-A practice used as a form of worship
-A practice to establish a relationship of trust w/ God (Training)
-A practice used to atone for sin
Sacrifices represent: Sins, Worries, Cares, Short comings, Finances, Relationships, Our Fleshly desires.
God demands that we trust in him for all things. Sacrificial offerings are a practice instituted to teach man to bring all things to God in prayer with trust and thanksgiving, as well as to atone for sinful living. God’s desire is that we learn to part with physical things, and should make that same connection to all things. We must offer up all things to God for his direction (i.e. spiritual, emotional, social, financial, etc.). Offerings are a form of training to help us develop the right trust relationship with God. Struggling to relinquish finances is just a flag for other things we will not give God control over. When we can learn to trust him with our finances we can learn to trust him with our lives.
Saul was given the command to “Utterly destroy” the Amalekites for the evil they had done to the Children of Israel. Therefore man and woman, child and infant, livestock, all was to be destroyed. Everything that belonged to this people was to be destroyed, and nothing was to remain. Saul kept King Agag as a captive, and spared the best of all they had. He then staged a sacrifice on Mount Carmel.
In other words, sacrificial offerings are training in trusting God for all things! Yet they are not a substitution for obeying God! God has no need for the little we offer him. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein” (Ps24:1) so we all belong to God, and are thus under his rule. He can do with all whatever he chooses to do. He establishes relationships with his people as they learn to yield their person to him. The relationship becomes more committed as we learn to give fleshly desires up in order to grow closer to him. We only do this by learning to offer everything up to him first.
Therefore, as I learn to sacrifice my income to God it becomes easier to let him have control. As I trust God to control my finances I lean on him to control other things. I become closer to him as I learn to trust in him for all aspects of my life. I then turn to him with my shortcomings, desiring to be obedient, as I grow closer to him. My will starts to transform into God’s Will as I seek to obey him. Because I wish to obey him I then turn my fleshly desires over to him also. Eventually my relationship turns from one of commanded obedience to one of desired obedience. With desired obedience we learn to submit to God totally and will automatically sacrifice as a result of our relationship of love and trust with God.
Thing to remember: The financial sacrifice is symbolic of total submission, it is not a substitution for obedience to God. It is similar to giving a child an allowance to teach them the responsibility of earning income, and paying their expenses. God trains us to relinquish all cares, weights, and matters of our flesh by challenging us to give resources. It is at this point when we start to say: God I obey you because I love you, not because I fear you!!!! True love brings about obedience and trust, as well as sacrifice!!!
May your sacrifices be many, your obedience be desired, and your worries be few!
Elder Charles P. Akins
