews 10:19–22) so that we can freely enter God’s presence and offer our “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15; 9:11–28; 4:14—5:10).
I bet you are feeling like I do about
right now that it must have been really hard for the people to follow God in
those days with all the Religious Rituals and Customs. Well, it was hard for
them that is why they were so easily persuaded to follow false gods and dead
idols. To be a follower of God in those days took a great amount of SACRIFICE
not only of animals, grains, liquids , but also SELF SACRIFICE to show how much
you actually loved and feared God {honored and adored God}.
We will now take a look at what the
Bible teaches us about SELF SACRIFICE in serving God from the Old Testament
through to the Ultimate SELF SACRIFICE made by Jesus.
Sacrifice of Self
Judah was willing to sacrifice his life
to become a servant to Joseph, so his younger brother, Benjamin could stay home
and take care of their elderly father.
Now, therefore,
please let your servant Judah remain here instead of the youth [to be] a slave
to my lord, and let the young man go home with his brothers. How can I go up to
my father if the young man is not with me—for fear that I would see the tragedy
that would overtake my [elderly] father [if Benjamin does not return]?”Genesis
44:33-34
Next we have
Moses once again going to bat for the people because they had once again sinned
against God by creating the golden calf to worship. After Moses chastised the
people he went back up the mountain and offered himself to God as a sacrifice
if He would forgive the people.
Then the next
day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up
to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” So
Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Oh, these people have
committed a great sin [against You], and have made themselves a god of gold.
Yet now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of Your
book which You have written (kill me)!” Exodus
32:30-32
The Daughter of Jephthah freely gave
herself to be sacrificed because of the vow Jephthah had made with God
concerning his victorious battle against the Ammonites.
And she said to him, “My father, you have
made a vow to the Lord; do to me as you have vowed,
since the Lord has taken vengeance for you
on your enemies, the Ammonites.” And she said to her father, “Let this one
thing be done for me; let me alone for two months, so that I may go to the
mountains and weep over my virginity, I and my companions.” And he said, “Go.”
So he sent her away for two months; and she left with her companions, and wept
over her virginity on the mountains. Judges 11:36-38
Ruth was
rewarded for her selfless act of moving to take care of her mother-in-law,
while leaving all of her own family behind in the land of her birth. This kind
of self sacrifice goes right along with scripture that teaches us to care for
the widows (1Timothy
5:3-16).
Boaz answered
her, “I have been made fully aware of everything that you have done for your
mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your
father and mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that
you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for your kindness, and may
your reward be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings
you have come to take refuge.” Ruth 2:11-12
David refused to
drink the water that three of the chief men risked their lives to get for him,
instead offering it up to the Lord God as a sacrifice.
Three of the
thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam,
while the army of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. David
was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was in
Bethlehem. David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would
give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is next to the
gate!” Then the three [mighty men] broke through the camp of the Philistines
and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem which was next to the gate, and
brought it to David. But David would not drink it; he poured it out to the Lord [as an offering]; and he said, “Far be
it from me before my God that I would do this thing! Shall I drink the blood of
these men who have put their lives in jeopardy; for they brought it at the risk
of their lives?” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men
did.
Stephen sacrificed his life being the
messenger of God to the Religious men of his time. When they heard the
judgments of God against them from out of Stephens mouth they became bitter
{sounds like the Evangelical’s of our time} and ran him out of the city and
stoned him to death. Even while he was drawing his last breath, Stephen begged
the Lord God not to hold this sin against the ones who were stoning him. NOW
that’s the kind of LOVE God wants us to have towards all who come against us.
