EXODUS - Sabbath School - Lesson 13 - Friday Further Thought Devotional
Central to Israel’s worship in the sanctuary was the shedding of blood. Day after day, animals were brought to the altar, and their blood was sprinkled as part of the rituals. This may seem strange to us, but to the people of God it carried a deep and sobering meaning: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). Blood symbolized life itself, and the offering of it represented the giving up of life in the place of the sinner.
Each sacrifice reminded Israel that sin is not something light or trivial. Sin costs life, and forgiveness is not free. As Hebrews later declares, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). The animals sacrificed were innocent, pointing beyond themselves to the One who would one day shed His own innocent blood for the guilty.
The Old Testament sacrifices were never meant to be the end in themselves. They were shadows and symbols pointing to Christ. Isaiah prophesied of Him: “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities… and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5–6). At the cross, the ultimate meaning of the sanctuary sacrifices was revealed. Jesus, the true Lamb of God, “takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
The blood of bulls and goats could never truly cleanse a guilty conscience (Hebrews 10:4). But the blood of Christ, shed once for all, purifies us and brings us near to God: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). His blood not only atones but also speaks a better word than all the blood ever shed in the sanctuary (Hebrews 12:24).
The next time you think about worship, remember that at the center of all true worship is the cross. Every song, every prayer, every sermon is meaningful only because of Jesus’ shed blood. The sanctuary sacrifices pointed forward to Him, and today our hearts look back in gratitude and forward in hope because of Him.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You that I no longer need to bring a lamb, a goat, or a bull to Your altar. Thank You for the Lamb of God who once for all shed His blood for me. Help me never to take lightly the cost of my forgiveness, and let my worship always be centered on the cross. Amen.
More: The Tabernacle - Lesson 13 - EXODUS
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