Sunday, August 14
If she cannot afford a sheep, she must then take two turtledoves or two young pigeons.—Lev. 12:8.
According to the Mosaic Law, the Israelites were to offer specific sacrifices. (Lev. 9:1-4, 15-21) The sacrifices were to be unblemished because they pointed to Jesus’ perfect sacrifice. Moreover, with each type of offering, or sacrifice, a specific procedure was to be followed. For example, consider what was required of the mother of a newborn child. Leviticus 12:6 states: “When the days of her purification for a son or a daughter are completed, she will bring a young ram in its first year for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to the priest.” God’s requirements were specific, but his loving reasonableness shines radiantly in the Law, as shown in today’s text. Though poor, this worshipper was loved and appreciated just as much as the one bringing a more costly offering. w14 11/15 3:11
10 IMPORTANT points that I thought about:
1. Read the preceding verses of the text. If the child is a male, the mother would be proclaimed for 7 days. If the child is a female, she will be unclean for 14 days. Who created sexism? God did!
2. If the child dies after the sacrifice is made, the parents would suffer double loss - that of their child and the value of the offering. God does not provide refunds
3. God does not accept sacrifices of animals with defects, but allows children to be born with defects. Go figure!
4. I could never understand why God ordered the killing of animals to be offered up as sacrifices to him. Totally pointless, unloving, and utterly wasteful!
5. I never understood the need for a ransom sacrifice either. Or for the need of the tree that produced forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and allowing a powerful spirit creature who has existed for aeons to tempt an immature human couple in the first place!
6. Adam lost his perfect human body AND his life PERMANENTLY. Jesus sacrificed his human body BUT retained his life. If God requires a commensurate sacrifice, how could this unequal "sacrifice" be deemed equal???
7. If Jesus's sacrifice has ALREADY been made and the "ransom" PAID, why is human suffering still prolonged unnecessarily???
8. How meaningful can sacrifices be when they are COMPULSORY and FORCED???
9. "God's... loving reasonableness shines radiantly in the Law"
Can't help laughing when I read this. It sounds exactly like something from a North Korean propaganda article praising the "Dear Leader" who is in actual fact a ruthless dictator and tyrant
10. "Though poor, this worshipper was loved and appreciated just as much as the one bringing a more costly offering"
TRUE love would mean NOT burdening people to make unnecessary sacrifices which involve the killing of innocent & defenceless creatures!