Sacrifices are a major theme throughout the Bible, beginning in Genesis with the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, and continuing through the Old and New Testaments. Here are some key Bible verses about the different aspects of sacrifice:
Old Testament Sacrifices
In the Old Testament, God instituted an elaborate system of animal sacrifices as a way for the Israelites to atone for sins and worship Him. Some key verses include:
- “Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle.” – Exodus 20:24
- “When anyone brings from the herd or flock a fellowship offering to the LORD …he is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.” – Leviticus 1:2-4
- “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” – Leviticus 17:11
- “Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it.” – Exodus 29:36
The Old Testament outlines five main types of sacrifices: burnt offerings, grain offerings, fellowship offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. Each sacrifice had specific instructions and symbolic meaning.
Sacrifice of Jesus
The New Testament teaches that Christ’s death on the cross was the ultimate and final sacrifice for sins, fulfilling and replacing the Old Testament sacrificial system.
- “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” – Hebrews 10:10
- “He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” – Hebrews 7:27
- “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” – 1 Corinthians 5:7
- “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24
These verses explain how Christ served as the perfect and ultimate sacrifice, offering Himself as a substitute to take on God’s judgment for sin.
Sacrifice of Praise and Good Deeds
The New Testament calls believers to offer spiritual sacrifices to God, including praise, good deeds, and service to others:
- “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise.” – Hebrews 13:15
- “To do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16
- “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5
- “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1
While we no longer offer animal sacrifices, we honor God by sacrificing our time, resources, and talents for the Kingdom.
Old Testament Prophecies of Jesus’ Sacrifice
Many Old Testament prophecies pointed ahead to the coming Messiah who would offer Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin:
- “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5
- “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness.” – Daniel 9:24
- “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” – Isaiah 53:7
- “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5
These and other prophecies point to Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system.
Sacrifice and Obedience
A key teaching throughout Scripture is that sacrifice pleases God when it flows from a heart of obedience and love for Him:
- “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” – 1 Samuel 15:22
- “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” – Hosea 6:6
- “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” – Psalm 51:17
While the sacrificial system had great symbolic meaning, God cares more about His people knowing and following Him from the heart.
Jesus’ Teachings on Sacrifice
Jesus emphasized sacrificial living and service to God:
- “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” – Luke 9:23-24
- “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13
- “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Matthew 9:13
- “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45
Following Christ requires sacrifice – of our comfort, desires, resources, and very lives. This honors Him who gave His all for us.
Sacrifice in Revelation and Heaven
The theme of sacrifice culminates in Revelation and descriptions of heaven, where worshipers praise the Lamb who was slain:
- “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” – Revelation 5:9
- “And they cried out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” – Revelation 7:10
- “And I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” – Revelation 5:11-12
All of redemptive history culminates in eternal worship of Christ, the Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world.
Key Themes
In summary, here are some key Biblical themes around sacrifice:
- Old Testament sacrifices temporarily atoned for sins and allowed worship of God
- Jesus was the perfect and ultimate sacrifice, once for all
- We now offer spiritual sacrifices of praise, deeds, and service
- Old Testament prophecies pointed to the Messiah’s sacrifice
- God desires heartfelt obedience over ritual sacrifice
- Jesus calls us to sacrificial service and giving of ourselves
- In eternity we will worship Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb
Sacrifice for sin and worship of the God who provides salvation is a concept that permeates Scripture from beginning to end. As the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament system, giving His life so that we might live eternally through Him.