What The OT Really Teaches Concerning Vicarious Sacrifices

Sam Shamoun

Muslims oftentimes appeal to certain biblical passages which, on the surface level, seem to deny the importance of blood sacrifices for salvation. For example, appeal is often made to Hosea 6:6 which the Lord Jesus also quoted in Matthew 9:13 and 12:7:

“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.”

There are many other verses such as Psalm 51:16 that basically say the same thing and which Muslims believe prove that the Quran's position regarding vicarious atonement being unnecessary for salvation and forgiveness is actually correct.

However, a careful reading of any of these citations which Muslims typically wrench out of their respective contexts will show that the Biblical writers were in no way denying the importance of blood sacrifices, but were condemning the rather cavalier attitude of the Israelites in offering them with sinful hearts and minds. For instance, if we read Hosea 6 in context we will discover that the people were offering sacrifices while in a state of unrepentance and wickedness:

“But at Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me. Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood. As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests are banded together; they murder on the way to Shechem, yea, they commit villainy. In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; E'phraim's harlotry is there, Israel is defiled. For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed. When I would restore the fortunes of my people,” Hosea 6:7-11

Hosea wasn’t the only prophet to warn against offering sacrifices with evil, unrepentant hearts:

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk in it.” I set watchmen over you, saying, “Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!” But they said, “We will not pay attention.” Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them. Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it. What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me. Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.’” Jeremiah 6:16-21

What the Israelites failed to realize was that sacrifices would only work if God’s people offered them in sincere faith and repentance. Otherwise, God would not accept them on behalf of the person making them. The following is an excellent illustration of this fact:

“In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.” Genesis 4:3-5

Cain and Abel both brought offerings to God and yet God looked upon Abel's offerings with favor. According to the inspired book of Hebrews God regarded Abel's offering because it was offered in faith, whereas Cain's wasn't:

“By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he received approval as righteous, God bearing witness by accepting his gifts; he died, but through his faith he is still speaking.” Hebrews 11:4

Note that Abel's faith made his offering acceptable to God, thereby implying that Cain's offering was rejected because he did not have faith. In fact, the context of Genesis itself clearly affirms that this was the problem with Cain’s offering:

“Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.’” Genesis 4:6-7

The foregoing further confirms the importance and necessity of faith on the part of the offerer; otherwise his/her sacrifices will be nothing more than vain ritualism, which does nothing to commend him/her to an infinitely holy and just God.

If a Muslim still wants to insist that these passages make void all of the verses in the Torah which specifically highlight the necessity of the sacrificial system, then s/he will also have to reject the necessity and importance of prayers and other rituals:

“Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomor'rah! 'What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more VAIN offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies - I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:10-17

Applying the logic of the Muslims to this particular text we would be forced to conclude that the Israelites didn't need to pray, offer up incense, or observe the Sabbaths or any of the other holy days prescribed in the Torah, which is obviously quite nonsensical. The point of Isaiah, as well as the rest of God’s true prophets, is that prayers, sacrifices, Sabbath observances etc., mean absolutely nothing to God when carried out with unrepentant and unbelieving hearts. After all, Yahweh utterly detests the sacrifices of the wicked:

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.” Proverbs 15:8

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.” Proverbs 21:27

Thus, a person must first turn to God in sincere faith and obedience before God will accept any sacrifices for his/her sin.

King David wonderfully sums this all up. After sinning against God by committing adultery, David (by inspiration) cried out to God in repentance by writing the following Psalm:

“Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good to Zion in thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, THEN wilt thou delight in RIGHT sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on thy altar.” Psalm 51:14-19

And in the words of the Lord Jesus himself:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, WITHOUT NEGLECTING THE OTHERS.” Matthew 23:23

The centrality and necessity of vicarious atonement

It would be a wild understatement to say that the importance of vicarious sacrifice or sacrificial atonement is stated throughout the entire Holy Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

All throughout the prophetic Scriptures one will find references to God forgiving his people by making atonement for them. For instance, in his inspired song Moses stated that God avenges his people and makes atonement for their land:

“Praise his people, O you nations; for he avenges the blood of his servants, and takes vengeance on his adversaries, and makes atonement for the land of his people.” Deuteronomy 32:43

Another prophet named Daniel announced that a time would come when God will put an end to all sin and usher in everlasting righteousness through atonement:

“While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy hill of my God; while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He came and he said to me, ‘O Daniel, I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding. At the beginning of your supplications a word went forth, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the word and understand the vision. Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an Anointed One (Messiah), the Prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, the Anointed One (Messiah) shall be CUT OFF, and shall have nothing; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war; desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.’” Daniel 9:20-27

It is interesting to see in this passage a connection or correlation between the cutting off or death of the Messiah and the termination of sin via atonement.

