The Doctrine Of Sacrifice

The Doctrine Of Sacrifice

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 17, 2026 (Donate)

We don’t sacrifice animals today. In fact, as Christians, we haven’t sacrificed animals since Christ was put to death and resurrected!

A lamb is one of the most common animals sacrificed; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Around the world, people still offer sacrifices. Pagans often will. Muslims do. Some Hindus do (e.g., to Gadhimai). Jews would love to have a Temple to reinstitute sacrifice. So why don’t Christians have to offer sacrifices anymore?

Let’s go back to the origin of the Doctrine of Sacrifice, what it points to, and why it is no longer necessary.

Sacrifice In A Perfect World

The Doctrine of Sacrifice goes back to the holiness and perfection of God. The Lord declared that at the end of Creation Week,

“God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31, NKJV).

Likewise, the Holy Spirit proclaimed through Moses about God that,

“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4, NKJV).

In such a perfect world, there was no sin, no death, and no need for atonement. Sacrifice, as an act of atonement for sin, was not necessary prior to the Fall. Yet God’s perfect justice and holiness meant that if sin entered the world, it would require a just response.

The perfection of God is the very basis and reason for the framework for understanding why sacrifice would later become necessary. A holy God cannot ignore sin; for God’s perfect justice (Omniiustitia) would demand a just punishment.

Sacrifice Instituted At The Fall

Sacrifice first occurs by God in connection with the Fall of man in Genesis 3. After Adam and Eve sinned, they attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves (Genesis 3:7), a human effort to deal with guilt and shame. But the punishment for sin was death (Genesis 2:17).

But God Himself provided a covering:

“Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21, NKJV).

The text does not explicitly describe the death of an animal. However, the “tunics of skin” mean that we can deduce that the skins came from animals that were put to death in the place of man. Again, the punishment for sin was death.

Rightly, Adam and Eve deserved to die but God used a substitute to die in the place. This allowed for a temporary atonement. This is where the idea of substitutionary atonement comes from.

Here we see the principle of substitution: an innocent life given so that the guilty might be covered. This act foreshadows the entire sacrificial system and ultimately Christ. The wages of sin is death (cf. Romans 6:23), and from the beginning God demonstrated that sin brings death and that covering requires the shedding of blood.

Abel And The Reiteration Of Blood Sacrifice

The next explicit example of sacrifice is found in Genesis 4—the following chapter. Cain and Abel both brought offerings to the Lord.

“Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering” (Genesis 4:4, NKJV).

Abel’s offering was a blood sacrifice from “the firstborn of his flock.” By contrast, Cain brought “an offering of the fruit of the ground” (Genesis 4:3, NKJV). The Lord respected Abel’s offering but did not respect Cain’s. Hebrews explains,

“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” (Hebrews 11:4, NKJV).

Abel’s sacrifice was a blood sacrifice offered in faith and in accordance with God’s revealed will as he mimicked what God did in Genesis 3 (with the blood sacrifice when He made coats of skins). The pattern of substitutionary blood sacrifice continues.

Noah’s Sacrifice After The Flood

Following the global Flood, Noah also mimicked God and he offered sacrifices:

“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar” (Genesis 8:20, NKJV).

Noah's sacrifices; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (Chat GPT)

The text specifically notes “clean” animals, indicating that categories suitable for sacrifice were already established prior to Sinai—when Moses later gives the Law that pertained to clean and unclean animals. The Lord’s response was gracious:

“And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake’” (Genesis 8:21, NKJV).

Abraham And Isaac: A Picture Of Substitution

Abraham’s life was marked by altars and sacrifice (Genesis 12:7–8; 13:18). The climactic moment came in Genesis 22, when God commanded Abraham to offer Isaac. As they ascended Mount Moriah, Isaac asked,

“Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7, NKJV).

Abraham replied,

“My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8, NKJV).

At the moment of obedience, the Angel of the LORD stopped Abraham.

“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:13, NKJV).

The phrase “instead of his son” captures substitution vividly. This event foreshadows the Father offering His Son, and yet providing Him as the Lamb.