Now when they
heard this [accusation and understood its implication], they were cut to the
heart, and they began grinding their teeth [in rage] at him. But he,
being full of the Holy Spirit and led by Him, gazed into heaven and saw
the glory [the great splendor and majesty] of God, and Jesus standing at the
right hand of God; and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened up [in welcome]
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they shouted with
loud voices, and covered their ears and together rushed at him [considering him
guilty of blasphemy]. Then they drove him out of the city and began
stoning him; and the witnesses placed their outer robes at the feet of a young
man named Saul. They continued stoning Stephen as he called on the
Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my
spirit!” Then falling on his knees [in worship], he cried out loudly, “Lord, do
not hold this sin against them [do not charge them]!” When he had said this, he
fell asleep [in death]. Acts 7:54-60
Since his
conversion from Saul to Paul, Paul had been preaching the Gospel with great
fervor doing as Jesus had commanded all His followers do and that was to
believe for miracles after the Word of God was delivered. Paul also knew that
he constantly got put in prison for sharing the Good News and yet he remained
faithful to his calling.
And now,
compelled by the Spirit and obligated by my convictions, I am going to
Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy
Spirit solemnly [and emphatically] affirms to me in city after city that
imprisonment and suffering await me. But I do not consider my life as something
of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and
the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the
good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the
guilt of sin and grants us eternal life]. Acts
20:22-24
While Jesus was trying to enjoy time at
Matthew’s (Levi) home eating and relaxing, He overhears the “RELIGIOUS” men
condemning Him yet again because He was eating and drinking with “SINNERS” and
Tax Collectors. Jesus used a metaphor to describe why God sent Him to earth and
told them think about it, probably because they looked dumb founded as usual.
He was teaching them that He came for the SINNERS not the Self-Righteous who
saw no need to change their lives by following Him.
As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man
named Matthew (Levi) sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting
Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].”
And Matthew got up and followed Him. Then as Jesus was reclining at the
table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners [including
non-observant Jews] came and ate with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees
saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Master eat with tax
collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “Those who are healthy have no
need for a physician, but [only] those
who are sick. Go and learn what this [Scripture] means: ‘I desire compassion [for those in distress], and not [animal] sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call [to repentance] the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to change],
but sinners [those who recognize their
sin and actively seek forgiveness].” Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 5:27-28
As Jesus gained popularity many people
began questioning Him as to what it really takes to be a follower of His.
People always want to know how much it is going to cost them personally to do
something that is against their human nature. Jesus already knew the hearts of
the ones who asked these questions, many of whom had lots of money and worldly
possessions that would make it hard from them to decide whether or not they
were going to give things up. Jesus also made sure they realized that they must
care for the SICK and POOR among them just as He was doing. Here are a few examples of people questioning
Jesus on this issue.
Jesus answered
him, “If you wish to
be perfect
[that is, have the spiritual maturity that accompanies godly character with no
moral or ethical deficiencies], go and sell what you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure
in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me
and walking the same path of life that I walk].” Matthew
19:21, Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22
“He who loves
father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or
daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross [expressing a willingness to endure
whatever may come] and
follow Me
[believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering
or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] is not worthy of Me.” Matthew
10:37-38, Luke
14:26-27
Jesus called the crowd together with His
disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish
interests], and
take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming
to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of
faith in Me]. For
whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will
[eventually] lose
it [through
death], but
whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake and the gospel’s will save it [from the consequences of sin and
separation from God].Mark 8:34-35 , Matthew 16:24-25 , Luke 9:23-24
Then Peter
answered Him, saying, “Look, we have given up everything and followed You
[becoming Your disciples and accepting You as Teacher and Lord]; what then will
there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you,
in the renewal
[that is, the Messianic restoration and regeneration of all things] when the Son of Man sits on His glorious
throne, you
[who have followed Me, becoming My disciples] will also sit on twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or
sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake will
receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. Matthew
19:27-29, Luke
18:28-30, Mark
10:28-30
Brother will
betray brother to
[be put to] death,
and a father
[will hand over] his
child; and children will rise up and take a stand against parents and
have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of [your association with] My name, but the one who [patiently perseveres empowered by the
Holy Spirit and] endures
to the end, he will be saved.
Mark
13:12-13, Matthew
10:21-22, Luke
21:16-17
For whoever
wishes to save his life
[in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake, he is the one who will save
it [from the
consequences of sin and separation from God]. Luke 9:24
“Sell your
possessions (show compassion) and give [donations] to the poor. Provide money belts for yourselves that
do not wear out, an unfailing and inexhaustible treasure in the heavens,
where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also. Luke
12:33-34
So then, none of
you can be My disciple who does not [carefully consider the cost and then for My sake] give up all his own possessions.
