Christ’s
Superiority To The Levitical Sacrificial System
Christ is superior to the Old Testament Sacrificial system because of
one basic reason: the sacrifices of the Old Testament system were symbolic in
nature. The offerings were symbolic of
Christ as the one true offering for sin. They never had a part in the forgiveness
of sins. If they did then Christ would
not have needed to die for the sins of man (Hebrews 10:1-2). Once again, looking at the superiority of
Christ to the Levitical sacrificial system; the great contrast between law and
grace can be seen. There were 5 different types of offerings: the burnt
offering (Leviticus chapter 1), the meat offering (Leviticus chapter 2), the
peace offering (Leviticus chapter 3), the sin offering (Leviticus chapter 4)
and the trespass offering (Leviticus chapter 5). The brutality of these
offerings shows the price of sin and also symbolized the grace that is found in
Christ Jesus. There were many laws in
the Old Testament system. One of the primary purposes of them was symbolic, to
show the difference between the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man; for
example the laws concerning food in Levitations Chapter 11 and leprosy in
Levitations Chapter 13-14.
Understanding the difference between one’s own sinfulness and God’s
holiness is important if one is to turn to Christ for salvation. The Old
Testament sacrificial system was symbolic, temporary, and based upon the law.
It is just like Hebrews 10:1 and 3 says; the sacrifices were never meant to
cleanse of sin but to be symbolic of what Christ would do in the future. This is the important lesson God was trying
to teach the Jews through the many repetitious and yearly sacrifices:
justification could not come by the law but by faith. Christ was the true lamb without blemish (Leviticus 1:3) that
became the one time offering for sin which gives freely forgiveness and
cleansing for all those who repent and trust in Him. This is why the ceremonial and symbolic laws of the Old Testament
were done away with and why Christ is superior to the Old Testament sacrificial
system.
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Copyright; 2002 by Charles
F. (Rick) Creech
All Rights Reserved