Since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the religious or ceremonial laws of the Law no longer apply (Heb. 7-10). Yet, in Israel’s day, they were of enormous significance. The sacrifices offered by the people through the priests reminded them of their tendency toward sin. Yet God’s goodness continued to them day by day, in that, not only did He provide for all their daily needs, but He made a way, through the sacrifices, for the people to be renewed.

None of the people of Israel would have been under the impression that sacrificing in any way would remove their transgressions. Their sacrifice simply provided a temporary propitiation for their sins. They would need to repeat their sacrifices over and over. Special sacrifices were included to cover sins the people were not even aware of, or for which they had failed to make satisfaction through sacrifice. This must have been both a glad and frustrating experience for the people of Israel – glad to be restored to fellowship with God, but frustrated to know they’d be right back here again, sooner rather than later.

So the need for sacrifice would continue indefinitely. The Law pointed beyond itself to Israel’s ongoing experience. There would always be the need for a sacrifice, and God would provide just the sacrifice the people needed. No one could have foreseen the magnificent way in which God’s own Son would come to be the final sacrifice for the sins of His people. But when it happened, and when it was explained to a people conditioned to sacrifice, it would have – and did – make perfectly good sense.

T. M. Moore

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