Almost since there were emperors in China, there has been the Border Sacrifice. The Emperor of the time would, once yearly, sacrifice an unblemished bull and/or a beautiful sheep to Shang Di (the God of Heaven). It was only the Emperor who was counted worthy to offer up such a sacrifice. This practice began in ancient BC times up until about 1911 when the last of the last emperors fell from grace and was forced to abdicate by Sun Yat Sen.
Today, the Temple to the God of Heaven has been desecrated by tourists and turned into a great money making attraction in Beijing, China. (Tongue in cheek, I wouldn't mind going to see for myself.) It is the temple that has stood for 450 years and seen a Border Sacrifice for most of those years. Not sure where the sacrifice was offered up before this particular temple was built. This temple has no idols and was kept consecrated only for Shang Di (the God of Heaven believed to be the Supreme Being). This Border Sacrifice ceremony had been practiced for almost 4000 years as recorded by Confucius in regards to Emperor Shun [2256 BC - 2205 BC].
This sacrifice is an acknowledgement of the God of Heaven being the Supreme Being and shows reverence for Him. The ancient Chinese seemed to understand that He was the Creator God as seen in some of the words the Emperor would intone as He made the sacrifice (click on the link above). This sacrifice would also be offered up the day or so after the winter solstice which is around this time of year (21-23 December on the Gregorian calendar).
In one of the few articles or videos I read/listened to on this topic, I gleaned that much of what the ancient Chinese believed sounds very much like the first eleven chapters of Genesis. From the point of creation to the Tower of Babel, that is the knowledge of the God of Heaven taken to "China" in the minds of this particular people group "herded" by language.
In a book I've read, God and the Ancient Chinese by Samuel Wang and Ethel R. Nelson, I learned that Confucius wandered all over the known China-world to ascertain the meaning of this sacrifice. His one great quest that he never managed to be enlightened upon.
When we read the Old Testament of the Bible, we of course, see so many various sacrifices that God asked the Israelites to offer. One in particular is of special note, that of the yearly sacrifice that the High Priest, and ONLY, the High Priest, could perform; starting with Aaron, the first high priest of the God of Heaven.
The High Priest could not even enter the area of the Temple of God known as the most Holy of Holies without the blood of a specified animal. In fact, he had to have some in each hand: the one for atonement for his own sins, and the other for making atonement on behalf of all Israel, for their sins. If the High Priest did not have this sacrificial offering, he could not enter. Indeed, he'd likely have been struck dead. They took these matters very seriously (Leviticus 16:2-34 and Hebrews 9:25).
You can guess where this leads because we now have the New Testament which contains the New Covenant of God brought to us through Jesus Christ, the God of Heaven's Son.
This is what it all pointed to!!
As we ponder at this time of year, the coming of Jesus as a babe and celebrate His birth, be reminded that He was born solely to become that mighty atoning sacrifice, once, and on behalf of all mankind. This He fulfilled by His death on the cross and His resurrection three days later.
"The blood of Jesus, His (God's) Son, cleans us from all sin" (1 John 1:7 NIV).
Jesus did not have to die once a year ever after! No! He died once for all time and eternity. He was (and still is) the sinless One; the unblemished and beautiful Lamb of God. He was our High Priest who made sacrifice and atonement for our souls. This was His purpose in coming to the world.
O come all you who are faithful to Jesus Christ, humbly bow and worship and adore Him; Jesus the one perfect sacrifice.
~ERC December 2019~
Sing "O Come All Ye Faithful" as sung by the Gaither's
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