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The Story of Redemption
The Sacrificial Offering
When Adam, according to God’s special directions, made an
offering for sin, it was to him a most painful ceremony. His hand
must be raised to take life, which God alone could give, and make an
offering for sin. It was the first time he had witnessed death. As he
looked upon the bleeding victim, writhing in the agonies of death,
he was to look forward by faith to the Son of God, whom the victim
prefigured, who was to die man’s sacrifice.
This ceremonial offering, ordained of God, was to be a perpetual
reminder to Adam of his guilt, and also a penitential acknowledg-
ment of his sin. This act of taking life gave Adam a deeper and
more perfect sense of his transgression, which nothing less than the
death of God’s dear Son could expiate. He marveled at the infinite
goodness and matchless love which would give such a ransom to
save the guilty. As Adam was slaying the innocent victim, it seemed
to him that he was shedding the blood of the Son of God by his
own hand. He knew that if he had remained steadfast to God, and
true to His holy law, there would have been no death of beast nor
of man. Yet in the sacrificial offerings, pointing to the great and
perfect offering of God’s dear Son, there appeared a star of hope
to illuminate the dark and terrible future, and relieve it of its utter
hopelessness and ruin.
In the beginning the head of each family was considered ruler
and priest of his own household. Afterward, as the race multiplied
upon the earth, men of divine appointment performed this solemn
worship of sacrifice for the people. The blood of beasts was to
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be associated in the minds of sinners with the blood of the Son of
God. The death of the victim was to evidence to all that the penalty
of sin was death. By the act of sacrifice the sinner acknowledged
his guilt and manifested his faith, looking forward to the great and
perfect sacrifice of the Son of God, which the offering of beasts
prefigured. Without the atonement of the Son of God there could be
no communication of blessing or salvation from God to man. God
was jealous for the honor of His law. The transgression of that law
caused a fearful separation between God and man. To Adam in his
innocency was granted communion, direct, free, and happy, with