First thing you should know is that, Jesus became the substance of the things that the old covenant saints hoped for and practiced in shadows….
He was the very manifestation of the reality which the old covenant guys saw in shadows.
These old covenant men had genuine need for a relationship with God but they didn’t know how God relates with man…. The scripture said, God is a spirit and those that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth...
These men didn’t know this formula hence they got stuck in the shadows…they got stuck in the Law of Moses.
And this law of Moses prescribed all manner of carnal ways of relating with the Father. The law of Moses prescribed activities for them.
Whereas God only wants to be related through one reality - THE SPIRIT
This law among other things prescribed different types of offerings that must be offered to God so that man may have boldness to come into his presence.
They offered these sacrifices to God year in year out, so as to feel right with God and have a pure conscience when they approach Him. Yet they couldn’t achieve this authentic intimacy we now enjoy in Christ.
They offered those things to God so as to have boldness to enter into his presence, but none of them ever qualified to enter into of holy of holies...except the high priest, who doesn't also enter without his own offering.
What a cumbersome system
With all their offerings they couldn't enter the holy of holies...but WE by faith in the perfect offering we were BORN in the holy of holies.
I'll show you how
Jesus came into the scene and fulfilled the law by becoming the perfect offering.
He shut all other doors and became the ONLY WAY through which mankind can have access to the spirit of God thereby enjoying intimacy with the father.
I will go straight to the point here and tell us what the offering of Jesus achieved for mankind which makes it the perfect offering that pleased the father. It is the perfect offering because there was no offering like it, none like it now and none will ever be like it. It is perfect.
But before I get into that it will interest you to know that there were five major offerings offered to God by the old covenant saints, in their bid to feel accepted in the sight of divinity.
I will mention these five offerings, I will briefly explain them and we will see how Jesus fulfilled them.
1. The Burnt Offering
The burnt offering is the OLAH, which means ASCENDING. This was an offering that represented their total surrender and devotion to God. It is an offering of “Lord I am yours”. Offering yourself to God in total devotion of heart.
Jesus on the cross became our burnt offering when he presented his body as a sacrifice unto God to become our way of devotion to God...
And now by faith in him we have become a sweet smelling incense unto God. Our devotion to God is NOT BECAUSE we behaved well or prayed well, but because we are now the body of Christ by faith.
Jesus on the cross offered his body as a burnt offering to God, and now he has made us his body by faith.
This burnt offering is fulfilled in Christ and we enter into it by faith. We don't need to offer anything to show devotion to God...rather we believe that in Christ we are already God's!
2. The Grain Offering
The grain offering people offered to God was their substance of worship. It was a voluntary expression of devotion to God, *recognizing His goodness and providence*.
Jesus’ body on the cross is our symbol of worship to God. When God looks upon that sacrifice he sees mankind appreciating him for the work of salvation. Our faith in Christ and our consciousness of our oneness with him is our worship.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, our worship and thanksgiving is eternally acceptable to God. There is no worship of God outside Christ. Worship is just our intimacy with God through Christ.
3. The Peace Offering
The peace offering is also known as the communion offering. This offering assured them communion with God because they believed that when it is offered they have procured peace with God.
Jesus became our peace offering on the cross. Scripture said in *Colossians 1:20*, "and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross”.
So you see, God is at peace with mankind because of the sacrifice of jesus. *Mankind will experience this peace by faith*
4. The Sin Offering
The sin offering was for atonement for sin. Atonement means to cover. On the cross, Him who knew no sin was made sin that we may be made the righteousness of God in Christ.
On the cross Jesus didn’t just cover sin *He took it away.* He fulfilled what John the Baptist said, “lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”…the sin of mankind was remitted by the sacrifice of Christ, those who believe come into the newness of life.
I'm taking time to show us how Jesus fulfilled all these old covenant offerings... By his death on the cross. The fifth offering Jesus fulfilled by the offering of HIMSELF is..
5. The Guilt Offering
This is also known as trespass offering. It is a type of offering made for something one owes on account of a “sin.”. The purpose of this offering was to make reparations for one’s sin.
Jesus became our guilt offering, for in him we are justified. On the cross his death paid everything mankind owed on account of sin. We no longer do penance or restitution for sin, because sin has been dealt with by the cross in totality and we owe the devil nothing! The price was fully paid and even an overpayment.
So we are free from the guilt of sin in our conscience. When we remember what Jesus did we see freedom from guilt and condemnation. You don't need to wish you never committed that fornication...don't bat yourself up because there is nothing the devil has on you, old things are past away and all things are new.
Let us look at the ingredients that makes Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross *a perfect offering to God*. Let us examine what the cross accomplished, it is from there we will know exactly the reason why we say his offering is the perfect offering.
1) On the cross, Jesus offered a sacrifice such that God will remember sins no more
Hebrews 8:12, “for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more”
In the old covenant, Their sins forgiven were NOT taken away and remembered no more, that is why scripture says that *"in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year"* So the more those guys in the old covenant offered their bulls and goats, it was brought to their remembrance that they are wretched sinners.
