Day 3 - Leviticus

3rd Day:  LEVITICUS

"Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house.  Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.  So he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, for all their sins;...”  (Leviticus 16:6, 15-16)

Question:  What is the meaning of the animal sacrifice in the Old Testament?

Answer:  The author of the Book to the Hebrews in the New Testament answers it best:

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.  But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.  Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.  Then I said, 'Behold, I have come-- In the volume of the book it is written of Me-- To do Your will, O God.' "  Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law),  then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second.  By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,  from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.  For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”  (Hebrews 10:1-14)

Question:  What does the sacrifice of Christ on the cross have anything to do with me?

Answer:  Everything.  If you put your trust in Christ as your Savior asking Him to forgive you of your sins, His sacrifice acts as a substitute for the death you deserve (both physically and eternally) just as the offerer in the Old Testament brought an animal as a substitute for the death he deserved at least temporarily until God provided the perfect Lamb in the person of the Jewish Messiah Jesus Christ.