How do you offer sacrifice?
I have noticed a pattern associated with some of the offerings described in the scriptures. Maybe these will shed some light on this question. Sacrifice does not seem to be a particular thing or action, rather it seems to be associated with a broken heart and contrite spirit. It seems to involve giving up something that is promised by God, something that is a defining desire or belief, and yet must be given up even though it seems to render impossible a promised blessing from God.
Let's start with Abraham. His story, as told in the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price, begins with a simple statement of Abraham's most heartfelt yearning.
Abraham 1: 2
... I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.
Abraham sought to have the priesthood and knowledge of the fathers and he wanted to be the father of many nations. He was granted the promise of these things by God. He waited for many, many years until he finally had Isaac. Then, he was asked to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. This was not a terrible request just for the reasons that all of us would find it terrible. It was a request to offer up to the Lord what seemed to be the only means of having the Lord's promises fulfilled. Abraham's core desire was to be the father of many nations. Isaac seemed to be the means of fulfillment of that desire. I suspect Abraham's heart was broken as he offered up Isaac as a sacrifice.
Are there other examples? Consider Job. His story opens with his defining characteristics.
Job 1:1-3
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
He was perfect and upright. And, the seeming evidence of that was his sons, daughters, and wealth. What was Job required to offer up? Every externally visible evidence of his righteousness. Though the book of Job explores this story in great detail, the summary is at the end of the first chapter.
Job 1:21-22
21 ... Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Both of these stories in the scriptures give us a defining characteristic of the main character and then proceed to show how that self image was challenged. Another example is Amulek. In Alma 10, when Amulek is introducing himself, he describes his lineage and his prosperity. Then, he gives this insight into his faith.
Alma 10:5
5 Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.
Amulek describes his faith as being strongly tied to the ability of the Lord to preserve the lives of his people. Then, the faith of Amulek was tried when he witnessed the women and children of his own people being burned. He had to watch an event that he knew the Lord could prevent as it happened right in front of him.
Alma 14:10
10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
Amulek was asked by the Lord, through Alma, to allow the sacrifice of people whom he knew the Lord could save.
The final example I will suggest is Mary and Jesus. The angel Gabriel gave a promise to Mary.
Luke 1:32-33
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then, Mary had to watch as her son, the Son of God, was tried and crucified despite the angel's promise that Jesus would reign for ever. She, and Jesus, had to offer His life despite the seeming impossibility of God's promises being fulfilled if Jesus were killed.
So, here is the thought that I offer. It may be that the sacrifice that we will be asked to offer in this life is related to something that is promised by God, yet seems impossible if we make the sacrifice. Thus, our heart will be contrite and broken in making the offering. It will be different for each person and it will be deeply personal. It may be visible to others, it may happen in a private way that nobody else can observe. But, it will happen in such a way that we know that it is a sacrifice of this type and that the Lord has asked it. We may not understand as we go through the experience, but we will understand with time.
What do you think?