Abraham and Isaac; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

The Mosaic Sacrificial System

Under Moses, sacrifice became “formally” prescribed beginning with Passover. God gave detailed instructions regarding burnt offerings, sin offerings, trespass offerings, and peace offerings (see Leviticus 1–7). The priesthood, drawn from the tribe of Levi, was appointed to administer these sacrifices (Exodus 28–29).

Leviticus 17:11 explains the theological foundation:

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (NKJV).

The sacrificial system teaches that sin required death, and that atonement required blood. Yet these sacrifices were temporary and repetitive, pointing forward to a greater fulfillment. You have to understand that the blood of animals are not equal to the blood of man; furthermore, you need to understand the full grasp of punishment of sin.

The sin against a perfect, infinite, holy, and eternal God would be an infinite punishment that would go on forever. Animals are not in a position to take this punishment—this is why their blood was only a temporary covering.

Obedience Over Sacrifice: Saul’s Unauthorized Sacrifice

Sacrifice was not to be offered according to human convenience. In 1 Samuel 13, King Saul presumed to offer a burnt offering rather than waiting for Samuel. When confronted, Samuel said,

“You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God” (1 Samuel 13:13, NKJV).

Saul’s action shows that sacrifice must be offered in obedience to God’s revealed will. Even a king could not alter God’s prescribed order. Had obedience been sought by Adam and Eve we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. Yet, as sinners, we err and Saul erred here—in the same way Adam and Eve did in disobedience to what God clearly said.  

Even in the Old Testament, God proved that sacrifice without obedience was empty. Samuel told Saul,

“Has the LORD as great 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, NKJV).

Sacrifice was never meant to replace obedience; it was meant to point to the seriousness of sin and the need for reconciliation.

The Sacrifice Of Mary And Joseph

After the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph obeyed the Law by offering sacrifice: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24, NKJV). This offering was prescribed for those who could not afford a lamb (Leviticus 12:8).

Mary and Joseph's sacrificial turtledoves; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

The irony is profound: the parents of the true Lamb of God brought the offering of the poor, even as they presented Him who would be the final sacrifice.

Christ: The Ultimate And Perfect Sacrifice

All previous sacrifices pointed to Christ. They were like types and shadows of what was coming. John the Baptist declared,

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NKJV).

Unlike animal sacrifices, Christ’s sacrifice was once for all. Hebrews 10:12 states,

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (NKJV).

Christ’s sacrifice was infinite in value because He is the God-man. It was perfect because He was sinless (Hebrews 4:15). It was final because it accomplished true redemption by satisfying God’s Full Wrath upon the sin of man. The infinite Son of God took the infinite punishment from the infinite Father.

Due to Christ’s eternality, He could accomplish this task in a moment in death where it would an eternity of by man’s reckoning in Hell. This is why Christ didn’t have to remain dead for an eternity, His eternality, being God, was sufficient.

The End Of The Sacrificial System

With Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, the sacrificial system reached its fulfillment. At His crucifixion, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51, NKJV), symbolizing direct access to God through His blood. Christ, the ultimate and final Passover Lamb, offered His own perfect blood on the altar in heaven for an eternal redemption of His people (Hebrews 9:11-12).

The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70 brought the sacrificial system to an unmistakable historical end. There has been no Temple and no Levitical altar since that time.

No More Sacrifice Today Or In Eternity

And Christians no longer need to sacrifice because Christ sacrifice was sufficient for our sin for all time. Believers do not offer atoning sacrifices today and are saved through Christ's blood sacrifice and resurrection. Christ’s work is complete.

In eternity, there will be no more need for sacrifice, because sin will be no more. Revelation 21:4 declares,

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (NKJV).

The Doctrine of Sacrifice has:

·       Its beginning in God’s holiness

·       Its necessity in man’s sin

·       Its development in Israel’s history

·       Its ultimate fulfillment in Christ

The Lamb who was slain has accomplished redemption once for all, and His finished work will be celebrated forever.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

 

Matthew Genealogy And Basic Math

Matthew Genealogy And Basic Math 

Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus said there was three groups of 14 from Abraham to Christ, but when you add them up, there is only  41 people, not 42—how do you explain that? 

