From the very beginning, the concept of offering has been central to the relationship between man and his Creator. Since Genesis, we see men presenting offerings or sacrifices to YHWH. For example, in the case of Qayin and Abel, where each presented the fruit of their labor, only one was accepted.
The notion of offering is very present in Christianity, and it is rare to attend a church service without an offering being requested at the end. People seek to offer something, each according to their own understanding: for some, it is money; for others, it is their talent in playing the piano, the guitar, or singing. Some offer material goods, while others dedicate themselves to acts of service. But the most essential aspect is often overlooked: being accepted by the Father.
Many Give, but Few Are Accepted.
« Hear the word of YHWH, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the Torah of our Elohim, you people of Gomorrah! What use are your many sacrifices to me? says YHWH. I am full of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle; I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you—trampling my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Incense is an abomination to me. As for new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations, I cannot endure iniquity along with solemn assembly. My soul hates your new moons and your appointed festivals; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Even when you multiply your prayers, I will not listen—your hands are full of blood! Wash yourselves, purify yourselves, remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes. Stop doing evil! Learn to do good, seek justice, correct the oppressor, defend the fatherless, and plead the case of the widow! » — Yesha’yah (Isaiah) 1:10-17
This passage shows that Elohim rejects actions performed by people who do not live a true spiritual life, a life that reflects His justice and His will. The people in this passage focused on offering material things without truly understanding authentic spirituality: being personally acceptable to the Father. They gave things that were indeed prescribed by the Law but forgot what truly touches the Father’s heart.
Sometimes, people even offer things that the Father has not asked for, simply to satisfy their ego, ease their conscience, or secure a place among men. They give, but without asking this essential question: Is this pleasing to the Father? Is this what He is asking of me?
Offering Oneself
« It happened after some time that Qayin brought an offering to YHWH from the fruits of the ground. Abel also brought an offering from the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. YHWH looked with favor upon Abel and his offering, but He did not regard Qayin and his offering. Qayin was very angry, and his face fell. » — Bereshit (Genesis) 4:3-5
We see that before looking at Qayin’s or Abel’s offering, the Father first looked at them. Often, we focus on the offering itself, but what determines whether the Lord accepts the offering is, above all, the person who offers it. It is not enough to present something good; the person offering must first be accepted.
If we do not first lay our own lives on the altar, lives fully consecrated to the Messiah, our offering has no value. The Lord asks us to give ourselves to Him before offering our possessions or talents. What the Father seeks are men and women who first and foremost belong to Him.
What the Father desires most is not the multitude of our offerings but that we give ourselves entirely to Him. What the Lord is looking for is that the priest becomes the sacrifice. The one who offers must fully identify with their offering.
It is easy to preach from knowledge rather than from a true spiritual burden. It is easy to be active in the work of the Lord without allowing ourselves to be broken by Him. It is not uncommon to see people serving for years while their life and character remain a source of scandal.
To offer oneself is to allow the Lord to transform us. To offer oneself is to accept brokenness. To offer oneself is to humble oneself, to die to self, to renounce self, and to accept the will of the Father. In reality, to offer oneself is to take up the cross.
« Therefore, I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of Elohim, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Elohim, this is your true and proper worship. » — Romans 12:1
The offering that the Lord accepts is, therefore, a life fully conquered by Him. When we are entirely given to the Lord, what flows from us is what He loves. For in giving ourselves to Him, He takes the time to teach us how to give to Him and how to give to others.
Thus, when we offer something to Him, it is no longer in a carnal manner but according to what He desires. When we belong to Him, everything we are and everything we have also belongs to Him.
« For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O Elohim, You will not despise. » — Tehilim (Psalms) 51:18-19
When we surrender our lives, it is no longer us doing, but Him trough us. Our service, our gifts, and everything else will then rise as a pleasing sacrifice because these actions will have been accomplished by the Lord and for the Lord, in a spirit of humility and consecration.
