There were two revelations: one was the Law which led to condemnation and the other was the Tabernacle, called the “Tent of Meeting”, which showed the way to salvation. God instituted a system of sacrifices as a visual depiction of what was needed to deliver people from sin.

It illustrated the plan of salvation through which people were able to acknowledge their sin and have their conscience temporally appeased and their guilt cleansed by sacrificial substitution. (Hebrews 9:9, 11-14). Thereby it endorsed the promise of faith in a future atonement.

Ritual Versus Faith

I believe if people had understood it correctly, they could have lived a life of faith in God. Instead, it became a ritual and they ended up making many sacrifices without a changed heart, so God eventually said it had become unacceptable to him. (Hosea 5:6, 6:6, Psalm 40:6, 51:16, Proverbs 15:8, Jeremiah 6:19-20). The people had chosen ritual instead of faith.

The Coming of the Messiah

Old Testament prophets, however, declared the coming of a Messiah and began to point towards a future “divine servant” who would do the will of God, bear the sins of the world, pay the supreme sacrifice, and bring in the Kingdom of God. (Isaiah 53).

Jesus fulfilled these precise predictions and through his sacrifice, we are cleansed of sin, and through his resurrection receive eternal life. (Hebrews 10:1-14).

The End of the Sacrificial System

When Jesus died, the veil in the Temple was rent in two, indicating the way to God was open, and the sacrificial system had ended. (Matthew 27:51). Through his one sacrifice, he opened the way into God’s grace.

As it is written, “The law was given through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”. (John 1:17).

Join me as we embark on a journey through “A Life of Faith.”

God’s Kingdom Through the Ages:

Episode 7: God’s Promise Fulfilled in Jesus

Episode 8: God’s Plan for the World and Individuals

Episode 9: The Coming Kingdom of God

Episode 10: The Cross: The Gateway to the Kingdom