Sacrifices
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins…But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
(Hebrews 10:4,12,14).
In an art gallery in Amsterdam there hang two paintings side by side. The first is a picture of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, with the priest officiating. The animal sacrifice is on the altar and under it a burning fire; but the remarkable thing is that the smoke is not rising, but falling to the ground. In this way the artist is indicating that God does not at this time accept such sacrifice. Why not?
The second painting gives the answer. It shows Christ on the cross. The Old Testament sacrifices only pointed ahead to that great Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. “The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). At best they were but pale reflections and feeble foreshadows of that mighty work accomplished to the satisfaction of God at Calvary.
