Exodus 30:1-10 - ”Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high —its horns of one piece with it. Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it. Make two gold rings for the altar below the molding—two on opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Put the altar in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the Testimony—before the atonement cover that is over the Testimony—where I will meet with you. Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come. Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord…”

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Hebrews 9:4 - “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

We have received new life – eternal life – through Jesus Christ because of the Blood that he shed for us. Jesus’ blood brings us atonement and cleansing from sin (see 1 John 1:7). Most Christians understand this; in fact, we should understand something about Christ’s sacrifice for our sins at the time we convert and receive salvation. From God’s perspective, it was very important to teach us about his project of salvation and illustrate the sacrifice of Jesus through all the animal sacrifices described in the Old Testament. All of these sacrifices pointed forward to Christ’s death on the cross, and that is why no animal sacrifices are necessary since Jesus died for us; as God’s Son, he is the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God. Today, we can study the sacrifices and requirements in the Old Testament to gain a deeper understanding of the blood of Jesus.

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