« O man, He has told you what is good and what YHWH requires of you: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim. » — Miykayah (Micah) 6:8
The sacrifice that the Father accepts is a sanctified life, a transformed life. It is a heart filled with love for the Creator and for others. One can help their neighbor for their own glory, for their reputation, or to show that they are doing good. But the love that the Lord requires is one that does not boast and does not seek its own interest.
David said, “My work is for the King.” What we do is not for ourselves but for the One who has called us into His light. There is, therefore, no personal glory to be gained—everything is done through Him and for Him. Belonging to Yehoshua is not just about words; it requires dying to oneself. Accepting the Lord Yehoshua means renouncing our own life in order to embrace the new life He offers us.
« For the love of the Messiah compels us, because we have concluded that if One died for all, then all died. » — 2 Corinthians 5:14
The Heart Above All!
« But YHWH said to Shemouel: Do not look at his appearance or the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. It is not as humans see. For humans look with their eyes, but YHWH looks at the heart. » — 1 Shemouel (1 Samuel) 16:7
We do not serve an Elohim who can be corrupted. We must not think that by giving abundantly, we will gain favor with the Father. Our gifts cannot corrupt Him. While the people of this world focus on the offering itself, ignoring the life of the giver, the Father first looks at the heart of the one who gives.
Men may accept our offerings even when our lives are in disorder. They may be impressed by the size of our gift, and some may even grant us positions or honor because of our wealth. But the Lord does not judge as men do. YHWH looks at the heart; He examines the life of the giver before declaring the offering acceptable.
The widow who gave two small coins was considered to have given more than all the others because she gave all she had. For the Lord, greatness is not in the amount but in the heart of the giver. The Lord is not impressed by the sum or the talent but by whether the giver is pleasing to Him. One can give to impress others, out of obligation, or in the hope of receiving something in return, yet still have an evil heart like Cain.
« Looking up, He saw the rich putting their offerings into the treasury. But He also saw a poor widow putting in two small coins. And He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, has given all she had to live on.’ » — Loukas (Luke) 21:1-4
The Father calls us to do good works, but for the Lord, good works are those that come from a heart that is pleasing to Him. Therefore, above all, we must be pleasing in His sight. The offering that is acceptable is the one that comes from a pure heart.
« Now the goal of the commandment is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. » — 1 Timotheos (1 Timothy) 1:5
This does not mean giving little, giving insignificant things, or giving nothing at all. It does not mean being negligent in our service to the Lord while saying, “The Lord knows my heart.” On the contrary, the one who has fully given themselves to the Lord gives everything they are and everything they have in the way that the Lord desires.
The Offering the Father Accepts Is the Messiah
In reality, the Messiah is the offering that the Father accepts. Yehoshua, as a man, fully satisfied the Father’s requirements. His life was perfectly pleasing to the Father. He offered Himself as a sacrifice of a pleasing aroma, setting aside His own will to fulfill that of the Father. He did not seek His own glory but that of the Father, humbling Himself to the point of death, death on the cross. If we want to be acceptable to the Father, we must live like the Messiah.
The greatest sacrifice ever offered by a man was that of the Lord Yehoshua on the cross. At the cross, the High Priest and the sacrifice became one. He was without blemish or defect, having lived a perfect life. His sacrifice could only be pleasing to the Father. Even before His death, He received the testimony of being the One in whom the Father had placed all His trust. Through His sacrifice, He completely fulfilled all the Father’s requirements.
« But the Messiah has appeared as the High Priest of the good things that have come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by human hands, that is, not of this creation. He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkled on those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to Elohim, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we may serve the living Elohim? » — Hebrews 9:11-14
There is no surer way to please the Father than by living like the Messiah. If we become conformed to Him, the Father will be glorified. As we grow in the knowledge of who He is and as we resemble Him, our lives will rise as a pleasing fragrance.
« Therefore, be imitators of Elohim, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, just as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to Elohim. » — Ephesians 5:1-2
So, do you also want to be pleasing to the Father? Offer yourself. Follow the example of your Master. Give your life without looking back. Walk by faith, do what He tells you, and follow Him wherever He leads you.
« For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. » — Romans 14:7-8
Shalom,
Y. Gerol