Luke 14:33
Whoever seeks to
save his life will
[eventually] lose
it [through
death], and whoever
loses his life
[in this world] will
keep it [from the
consequences of sin and separation from God]. Luke 17:33
Calling them to
Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of
the Gentiles lord it over them; and their powerful men exercise authority over
them [tyrannizing
them]. But this is not
how it is among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be
your servant, and whoever wishes to be first and
most important among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark
10:42-45
Was Jesus asking too much of people who
wanted to follow Him? Absolutely NOT… He was getting close to the time when He
was going to make it easier than they could ever imagine being followers of God
His Father and Himself. He was even going to send the great comforter to dwell
with them and teach them {and all of us followers today} ALL the MYSTERIES of
God. Jesus was teaching us ALL that LOVE was the key to keeping the
commandments of God in our hearts so our lives could be a shining example to
other’s of God’s LOVE and GRACE for ALL MANKIND {including LGBTQI+}.
Sacrifice of
Love towards others
I assure you and
most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and
dies, it remains alone
[just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and
yields a harvest. The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this
world [and is
concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal. John
12:24-25
No
one has greater love
[nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for
his friends. John 15:13
“This is My
commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one
another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his
friends. You are my friends if you keep on doing
what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer,
for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything
that I have heard from My Father. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I
have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that
you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit
will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My
name [as My
representative] He
may give to you. This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly
seek the best for one another. “If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it
hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would
love [you as] its own and would treat you with
affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world.
And because of this the world hates you. Remember [and continue to remember] that I told you, ‘A servant is not
greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these [hurtful] things to you for My name’s sake [because you bear My name and are
identified with Me], for
they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not
have [the guilt of
their] sin; but now
they have no excuse for their sin. The one who hates Me also hates My Father. If I had not done among them the works (attesting
miracles) which no one else [ever] did, they would not have [the guilt of their] sin; but now [the fact is that] they have both seen [these works] and have hated Me [and continue to hate Me] and My Father as well. But [this is so] that the word which has been written in their Law
would be fulfilled, ‘They hated Me without a
cause.’ “But when the
Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby)
comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of
Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify and bear witness about
Me. But you will testify also and
be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning. John
15:12-27
And all those who had believed [in Jesus as
Savior] were together and had all things in common [considering their
possessions to belong to the group as a whole]. And they began selling
their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the
other believers], as anyone had need. Acts 2:44-45
Now the company
of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one [of them] claimed that
anything belonging to him was [exclusively] his own, but everything was common
property and for the use of all. And with great ability and power
the apostles were continuously testifying to the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus, and great grace [God’s remarkable lovingkindness and favor and
goodwill] rested richly upon them all. There was not a needy person among them,
because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them, and bringing
the proceeds of the sales and placing the money down at
the apostles’ feet. Then it was distributed to each as anyone had need. Now Joseph, a Levite and native of
Cyprus, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), sold a field belonging to him and
brought the money and set it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 4:32-37
Do not go on offering members of your
body to sin as instruments of wickedness. But offer yourselves to God [in a
decisive act] as those alive [raised] from the dead [to a new life], and your
members [all of your abilities—sanctified, set apart] as instruments of
righteousness [yielded] to God. Romans 6:13
If I give all my possessions to feed the
poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it
does me no good at all. 1 Corinthians 13:3
For though I am free from all men, I have
made myself a slave to everyone, so that I may win more [for Christ]. To the
Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews [for Christ]; to men under the
Law, [I became] as one under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so
that I might win those who are under the Law. To those who are without
(outside) the Law, [I became] as one without the Law, though [I am] not without
the law of God, but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are
without law. To the weak I became [as the] weak, to win the weak. I have become
all things to all men, so that I may by all means [in any and every way] save
some [by leading them to faith in Jesus Christ]. And I do all this for the sake
of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings along with you. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Therefore, since we have been justified
[that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God] by faith, [let us
grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with
Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). Through Him we
also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we
[firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and
the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great]
God [the manifestation of His excellence and power]. And not only this,
but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our
hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient
endurance; and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven
character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]. Such
hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has
been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was
given to us. While we were still helpless [powerless to provide for our
salvation], at the right time Christ died [as a substitute] for the ungodly.
Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to willingly give his life even for an
upright man, though perhaps for a good man [one who is noble and selfless and
worthy] someone might even dare to die. But God clearly shows and proves
His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt
of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from
the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were
reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more certain,
having been reconciled, that we will be saved [from the consequences of sin] by
His life [that is, we will be saved because Christ lives today]. Not
only that, but we also rejoice in God [rejoicing in His love and perfection]
through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received and
enjoy our reconciliation [with God]. Therefore, just as sin
came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to
all people [no one being able to stop it or escape its power], because they all
sinned. Sin was [committed] in the world before the Law [was
given], but sin is not charged [against anyone] when there is no law [against
it]. Yet death ruled [over mankind] from Adam to Moses [the
Lawgiver], even over those who had not sinned as Adam did. Adam is a type of
Him (Christ) who was to come [but in reverse—Adam brought destruction, Christ
brought salvation]. But the free gift [of God] is not like the
trespass [because the gift of grace overwhelms the fall of man]. For if many
died by one man’s trespass [Adam’s sin], much more [abundantly] did God’s grace
and the gift [that comes] by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, overflow
to [benefit] the many. Nor is the gift [of grace] like that which came
through the one who sinned. For on the one hand the judgment [following the
sin] resulted from one trespass and brought condemnation, but on the
other hand the free gift resulted from many trespasses and brought
justification [the release from sin’s penalty for those who believe]. For if by
the trespass of the one (Adam), death reigned through the one (Adam), much more
surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift
of righteousness reign in [eternal] life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one
trespass [Adam’s sin] there resulted condemnation for all men, even so through
one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For
just as through one man’s disobedience [his failure to hear, his carelessness]
the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one Man the many
will be made righteous and acceptable to God and brought into
right standing with Him. But the Law came to increase and expand [the
awareness of] the trespass [by defining and unmasking sin]. But where sin
increased, [God’s remarkable, gracious gift of] grace [His unmerited favor] has
surpassed it and increased all the more, so that, as sin reigned in
death, so also grace would reign through righteousness which brings eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5
He who did not
spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also,
along with Him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32
Brothers and sisters, let me remind you
[once again] of the good news [of salvation] which I preached to you, which you
welcomed and accepted and on which you stand [by faith]. By this faith
you are saved [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set
apart for His purpose], if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain [just superficially and without complete
commitment]. For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also
received, that Christ died for our sins according to [that which] the
Scriptures [foretold], and that He was buried, and that He was [bodily] raised
on the third day according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold] 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
[For that matter] why are we [running such
risks and putting ourselves] in danger [nearly] every hour [if there is no
resurrection]? I assure you, believers, by the pride which I have in you in
[your union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily [I face death and die to
self]. 1 Corinthians 15:30-31
We are pressured
in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way
out], but not driven to despair; hunted down and persecuted, but not
deserted [to stand alone]; struck down, but never destroyed; always
carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the [resurrection] life
of Jesus also may be shown in our body. For we who live are constantly
[experiencing the threat of] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so
that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced in our mortal body
[which is subject to death]. 2
Corinthians 4:8-11
Now, brothers
and sisters, we want to tell you about the grace of God which has been evident
in the churches of Macedonia [awakening in them a longing to contribute]; for
during an ordeal of severe distress, their abundant joy and their deep poverty
[together] overflowed in the wealth of their lavish generosity. For I testify
that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave
voluntarily, begging us insistently for the privilege of participating in the
service for [the support of] the saints [in Jerusalem]. Not only [did they give
materially] as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to
us [as His representatives] by the will of God [disregarding their personal
interests and giving as much as they possibly could]. 2
Corinthians 8:1-5
Are they
[self-proclaimed] servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if I were out of my
mind—I am more so [for I exceed them]; with far more labors, with far more
imprisonments, beaten times without number, and often in danger of death. Five
times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was
beaten with rods, once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked, a night and
a day I have spent adrift on the sea; many times on