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 25, 2025 (Donate) 

When we turn to Matthew 1, we read: 

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:17) 

Image relief from Babylon—likely seen by some of the Israelites while in the Babylonian captivity; Currently in the British Museum; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Just prior to this, we read genealogical data that is tallied up in the following chart: 

Verse	Father	Son	Number
Abraham
2	Abraham	Isaac	1
2	Isaac	Jacob (Israel)	2
2	Jacob (Israel)	Judah	3
3	Judah	Perez	4
3	Perez	Hezron	5
3	Hezron	Ram	6
4	Ram	Amminadab	7
4	Amminadab	Nahshon	8
4	Nahshon	Salmon	9
5	Salmon	Boaz	10
5	Boaz	Obed	11
5	Obed	Jesse	12
David
6	David	Solomon	1
7	Solomon	Rehoboam	2
7	Rehoboam	Abijah	3
7	Abijah	Asa	4
8	Asa	Jehoshaphat	5
8	Jehoshaphat	Joram	6
8	Joram	Uzziah	7
9	Uzziah	Jotham	8
9	Jotham	Ahaz	9
9	Ahaz	Hezekiah	10
10	Hezekiah	Manasseh	11
10	Manasseh	Amon	12
10	Amon	Josiah	13
Jeconiah (Jehoiachin)
12	Jeconiah	Shealtiel	1
12	Shealtiel	Zerubbabel	2
13	Zerubbabel	Abihud	3
13	Abihud	Eliakim	4
13	Eliakim	Azor	5
14	Azor	Zadok	6
14	Zadok	Achim	7
14	Achim	Eliud	8
15	Eliud	Eleazar	9
15	Eleazar	Matthan	10
15	Matthan	Jacob	11
16	Jacob	Joseph	12
16	Joseph	Whose wife, Mary, bore Jesus	13

In Matthew 1:17, we find this was specifically broken down into three major divisions: 

1. Abraham to David
2. From David to the captivity
3. From the captivity to the Messiah 

It also reveals that the divisions will be groups of fourteen, not complete genealogies like Luke 3. So, it is intentionally gapped, unlike proper genealogies listed elsewhere.   

But what about the fourteen generations here—isn’t there a contradiction since some don’t reveal exactly 14 generations each? Take care in noticing how these names and divisions are given, and the answer presents itself. 

The first division is “from Abraham to David”, so this would include both David and Abraham and the twelve generations between them to make 14.  

The second division is “from David to the deportation”, so this includes David again in this count but not necessarily Jeconiah, otherwise, it would have made sense to use his name. The Jewish community would have been very familiar with Jeconiah and would have related it the deportation rather easily. 

But Jeconiah is not listed here by name, and rather the deportation is named. This is a significant point. Jeconiah was only king for a short time, while doing evil and was young among his generations being only 18 when he took the crown (2 Chronicles 36:9). So there is no reason to assume Matthew was including Jeconiah as a full generation (which is the context of what Matthew is writing about). So including David, to the deportation without Jeconiah, there are 14 generations.    

The final division is “from the deportation to the messiah”. Since Jeconiah was not listed with the previous division at the deportation, he will no doubt be included here since the time of his generation was more complete after the deportation. Therefore, Jeconiah is included here.  When adding the generations, including Jeconiah, to Christ, there are 14 generations.  

So Matthew was very careful how he wrote this and was entirely accurate with his wording of each of the 14 generations. Using Matthew’s breakdown, David was listed twice, hence no contradiction but careful wording on Matthew’s part.     

Originally here: https://answersingenesis.org/bible-timeline/genealogy/problems-with-basic-math/; Republished by permission.

 

 

Methuselah The Great

 Methuselah The Great

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, May 14, 2025 (Donate)

Prior to the Flood, people lived to great ages. In fact, one still hasn’t died—Enoch. Enoch was taken to heaven without dying (Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5). Elijah was also taken to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11).

Conversely, there have been a few people who had a horrible “opportunity” to die twice.  Lazarus, whom Jesus resurrected (John 11:39-44), the dead son that Elijah resurrected through the Lord (1 Kings 17:19-24), Elisha, through God, raising the son of a Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:32-37) and Eutychus though God by the embrace of Paul (Acts 20:9-12) had to once again undergo dying. Though in Christ, death has no sting for those who have received Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55)—what a blessing!

