VALIDITY OF THE BLOOD SACRIFICES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

VALIDITY OF THE BLOOD SACRIFICES IN THE OLD              TESTAMENT

BY DR. MERVYN ABREO

In other words, what value would the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament have, if Lord Jesus had not died? Or had He been killed, but without the shedding of blood?

‘TYPES’ AND ‘ANTI-TYPES’: The death of Jesus on the cross by the shedding of blood was the provision for the remission of our sins.  

           In the Old Testament, the people also needed a provision. This provision was the animal sacrifices which were regularly conducted. These animal sacrifices were the ‘type’ of the ‘Anti-type’ to come, namely the death of Jesus on the cross.

Therefore keeping the issue of prophecy in mind, could the ‘types’ be rendered meaningless if the ‘Anti-type’ had changed i.e. could the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament be rendered null and void had Jesus met his death by any other means rather than by the shedding of His blood,e.g. Death by hanging?

Definitely not!! Because as we have already seen, ‘prophesy is foretelling that which has already taken place in the future.’ Therefore prophecy and its fulfillment go on simultaneously.

          I have added: “that which has already taken place” because it denotes an irrevocable and an irreversible action or deed, i.e. one which has already taken place, and which cannot be changed or altered. And that is exactly what Biblical prophecy is all about!

          This will only be understood as we understand ‘time.’

           From our perspective, a prophecy or prediction about the future is made, at the present time. Sometime in the future, this prophecy comes to pass. And therefore we say that the incident that was prophesied about, has occurred or taken place, thus fulfilling the prophecy.

          And since we are ‘time’ oriented, we explain the above occurrence, as God’s ability to look into the future, and see what is going to happen. And then inform His prophet, who exists in the present, and who subsequently correctly predicts the future.

          But from God’s perspective (being Omnipresent and outside this realm of time) everything i.e. the prediction as well as the fulfillment, takes place simultaneously.

          So He visualizes the future, (which will not change unless He changes it, which obviously He will not), and reveals it to His prophet, who will in turn reveal it to the people. And the prophecy will definitely come to pass.

(Please read: “Secrets of prophesy revealed” available in this blog).

In other words if Jesus had met His death without the shedding of blood, then the prophecy too would have automatically changed.    E.g. If Jesus had met His death by, say strangulation, then all the Old Testament sacrifices would necessitate death of the animals by strangulation.

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Dear friend,

          I look forward to getting your feedback. Do write in to me at:

                                        drmervynabreo@gmail.com

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