However the cross changed the game…
Christ offered himself as our perfect offering and in that we have forgiveness of sins in which there is NO MORE remembrance of sin. God no longer remembers sin, he doesn’t know what sin is any longer just because of this perfect offering Christ offered to him on calvary’s tree. I can humbly say that *the blood of Christ removed God's ability to remember sin.*
This is why we can say, your sins, present past and future is forgiven and thrown away. All that men now need is eternal life so as to express Gods kingdom. Sin is no longer something that can hinder man from accessing God, but men must believe the gospel unto eternal life. Just believe.
2) The offering Christ offered as our high priest was not with a substitute but of his own blood
*Hebrews 9:12,* “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us”
The emphasis here is *"his own blood"*. The priests of old offered the blood of animals which was a substitute that could not even purify the worshippers...because it was a shadow and you can't hold a thing by it's shadow. Only the blood of Christ could purify.
It is a known fact that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins, according to scriptures.
Forgiveness required a sacrifice of blood. The people in the old covenant thought that the sacrifice of animals could obtain forgiveness for them, but they didn’t know it was just a shadow of christs offering, the perfect offering.
The only reason the blood of bulls gave them atonement was because it foreshadowed the perfect sacrifice of christs blood. Atonement like I said doesn't mean purifcation or remission...it means to cover. So the sins where still there, only covered. Until the perfect offering came and removed it out of sight.
Only the blood of Christ could remit sin and put it out of Gods sight forever.
The sacrifice of Christ is perfect because he was the fulfillment of Gods will, for it was the blood of God that was shed. What the blood of animals couldn’t achieve under the law of moses, the blood of Christ in one sweep achieved it under grace.
3) The offering of Christ was a sacrifice for eternal redemption
*Hebrews 9:12-15*
The Hebrew writer uses the word "eternal" six times in his letter. *He speaks of eternal salvation, eternal judgment, eternal redemption, the eternal Spirit, eternal inheritance, and the eternal covenant.
Three of those instances are here (Hebrews 9:12-15).
The old sacrifices were temporal, that is to say they were offered and were effective on a week by week, month by month, or year by year basis. They were linked to times and seasons, to new moons and sabbaths. They were tied to time.
But faith looks to an "eternal inheritance" that is "a heavenly one" which exists beyond earthly time and space
The perfect offering have us ETERNAL REDEMPTION...
This means that the effect of Christ's sacrifice affects past present and future age. It is called *eternal redemption and it is therefore greater than the deeds of man, for only faith can see it and receive it.*
The sacrifice of Christ was timely made, however its effect transcends time. Even when time itself is no more, the redemption we have through Christ’s sacrifice will remain.
Meditate on this one specially.
4) The offering of Christ is a sacrifice to fully cleanse the conscience
This one is very important!
*Hebrews 9:9,14*” Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;… How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Here we are looking at how man can become "perfect in conscience" and come near to God in "full assurance" that his heart is "sprinkled clean from an evil conscience".
In the old covenant, the worshippers offering the old sacrifices still had sin in their conscience and consciousness. The sacrifice of Christ being the perfect offering, doesn’t just wipe your sin, it also cleanses your conscience from dead works...so that guilt doesn't stay there thereby producing more failures in the natural.
You know when we manifest "dead works/works of the flesh" it makes our conscience feel guilty and if you are not careful you will see yourself as a wretched sinner, and condemnation sets in.
But scripture says, “if your heart condemns you God is greater than your heart”. Yes, the perfect offering is greater than the accusation in your conscience.
Jesus became your guilt offering remember? So in the midst of the accusations from your conscience, you can still rise up and scream, *I am righteous in Christ*. Oh what a perfect offering he became for us
5) His offering was perfect, made once for all
*Hebrews 10:10-14*, "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified”
Heavy scripture here!
Imagine that there was a way you could wash your car once, and wont need to wash it again forever…yet your car will remain neat and sparkling despite where you drive?
Just imagine that.
In the Old Testament times, the sacrifices and ceremonies performed for cleansing from sin had to be repeated over and over.
Christ’s sacrifice was a once and for all offering. That is why no matter how many works of the flesh we fall into, we offer no sacrifices for sin...
*Only a perfect offering can be ONCE FOR ALL.*
Once For all times and all people!
The offering of Jesus is the perfect offering that pleased God for all time and for all mankind...
Meaning...
Jesus wont need to die again anytime you “sin”(commit works of the flesh).
Jesus wont have to die again before anyone gets saved.
His sacrifice was perfect for all eternity. By this offering we have being made *complete in Him*
And our completion is for all eternity.
What shall make us incomplete?
Jesus already died and ressurected....and for this He said, I will never leave not forsake you...He said, I will abide with you forever.
His perfect offering is our eternal salvation and security.
Thanks for reading