The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven
more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully. Hezekiah
king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for
the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten
thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. The entire
assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had
assembled from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and
also those who resided in Judah. There was great joy in
Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had
been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 30:23-26
It’s
a strange scene to imagine singing and praising while innocent animals are
being sacrificed, dying and bleating and blood spilling everywhere. But in the Old Testament, this scene meant
forgiveness. Every animal that died
meant more sins were being forgiven as a sacrifice. Every animal that died unlocked more praise
as another offering of thanksgiving was placed before God.
It
was a painful, bloody scene, but it showed faith in the process of forgiveness
and reconciliation in God. They looked
passed the mess and knew they were being blessed.
Cut
to Jesus on the cross—another painful, blood scene with an innocent sacrifice
dying for others. Today we look passed
that mess to Jesus stepping out of the grave for the salvation of all. We’re glad today for the sacrifice Jesus made
for us. It also ended this bloody
sacrificial practice as part of our worship so we can only concentrate on the
beauty of God’s forgiveness.