Sacrifices

(Psa 116:17 KJV)  I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.

(Proverbs 26, also read)

I am thinking that I tend to put important words in little boxes and always look at them in the context of the six sides.  When I do that I miss a lot.  Reading, meditating, studying and listening sometimes opens the box, flattens the sides and frees the idea for more contemplation.  I find “sacrifice” (2077) going through that process this morning.  

When I hear “sacrifice” I tend to think of animals being led to the altar.  It is the first picture that comes to mind and I think I stop there too often.  All I need to do is think of a chorus we sing that starts, “We bring a sacrifice of praise....”  A quick search finds it used once in the NASB and twice in the KJV.

(Jer 33:11 KJV)  The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.
(Heb 13:15 KJV)  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Then we have this verse that talks about a “sacrifice of thanksgiving (8426)”.  How many more objects are connected with sacrifice?

So?  Boxes are great for storing things and sorting things, not so much for understanding the beautiful complexity of God’s mind.  Keep unpacking.