7.12.17

Why dost thou offer sacrifices?


Adam was asked, by an angel, after being obedient in worshiping the Lord and making making sacrifices to Him, for many days, “Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord?” (from the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, which is a selection from the revelations, translations, and narrations of Joseph Smith first prophet, seer, and revelator to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints):

    And Adam said unto him: “I know not, save the Lord commanded me.
    And then the angel spake, saying: “This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
    Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.”

Why didn’t Adam already know why he had been offering sacrifices?  It wouldn't have been blind obedience, regardless of "why" he was offering sacrifices, as he was trusting in the Lord and he knew it was a form of worship--he knew he was worshipping the Lord as he was sacrificing.  But, why had he made sacrifices for many days without knowing why?

I have given this some thought and have come to a conclusion that makes sense to me: When you get in trouble, maybe have broken the only commandment given to you (but of the fruit of the tree which thou beholds in the midst of the garden, God hath said—"Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die").  Nevertheless and notwithstanding, Satan knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world by beguiling Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil.  

Adam and Eve ate the fruit.  We are all alive, thanks to that act!  It is not a bad or terrible decision, it was wise and good.

Back, though, to the "Why".  Why didn't Adam know?  When you were young and in your parent's house, did you feel like you should ask questions about your "punishment"?  Even though sacrificing was in no way a punishment, it followed Adam breaking his Father's rule: "Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die"  And you did eat it.  I don't know how Adam and Eve felt, but I know that they must have been crushed when they realized that they were going to die and that they were going to forever be cast out of the presence of God.

When God tells you that there is a way to be able to be resurrected and be able to enter God's presence again--because of the Atonement of Christ.   Out of absolute gratitude you are asked/commanded to offer sacrifices.  You just perform those sacrifices and never even ask why--even for years! 

That's why, I think, he never asked why...

JPS

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