Many places in Scripture, we learn of the insufficiency of our own sacrifices for sin. Only God's Lamb, sacrificed in our place, can take away our sin.
The problem with animal sacrifices is that the sinner quickly comes to believe that offering an animal can cover his sin. Thus, so long as he keeps up with his sacrifices, he thinks he is right with God.
Thus, animal sacrifices are a form of legalism, much like baptisms, masses, confessions, asceticism, and other religious rituals. They can never even contribute to our being right with God.
God underlines this fact in Psalm 50, where He tells Israel that He will not judge them for their failure to make the required animal sacrifices. In other places, God condemns sacrifices, and King David acknowledged that God would not be pleased with a mere animal offering for his grievous sins.
The problem is, that God will only accept animal sacrifices from righteous men! He demands that His people be right with Him BEFORE they bring any offering to Him.
Rather, God longs for His people to praise Him, and trust in Him, and call upon Him for salvation! These are the things that God delights in!
Some people today think that what Israel needs most is to restore the temple and recommence the animal sacrifices. But God has already told Israel that, instead, they must call upon His Son for cleansing and salvation - that their animal sacrifices are negligible to Him.
Jesus warned the Jews of His day that the only "work" that God was pleased with was to trust in His Son the Savior.
For believers who are washed in the blood of the Lamb, God delights to receive our offerings of praise and worship and charity in His name! |
