Bible Discussion Thread

How did the concept of sacrifice for atonement begin. Please point me to scripture.

Hey James,

In Genesis 8:20-21 Noah offered burnt offerings on the altar of every clean beast and every clean fowl to God. The Burnt Offering, Olah in Hebrew, is the oldest sacrifice, we see it later the daily sacrifice, the Tamid. The burnt offering was the only offering that was entirely burned, all is given to God. Were there only two of each animal went in the ark? Genesis 7:1-3

In Genesis 3:21 when God clothed Adam and Eve with coats of skin is a shadow of the sacrifice of Jesus and when we accept this gift we are clothed with the garment of salvation, the robe of righteousness, white and spotless. Isaiah 61:10 As God did for Adam and Eve this garment covers our sins that we may not walk naked and our shame shall be seen, Revelation 3:4 Revelation 16:15.

God made a covenant with Noah and all living creatures that He would not destroy the world with water ever again and symbolized it with a rainbow. God gave a commandment to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, we see later they did not obey (the tower of Babel). All animals and creatures would fear man.

This is the first time in scripture where God gives the penalty for murder. The penalty for taking a life is the death of the murderer. When the life of a person is taken. God will require the punishment of death, whether the one who kills a person is a man or an animal. You will find this in Genesis 9.

God bless,

RLW

Hello James. Another perspective. God has always required 'life to be given for life'. This was true in His original Commandments to Israel ( Deuteronomy 19:21): if one wilfully took another's life, then the punishment was to be the death of the perpetrator. And so it was for the destroying the body parts of the innocent as well (v21). It may seem harsh or barbaric to do such things in response to such crimes, but in the Divine Judgement, if in a lawful legal system where witnesses to such crimes were present, then that punishment was to be carried out (not only as punishment to the guilty but that others might learn from this, v20). However, if the witnesses gave false evidence, then they suffered similar punishment as well, vv18,19.

Having said that & to answer your question: "How did the concept of sacrifice for atonement begin?", the rule of 'life for life' was always in God's Mind & issued as part of His Laws to Israel. So, when sin entered into man, every human who committed sin was under the penalty of death ( Genesis 2:16,17; Romans 6:23) - none of us can escape it. But here we have a problem: the death that God speaks about is more than what He required of man's justice system to mete out. In the human system, only the life of man could be exterminated, but in God's System, He can remove him physically as well as positionally. True, Adam & Eve died physically because they sinned by disobeying God, but if God was to prevent them & us from also being separated from Him (i.e. into the place reserved for the Devil & his angels), then there must be a judicial means for God to use to overcome that.

God instituted a sacrificial system for Israel, where a pure animal was sacrificed in substitute for the sinner. The sacrifice couldn't remove the sin but it looked forward when God's Own Lamb would be sent as the Sacrifice for not only Israel, but for all mankind. "Without shedding of blood is no remission" ( Hebrews 9:22): God's requirement for justice & atonement.

Thank you All for responding to my query. After studying your replies I was able to concentrate on what I am after.

Please help me with Isaiah-53:5 "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." I am confused as to what we are healed from.-Please point me to Scripture.

Also please help me with Isaiah-1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." What sins are we forgiven? Your help would be much appreciated. Your Brother in Christ.

You are healed from sickness and sin. As it is written:

"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." -- James 5:14-15

'Most Excellent Theophilus', your answer was excellent like you are. You gave me something to ponder.

Thank you.

James Healed from all diseases mental physical and spiritual also, the sin we were born in broken fellowship Ephesians 2:1+2 we were without God and without Hope Ephesians 2:12.

This is the sin that Adam succumb to then man was separated from God which eventually brought death. Jesus Christ paid in full that separation and we became sons and daughters by rebirth spiritually and been made righteous by what he paid for with His broken body and shed blood.

Read Romans 5-9 it explains a lot the word of God speaks louder than any man.

When he was raised from the dead and sat down at Gods right hand our redemption was complete now all we need to do

is walk in the believing faith of everything paid for by His Sacrifice.

Thank you David. You have given me a lot to think about.

James Just another note our deliverance is not external it is internal clean clear through, also there are over 400 promises in Gods word you can only do as many as you know that's why 2 Timothy 2:15 and 2 Timothy 3:16+17

notice That the Man of God us may be perfect throughly [clean clear thoroughly] furnished unto all good works.

