The Altar of Sacrifice - Part 1

This is my radio script for the altar of sacrifice part 1.

Every part of the old testament tabernacle points to the finished work of Jesus. There was only one gate by which people could enter into the tabernacle courtyard. The gate was 30 feet wide. It was located directly in the center of the outer court on the east end. Jewish tradition teaches that the coming Messiah will enter Jerusalem through this very gate, the eastern gate. The one and only gate is a representation of Christ as the only way through which one could fellowship with God and worship Him. The children of Israel would walk through the gate of the tabernacle offering up thanksgiving and walk right into the altar of sacrifice. This altar was made of wood from the acacia tree and overlaid with bronze. Bronze in the Bible usually represents judgment on sin. This bronze altar was immense measuring 7.5 feet on all four sides, four square, and 4.5 feet deep. You could not go anywhere else in the taberncale without first stopping at the altar of sacrifice. This represents that you can not enter into the presence of God without Christ as your sacrifice. This altar was where the blood was shed and the sinner was pardoned. No matter how good a person was, without the shedding of blood there was no forgiveness. For a sin offering, a person had to bring an animal — a male one without blemish or defect from the flock or herd — to the priest at the tabernacle gate. The person was then to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it would then be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.” (Leviticus 1:4) By laying his hand upon the head of the offering, the person was identifying with the sacrifice. His sin and guilt was being moved from himself to the animal. Likewise, God made

Jesus who had no sin-without blemish- to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

The altar had four horns projecting from the top four corners and a bronze grating was inside to hold the animal. Horns were a symbol of power and strength in biblical times. When the sacrifice was made, blood was dabbed on the horns of the altar, signifying the power of the blood to atone for sins. In the same way, there is mighty power in the blood of Christ. Jesus is the “horn of our salvation”.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My

God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the HORN of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 89:26

We too must come through the gate of the tabernacle offering up thanksgiving and then squarely look at the face of the altar and see the face of Jesus taking our place, identifying with Him. Everything in the tabernacle was a shadow of the work of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. Once each year on the Day of Atonement=Yom Kippur (Lev. 16:1-19) the High Priest would take the blood of the bull and goat from the altar of sacrifice and go beyond the veil of the Holy of Holies and enter into God's presence by the blood and make atonement for the people. We are no longer required to offer up the blood of animals for Jesus was the final sacrifice and carried His own blood into the Heavenly Holy of Holies to make atonement for His people. Just as the Israelite identified with the animal being sacrificed we now are to identify with Jesus, seeing ourselves crucified with Him, and declare what He did for us. According to Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me. We are a royal priesthood that offers up the blood of Jesus and declares what God has done. (1 Peter 2:9) Hebrews 13:15 states, “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.

With the heart man believes resulting in righteousness and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation. Romans 10:10

We should look at the altar of sacrifice and declare what God has done for us through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We can now rejoice in our wonderful relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:11

I have been justified which I have heard someone say it is Just as if I had never sinned. I Peter 2:24 tells me that Christ Himself bore my sins in His body on the cross, the I might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds I have been healed. redeemed me from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for me, for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a Tree. Galatians 3:13 Jesus took on Himself the curse that came on mankind throught the first Adam.

Romans 12 tells us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—as this is our spiritual act of worship. We are not to be conformed to this world's system but be transformed which is accomplished by the renewing of our mind by the Word of God. We should look at the altar of sacrifice and declare what God has done for us through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Take time to study the word to find the scriptures that tell you what  Jesus shedding His blood and being the sacrificial lamb, the final sacrifice, means for you.