Written by Julie Tsoukalas
Reading through the book of Leviticus, it can become overwhelming seeing all the requirements for offerings, especially with how many different kinds of offerings there were! Priests had a lot of responsibility, remembering the offerings for each offense, how often they were supposed to sacrifice, and what the process was for each.
Have you ever thought about the amount of work required for all these sacrifices? It wasn’t just the work of the priests who had to slaughter all the animals to make the offerings, either. There wasn’t a vending machine where people could input their sin, and the right sacrifice came out. All those animals had to be kept somewhere, fed, taken care of, and cleaned up after. Those sacrifices took time and required work from everyone.
Now think about your sin. How many times a day do you sin? How often would you need sacrifices if you were back in the days of priests and altars?
In this week’s reading, the book of Hebrews tells us the wondrous news that Jesus made one sacrifice for sin once for all mankind!
Hebrews 10:8-10
(8) Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
(9) Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
(10) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
There was no way to become holy through animal sacrifice. The people had to sacrifice for their sin over and over again, but it never made them holy. Hebrews 10:4 even tells us “…it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
This makes the sacrifice of Christ even more amazing to me!! Not only did His sacrifice in this new and living way forgive our sin and make us holy, but Hebrews 10:19-22 says that we also now have a way to enter the holiest place! Praise God!
The sections about sacrifice in Leviticus may seem dry, and overwhelming to get through. But I challenge you to read them in the light of all Jesus has done away with through His death on the cross for you. Knowing that His one sacrifice removed the need for all of the other things listed in Leviticus is pretty amazing!
Take time to praise Him today for what He has done, for the new and living way that grants us holiness, and let your heart be drawn near Him in full assurance of faith. We serve an amazing, living Savior!
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