Did an Antediluvian Theology of Sacrifice exist?
I want to suggest six hints in the first eleven chapters of Genesis that point to a far-more-developed sacrificial system prior to the Flood that most care to think.
Covering
We are told that before God cast out Adam and Eve from Eden, He made animal skin coverings to clothe those who sinned (Gen. 3:21).
And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
Sacrifice
By faith Abel offered the fat-parts of the firstlings of the Flock. When Moses wrote these things to Israel they would understand the point (Gen. 4:4).
And Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering.
Distinction
Noah was commanded to take seven pairs of clean animals along with one pair of unclean creatures before he entered the Ark (Gen. 7:2-3).
Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth.
Acceptance
After the Deluge, Noah built an altar, offered up burnt offerings, and the aroma was sweet, with preservation of the earth promised (Gen. 8:20-22).
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."
Law
It is commonly thought that Rom. 5:13-14 teaches that there earth was lawless before the Decalogue. That all died, and the Flood came, proves God counted sin.
For sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.Guilt. Since without sacrificial blood sin cannot be forgiven, nor God approached, if Noah and Enoch were commended, regulations did exist.
Guilt
Since sin cannot be forgiven without sacrificial bloodshed, and since Abel, Noah and Enoch were justified by God, ceremonial regulation did exist (Heb. 11:4-7).
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Conclusion
Just some food for thought for those who die, walk and are saved by grace through faith in the perfect cloak of Christ our Ark. Have a blessed Lord's Day!
