Sacrifice

Ezekiel 45:18 “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In the first month on the first day you are to take a young bull without defect and purify the sanctuary. 19 The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the upper ledge of the altar and on the gateposts of the inner court."

Sacrifice. We have a different understanding of the word today than the Jews did in the times of the Old Testament. Back then, it meant to give something to God. And not just anything - they had to be sure that whatever they were sacrificing to God was perfect. Even if it was grain, it had to be from the first harvest. But it had to cost them something - David once said he would not sacrifice that which cost him nothing (1 Chronicles 21:24).

Nowadays, it is a word which indicates something that costs us more than we are willing to pay, or a price that is lower than we are willing to take for an item: "all cars will be sold at sacrifice prices," or "I will do this for you, but understand it is a real sacrifice for me..."

So where, along the way, did a standard of everyday behavior become such an exception to the rule? I guess about the same time we began to think of God as owing us. But if there is any doubt about who owes whom, think of the one sacrifice which ended all other sacrifices: Jesus' death on the cross. Hebrews 9:14 says, "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

One sacrifice which forever changed the world, the Kingdom of God, and our lives. I'll take that. And thanks for it, Father.