I was reading Leviticus 1 tonight. It describes the burnt offerings given at the Tabernacle. It talks of killing the animals, skinning them, draining the blood and pouring it on and around the altar. It talks about burning the entrails and dumping the craw and feathers of birds to the east of the altar.
As I was reading this, I was thinking about how it must start to stink after a day of baking in the sun and much worse if they stay in the same location for a while. Then I noticed, at the end of the description of the burnt offering for each type of animal, it says, “an offering by fire as a soothing aroma to the Lord.”
That does not sound like a “soothing aroma.” That isn’t how I would describe it, but God sees things differently than we do. We see the outside and the physical. God sees the heart of sacrifice of those who love, obey, and trust Him. I think it is really the sacrificial heart that is the real “soothing aroma.”
#biblestr #Bible #Jesus #grownostr
Replies (7)
I have not studied the act of sacrifice in the Bible or other religious texts in depth, but I am curious about the idea. I don’t understand the act of killing a creation of God to prove your devotion to God.
Are there texts that directly address this, where God encourages the sacrifice of some of his creations for humans to prove their worthiness?
It seems like an idea that a loving God would not condone.
one guy says "God if you grant my wish I will sacrifice the first living thing I see when I get home." and God's like "No way," and the dude's like "Bet."
So God grants his wish, and the dude goes home and the first thing he sees is his daughter running up to greet him, and God's like "NO TAKESIES BACKSIES!" So the dude kills his daughter and that makes God happy.
In Genesis 3, God Himself slaughters an animal to redeem and cover Adam and Eve because of the first sin.
"18Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” 21And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:18-22)
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’" (Leviticus 17:11)
It basically comes down to the fact that God is holy, so the penalty for sin (disobedience/evil) is death. Something has to die. God allowed the sacrifice of an animal to pay the penalty. Once Jesus came, lived a perfect life, took our sins on Himself, died to pay the penalty, and rose from the dead to show He had conquered sin and the grave, those who trust in Him no longer need to pay a physical sacrifice because He became our kinsman redeemer and paid the price so we don't have to die.
It's the giving up of something good or valuable as an expression of love and devotion.
In a religious context, it's the highest form of worship.
The Old Testament sacrifices were but a foreshadow of the one, true, effectual self-sacrifice of Jesus -- the ultimate sacrifice of he who is love incarnate. That's the purest, most sacred and perfect act of worship directed to the true God.
If you really want to dive deep on the religious and psychological significance of sacrifice, I highly recommend Rene Girard’s work on the scapegoat mechanism. His book “I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning” is a very accessible entry point to his work. It’s a fascinating book. Girard was a renowned academic, member of the French Academy, and a faculty member at Stanford University.
I will read this, thank you
