Topical Bible: Offerings: Could not Make the offerer Perfect

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In the Old Testament, offerings and sacrifices were central to the religious life of Israel. These offerings, prescribed by the Mosaic Law, included burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, among others. They served various purposes, such as atonement for sin, expressions of thanksgiving, and acts of worship. However, despite their importance, these offerings were inherently limited in their ability to perfect the offerer.

The Epistle to the Hebrews in the New Testament provides a detailed exposition on the limitations of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Hebrews 10:1-4 states, "The law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

This passage highlights that the offerings under the Mosaic Law were a "shadow" of the ultimate sacrifice to come. They were not the substance but pointed forward to the reality found in Christ. The repeated nature of these sacrifices underscored their inability to provide a permanent solution to sin. They served as a reminder of sin rather than its removal, indicating that the offerer remained imperfect and in need of a more complete atonement.

The concept of perfection in this context refers to a state of spiritual completeness and reconciliation with God. The Old Testament offerings could not achieve this because they were external and symbolic, lacking the power to transform the inner nature of the worshiper. Hebrews 9:9-10 further elaborates, "This is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper. They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform."

The "time of reform" refers to the coming of Christ, whose sacrifice on the cross fulfilled and surpassed the Old Testament offerings. Hebrews 10:14 declares, "For by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified." Unlike the repeated sacrifices of the old covenant, Christ's offering was once for all, providing a complete and perfect atonement for sin.

The inadequacy of the Old Testament offerings to perfect the offerer underscores the necessity of Christ's redemptive work. It reveals the temporary and preparatory nature of the Mosaic Law, which was designed to lead people to the ultimate solution found in Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice, believers are made perfect in their standing before God, having their sins fully atoned for and their consciences cleansed.

In summary, while the offerings of the Old Testament were significant in the religious life of Israel, they were unable to make the offerer perfect. They served as a foreshadowing of the perfect sacrifice of Christ, who alone can bring about true spiritual perfection and reconciliation with God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 9:9
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Burnt Offering a Picture and a Prophecy
... the sprinkling of the blood, in the burnt offerings and in ... and the blood of bulls
and goats could never put ... word rendered 'burn,' in verse 9, is not that which ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the burnt offering a picture.htm

Separation to God.
... help me; I knew 'twas the best she could do; But ... never to be lost sight of, it is
not intended that ... sin; but, as we have seen, the burnt-offerings, which speak ...
/.../taylor/separation and service/part i separation to god.htm

The Death of the Saviour the End of all Sacrifices.
... Oh, in very manifold ways,"not only by misleading example and ... the remembrance of
sin, provided for by the offerings prescribed in the law, could ever have ...
/.../schleiermacher/selected sermons of schleiermacher/xiv the death of the.htm

Balak's Inquiries Relative to the Service of God, and Balaam's ...
... "I the Lord love judgment; I hate robbery for burnt offerings; and I will ... Balak did
not regard him. He could not be persuaded to make such sacrifices ...
/.../sermon xviii balaks inquiries relative.htm

Scriptural Types.
... that God "will have mercy and not sacrifice.". ... of the passages in which
trespass-offerings are prescribed (Lev ... to trespasses for which restitution could ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

Whether a Suitable Cause Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies which ...
... them against his will, hence these birds were offered not among the ... Fourth in order
were the "ex-voto" peace-offerings, the flesh of which could be eaten ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether a suitable cause can.htm

'The Love of Thine Espousals'
... There could not have been a written code. ... of Exodus 19:6. Burnt-offerings and
peace-offerings differed mainly ... which brings better gifts, and does not turn on ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the love of thine espousals.htm

Nature of Covenanting.
... offering, or if to offer peace-offerings thereon." And ... confess thy name, and pray,
and make supplication unto ... his people his covenant; and it could not be for ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter i nature of covenanting.htm

The Morning of Good Friday.
... whether the term is not also applied to other offerings. ... 7, even if (which we are
not prepared to admit ... Lastly, although the Chagigah could only be brought by ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xiv the morning of.htm

Funeral Oration on the Great S. Basil, Bishop of C??sarea in ...
... of men, and by constant progress to make his virtue ... favour, as well as in stature,
[4475] not that these ... Him were capable of growth: for how could that which ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xliii funeral oration on.htm