First Sacrifice in the Bible Was the
Ascending Sacrifice usually called “Burnt”
Animal sacrifices today are an aberration since the death of Christ on the stauros {tree}. Let us briefly look at the original sacrifice in the Bible and follow its path in the Bible until we arrive at an unholy sacrifice because of the ignorance of its participants.
The first animal sacrifice discussed in the Bible was the Ascending Sacrifice practiced by Noah (Ge 8:20). Your Bible probably lists, “burnt” offering; however, this is not a good translation of the Hebrew. The Hebrew word is hola {עֹלָה} and means ascending, not burnt. The animal carcass was totally consumed by the fire leading to the term burnt in the minds of the translators and this concept has stuck ever since. However, one cannot clearly understand the Tower of Babel incident without knowing the true meaning of the Hebrew word being used. Noah built an altar, probably of earth and stone. The purpose of the altar was to lift or ascend the animal sacrifice from the earth. The animal placed on this ascending altar was then consumed by fire which ascended up into the sky toward God. The Bible then reads, “the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma…” The Hebrew word translated as smelled is the active form of spirit or breath. The Hebrew word translated as aroma means that the sacrifice was acceptable to God (Ge 8:21). We know that burning flesh on a fire stinks; therefore, the meaning in the Hebrew must ignore the physical aspects and speak to the spiritual aspect of the sacrifice. The innocent animal sacrifice totally consumed on the altar ascends toward God in Heaven as an example of a sacrifice that will occur at some future time. Thus, the innocent ruah, spirit, ascends from the sacrifice, is breathed in by God and found acceptable to Him. The fact that the sacrificer does not share in the consumption of the sacrificial animal, but stands helplessly by while the fire consumes the sacrifice, illustrates that man contributes nothing but receives the benefit from the sacrificial death of the innocent animal. However, lost man soon turned this simple though elegant picture of grace into a system of works: Tower of Babel.
Tower of Babel simply an Ascending Altar
Upon which to offer the Ascending Offering
The next major event in the Bible is the Tower of Babel (Ge 11:1-9). Why does it occur? Lost man adds his works to God’s simple ascending altar by making a huge ascending altar which we call a ziggurat. The Ascending Offering was then used a rallying point to unify the population around a false religion built around one man, Nimrod (Ge 10:8-10) {I refer you to my series on Genesis to understand these concepts in greater depth (www.discernlife.com)}. Nimrod becomes the first postdiluvian antichrist setting up his kingdom and threatening to erase the gospel message and disrupt the progression toward Christ. Thus, God descends to confound their language into at least three language groups. Man’s inherent sin nature surfaces as discrimination and these diverse groups separate, spreading across the earth into the various civilizations of the ancient world. However, they retained in some form Nimrod’s one-man god-man form of government. Let us look at the true Ascending Offering, Christ.
Christ, the True Ascending Offering
Dying as an Innocent Man for Man’s Sin
Through Moses God enshrined a series of animal sacrifices that each shows a unique facet of Christ’s sacrifice as sin for sin; however, the Ascending Sacrifice is the viewpoint detailed in the Gospels. Christ is alone on the cross and from the sixth to the ninth hour (12:00-15:00) He is found worthy to become the true sacrifice for sin. He is elevated or ascended from the earth on the stauros, He is without sin, He suffers God’s justice on sin for sinners and when He has satisfied God’s justice – His spirit {ruah} leaves His body. God accepts Christ’s spirit {pleasing aroma} who has fulfilled the task given Him by the Father. True sinners, believers and non-believers, stand about the stauros watching but not participating in this sacrifice. Sinners one and all receive the benefit of Christ’s ascending sacrifice totally without their works (Ro 5:1, 6-11). After Christ’s Ascending Sacrifice there was no longer any need for animal sacrifices. All peoples can look to the true Paschal {Passover} Lamb (He 10:5-10). However, this is not pleasing to both lost mankind and to the spiritual immature who take pleasure in confounding the finished work of Christ with works of additional animal sacrifices (He 6:4-6). In essence the continuation or resumption of animal sacrifices means that Christ’s sacrifice was insufficient and must be supplemented with works. Thus, they are continually resacrificing Christ with each animal sacrifice, holding Him up to contempt. This was so abdominal to God that He allowed the Romans to destroy the Temple and removed the False Jews from the area preventing a rebuilding of the Temple. But, in the Last Days the Temple will be rebuilt with the apparent resumption of animal sacrifices.
Rather than chasing down Who and When
We should be engaged in the Gospel of Truth
Christ warned His Apostles that in the Great Tribulation they will see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel stand in the Holy Place (Mt 24:15-18). This can only occur when the False Jews rebuild the Temple and reestablish the animal sacrificial system. But, just as Nimrod corrupted Noah’s Ascending Offering so too will the man called Antichrist corrupt an already corruptible system by offering himself in the Holy Place to replace Christ’s offering for sin. By rejecting Christ’s sacrifice and resurrecting the animal sacrificial system the False Jews and Christendom look to another in the likeness of Nimrod to unite all mankind in an unholy alliance to suppress God’s Gospel of salvation. God does not need the Temple for His throne is in Heaven and Earth is His footstool (Mt 5:34-35). When Christ returns He will live in Jerusalem and receive worship directly without animal sacrifices.
Notice, we studied the pattern in Genesis through a careful exegesis of the Hebrew to grasp a clearer understanding of both very ancient history, Tower of Babel, and to gain a clearer understanding of both the present and the future plans of both Lucifer, the Accuser, and Christ. When Christ ascended on high the Paul probably had in mind the Ascending Offering (Ep 4:8-9). This was only possible because accepted His spirit upon the successful and faithful completion of being the true Paschal Lamb {pleasing aroma}. Without clearly understanding the Bible you run the risk of being tossed about by every changing wind {ruah} of doctrine (Ep 4:11-16). I am distressed by the willful ignorance of Christians who wish only to be confirmed in what little knowledge they may possess rather than be challenged to grow in maturity and grace (He 5:11-6:3). That is the purpose of this ministry for those who wish to grow into the fullness of Christ (Ep 4:13).