Sacrifice is Power

“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for yourselves; for it is the blood that makes atonement because of the life.” Leviticus 17:11

“I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical ‘Temple worship’ for you.”

Romans 12:1

Hello, Friends. I do hope you are keeping safe and I pray you are well. The two pieces of Scripture, above, provide us with just a small variety of the reasons why Yahveh, our Holy God, has required sacrifices from His Children. I use the present tense, because that requirement has not been cancelled but is suspended, until the Temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem.

In the first passage, from Leviticus 17, we are told that only through the shedding of blood, will atonement be given for one’s sins. Once again, we know this from Scripture, as our Messiah, Adonai Yeshua, the Lord Jesus, shed His blood for us as atonement for our sins (Isaiah 53, the Gospels, the Epistles of John, Paul and Peter.)

As we see in Rav Sha’ul’s writing, in Romans 12:1, we all are to offer ourselves, our hearts, our souls, our might, as sacrifices to God. Paul explains this clearly, by our living for Yahveh, following His Life Instructions and setting ourselves apart from the world and for God. But the question is still relevant: Where is the power in sacrifice?

As I shared with you earlier, a sacrifice’s power comes in the value of what is being sacrificed. The greater the value, the greater the power. A clear example of the power of sacrifice may be found in 2 Kings 3:26,27 – When the king of Mo’av saw that the fighting was too much for him, he took with him 700 men armed with swords and tried to break through to the king of Edom; but they couldn’t do it. Then he took his firstborn son, who was to have succeeded him as king, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. Following this, such great anger came upon Isra’el that they left him and went back to their own land. I imagine the results would have been different, had the pagan king of Mo’av had sacrificed a lamb or a goat kid.

All believers today are believers because of the power of Adonai Yeshua’s sacrifice. The power of His sacrifice enabled each of us to die to our sins and be spiritually resurrected into His Kingdom. For this we should be eternally grateful and continually bless Him.

CONSIDER: Have you made the commitment of your body, heart, mind and soul, as a living sacrifice to our Living, Loving God? Are you walking on His path, following His Life Instructions, as outlined in Torah? Have you taken to heart Adonai Yeshua’s words, as recorded in John 14:15 – If you love me, you will keep my commands?

ACT: If you have not, as yet, made the commitment to follow Him, on His narrow path, I urge you to do so today. Not only will you accept Him into your heart, you will also offer your bodies as living sacrifices to Him, our Holy God.

PRAY: Abba B’Shamayim, Heavenly Father, I pray you help us commit ourselves to you fully, completely. May our bodies constitute our natural sacrifice to you. B’Shem Adonai Yeshua, Amein. In the Name of our Messiah, the Lord Jesus, Amen.

May the God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you fully and richly.