Firstly, I want to look at some texts that have a close connection to each
other in terms of the phrase "mercy not sacrifice." This can be found
in:
Psalm 51:16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt
offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
but my ears you have opened[c]—
burnt offerings and sin
offerings[d] you did not require.
Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather
than burnt offerings.
These three texts do not suggest that God is against sacrifices in and of
themselves nor a denial of them. In fact Samuel said to obey God's voice is
better than many sacrifices but this is not a denial of sacrifice. Although God
prefers to have our constant unflinching obedience, these texts don't suggest
what my Rabbinic friend is suggesting.
Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed
in spirit.
Amen to that text, but why quote this text? Sacrifices don't have to be
constantly mentioned every single time. The Psalm is about David speaking about
the goodness of the LORD to those who seek him and love him. Thus, sacrifices
are not relevant to the context of this passage whatsoever.
Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and
renounces them finds mercy.
I think every person is aware of this principle all to well and it is a
true statement. Like Psalm 34, sacrifices are not relevant to the point the
writer is trying to make. The verse itself is a warning to us to admit our
wrongdoing and turn from it, After all, in Psalm 32, David comments on how he wasted
away because he didn't confess his sins (And hyper-grace people come up with
this rubbish of not needing to). How this verse once again proves the point of
my Rabbinic friend I don't know.
Some of the texts that the Rabbi quotes include these:
Micah 6:6 With what shall I come before the Lord
and bow down before the exalted
God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Jeremiah 7:22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to
them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices,
23 but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will
be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with
you.
First, it is important to understand why this is mentioned, In both texts,
the reason the Lord was displeased with the sacrifices was because the people
were delibrately abusing the sacrificial system so they could live in sin. The
sacrifices were rendered unacceptable because there was no repentance
accompanying them. Without repentance, a sacrifice is useless, which even the
New Testament and the Talmud affirm.
NT referrence
Hebrews 10:26 If we deliberately
keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice
for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging
fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of
Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How
much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has
trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood
of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Talmudic Referrence http://halakhah.com/pdf/moed/Yoma.pdf
Talmud - Mas. Yoma 87a
I SHALL SIN AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT SHALL PROCURE ATONEMENT; THEN
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT DOES NOT PROCURE ATONEMENT. Shall we say that our Mishnah
is not in accord with Rabbi, for Rabbi said: It was taught, For all
transgressions of Biblical commandments, whether he repented or not, whether
positive or negative, does the Day of Atonement procure atonement? — You may
even say it will be in agreement with Rabbi. It is different when he relies on
it.
Both referrences I have provided show that repentance is required for a
sacrifice to work. My point is, it was the abuse of the sacrifice that God was
condemning in Jeremiah 7 and Micah 6.
The next texts are Hosea 14 and 1 Kings 8:38.
Hosea 14:2 Take words with you
and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
“Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
that we may offer the fruit of
our lips.[b]
1 Kings 8:37 “When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew,
locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities,
whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by
anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own
hearts, and spreading out their hands toward this temple— 39 then hear from
heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to
all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human
heart), 40 so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you
gave our ancestors.
In the following article, although the text is 2 Chronicles 7:14, the same principle applies.
Numbers 16:47
46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along
with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement
for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.” 47 So
Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had
already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made
atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague
stopped. 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who
had died because of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to
the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.[c]
This is a text used by Meza to suggest that incense can be used as
atonement for sin in this passage.
There is one explain that can be provided regarding this.
It is simply an aversion of God's judgement and a ONE TIME event in the context itself. That's all it is. It is Moses telling Aaron how to avert God's judgement. It is simliar to Daniel 4:27.
Job 33:26
then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,
they will see God’s face and
shout for joy;
he will restore them to full
well-being.
This particular chapter doesn't raise the issue of atonement within the
context of the chapter, nor is the issue of sacrifice raised, as it is not
relevant to Elihu's point of seeking God again. This goes back to an earlier
point I made about Psalm 34 and Proverbs 28.
Another text he raises in the video is Leviticus 5:11-13, which has been addressed here: http://answering-judaism.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/quick-examination-of-hebrews-922-104.html
I hope that this video has provided an adequate response to Asher Meza and
hope this has been a blessing for you. One thing I ask you, I URGE YOU, CHECK
WHAT I AM SAYING OUT WITH OTHERS, Don't simply take my word of it, and don't
take those who I have quoted as your gurus, study the truth for yourselves and
see if what I am saying stands the test of truth.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
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