This ties in with what the prophet Zechariah wrote when he predicted that God would remove the entire sin of Jerusalem in a day and connected this with the coming of Yahweh’s Servant, the Branch:

“Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men of good omen: behold, I will bring my Servant the Branch. For behold, upon the stone which I have set before Joshua, upon a single stone with seven facets, I will engrave its inscription, says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day.” Zechariah 3:8-9

According to the OT the Branch is a title of the Messiah, the Davidic King who comes to reign:

“In that day the Branch (tsemach) of Yahweh shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel.” Isaiah 4:2

“There shall come forth a Shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch (netser) shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of Yahweh shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh. And his delight shall be in the fear of Yahweh. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins… In that day the Root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.” Isaiah 11:1-5, 10

{Note – Although these verses use two different words for Branch they are still synonymous, nonetheless, since they both refer to one and the same Person, namely the Son of David who comes to rule.}

“Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch (tsemach), and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘Yahweh our righteousness.’” Jeremiah 23:5-6 – cf. 33:15-16

We once again see a direct connection with the coming of the Messiah and the eradication of sin!

In fact, Zechariah further connects this day of forgiveness with Yahweh coming to fight for his people who will then turn to him in sorrow and mourning for having pierced him!

“The word of the LORD concerning Israel: Thus says the LORD, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him: ‘Lo, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling to all the peoples round about; it will be against Judah also in the siege against Jerusalem. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it shall grievously hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will come together against it. On that day, says the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But upon the house of Judah I will open my eyes, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, “The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts, their God.” On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they shall devour to the right and to the left all the peoples round about, while Jerusalem shall still be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem. And the LORD will give victory to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be exalted over that of Judah. On that day the LORD will put a shield about the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the LORD, at their head. And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on ME whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born. On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land shall mourn, each family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shime-ites by itself, and their wives by themselves; and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves. On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” Zechariah 12:1-14, 13:1

We will have more to say concerning all of these points in our discussion of Isaiah 53.

There are further references in the Psalms to God atoning for his people’s sins in order to forgive them:

“Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!” Psalm 65:1-4

“They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.” Psalm 78:35-39

“Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!” Psalm 79:9

“LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.” Psalm 85:1-3

In the foregoing passages the word atone(d), which some translations render forgive, is kaphar, the very term used for atonement throughout the prophetic writings.

The Life is in the Blood!

Now the question remains how does Yahweh make atonement for sin?

According to the Holy Scriptures he does so through the shedding of blood since this represents the life of the victim which is sacrificed as payment for sin, that being death:

“The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” Genesis 2:17

“Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins shall die… The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” Ezekiel 18:4, 20

“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23a

“If any man of the house of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood. Any man also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust. For the life of every creature is the blood of it; therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.” Leviticus 17:10-14

“If in the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess, any one is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him, then your elders and your judges shall come forth, and they shall measure the distance to the cities which are around him that is slain; 3 and the elders of the city which is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer which has never been worked and which has not pulled in the yoke. And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley. And the priests the sons of Levi shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the LORD, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled. And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, neither did our eyes see it shed. Forgive, O LORD, thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and set not the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of thy people Israel; but let the guilt of blood be atoned for them.’ So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD.” Deuteronomy 21:1-9

“But Aaron and his sons made offerings upon the altar of burnt offering and upon the altar of incense for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.” 1 Chronicles 6:49

“Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the officials of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven he-goats for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD. So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and threw it against the altar; and they killed the rams and their blood was thrown against the altar; and they killed the lambs and their blood was thrown against the altar. Then the he-goats for the sin offering were brought to the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands upon them, and the priests killed them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David and of Gad the king's seer and of Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was from the LORD through his prophets. The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the LORD began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. And Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped. Then Hezekiah said, ‘You have now consecrated yourselves to the LORD; come near, bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.’ And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings; and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. And the consecrated offerings were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. But the priests were too few and could not flay all the burnt offerings, so until other priests had sanctified themselves their brethren the Levites helped them, until the work was finished--for the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in sanctifying themselves. Besides the great number of burnt offerings there was the fat of the peace offerings, and there were the libations for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the LORD was restored. And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people; for the thing came about suddenly.” 2 Chronicles 29:20-36

“They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the Kidron valley. And they killed the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were put to shame, so that they sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of the LORD. They took their accustomed posts according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had to kill the passover lamb for every one who was not clean, to make it holy to the LORD. For a multitude of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, ‘The good LORD atone for every one who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.’ And the LORD heard Hezekiah, and healed the people. And the people of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with all their might to the LORD.” 2 Chronicles 30:14-21

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Hebrews 9:22

This wasn’t a new concept which Moses introduced since long before the Law prescribed atoning sacrifices we are told that Noah built an altar where he presented burnt offerings to Yahweh who, upon smelling the aroma of these sacrifices, swore to never again destroy man by flood:

“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.” Genesis 8:20-21

“I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth… I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” Genesis 9:11, 15

The prophet Isaiah was another righteous servant who knew of the necessity of sacrificial atonement:

“And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’” Isaiah 6:5-7

As we saw earlier the altar was the place where sacrifices would be made for atonement, which explains why the touch from the burning coal removed Isaiah’s guilt, e.g. Isaiah’s sins were atoned for by the vicarious sacrifices that were presented upon the altar.

Even Job knew just how important atonement was for the forgiveness of sins. We are told in the book of Job that he would offer sacrifices for his children on the celebration of their birthdays just in case they had sinned against Yahweh in their hearts:

“His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, ‘It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.’ Thus Job did continually.” Job 1:4-5

Moreover, God himself told Job’s unwise friends to present burnt offerings which he would accept along with Job’s intercessory prayer for their forgiveness:

“After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: ‘My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.’ So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the LORD had told them, and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer. And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:7-10

However, such sacrifices could only provide temporary satisfaction and could not permanently remove a person’s sin, which explains why they had to be offered over and over again.

This may explain why a wise friend of Job named Elihu mentions humanity’s need for a mediator, one who could offer to God the ransom required to save man from perishing:

“Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food. His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death. If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him, and he is merciful to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom; let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’; then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. He sings before men and says: ‘I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’” Job 33:19-28

Job himself longed for a Redeemer who would one day stand upon the earth to resurrect him after his death:

“Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were graven in the rock for ever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! Job 19:23-27

Yet according to the inspired Scriptures only God can offer such a ransom to redeem man from the grave since no human being is capable of doing so:

“Truly no man can ransom himself, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of his life is costly, and can never suffice, that he should continue to live on for ever, and never see the Pit. Yea, he shall see that even the wise die, the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes for ever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they named lands their own. Man cannot abide in his pomp, he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who have foolish confidence, the end of those who are pleased with their portion. [Selah] Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; straight to the grave they descend, and their form shall waste away; Sheol shall be their home. But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. [Selah]” Psalm 49:7-15

Thus, Job’s Redeemer and the Mediator that Elihu speaks of cannot be some finite creature but must be God himself.

The Divine Redeemer Has Come!

When we turn to the inspired NT teaching we discover that God has answered Job’s prayer and Elihu’s request. The proclamation of the inspired Christian Greek Scriptures is that Jesus Christ is that Redeemer and Mediator whom the people of God longed for since he is the Divine Son of God who offered his own life on the cross as a ransom for the sins of his people and is the One who shall resurrect the dead at the last day!

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

“‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,’ he said to them.” Mark 14:24

“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it… I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his [the Son’s] voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” John 5:21, 25-29

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’ At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I came down from heaven”?’” John 6:35-42

“Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’” John 6:53-54

“This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:50-51

“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:31-34

“He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him,” Colossians 1:13-22

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6

“Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement/propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:17-18

“but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.” Hebrews 7:24-28

In fact, the Lord Jesus’ vicarious death and intercessory work were already announced beforehand in the prophetic writings:

“Behold, my Servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. As many were astonished at him -- his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men -- so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand. Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the Arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was CUT OFF out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the Righteous One, my Servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Seeing that Isaiah 53 has traditionally been understood as a Messianic prophecy by both Jews and Christians this helps us to better understand the connection in Daniel 9:24-27 between the death of the Messianic Ruler and atonement for sin. It is the Messiah’s death that makes final and complete atonement whereby sin is completely done away with and everlasting righteousness is ushered in.

The NT further identifies Jesus with the God whom Zechariah 12:10 says the tribes of Israel pierced which results in the nation mourning for committing this crime:

"When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished’; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness--his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth--that you also may believe. For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Not a bone of him shall be broken.’ And again another scripture says, ‘They shall look on him whom they have pierced.’” John 19:34-37

“and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, every one who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” Revelation 1:5-7

It is therefore clear from our discussion that not only does the Holy Bible stress the importance of vicarious sacrifices it also emphasizes the necessity of the death of the Messiah for establishing everlasting righteousness and for completely terminating sin.

We now come to our final section.

When God rejects atonement

The Holy Bible explains what happens when God refuses to accept atonement for the people’s wickedness, e.g. the people must then die for their own sins:

“But if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins. You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. And I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols, and my soul will abhor you. And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas. And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.” Leviticus 26:27-33

“Then the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.’” Isaiah 3:11-14

“Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children’: These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. You felt secure in your wickedness, you said, ‘No one sees me’; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’ But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing.” Isaiah 47:8-11 – cf. 22:1-14

“Thus says the LORD concerning this people: ‘They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.’ The LORD said to me: ‘Do not pray for the welfare of this people. Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.’” Jeremiah 14:10-12

The reason why God will not accept any sacrifices on behalf of these individuals is because he intends to judge them, making them pay for their own wickedness. Therefore, since God will not accept any atonement for the sins of these wicked individuals he must carry out his judgment and destroy them since he will not compromise his holiness and justice by letting them go unpunished.

To put it another way, the above examples establish the fact that God cannot simply forgive sinners without having a basis to do so, without having a way to satisfy his perfect righteousness and justice. And since in all of the above verses God rejected atonement on behalf of these wicked individuals who persistently rebelled against him he had to wipe them out in order to appease his perfect divine wrath and holy indignation. In the words of the prophets:

“Then they said, ‘Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not heed any of his words.’ Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to my plea. Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them. Therefore deliver up their children to famine; give them over to the power of the sword, let their wives become childless and widowed. May their men meet death by pestilence, their youths be slain by the sword in battle. May a cry be heard from their houses, when you bring the marauder suddenly upon them! For they have dug a pit to take me, and laid snares for my feet. Yet, you, O LORD, know all their plotting to slay me. Therefore, do not atone for their iniquity, nor blot out their sin from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you; deal with them in the time of your anger.” Jeremiah 18:18-23

“Thus says the Lord GOD: This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. And she has rebelled against my rules by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries all around her; for they have rejected my rules and have not walked in my statutes. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are all around you, and have not walked in my statutes or obeyed my rules, and have not even acted according to the rules of the nations that are all around you, therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, even I, am against you. And I will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. And because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again. Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers. And I will execute judgments on you, and any of you who survive I will scatter to all the winds. Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity. A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them. Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. And they shall know that I am the LORD--that I have spoken in my jealousy--when I spend my fury upon them. Moreover, I will make you a desolation and an object of reproach among the nations all around you and in the sight of all who pass by. You shall be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror, to the nations all around you, when I execute judgments on you in anger and fury, and with furious rebukes--I am the LORD, I have spoken--” Ezekiel 5:5-15; cf. 6:12, Ezekiel 7:1-19

And:

“On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, you shall not be cleansed anymore till I have satisfied my fury upon you. I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 24:13-14 – cf. 8:18; 9:8-10

This clearly shows that if God refuses to accept atonement then individuals must die for their own transgressions since God must maintain his perfect holiness and justice and therefore cannot let any sinner go unpunished:

“Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.” Exodus 23:7

“The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.’” Exodus 34:5-7

“If I sin, then You would take note of me, And would not acquit me of my guilt.” Job 10:14

“The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished In whirlwind and storm is His way, And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.” Nahum 1:3

Thus, these passages simply further confirm the importance and centrality of vicarious sacrifices since they show that without the shedding of blood (i.e., atonement) there can be no forgiveness for sins!

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