“And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between the pieces.” Genesis 15:17
The animal sacrifices to God in the Old Testament were implemented by God to point humanity towards the ultimate, acceptable sacrifice of His Son on Calvary. The meaning of those sacrifices had their fulfilment, and realization in the singular sacrifice of Christ on the cross. As man has a sinful manner about him, and seemingly almost always passes to the side of the true spiritual meaning of matters, let us make the distinction between the material aspect of the sacrifice, and its meaning and purpose. Throughout the ministry of the Lord Jesus, he was continually dealing with clarifying in the hearts and the minds of those to whom He ministered, the difference between the “outer” appearance of the sacrifice, and the true spiritual reality that was acceptable to God. The external was never but a picture of what the internal, the things of heart and spirit, were to be. Why is it so very important to distinguish between the external and the internal? The answer resides in that which God will accept and bless. David, in his great Psalm 51, declared this with regard to “sacrifice:” “…For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” (v.16,17) The Lord through David is making a distinction between that which God will accept and bless, and that which He will not. The external is a picture of what the attitude of the heart should be. In the letter to the Hebrews, the author writes, speaking of the Lord Jesus: “Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared for Me. In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure.” (10:5,6) What is the Lord saying here? The remedy for sin is declared by the external sacrifice of Christ, but realized only in the heart. The writer goes on to nali down the true attitude of the heart that is acceptable to God, perfectly seen and illustrated in the Lord Jesus: “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will O God.” (v.7) The true sacrifice, as seen in the Lord Jesus is first and foremost of the heart. The manifestation of such a heart-filled sacrifice is the “losing of one’s life” by daily living for Another, Christ, as the Lord Jesus lived for the Father. So, what does this mean to the believer? Why is this so very important? The answer resides in what is acceptable to God, and that which He will bless. When Abel offerend his sacrifice or offering, it was accepted by God. Cain’s was not, as it was not according to God’s way and will. The blessing of God resided upon the acceptable sacrifice.
When God gave to Abram the promise of a son in his old age, one that would be born in his house, his own seed, Abram believed God. It is then that the Lord would give to Abram a history lesson dating forward hundreds of years till the day when Israel as a people would come out of Egypt, and enter to possess the land of Caanan. That which would confirm Abram’s approach to God, his acceptance before God, and provide a confirmation of the reality of such promises, was the acceptance of a sacrifice. God would tell Abram what the sacrifice would consist of. Abram would then experience a “deep sleep,” and an “horror of great darkness,” which would speak of Israel’s bondage in Egypt. However, God would tell Abram that he would go to his fathers in peace. The confirmation of all that God told him was revealed in the smoke and fire that came upon the sacrifice. The fire of the Spirit is God’s confirmation of His acceptance, blessing, and commitment.
Dear Father, Accept the offering of our hearts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.