Israel Institute of BS
For centuries, the Israelites offered annual animal sacrifices to God. This took place at the Temple of Jerusalem. But in Golgotha, the skull-shaped hill outside the city, Jesus was sacrificed on the Cross. Not for God, but for man. As it is said in Ephesians 2:13, “Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ”. But what does this sacrifice truly mean?
The Hebrew Word for Offering
The Old Testament is brimming with descriptions of various sacrifices to the Lord that were performed by the priests in the Tabernacle. Although each type of offering has its own name, the main Hebrew word for sacrifice is קָרְבָּן korban. This comes from the root קרב KRB meaning “to approach.” So literally, the Hebrew word for a sacrificial offering means “coming close.” Why is this?
Generosity’s Power
Anyone who has ever put a lot of energy into selecting a gift for a loved one knows how giving brings us closer to one another. Similarly, an Israelite who made an offering to the Lord approaches God by coming near to his house – the Temple – in Jerusalem. The animal was close to God when it was laid on the altar. Seeing the sacrificial blood of the animal made the person aware of their own mortality. They were then overcome with the presence of the Lord.
Draw Near to the Authentic Words of Scripture
This is precisely the reason that Paul says that we are “brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:13). The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was not just an offering but the ultimate korban, Jesus’ final act of drawing near to his father. The very last words that Jesus uttered on the cross were “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46) – the closest anyone has ever approached God.
