Wednesday: Spotless Sacrifice
Which criteria does a sacrificial animal need to meet? Read Exod. 12:5, Lev. 3:1, 4:3.
Image © Phil McKay from GoodSalt.com
The selection of a sacrificial animal required great care. A person could not just take any animal for an offering; the animal needed to fulfill several criteria, depending on the kind of offering.
However, there is one criterion that all offerings had to meet. They had to be “unblemished.” The Hebrew word (tamim) could also be rendered as “complete,” “unscathed,” “without fault,” or “perfect.” It expresses the idea that something meets the highest standard possible. Only the best was good enough.
Pertaining to people, the word is used to characterize their relationship with God as being “blameless” (Gen. 6:9, 17:1, NASB).
How do these texts describe Jesus? Heb.4:15; 7:26; 9:14; and 1 Pet. 1:18, 19. Why was it crucial that Jesus be sinless?
Jesus, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, NKJV), fulfills perfectly the Old Testament criterion of a spotless sacrifice. His pure life established Jesus as a perfect sacrifice. This is the guarantee of our salvation, for only a sinless one could bear our sin for us, and it is His perfect righteousness that covers us, now and in the judgment. That righteousness is our hope of salvation.
Like its Hebrew equivalent, the Greek word for “without blemish” (amomos) is used not only to describe Jesus and His flawless sacrifice but also the character of His followers.
“By comparing their lives with Christ’s character, they will be able to discern where they have failed to meet the requirements of God’s holy law; and will seek to make themselves perfect in their sphere even as God is perfect in his sphere.”—Ellen G. White, The Paulson Letters, p. 374.
Through Christ’s death and His ministry, we are presented blameless before God ( Jude 24). This is possible only because the Blameless One stands in our place.
Why can the concept of being “holy and blameless” cause uneasiness? How can the knowledge that Christ is our substitute help you to accept that you are “holy,” as well? How should our new status before God impact the way in which we live?
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From the old testament, it is clear that the lamb or goat which was being used as a sacrifice was blameless. When Jesus was used as a sacrificial lamb, it showed that he was blameless and his blood was enough to wash away our sins!
My concept of "holy" and "blameless" is colored by experience, worldly influences and my personal understanding. To give an example of this, when I read Hebrews 11 and see the list of the "faithful", it doesn't seem to me that all the individuals mentioned actually had the kind of faith the writer's talking about. Even if some did, there were points in their lives that they didn't show it, which by worldly standards (most likely means) they didn't really have "real" faith.
It's hard to understand how God gave Jesus as the perfect sacrifice, no weaknesses in Him at all. By even Christian standards, we usually keep the best for ourselves and give the "very good" to others, especially if we think they don't deserve it or won't appreciate it the way we do.
God gave the best of everything, no spot or blemish. Even more astounding to me, is He allows us to claim Who Jesus is and what He did as what we did and who we are if we accept Him.
I just don't understand it. It's too wonderful and merciful for me to understand. No one on this earth gives like that unless the Spirit of God is with them, and even then there's a struggle with the will.
Jesus says, Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
The uneasiness comes when I can't be keep what I know or have experienced with my senses as good, safe or right anymore. That has to be surrendered to Jesus. In exchange God's way must be accepted.
Hebrews 12:1-3 ...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."
It's a trade, my labors and burdens for His yoke; trusting that Jesus tells the truth when He says His yoke with it's set of difficulties, hardship and work, is easier and lighter than mine.
God's way isn't common here on earth, it's not understood or practiced by the masses. It takes love for Him and faith in Him to believe and accept it, not just once or for now, but daily over a lifetime.
Thank You Lord for 53 years today of Your grace and mercy covering my life. I praise You for Your strength which has sustained me when I failed or had no strength, through it all.
We are called to be unblemished sacrifice on the altar of our Lord, prise His name! He already gave us all for that but, what is left? It is if to give all ourselves to Him, our surrender is what to close us to our Lord, praying for His Holy Spirit , because His Spirit guide us to the truth .I think pure life can happen being guided by His Spirit . May our Lord to give awareness to understand that we are living in the last days and the time is short to be prepared for His coming.
On the other hand I think that we are sanctified at the very moment when we confess our sins and plead for His grace in this moment we become holy. His Holy Spirit dwelling in us will keep us doing good before the God's eyes.
Jesus is our atoning sacrifice. We can make no atonement for ourselves; but by faith we can accept the atonement that has been made. 1st Peter 3:18.
Help me Lord Jesus to continue to look upon your character (law) to see where I fall short. I love you and I want to live a life that you will be pleased with.
We look to Christ who is merciful, gracious, long-suffering, forgiving, and loving. The law is none of those things it will condemn you because we have all sinned. Look to Jesus and live.
Accepting the holiness of God, and believing that you are holy gives you a consciousness not to be like everybody. it helps you to refrain from sin and ask yourself what Jesus would have done in your situation. Believing that one is holy is not too much because the bible says "Be ye therefore holy, for i am holy".
When i compare what Christ has done for me with my life of sin, it brings uneasy feeling but when i realize that is the Holy One that makes me holy & blameless am able to claim His forgiving grace and renew my covenant with Him, as well as depending totally upon His Flawless Merits...
Dear Father, i claim Your Grace in my life full of sin & woe. Please help me to always be victorious in You. Amen.
Sacrifices offered were without blemish, God wouldn't accept a polluted sacrifice. Paul makes it clear, we ought not to defile ourselves(sacrifices) with the sins of the world. Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Yes, it is possible to live a just and upright life brethren, only through faith in Christ.
We imitate God's character if we only let the power of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. We should look upon Christ to increase us with the inflowing of the Holy Spirit daily to reveal in us things of God's way.
It helped me a lot when I let the Holy Spirit to do the job, and I now am successful in breaking the over eating habit! I praise the Lord for that help!
I should have been the one lying on that wood for the sacrifice of my sin but Christ decided to pay it all. What a privillage! I am grateful.....