Messianic Pictures in the Temple Sacrificial System
We find a glimpse of this in Matthew 5:23, 24 “If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.” It is God’s desire that all fellow believers be reconciled one to another. This is no less true in a New Testament faith. Certainly, the cross covers our sins and God has forgotten them. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jer. 31:34).
“For you, for me, for all you who believe, there is nothing left to do. There is nothing we can add to or take away from. The work has been accomplished. It is finished.”
This characteristic of the asham offering is wonderfully illustrated through the death of our Messiah. Matthew 20:28 says that, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” He sought us out and He paid the price.
In the prophetic writings of Isaiah, we find that the Messiah must, in fact, be the guilt offering. In 53:10, we read, “… if he [Messiah] would render himself a guilt offering.” The Hebrew word is none other than asham, which, according to Jewish for of interpretation, would imply all the other offerings as well.9 That means that Jesus would have to become the burnt, meal, peace, sin, and guilt offering, just as we have been examining here. Certainly, as we began our study, he came to fulfill “… all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets.”
The Guilt offering was the final sacrifice offered up each day. Historical records state that in the Second Temple period, the High Priest would complete the daily bloodletting at about the ninth hour (3:00 PM). This asham offering, guiltless and blameless, was killed as a substitutionary atonement for the people. When the ritual was over, the High Priest would say, “It is finished.” The Bible tells us that Jesus also died at the ninth hour, uttering the same words as our High Priest, “It is finished” (Mark 15:34, John 19:30).
Thanksgiving Offerings
The last in our list of daily offerings is in Leviticus, chapter seven; the Thanksgiving offering. Like the olah and minchah offerings, the Thanksgiving offering, or todah in the Hebrew, is a free-will offering, coming from the innermost desire of one’s heart to give praise and thanksgiving to God.
These were commonly brought to the temple when something “wonderful” had happened in some one’s life. A betrothal, a wedding, the birth of a child, a successful business venture, or the like. They were not required, but came from an intense sense of gratefulness for all that the Sovereign King had done.
As believers in Jesus, in the great work He has done on our behalf, for the promise of His return and our eternal place with Him, we too should be before God with continual thanksgiving, as Colossians 2: 6,7 says, “Therefore as you have received Jesus Christ the Lord, so walk … overflowing with thanksgiving.”
Precedent Revisited
Earlier it was discussed that God always builds upon what is already established; that there is always a precedent in creation. Now that we have a clearer understanding of the sacrifices, let’s take a look at what God has built.
We have already discovered that the first sacrifice was made not for the Jews of the Tabernacle period, but for Adam and Eve, garments of skin to atone for—or cover—the sin of their nakedness. Here we find not only the foundational precedent for sacrifices, but for the commandments regarding modesty.
From here we move on to the drama of Cain and Abel in the fourth chapter of Genesis. Much speculation has gone into the sibling conflict which brought murder into the world. The key to understanding the conflict, and therefore its significance in the sacrificial system, is found in verses three and four:
“And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering.”
Strong’s Concordance gives several appropriate definitions for “the fat” of Abel’s offering. The Hebrew, cheleb is likewise translated as, “best, finest, and choicest.” This gives us a glimpse into a number of important lessons.
Category: Biblical Studies, Pneuma Review, Spring 1999
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