November 21, 2023
What does it say?
Every item in the temple was designed for the act of cleansing, sacrifice, or worship of Almighty God.
What does it mean?
All of the temple’s furnishings and even the separation of the courtyard from the Holy Place and Most Holy Place had meaning and pointed to Christ and His work on earth. The altar was a thirty-foot square elevated structure. As people came into the temple courtyard, their attention was drawn upward to this bronze altar for the animal sacrifices. The blood of the temple sacrifices offered temporary cleansing of sin. But the blood of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, took the punishment for the sins of all mankind – once and for all! God’s plan of redemption pointed to Jesus from the beginning.
How should I respond?
As a believer, you are urged to present your body as “a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). The animals on the altar were obviously dead sacrifices, so what does it mean to be a living sacrifice? Dying to sinful desires, living a holy life, and putting others before yourself are all sacrifices. As you meditate on what Jesus did for you, any sacrifice you make for Him should point to Christ rather than draw attention to yourself. What desire or selfish motive do you need to sacrifice today? How can we give less than our all when He gave His all for us?