Introduction: Can you describe the way sins were forgiven
and salvation achieved in the Old Testament? The answer is
the system of animal sacrifices. When a human sinned, an
animal would die. In the debate between salvation by works
and salvation by faith, this is not works. What do you think
about that system? Humans like to blame others for their
failures. We are generally grateful when someone else takes
the blame for our mistakes. The animal sacrifice system
looks like humans never had to take personal responsibility
for what they did. Does that trouble you? Let’s dive into
our study of the Bible and see what we can learn about the
full meaning of animal sacrifices!
I. The Point of the Sacrifice?
A. Read Isaiah 1:2-5. What is wrong with God’s
people? (They are evil and “utterly estranged”
from God.)
1. God talks about the ability of an ox or a
donkey to know its master. Is God saying that
His people are dumber than an ox or a donkey?
(That is exactly what God is saying.)
B. Read Isaiah 1:6-9. How close is Israel to being
totally destroyed? (Close. A few survivors make it
distinct from what happened to Sodom and
Gomorrah.)
1. What hope do they have about getting better?
(Verse 6 says that their wounds are not being
treated.)
C. Read Isaiah 1:11-13. If sacrificing an animal is
the correct response to sin in your life, why
would God tell His people He has “had enough?”
1. What do you think is the real problem? (Verse
13 summarizes it – God does not want
“iniquity” and “solemn assembly.” If you have
no interest in serving God, then why go
through the motions? God is not favorably
impressed by hypocrisy.)
D. In Isaiah 1:11 God says that He does not delight
in the sacrificing of animals. Since that is true,
why did God set up the sacrificial system?
1. Could we call the time of the sacrificial
system “righteousness by faith?” (Yes. The
method of lifting sin did not involve the
person being fined, physically harmed, or
otherwise punished for his sins.)
2. If God was not enjoying the killing of
animals, if humans were not punished for their
sins, I ask again, was this just a bad idea?
God gets no joy from it and humans get no
discipline? (There was discipline in that
their cities were being burned and their land
devoured by foreigners. See Isaiah 1:7. But it
does not seem to be individual punishment for
individual sins.)
a. If general punishment for sins came from
strangers, why sacrifice innocent
animals? (In theory, seeing an innocent
animal die for your sins should make you
take your sins seriously. But I think
God’s greater point was that the
sacrifice was a kind of prophesy of the
coming Jesus. Let’s discuss this next.)
II. The Prophecy of the Coming Jesus and Passover
A. Read Hebrews 10:1-3. What does Hebrews say is one
reason for the animal sacrifices? (To remind
humans of the nature of sin.)
B. Read Hebrews 10:4-5 and Hebrews 10:9-10. What is
the reason why God established the animal
sacrifice system of the Old Testament? (The
purpose was to educate humans about how God would
handle their sin problem. It was prophecy through
practice.)
C. Step back a moment and think about this. Assume
that God came to earth and humans killed Him. What
lesson would you draw from that? (Evil won. God
lost.)
D. Read Exodus 12:3-6. If you are going to kill this
lamb, why would it matter if it had a blemish?
(This is not like breeding stock. This is another
key part of the prophecy in practice. Jesus would
come to earth and live a perfect life on our
behalf. For that reason the lamb had to be
perfect.)
E. Let’s focus on Exodus 12:3 and Exodus 12:6. How
long did the family keep the lamb before
sacrificing it? (Four days.)
1. What point is God making? (They might fall in
love with the lamb. Thus making the sacrifice
more personal.)
F. Read Exodus 12:7-8. Why would they eat the lamb?
(Jesus did not just die in our place, He gives us
life through His sacrifice. John 6:48 has Jesus
saying, “I am the Bread of Life.”)
G. Read Exodus 12:12-13. Why smear the blood of the
lamb on the door of your home? (The angel that
destroyed the enemy of God’s people passed over
the homes with the blood and did not kill the
firstborn of those who followed God’s directions.)
1. What point is that making in this prophecy by
practice? (God calls “balls and strikes.” By
that I mean that God is serious about us doing
His will. Following the instructions for
accepting Jesus’ sacrifice gives us life
instead of death.)
H. Let’s step back a moment again and consider this.
What was the context for the destroying angel at
Passover? (The Egyptians enslaved God’s people for
hundreds of years. They would not release them
from slavery despite the warnings of the prior
plagues. God not only shows love and mercy to us,
He stands up against our enemies in a very lethal
way. This is part of the prophecy.)
III. The Prophecy of Triumph
A. Read Revelation 5:5-7. Has the Lamb now become a
Lion?
1. Who is this lamb? (The reference to it
appearing to be “slain” is proof that this is
Jesus.)
B. Read Revelation 5:8-10. What has Jesus
accomplished by being slain? (He “ransomed people
for God from every tribe and language and people
and nation.” This is the ultimate fulfillment of
the prophecy through the practice of sacrificing
the lamb.)
C. Read Revelation 5:11-14. Is the universe still
divided?
1. Who worships Jesus? (Everyone and everything!)
D. Read Revelation 7:9-10. What does this reveal about
the number of those who are saved? (A great
multitude are saved. One that cannot be numbered.)
E. Read Revelation 7:13-15. What do the white robes
represent? (They are made white by being washed in
Jesus’ blood. This is righteousness by faith
alone.)
1. Notice that this number of saints comes “out
of” the great tribulation.” If this is some
final persecution, how can we have so great a
multitude? (My thought is that since the
elders in heaven do not know them (see verse
13), these are not those who already reside in
heaven. The great tribulation can reasonably
refer to the great fight over planet earth.
These are the saints who have survived the
rebellion of Satan and his fallen angels.)
F. Read Revelation 7:16-17. What other lamb prophesy
do we see here? (Jesus is also our Shepherd. He
keeps us from all suffering and He gives us joy!)
G. Friend, will you accept that Jesus’ incarnation,
life, and death by torture was all predicted
through the sacrificial system? Will you accept His
sacrifice on your behalf and rejoice in the victory
that He made possible for you? Why not do that
right now?
IV. Next week: Foundations for Prophecy.
Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
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but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