An aged Methuselah as shown in Creation Museum; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Age

Of those who died, Methuselah is the longest-lived patriarch at 969 years. He even outlived Adam, who died at 930, and his grandson Noah, who died at 950. See the chart below:

	Patriarch	Age	Bible Reference
1	Adam	930	Genesis 5:4
2	Seth	912	Genesis 5:8
3	Enosh	905	Genesis 5:11
4	Cainan	910	Genesis 5:14
5	Mahalalel	895	Genesis 5:17
6	Jared	962	Genesis 5:20
7	Enoch	365 (translated)	Genesis 5:23
8	Methuselah	969	Genesis 5:27
9	Lamech	777	Genesis 5:31
10	Noah	950	Genesis 9:29

Name

It’s somewhat ironic that Methuselah, whose name partially resembles the Hebrew word for “death,” would be the one who lived the longest. The name is often interpreted to mean “man of the dart” or “man of the sword.”

Hebrew names in the Bible often carry significance, either inherently or retroactively. For example, Peleg means “division,” and he lived when the earth was divided linguistically at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 10:25). Abraham means “father of a multitude,” reflecting God’s promise (Genesis 15:5). Noah means “rest,” and through him, humanity found relief from the curse of the ground by the reduced the years they had work it (our ages declined significantly after Noah). 

Hebrew names can be deeply meaningful, though not all names in Scripture are given explicit definitions. The Bible doesn’t specify the meaning of Methuselah’s name like it does for Noah. Interpretations must therefore be made cautiously. 

Some derive meaning by examining the root words. For instance, muwth means “die/death” in Hebrew. Some suggest Methuselah’s name, derived from meth/muth and selah, hints at the coming Flood.

A leading Hebrew scholar of the 1700s, Dr. John Gill, affirmed this interpretation:

“...Enoch being a prophet gave him this name under a spirit of prophecy, foretelling by it when the flood should be; for his name, according to Bochart, signifies, 'when he dies there shall be an emission,' or sending forth of waters upon the earth, to destroy it.”
(Notes by Gill: Eupolemus apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 9. c. 17. p. 419; Bochart, Thaleg. l. 2. c. 13. col. 88; Ainsworth.)[1]

Gill echoed earlier scholars such as Eusebius, Bochart, and Ainsworth. Commentators Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown agreed:

“This name signifies, ‘He dieth, and the sending forth,’ so that Enoch gave it as prophetical of the flood. It is computed that Methuselah died in the year of that catastrophe.”[2]

This interpretation is also based on the Greek form of Methuselah’s name as found in Luke 3:37: Μαθουσαλά (Mathousala), which the New Testament Greek Lexicon defines as:

“When he dies, there shall be an emission.”[3]

Thus, some scholars argue that Methuselah’s name prophetically signals the arrival of the Flood—"when he dies, it shall come."

However, not all scholars agree. Dr. Ben Shaw, a Hebrew scholar formerly of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, offers a linguistic rebuttal:

“…it is extremely unlikely that the name Methuselah has the significance that Gill and others give to it. It is unlikely for the following reasons. The name is made up of two parts: Methu and shelah.

The methu part does not come from the word for death, because that would require a long u vowel between the m and the t. As it is, if this part of the name has any significance, it may come from a rare noun meaning "man." The second part of the name cannot mean ‘it is sent’ or ‘there is an emission.’ Even supposing that the root meaning of the word is send (which is doubtful), it would have to be in a passive form, producing something like ‘shahluh.’ In order to produce the meaning, ‘when he dies, it is sent,’ the Hebrew would have to be something like ‘bematoshahluh.’ Again, if the name means anything in Hebrew (which is at best doubtful), it is probably something like ‘man of a spear.’”[4]

So, while it’s tempting to assign prophetic meaning to Methuselah’s name, it may be unwise to be definitive. Regardless, the Flood occurred the same year Methuselah died.