journeys, [exposed to] danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my
own countrymen, danger from the Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the
wilderness, danger on the sea, danger among those posing as believers; in
labor and hardship, often unable to sleep, in hunger and thirst, often [driven
to] fasting [for lack of food], in cold and exposure [without adequate
clothing]. Besides those external things, there is the daily [inescapable]
pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak,
and I do not feel [his] weakness? Who is made to sin, and I am not on fire
[with sorrow and concern]? 2
Corinthians 11:23-29
But I will very gladly
spend [my own resources] and be utterly spent for your souls. If I love you
greatly, am I to be loved less [by you]? 2 Corinthians 12:15
Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him
and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; and
walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy
and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also
loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain
for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance. Ephesians 5:1-2
But even if I am being poured out as a
drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith [for preaching the
message of salvation], still I rejoice and share my joy with you all. Philippians 2:17
Have this same
attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example
in selfless humility], who, although He existed in the form and
unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the
divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God
a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it,
or was afraid of losing it]; but emptied Himself [without renouncing or
diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of
divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a
bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human
but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. After He was found in
[terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He
humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the
point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians
2:5-8
But more than
that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and
supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply
and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost
everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ, and may
be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of
my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but
[possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ,
the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians
3:8-9
The
GREATEST SELF SACRIFICE of ALL TIME
Just as Moses lifted up the [bronze] serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must the Son of Man be
lifted up
[on the cross], so
that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life [after physical death, and will actually
live forever]. “For God so [greatly] loved
and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only
begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have
eternal life. For God did not
send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes and has decided to
trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no
judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one
who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as
personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who
alone can save him]. John 3:14-18
“Listen carefully: we are going up to
Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and
scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and they will [judicially] condemn Him and
sentence Him to death, and
will hand Him over to the Gentiles (Roman authorities) to be mocked and
scourged and crucified, and He will be raised [to life] on the third day.” Matthew 20:18-19
After going a
little farther, He fell to the ground [distressed by the weight of His
spiritual burden] and began to pray that if it were possible [in the
Father’s will], the hour [of suffering and death for the sins of mankind] might
pass from Him. He was saying, “Abba, Father! All things are possible
for You; take this cup
[of judgment] away
from Me; but not what I will, but what You will.” Mark
14:35-36, Matthew
26:39, Luke 22:42
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on
Him [as a king’s robe]. And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put
it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand [as a scepter]. Kneeling
before Him, they ridiculed Him, saying, “Hail (rejoice), King of the Jews!”
They spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him repeatedly on the
head. After they finished ridiculing Him, they stripped Him of the scarlet
robe and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. Matthew 27:28-31
Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:46
The ultimate fulfillment of the burnt
offering is in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. His physical life was completely consumed,
He ascended to God, and His covering (that is, His garment) was distributed to
those who officiated over His sacrifice (Matthew 27:35). But most importantly,
His sacrifice, once for all time, atoned for our sins and restored our
relationship with God.
We Are Built Up in Christ as believers so we can bring others into the Kingdom of God.
For I want you to know how great a struggle
I have for you and for those [believers] at Laodicea, and for all who [like
yourselves] have never seen me face to face. [For my hope is]
that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in [unselfish]
love, so that they may have all the riches that come from the full assurance of
understanding [the joy of salvation], resulting in a true [and more intimate]
knowledge of the mystery of God, that is, Christ, in whom are hidden all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge [regarding the word and purposes of God].
