Lesson Six: UNDERSTANDING SACRIFICE
Introduction: This week’s lesson explores the purpose and prophetic significance of the sacrificial system in the Bible, and how Jesus is the true Lamb of God.
Memory Text: Revelation 5:9(NKJV)
“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation’ “
SABBATH The sacrificial system is a major theme that runs through the Bible from Genesis and is climaxed in Revelation, where Jesus Christ appears like a slain lamb. He is the Only One worthy in the sight of God and this week, we look deep into why God commanded the sacrificial system to be followed and what the sacrifices in the Old Testament were pointing to, as per their significance in this prophetic scene.
(READ John 1:29; Revelation 5:6)
SUNDAY; The Lord rejected the sacrifices offered by the Istraelites, the same way He rejected Cain’s sacrifice because these sacrifices were offered to God while their hearts were full of self rather than full surrender and submission to God. This is unlike Abel, who obeyed God and presented his sacrifice in humility, as well as believing in the forthcoming sacrifice that Jesus would offer later on at Calvary.
(READ Isaiah 1:2-15; 56:6&7; Psalms 51:17; Genesis 3:15; 4:3-7; Hebrews 11:4)
MONDAY; Just as the sacrificial practices seemed harsh, this is the point that Christ’s harsh crucifixion pointed to, showing us the consequences of sin. The sacrificial animals pointed to the ultimate sacrifice that was offered by Jesus Christ, and they became vain once Jesus Christ died at Calvary for His victory over death eliminates the necessity of the sacrificial practices that were carried out. Furthermore, it is faith in the Messiah that was put in action when believers in the Old Testament took part in the offering of animal sacrifices to God.
(READ Hebrews 10:3-10; Mark 15:38; John 1:1-3, 14)
TUESDAY The Passover that prepared the Israelites to be delivered out of Egypt by God symbolised the fact that Jesus Christ is our Passover; only through His blood are we saved from sin. God’s law could not be disobeyed, and that’s why it had to take God Himself, through Jesus Christ, to redeem you and me from eternal perishing. In addition, just as the Passover lamb or kid was displayed right before partaking of it, so are Jesus’ works, life and teachings while He was on earth. He is the greatest manifestation of God’s righteousness and love for us.
(READ Genesis 4:4; Exodus 12:1-11; Isaiah 53:7&8; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18&19; John 14:9; 18:19&20)
WEDNESDAY; However much God wishes to dwell amongst His people, our sinful nature limits us from approaching His presence. That is why God chose to dwell among us by becoming human, through Jesus Christ; that’s why He is called “Emmanuel”, meaning “God with us.” It is the literal presence of Jesus Christ that made the temple in His time on earth more glorious, unlike the time of King Solomon, as Prophet Haggai wrote.
(READ Haggai 2:7-9; Psalms 5:4,7; 1 Kings 8:10&11; Matthew 1:23)
THURSDAY; In addition, Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 6 and John the Revelator in Revelation 4&5 are given the chance to see God’s throne in visions. The utmost reverence that is expressed by the Heavenly Hosts who declare God as the Only One worthy to be the Lord of Hosts leaves the prophets marvelled. It is because of this that they felt unworthy to see God’s throne. This engraves the fact that we need Jesus Christ as our Redeemer, the Only One who can approach the throne of God. We’re invited by God to accept the love manifested in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ so that we may be able to approach His throne at the end of the age.
(READ Leviticus 16:2,14; Isaiah 6:1-5; Revelation 4:7-11; 5:4,12; Ezekiel 10:14&15; John 14:9)
FRIDAY; Think, too, just how bad sin is, and just how fallen the human race really is, that only the death of Jesus, God Himself, would suffice to solve the problem of sin. No doubt, if there were some other way that God could have saved us, without violating the principles of His divine government, surely He would have done it.
(READ“The Passover,” in Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 273–279;
“He That Hath Seen Me Hath Seen the Father,” Signs of the Times, June 9, 1890, paragraphs 1–13 by Ellen G White)
CAPTIONS:
SUNDAY; Futile sacrifices?
MONDAY; The blood of bulls and goats
TUESDAY; The Passover Lamb
WEDNESDAY; Jesus at the temple
THURSDAY; For You created all things!
FRIDAY; Further thought
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS;
- Think about just how bad sin must be that only the death of Jesus, the incarnate Word(see John 1:1-3,14), could atone for it. What should this tell us about what our attitude towards sin must be?
- John sees the Lamb enter the throne room looking as though He had been “slain.” Revelation 13:8 informs us that Jesus has been “slain” since the foundation of the world. What can we learn about God through the fact that the plan of salvation was already in place before we needed it?
- Many atheists believe that we are alone in a cold, uncaring universe. In contrast, the Bible talks not only about God but that He loved the world so much that He came down to it and even died for it. How differently should we view the world, and our place in it, in contrast to those who don’t believe in God at all? In other words, how should the reality of the Cross impact all that we do?