Enoch’s Prophecy

Methuselah’s father, Enoch—not Cain’s son but Noah’s great-grandfather—was said to be a prophet (Jude 1:14). There exists a so-called Book of Enoch, which is not inspired Scripture. It is a post-Flood work—or at least had been seriously edited after the Flood, as it references geography that didn’t exist until after the Flood. So, it has been edited or rewritten significantly to arrive at what we have today.

While Jude 14–15 does quote a phrase also found in the Book of Enoch (1:9), it simply means that the quote used by Jude was inspired by God; the rest of the Book of Enoch was not.

So, is the version of Enoch we have today really from the pre-Flood prophet? No—except for possible snippets. It’s not part of the biblical canon and refers to Mt. Sinai, which didn’t exist in Enoch’s time (it is mountain made as a result of the Flood).

What we do know is that Enoch was responsible for the naming of his son (no doubt with his wife!). Thus, it is possible that Enoch prophetically named Methuselah, as some believe.

The Death Of Methuselah

If you match the ages of the patriarchs, Methuselah died in the same year as the Flood.

Illustration by Bodie Hodge

Though some mistakenly think he died in the Flood, this is unlikely. Methuselah was raised by Enoch, a godly man whom God took without death. It's unlikely Enoch would have raised an unrighteous son. In fact, Methuselah may have actually helped Noah in the construction phase of the Ark. But his death would have preceded the Flood.

7-Day Mourning Period

Some have suggested that Methuselah died immediately before the Flood. Whether this is true or not, we cannot be certain. God instructed Noah and His family to board the Ark seven days in advance was for several reasons (Genesis 7:1,4,10). Obviously, one reason was to complete the final phase of loading the animals (Genesis 7:2-9). Also, this was a final test of faith for Noah and his family with the final boarding being on the seventh day (Genesis 7:11-16). 

But keep in mind that it was common for prominent people to have designated times of mourning after they passed (Genesis 27:41, Genesis 50:4, Deuteronomy 34:8, 2 Samuel 11:27, etc.), though, there were surely many who had mourning periods that are simply not mentioned in the Bible. In light of this, some have suggested that these seven days were also a grieving period for Methuselah. While speculative, it would be a fitting tribute.

Less Than Ten

With the passing of Methuselah and the recent passing of Lamech (just a few years before), we pause to realize that there were only 8 righteous people left on earth. In other words, less than ten people were saved on the Ark. 

Do you remember Abraham and his discussion with the Lord over Sodom (where Lot was living when judgment was decreed per Genesis 18:26-32)—Abraham’s pleading from 50 down to 10 righteous. Abraham did not proceed to go less than ten righteous people when pleading for Sodom. Why? I suggest Abraham knew that judgment would come if there were less than ten which is a reflection of his knowledge of the Flood.

Methuselah and Lamech had recently died, and this left eight in the shadow of Noah’s righteousness. So, judgment was coming, but the Lord also prepared a means of salvation for Noah and his family on the Ark, as He did by sending the angels to bring out Lot and his family from Sodom.

Conclusion

Even someone mentioned only seven times in Scripture—mostly in genealogies—can yield valuable truths when studied. It can also leave wondering about the intricacies of his name too!

My hope is that you will be inspired to get into the Bible and discover more about hosts of others, whose names we may not be able to pronounce very well, but gain gleanings that most gloss over.

Many names appear in Scripture, even strange ones like Methuselah, but keep in mind these names are still part of the Holy Bible and profitable for understanding doctrines (2 Timothy 3:16). And consider this final thought: we are all descendants of Noah—which means we are all descendants of our great, great, great…grandfather Methuselah—I hope you enjoyed reading this cousin!  

Originally here: https://answersingenesis.org/bible-timeline/genealogy/when-did-methuselah-die/; Updated and expanded; Republished by permission. 

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[1] John Gill commentary notes on Genesis 5:21.

[2] Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary notes on Genesis 5:21.

[3] New Testament Greek Lexicon as listed under Methuselah, 3103, http://www.biblestudytools.com/search/?q=methuselah&s=References&rc=LEX&rc2=LEX+GRK.  

[4] Personal Correspondence by the author with Dr. Ben Shaw over the name Methuselah, 7-8-2010.