Chapter 27 is very specific in describing the way that the altar was to be created. I’m attaching a picture here that shows the different parts that it was supposed to have. It was to be made a specific dimension (large) out of wood that was then overlaid by bronze so that it wouldn’t catch on fire. It had to have a horn at each corner to tie the animal’s legs down, and then the hoops at the bottom so that it could be carried. Additionally, it had to have a place underneath for the wood to go so that the animal could be burnt. TB describes it as a large fire box.
One of the things that was really powerful to me was when I tried to find a good explanation video of the actual animal sacrifice procedure, but we’ll read more about that in Leviticus, I think. Anyway, some of the things that I read about while trying to find this was that the people would bring the animal to the tabernacle, and it would be killed by that person and sometimes with the help of a priest. But what was interesting to me was that this animal was innocent and maybe even known and loved by the family and the purpose of that sacrifice was for the animal to die in place of the people. Just like how Jesus was completely innocent but then died in our place. We deserve death for the sin and fallen world that we live in but Jesus died instead and it’s just interesting to think about how the process was meant to teach the people about what was required ultimately for all of our salvation and I wonder if they got it.
The sheer brutality of the sacrifice of animals, constantly is something to think about and while I’m sure that at some point the people of Israel became desensitized to the process because of the ongoing nature of the ritual, it must have smelled terrible. The smell of blood and burning flesh is horrific and traumatizing and the scream of the animals as they are sacrificed and hearing them cry because they are scared. What an awful event to witness, even just once, and to have that ongoing day after day, year after year, would just be too much I think, especially if you didn’t understand the connection and teaching of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.
TB summarizes it very well, saying, “To the average Israelite who regularly witnessed the sacrificial process, it must have resulted in a most bittersweet understanding of the truth of it all… there is NO atonement for sin without a blood sacrifice. The bitterness was in the reality of the seemingly endless stream of blood that flowed from that Altar; the sweetness was in knowing that this was all arranged by a most merciful God so that THEIR own lives could be spared, and so that they could have an ongoing relationship with the Holy God of the Universe… but what a great cost.”
Comments
Post a Comment