Further Study:
“The very system of sacrifices was devised by Christ, and given to Adam as typifying a Saviour to come, who would bear the sins of the world, and die for its redemption. Through Moses, Christ gave definite directions to the children of Israel in regard to the sacrificial offerings. . . . Only clean and precious animals, those which would best symbolize Christ, were accepted as offerings to God. . . .”—Ellen G. White, Sons and Daughters of God, p. 225.“To many it has been a mystery why so many sacrificial offerings were required in the old dispensation, why so many bleeding victims were led to the altar. But the great truth that was to be kept before men, and imprinted upon mind and heart, was this, ‘Without shedding of blood is no remission.’ In every bleeding sacrifice was typified ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ ”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 932.
“Since the announcement to the serpent in Eden, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed’ (Gen. 3:15), Satan had known that he did not hold absolute sway over the world. . . . With intense interest he watched the sacrifices offered by Adam and his sons. In these ceremonies he discerned a symbol of communion between earth and heaven. He set himself to intercept this communion. He misrepresented God, and misinterpreted the rites that pointed to the Saviour. Men were led to fear God as one who delighted in their destruction. The sacrifices that should have revealed His love were offered only to appease His wrath.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 115.
Discussion Questions:
According to the Ellen White quote above, Satan perverted the meaning of the sacrifice. In what ways could we be in danger of perverting the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice? What are some views of the Cross that distort its meaning? 
Unlike the Israelites, we don’t have daily physical reminders of the cost of sin; that is, we don’t live in the constant presence of sacrifice, as did the Israelites in the wilderness. What ways, however, can we help keep the amazing death of Jesus in our behalf always before us so that we never forget what Christ has done to give us the hope of eternal life?
Explain in practical terms how you can consecrate everything you have to the Lord. What does that mean, and how can you do it?
Summary:
God instituted the sacrificial system after the entrance of sin in order to remind people about the costliness of forgiveness and the future sacrifice of His Son. Different sacrifices were offered in order to expiate specific sins, to cleanse from impurity and to express the deepest feelings of humility and adoration of repentant sinners.
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| Faithful, No Matter What by KIRAN KUMAR PANDA Asish lives in eastern India. Asish, like everyone in his village, worshiped idols. For years Asish and his wife prayed for a child, but no child blessed their home. Asish began searching for the true God who could answer his prayer. He heard a lay evangelist talk about Jesus. He invited the evangelist to study the Bible with him. Asish accepted Jesus as his Savior and asked the evangelist to hold prayer meetings in his house. Some of Asish's relatives saw the changes in him and asked him what had happened to him. Asish invited them to the prayer meetings, and many came. In time his brothers and sisters accepted Jesus as their Savior. Neighbors also came to hear about the true God, and some of them believed. Asish's sister was married to a man who continued worshiping idols. There was no peace in their home. Then she became sick and was admitted to the hospital. The doctors gave her little hope of surviving and told the family to let her die. But Asish prayed for her, and within days she recovered. When her husband saw God's power, he gave up his idols and became a Christian. But as more and more people accepted Christ and worshiped with the Christians, trouble brewed in the village. Some villagers complained to their leaders, and the leaders pressured the new believers to leave their new faith and return to idol worship. Some gave in, but Asish refused to renounce his faith, no matter what it might cost him. Leaders from the surrounding area tried to force Asish to reconvert, but he refused. They beat him, and still he refused. Then they forced him to leave the village. The family was not allowed to have the village firewood or water from the village well; and they had to go to another village to buy their necessities. Asish began having strange pains in his body and became convinced that devils had entered him. He asked the lay evangelist to pray for him, and soon he was feeling well again. Soon Asish and his wife had their longed-for child. Another Hindu couple who was childless came for prayer, and they also conceived. Asish and his fellow Christians still are not allowed to enter the village. But Asish tells them he will die serving the true and living God. He invites those who want a powerful God to come and learn about Jesus. Our mission offerings help provide lay evangelists tools to reach into remote areas such as Asish's village. Thank you for giving generously so that we can tell the world about our powerful God.
KIRAN KUMAR PANDA is a pastor in Sambalpur District in Orissa State, India. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Web site: www.adventistmission.org |
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