(Exo 18:14-17 KJV) And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
Moses established so many different kinds of offerings to God: sin offerings; guilt offerings; whole offerings; free-will offerings; grain offerings; drink offerings; installation offerings and shared offerings.
I struggled to understand why a God of the universe would require some kind of blood sacrifice or burnt offering to confirm some kind of relationship with humanity. It seemed particularly unfortunate for the victims: the ‘perfect’ bulls, rams, sheep, goats and birds.
Since God naturally owns everything by creation, all things naturally belong to God, so destroying such perfect life, seemed rather sick and cruel. So what was the point of creating it in the first place and what was the real purpose of these offerings?
The Mosaic offerings were supposed to continue “for all time”, so, it seems to me these offerings had a number of purposes:
1. A continual reminder that God is Lord of all and deserves the utmost respect.
2. Since the offerings were purely agricultural then the intent was to ensure the people stayed on the land and produced accordingly.
3. Offering the best produce off the land, at “Gods expense”, retains our humility.
4. No animal was to be killed or eaten without being offered to God via the priest, so reverence for life was maintained.
5. Offerings, like gifts between friends or family, were either out of free-will (love) or out of guilt (an apology) or recompense for sin (a penalty) or shared (in celebration).
6.Since God neither appreciates nor tolerates our disrespect and unfaithfulness, significant proof of our faith must be offered, before we are forgiven and accepted.
In this light the sacrifice makes sense, since token gestures are never the same as sincere acts of love or repentance. When blood is shed it implies how committed or passionate we really are. Though, this is not always the case, since ultimately the heart and spirit must also be involved, not just the outward act. And this is where ‘acts’ of sacrifice or any ‘act’ of religion or love or indeed any act, becomes insincere.
It is not enough to be a ‘good’ actor and ‘fake’ it… is the heart and spirit (will) pure and true?
Who seriously believes our creator needs to smell the ‘soothing odour’ of burnt fat on an altar to recognise the sincere faith of his creation and what gift can you really give ‘the God that has everything’, besides your faith?
(Mat 9:12-13 KJV) But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
SUPPLY & DEMAND