1 Samuel 7:8-9 Sacrificed

 ”They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.“ 1 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

a. Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us: The last time Israel was in this kind of situation they said, “Let’s get the ark of the covenant and take it into battle with us. Then we can’t lose!” Now they are much wiser before the LORD, and instead of trusting in the ark they did the right thing and asked Samuel to cry out to the LORD our God for us.

b. Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out: Samuel took time for a sacrifice at such a critical point because he knew he could only effectively pray in light of God’s atoning sacrifice.

i. Think of that poor lamb – a suckling lamb – which never hurt anyone or which never sinned itself, yet its throat was slit, its blood poured out, its body cut up, and its carcass burned. Why? Because Samuel and Israel had to say, “This is what we deserve. This is the punishment that should come upon us. We thank you God for accepting the punishment of this innocent lamb instead.” When we trust in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), we say the same thing.

c. And the LORD answered him: The battle has not yet been fought and a hostile Philistine army approached. Yet in a real way the battle was over and already won because the LORD answered him.

i. The Bible speaks of Samuel as a mighty man of prayer: Samuel was among those who called upon His name; they called upon the LORD, and He answered them (Psalm 99:6).

Sacrificed

Why did God require a blood sacrifice of animals and of Christ?

I believe it was because of what happened when sin first entered the world.

”The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.“

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The first blood sacrifice, Innocent animals were killed, so their skins could provide clothing for Adam and Eve.

”The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!“ ‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus was innocent too, when His blood was shed to take away our sins! 

Have you accepted the Lamb of God and His sacrifice?

Blessings