(continuation of meditation 69)
In our last meditation we saw that as followers of Jesus we are called to continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God. In Hebrews 13:15 we read: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise...” That is our priestly ministry! And it is God’s Spirit who empowers us individually and as a church community to bring such a sacrifice.
But what is the intended content of these sacrifices of praise? The continuation of Hebrews 13:15 gives us the answer, although it is interesting to compare some different translations:
-- The New King James Version translates: “...giving thanks to His [God’s] name.”
-- The New International Version renders: “... confess his name.”
-- The New Living Translations paraphrases: “...proclaiming the glory of his name.”
-- The Jewish New Testament by David H. Stern gives: “...acknowledge his name.”
Why such different translations? Actually, all of them correctly report the meaning of the original Greek wording. The Greek verb which is used in Hebrews 13:15 for “giving thanks, etc.”, comes from a word group which we find all over the oldest Greek translation of the Old Testament [the Septuagint] and in many places in the New Testament. The best translation might be “making a confession/profession.” That might be a confession of sin or a profession of God’s power and majesty. It may be an acknowledgment of His saving acts and council, and of His love and compassion. Let us see how God’s people in biblical times made their sacrifices of praise to Him.
Here are three examples from the Septuagint using this word group “confession/profession” for the confession of sins. These sacrifices of praise pay homage to God. These prayers magnify His Name. They acknowledge His holiness and justice, but also His love and mercy. With these prayers the community of Israel remorsefully seeks forgiveness and restoration after a time of rebellion and unfaithfulness.
Example 1 - Salomon’s sacrifice of praise as a confession of sin:
Salomon prays to God at the dedication of the first temple in Jerusalem: "When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers."
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray towards this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance." (1 Kings 8:33-36)
Example 2 - Daniel’s sacrifice of praise as a confession of sin:
Daniel prays to God after the 70 years of exile are finished:
“I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong.
We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame--the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favour of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favour on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name." (Daniel 9:4-19)
Example 3 - David’s sacrifice of praise as a confession of sin:
Although in Psalm 51 the word group “confession/ profession” is not mentioned, David’s penitential prayer after his adultery with Bathsheba is a true sacrifice of praise as a confession of sin: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my trans-
gressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise...” (Psalm 51:1-17)
The Greek New Testament uses the same word group “confession/profession” for the confession of sins. Here are five examples:
Example 1 - John the Baptist calls on God’s people to confess their sins:
John the Baptist summons God’s people to prepare themselves for the arrival of Jesus Messiah: “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert,`Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" ...
People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the Jordan River.” (Matthew 3:1-6)
Example 2 - Jesus teaches us to confess our sins:
The Lord Jesus Himself shows in the prayer that He taught us, the need to confess our sins time and again: “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.” (Luke 11:4)
Example 3 - New converts openly confessed their sins:
The evangelist Luke writes about dramatic conversions in Ephesus: “When this (the attack of the demon possessed man on the seven sons of Sceva) became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour.
Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practised sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” ( Acts 19:17-20)
Example 4 - Private and corporate confessions of sin:
As we often behave in a way that is far from Christlike in our personal and church life, the apostle John encourages us to offer the sacrifice of praise time after time by confessing our sins:
“If we walk in the light, as he [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:7-10)
Example 5 - Confession of sins as a prerequisite for personal and church wide healing:
James mentions how God’s Spirit responds to the confession of sins in the life of the church: “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5:14-18)
From all these examples it is clear that God’s Spirit works the confession of sin in the life of God’s people. As we see our rebellious and sinful hearts in the light of God’s holy presence, we cry out to Him for forgiveness, cleansing and renewal. Yet, the biblical sacrifice of praise includes more than the confession of sins. That will be the theme of our next meditation.
(to be continued)
All texts are quoted from the New International Version.
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