Hi James That is a loaded answer and I'm sure there will lots of feed back,this was prophecy of what was Going to be done to out Saviour before the crucifixion. His visage the way he appeared after they beat Jesus literally almost to death was so bad you did not want to look at Him!

That's why pilate after they beat him and before the crucifixion said behold your king, because he was pulverised. Can you imagine Pilate when Jesus said to Pilate John 19:11 you not have this power unless it was given thee from above, and he was standing next to a bloody mess! Everything he went through was done to deliver us from the power of the adversary, we are healed 1 Peter 2:23+24 after the fact by His stripes we have been healed.

By His shed blood all our sins broken fellowship is forgiven when we Repent and Confess Romans 10:9+10 and begin to walk by faith in him. Believe it or not He literally died not from the wounds but of a broken heart in John 19:34 when they pierced His side water and blood came out. The movie passion of the Christ is a good portrayal of what they did and what he looked like, I believe it was worse than even that and yet this man never sinned!

We will never fully comprehend or appreciate what he went through and I can't think about it too long without going to tears, a totally innocent man did this for us who do not deserve any of what we have been delivered from

for all eternity. AMEN!

Thank you Rick. Your answer was very enlightening.

Hi , it's me again , third reply to you which is just a thought from me : I noticed that there isn't any more mention of Adam and Eve offering any more sacrifices for their sin , could it be because God Himself killed that ram and made those skins for them and that was enough for them for the whole of their lives ? Recognise the pre cursor ? Just a thought .

Hi James , my second answer to your question : I should also have pointed out that this scenario is echoed in Genesis Ch 4 , when Cain offers , as a sacrifice , of the fruit of the ground , in others words vegetation , taking us back to the way in which Adam and Eve originally tried to covers their own sin with leaves , this offering is not acceptable to God . Abel offers of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof , blood has been shed . This offering is acceptable to God . Sorry I didn't say this in my first reply to you .

When you come into this website you're on the LINK PAGE.

Up at the top is the SEARCH BOX. Links for the entire Bible is below that.

It's a really great SEARCH ENGINE, but just for Bible subject.

You can put the word 'Atonement' in the box and hit the arrow >

The engine will fetch every scripture that contains that word. You can sort the list; and the engine places the list in book order.

Or you can read either Old Testament verses only

Or, New Testament verses only

With DATES OR HISTORY, you'll have to go on Google. Type it in like this:

"Atonement, history".

(Or date)

I was fooling around one day, and I typed in CHINA. I got 3 references to pestilences (pandemics); it describes the National colors of China. Points also to Palestinian nations and Northern Africa. You have to use ancient names from ancient maps.

Pestilence and pandemics are mentioned in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. God lives inside of times, and outside of time (eternal); Alpha and Omega.

It's something to consider, when contemplating being vaccinated. God is giving us the heads up. You have to pray it through, for You.

Vaccinations are IN THE ARM, not the forehead or hand.

By using all the search options, you'll learn some really awesome information. If search doesn't fetch anything try wording it differently.

If it fetches 10,000 verses; try wording it another wAy or just look at only OT or NT verses.

Look around on this whole website to see what's in it. If you get lost, just back out and come back in. Curious is good.

The location of the commentary box is below the search box. Touch a scripture and it will highlight Yellow. Scroll down slowly.

Mishael

Thanks Mishael, I am just learning about this site, and your suggestions will be helpful to me.

Genesis Ch 3 v 21 , this is the first instance as far as I'm aware . Adam and Eve have sinned and their eyes have been opened to their own nakedness , they made themselves aprons out of leaves to cover their nakedness , their shame , their sinfulness . In v 21 we we that plants were not good enough and God Himself makes them clothes of animal skin , therefore blood is shed , in order to cover their nakedness , their sinfulness . To fully understand this it's a good idea to read the whole of Ch 3 , all of Genesis and.....all of the Bible , enjoy .

Sacha, "animal" skins. Maybe the covering on their bodies initially was transparent and then God clothed them with what we know of as skin. Just another take.

That's a very imaginative answer , I shall stick to what it actually says in the Bible though . Thank you for your imaginative take .

I agree, but the Scripture, Gen 3:21 says that God made tunics of skins for them. It does not say He killed an animal. or that the skins were from an animal. But that is the normal interpretation of this passage, that the skins were from an animal. It is open for interpretation several ways, but I don't think it is something to duke out, in my opinion. I can see it being either way.