Appointed time for the Lord´s offering (contd)

 With such clear and simple instructions regarding the appointed times for offering the Lord the food for His offerings, I wonder why the body of Christ is so divided on this issue. I perceive that the cause for this disunity is due to a lack of knowledge which can be very detrimental, because according to the prophet Hosea; “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).

The knowledge we are lacking is the intrinsic value and significance of this offering. This offering in the Old Testament dispensation was known as the burnt offerings consisted of animal sacrifices with their food and drink offering. The rationale and objective for this offering was to present the worshiper perfect before God but had to be dissolved because it could not present the worshiper perfect.

For we have been duly admonished saying, “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:1-4).

So what we now have in our new dispensation is a new way by which we can draw near to God as God Himself testified of Jesus Christ saying; “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and un-profitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:17-19).

 This was also confirmed by Jesus Christ who when He came into the world said; "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come --- In the volume of the book it is written of Me --- To do Your will, O God.' "

Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:5-10).

The first that was taken away consisted of three significant things that were copies or shadows of the reality and were replaced by the reality itself , thus fulfilling the will of the Father.

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph