Sacrifices Part 2

Good morning!

Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Feb. 16- Who was overlooked in the daily distribution of the food?
Acts 6:1, “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their [Hellenistic Jews] widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.”

And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Feb. 17- What did Stephen see when he looked up to heaven?

And here's the reflection of the day:
I thought I'd do a little more with sacrifices today, since we are reading SO many chapters about this kind of sacrifice and that kind of sacrifice. I wanted to tell you a little bit about what I read about burnt sacrifices or offerings.

The priest is supposed to burn the whole offering on the altar. The verb "hiqtir" literally means "to turn into smoke." Now, the normal word for burn is "sarap," used for nonsacrificial incinerations. From a theological perspective, Balentine says, one can conclude that the act of burning is mostly concerned with the transformation of something into smoke, and not so much the actual burning up of the offering (p 25).

What is placed on the altar was an animal. And this ritual transforms it into smoke, and the smoke rises as a "gift," a food offering specifically and intentionally given to God. The intention of the gift is to provide a "pleasing odor to the Lord."

Fast forward to the book of Revelation. . . "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (5:8)."

Just as the smoke from the burnt offerings was a pleasing odor to the Lord, so too our prayers are a pleasing odor. The prayers of the saints fill the heavens above. . . my prayers and your prayers, filling up golden bowls in heaven.

Pretty cool, huh?
Allison