I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive [but thoroughly
deceptive] arguments. For even though I am absent [from you] in body,
nevertheless I am with you in spirit, delighted to see your good discipline [as
you stand shoulder to shoulder and form a solid front] and to see the stability
of your faith in Christ [your steadfast reliance on Him and your unwavering
confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].Therefore as
you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting
His character in the things you do and say—living lives that lead others away
from sin], having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually
built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established in your faith,
just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude. See to it that
no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception
[pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere
men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following
[the truth—the teachings of] Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the
Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of
God]. And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature
through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every
angelic and earthly power]. In Him you were also circumcised with a
circumcision not made with hands, but by the [spiritual] circumcision of Christ
in the stripping off of the body of the flesh [the sinful carnal nature],
having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him [to a new life]
through [your] faith in the working of God, [as displayed] when He raised
Christ from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision
of your flesh (worldliness, manner of life), God made you alive together with
Christ, having [freely] forgiven us all our sins, having canceled out the
certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against
us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside and
completely removed by nailing it to the cross.When He had
disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil
operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as
captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the
cross. Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food and drink or in regard
to [the observance of] a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. Such things
are only a shadow of what is to come and they have only symbolic value;
but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ. Let
no one defraud you of your prize [your freedom in Christ and your salvation] by
insisting on mock humility and the worship of angels, going into detail about visions
[he claims] he has seen [to justify his authority], puffed up [in conceit] by
his unspiritual mind, and not holding fast to the head [of the body, Jesus
Christ], from whom the entire body, supplied and knit together by its joints
and ligaments, grows with the growth [that can come only] from God. If
you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if
you were still living in the world, do you submit to rules and
regulations, such as, “Do not handle [this], do not taste [that], do not [even]
touch!”?(These
things all perish with use) — In
accordance with the commandments and teachings of men. These practices indeed
have the appearance [that popularly passes as that] of wisdom in self-made religion
and mock humility and severe treatment of the body (asceticism), but are of no
value against sinful indulgence [because they do not honor God]. Colossians 2
For the [remarkable,
undeserved] grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It
teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live
sensible, upright, and godly lives [lives with a purpose that reflect spiritual
maturity] in this present age, awaiting and confidently
expecting the [fulfillment of our] blessed hope and the glorious appearing of
our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who [willingly] gave
Himself [to be crucified] on our behalf to redeem us and purchase our
freedom from all wickedness, and to purify for Himself a chosen and very
special people to be His own possession, who are enthusiastic for doing
what is good. Titus 2:11-14
And just as it is appointed and
destined for all men to die once and after this [comes certain] judgment, so
Christ, having been offered once and once for all to bear [as a burden]
the sins of many, will appear a second time [when he returns to earth], not to
deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly and
confidently waiting for Him. Hebrews 9:27-28
In Hebrews 10 we learn that the one
Sacrifice of Christ is Sufficient and no longer can mankind use the blood of
animals to atone for their sins. It is now through the BLOOD of JESUS that
mankind is cleansed from all their sins.
For since the Law has only a shadow [just a
pale representation] of the good things to come—not the very image of those
things—it can never, by offering the same sacrifices continually year after
year, make perfect those who approach [its altars]. For if it
were otherwise, would not these sacrifices have stopped being offered? For the
worshipers, having once [for all time] been cleansed, would no longer have a
consciousness of sin. But [as it is] these [continual] sacrifices bring
a fresh reminder of sins [to be atoned for] year after year, for it is
impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore,
when Christ enters into the world, He says,
“Sacrifice
and offering You have not desired,
But [instead] You have prepared a body for Me [to offer];
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no delight.
“Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come To do Your will, O God— [To fulfill] what is written of Me in the scroll of the book.’”
But [instead] You have prepared a body for Me [to offer];
In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no delight.
“Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come To do Your will, O God— [To fulfill] what is written of Me in the scroll of the book.’”
After saying [in the
citation] above, “You have neither desired, nor
have You taken delight in sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings
and sacrifices
for sin” (which
are offered according to the Law)
then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your
will.”
[And so] He does away with the first [covenant as a means of atoning for sin
based on animal sacrifices] so that He may inaugurate and establish the
second [covenant by means of obedience]. And in accordance with this will [of
God] we [who believe in the message of salvation] have been sanctified [that
is, set apart as holy for God and His purposes] through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) once for all. Hebrews
10:1-10
For you showed
sympathy and deep concern for those who were imprisoned, and you
joyfully accepted the [unjust] seizure of your belongings and the
confiscation of your property, conscious of the fact that you have a better
possession and a lasting one [prepared for you in heaven]. Hebrews
10:34
By Faith we learn in Hebrews 11 that the Triumphs of
Faith from the Old Testament to TODAY are so that GOD will be glorified and
that mankind will adore HIM for being our DELIVER.
