What is the significance of "burnt offerings" in Psalm 66:15 for believers now? Context of Psalm 66:15 “ ‘I will offer You fat animals as burnt offerings; with the smoke of rams I will sacrifice bulls and goats.’ ” (Psalm 66:15) The psalmist is publicly celebrating God’s faithful deliverance (vv. 8–12) and pledging wholehearted worship through burnt offerings—the costliest, most complete sacrifices in Israel’s worship life. What Burnt Offerings Meant Under the Old Covenant • Total Consecration: The entire animal was consumed on the altar (Leviticus 1:9), symbolizing that every part of the worshiper belonged to God. • Atonement: “The priest is to burn all of it… to make atonement for him” (Leviticus 1:13). Bloodshed pointed to forgiveness purchased through substitution. • Fragrant Worship: “A pleasing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9). God delighted in the obedient, surrendered heart that stood behind the sacrifice. Why This Matters After the Cross • Perfect Fulfillment in Jesus – “Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). – “We have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). – The once-for-all sacrifice of Christ accomplishes what endless animal offerings only foreshadowed (Hebrews 10:1–4, 14). • Ongoing Relevance for Believers – Calls us to whole-life devotion: “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). – Inspires thankful worship: Like the psalmist, we respond to deliverance by giving our best. – Models generosity: Costly offerings remind us to give sacrificially of time, talents, and treasure (Hebrews 13:15-16). – Deepens awe of redemption: Recognizing what it cost God to forgive fuels love and obedience (1 Peter 1:18-19). How to Live the Principle Today • Offer your entire self—mind, affections, decisions—to the Lord each day. • Cultivate thankful testimony: Tell others, as Psalm 66 does, what God has done for you. • Give sacrificially to kingdom work, mirroring the psalmist’s willingness to bring “fat animals.” • Prioritize gathered worship where Christ’s finished sacrifice is remembered through Scripture, song, and communion. • Practice continual praise: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15). In Short The burnt offerings of Psalm 66:15 spotlight complete devotion, costly thanksgiving, and substitutionary atonement. In Christ, these realities reach their climax; for believers now, they call us to live as grateful, surrendered, “living sacrifices,” celebrating the once-for-all burnt offering of our Savior. |
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