Sacrifice

Jesus “Gave Up The Ghost” - Mark 15:33 – 15:41 (commentary)

Sacrifice may cause others to mock you. “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.” (v.31) Sacrifice may cause others to abandon you. “My God,... why have you forsaken me?” (v.34)Sacrifice may cause others to believe you. “Surely this man was the Son …

The Altar of Burnt Offering - Exodus 27:1 – 27:21 (commentary)

In giving instructions about the tabernacle God progressed from within to the courtyard outside the tabernacle. A large altar of acacia wood covered with brass rested outside (vv. 1- 8). It was about seven feet square and almost five feet high which was large enough to burn the sacrifice…

People Asked to Move Inside The City - Nehemiah 11:1 – 11:19 (commentary)

Since Jerusalem’s walls had been rebuilt, it was necessary for a sufficient number of people to inhabit the city. Perhaps this included people to defend the city, carry on business, etc. People already dwelt in the city, but it was decided that they needed one tenth of the popula …

Sacrifice is Necessary - Ruth 4:1 – 4:12 (commentary)

Boaz went to the city gate and sat down to wait for his relative (v. 1). In those days, the gate was a meeting place and a place to do legal business. Naomi’s land had to be redeemed by some legal representative of the family. The nearest relation always got first choice. At first the man was eager ...

Qualifications For The Priesthood - Hebrews 5:1 – 5:10 (commentary)

This chapter stresses both Christ’s divine appointment and His humility. One of the first things a Jew might have asked a Christian during the time of the early Church was, “How are your sins going to be pardoned when you have no one offering sacrifices and interceding …

Sacrifices Can be Meaningless - Jeremiah 7:21 – 7:34 (commentary)

The people of Judah offered all the correct sacrifices, but they failed to obey God and to walk in His ways (vv. 21-29). Verse 22 is not to be understood as a denial that God commanded the sacrifices to be made. Rather it is an argument against substituting sacrifice for obedience …

David Builds an Altar - I Chronicles 21:1 – 21:30 (commentary)

David’s motivation for taking a census of Israel is not given explicitly. We are told however that Satan caused him to do it (v.11). The census taken in Numbers 1:2 was God’s idea. This census was David’s idea, likely caused by his pride in the strength of his army as he started to trust more ...

Sacrifices For Sin - Leviticus 6:14 – 6:30 (commentary)

The Lord said: When someone offers a sacrifice to give thanks to me, the priests from Aaron’s family must bring it to the front of the bronze altar (v. 14), where one of them will scoop up a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense on it (v. 15). Then, to show …

Eating Fat And Blood Forbidden - Leviticus 7:22 – 7:38 (commentary)

The Lord told Moses (v. 22) to say to the people: Don’t eat the fat of cattle, sheep, or goats (v. 23). If one of your animals dies or is killed by some wild animal, you may do anything with its fat except eat it (v. 24). If you eat the fat of an animal that can be used as a sac …

David Buys Araunah’s Threshing Floor - II Samuel 24:18 – 24:25 (commentary)

In response to David’s urgent prayer, the angel of the Lord orders the prophet Gad to tell David to “Go up” to Araunah’s threshing floor. There David is to build an altar to the Lord (v. 18). He obeys as the Lord has commanded (v. 19). Araunah sees t …