The sacrifices of certain animals as proscribed in the Old Testament were a prophecy of Christ’s work, crucified on the cross, for our eternal salvation from sin, and everlasting life. Fulfilled in Him, an animal sacrifice now would be a sacrilege; however, they have great prophetic teaching of what Christ did and does. We are familiar with the Bible account of the Passover sacrifice of a lamb. Likely, most of us who have attended church know of the truth, “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us”. The apostle Peter reminds us , you are redeemed, “with the precious blood of Christ, As of a lamb without blemish or spot”( I Pet.1:19 ). Here is truth in the Bible, fulfilled in Christ and our treatment of the gospel that, in its application to us, has many benefits. The sacrifice of the lamb was not only at specified times as Passover, but was in fact required daily -two lambs, one each morning, and one each evening. Num. 28:3-8. The fire of their burning never went out and continued before the eyes and memory of all Israel. This a fore-shadow and symbolic prophesy fulfilled in the exhortation to us: “the gospel…By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory…that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” ( 1 Cor. 15:2-4 ).
KEEPING IN MEMORY that Christ took our own sins on Himself, dying the agony of the cross, forsaken of God, as our substitute, dying for our sins; and that God accepted His sacrifice and raised Him from the dead the third day so that He lives, the giver of eternal life and our righteousness, brings spiritual benefits:
And some of them are:
- A health of mind and clear conscience; cleansed by the “sprinkling of His blood”. 1 Pet. 1:2.
- Protection from pride and self righteousness which lead to despair and bitterness.
- Humility that, knowing our failures, forgives and overlooks faults in others.
- Motivates us in gratitude to clean and holy living.
- Motivates us to share our good fortune by witnessing to others.
- Motivates us in thankfulness to give our lives to Christ in love.
- Brings a perfect shield of faith to ward off attacks and accusations by Satan to our conscience.
Thus, as believers, we are not only saved from the penalty of sin, but saved from its power.
