Acceptable Offering

Author: Joseph

Date: August 12, 2018

Aaron and his sons were chosen to serve God in the tent of meeting as His priests, who would offer sacrifices and provide atonement for Israel’s sins. They were responsible for conducting the daily, seasonal, and circumstantial sacrifices as well as offerings of various types. A strict set of procedures had to be followed for their sacrifices and offerings to be accepted. God is a holy God, and would not accept anything done that did not honor Him and recognize Him as the Lord.

"No Israelite could offer a sacrifice without first being reconciled..."

The people of Israel also had responsibility for offering sacrifices properly. The Israelites had to give from the best of what they had and they had to do so with a clear conscience. For example, the guilt offering required that the person guilty of wrongful gain restore to the person they sinned against the whole amount that they wrongfully acquired plus one-fifth more (Leviticus 6:5). This had to be done on the same day that they presented their offering before God at the tent of meeting. No Israelite could offer a sacrifice without first being reconciled, and their reconciliation had to be finalized before God through sacrifice. The sacrifice that was to be made for a guilt offering had to be a ram without defect – no spots, blemishes, broken limbs, or any other physical distortions of any type.

Two things were required from Israel when offering sacrifices: reconciliation (which included restoration) and sacrifice.

Before you give something to God and sacrifice time, effort, or resources, do you first reconcile with those who you have sinned against with those things? You may even need to reconcile with yourself if you have been sinning against yourself.

You can’t offer God your time if you are sinning by not using your time wisely. You can’t give God your efforts if you are not giving your efforts to those He has given you relationship with (self, family, friends, employees). You also can’t give God your resources if you are not properly stewarding what He has given you (skills, finances, other things you own).

Like the people of Israel, we have a responsibility to offer sacrifices with a clean conscience. Even if our offering seems to be without defect, it will still be imperfect without first reconciling our lives and being blameless in our thoughts and actions. Seek to reconcile areas of your life that are still keeping you from serving God the way He intends for you. Ask God to help you overcome sin and then make peace with those you have wronged.

What can you do today to make your life an acceptable offering to the Lord?

Bible Passage: Leviticus 6:1 – 8:36.