Are Sacrifices Needed? (Psalm 40:6 & Hebrews 10:5)

Psalm 40:6

“Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required,” (Psalm 40:6 NASB1995).

Hebrews 10:5

“Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me,” (Hebrews 10:5 NASB1995).

What seems to be happening here is the showing of these sacrifices as not what God wanted. This is not to say God did not command these sacrifices(Leviticus 16); however, as “Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams,” (1 Samuel 15:22 NASB1995). Obeying the Lord is more important than sacrifices. God wants us to love him and to obey him(John 14:15). He wants a relationship with mankind, and this is why he sent Jesus: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life,” (John 3:16 NASB1995).

When we read the context around Hebrews we learn this, the Law foreshadows what is to come(Hebrews 10:1). They remind us of our sin(Hebrews 10:3). These sacrifices do not take away sin(Hebrews 10:4-5; Hebrews 1:11). Jesus came to be our final sacrifice(Hebrews 10:9-14; Hebrews 10:26). “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3 NASB1995).

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