September 14, 2021

“Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord.” Ps 4:5 nkjv

What do you think the “sacrifice of righteousness” would be about?

The condition of our heart, and our sincerity towards Yahweh [God] is not to be taken lightly. The Bible reveals what Yahweh thinks of worthless sacrifices...

“And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, [is it] not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, [is it] not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.” mal 1:8 kjv

“But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” mal 1:14 kjv

The act of sacrifice is core and fundamental to our identification as “born again” believers… Yeshua’s sacrificial death on the cross was the ultimate expression of genuine love and commitment, of Yahweh, to the very purpose and meaning of redemption… of our eternal souls. Throughout the Bible’s early teachings and establishment of the commandments of God, and their implications to our relationship to Yahweh, and His holiness and righteousness, we learn there is no margin for folly or carelessness when standing before the King of the Universe. As we shall see:

“Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High. 15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

16 But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to declare My statutes, Or take My covenant in your mouth, 17 Seeing you hate instruction And cast My words behind you? 18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers. 19 You give your mouth to evil, And your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son. 21 These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.

22 “Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver: 23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.” ps 50:14-23 nkjv

Giving genuine praise to Yahweh in the midst of cruel and suffering experiences, I think, can be an example of “sacrifices of righteousness,” as when Silas and Paul were beaten and imprisoned in the Philippian Jail… acts 16:16-34 nkjv I think the work of the Holy Spirit empowers the faithful to “crucify” the flesh; An act of sacrifice is to bring something costly to Yahweh with a pure heart and direct our praise and thankfulness to Him… when no substitute (i.e., best of our flock) is involved, then it can be our surrendering of self, pride, comfort, and personal interest, to facilitate a worthy or righteous cause, that validates our genuine offering… Yahweh’s bringing the Philippian Jailer’s entire family, and all who were in his house to salvation, because of Silas and Paul’s example, could be said to be His “acceptance” of their sacrifice. May Yahweh teach us His “ways.”

“He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” Ps 103:7 nkjv

Even though the children of Israel “knew/saw” the acts of Yahweh, they failed to obey and follow Him… Moses knew His ways; I think we need to seek to know His ways, as only being a spectator (even witnessing the greatest of miracles) will not make us right with Yahweh… Moses often demonstrated his “sacrifices of righteousness” as a show and tell lesson for our example…

Shalom… John