Now faith is the
assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed),
and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith
comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. For by
this [kind of] faith the men of old gained [divine] approval. Hebrews 11:1-2
By faith Moses, when he had grown up,
refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, because he preferred to
endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures
of sin. He considered the reproach of the Christ [that is, the rebuke he would
suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the
treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God]. By
faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured
[steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen. Hebrews
11:24-27
And others
experienced the trial of mocking and scourging [amid torture], and even chains
and imprisonment. They were stoned [to death], they were sawn in two, they were
lured with tempting offers [to renounce their faith], they were put to death by
the sword; they went about wrapped in the skins of sheep and goats, utterly
destitute, oppressed, cruelly treated (people
of whom the world was not worthy),
wandering in deserts and mountains and [living in] caves and holes in the
ground. Hebrews
11:36-38
Through FAITH we believe that JESUS came to
earth, lived among mankind without sin, healed the sick, became a friend to
those who followed Him and not just their SAVIOR, was beaten and spat upon,
mocked and wounded for ALL our transgressions, died a horrible humiliating
death on a cross, was buried and rose again three days later and now sits with
His Father God in Heaven making intersession for ALL of US who chose to follow
HIM and HIS EXAMPLE. Therefore, I urge everyone reading this to say YES LORD, I
will be a living, breathing SACRIFICE for YOU to use every day for the rest of
my life.
If we say that we have
fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not
practice the truth; but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each
and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the
Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we
with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing
the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and
manifestations]. 1 John 1:6-7
By this we know [and have come to understand the
depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly] laid down His life
for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our lives for the
believers. But whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his
brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live
in him? Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in
theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in
action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of
love are more than words]. 1 John
3:16-18
Through this ULTIMATE SELF SACRIFICE
JESUS paved the way for SALVATION through HIS BLOOD along with HEALING and
PROTECTION from the ENEMY of GOD – Satan. We learn from that last final chapters in the Bible that
Satan continually goes before God to accuse those who follow God even though
the Blood of Jesus is covering our sins from the eyes of God. Satan therefore
does not have a leg to stand on and God once and for all cast him out of heaven
into eternal damnation. Praise God the time is coming soon that God will once
again reign SUPREME in the earth.
And the great dragon was thrown down, the
age-old serpent who is called the devil and Satan, he who continually
deceives and seduces the entire inhabited world; he was thrown down to
the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice
in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom
(dominion, reign) of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come; for
the accuser of our [believing] brothers and sisters has been thrown down [at
last], he who accuses them and keeps bringing charges [of sinful
behavior] against them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:9-10
And then I saw
thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom judgment [that is, the authority
to act as judges] was given. And I saw the souls of those who had been
beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God,
and those who had refused to worship the beast or his image, and had not
accepted his mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life
and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.. Revelation 20:4
Heavenly Father, I SACRIFICE every part of my life that is unpleasing to You Lord praying that You will give me the strength and courage to stand up and fight for what is RIGHT every day for the rest of my life. In Christ Jesus Name I pray, AMEN…
I pray the peace and grace of our LIVING
GOD is upon each of you through Christ Jesus our Lord. I pray that your life
will be a spring of living water continually flowing to help quench the thirst
of others for the knowledge of Christ {John7:38}. I pray that each of you
will find it in your heart to be a living breathing SACRIFICE for GOD in
everything you do allowing the Holy Spirit Jesus sent for us to guide you into
a greater knowledge of the LOVE and GRACE of our LIVING GOD. I speak the words
of Ephesians 3:16-19 into your life
right now – “May He grant you out of the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His
Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality],
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having
been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of
comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and
height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love];
and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the
love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that
you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so
that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives,
completely filled and flooded with God Himself].” In the mighty Name of JESUS
CHRIST I pray these things, AMEN…
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