A. Sacrifice: After Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God in His Love and Mercy provided a way that the sins of people, could be forgiven. God made it clear that there was only one way that sins could be forgiven and this was by the prescribed way:
He appointed animal sacrifices which acted as substitutes- the animal died in the place of the sinner. These animal sacrifices were intended as symbols of the “Prefect Sacrifice” Who was to come, sent by God. It was the mission of the prophet Jesus to die on the cross as the final and perfect sacrifice once for all. (Hebrews 7: 27, 9:28, 10: 14, 10: 18)
As a cheque is of no value until it is cashed and then it is again useless, so were the animal sacrifices appointed in the Old Testament. Christ fulfilled all they symbolized and they were no longer needed after he had died on behalf of us sinners (as The New Testament plainly tells us).
In accordance with this, David, in the Psalms, prophesied concerning Christ “Burnt offerings and sin offerings you (God) did not require...Here I am, I have come…to do your will” (Psalms 40:6-8)
Also Isaiah said concerning Christ “We all, Like Sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53: 6)
The Gospel tells us “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:8)
Through faith in His Sacrifice we can be saved from sin and its penalty, and will the know that the sacrifices God expects from believers now are thank offerings of praise. (Hebrews 13:15-16)
B. Qurban : In the dictionary of Islam by Thomas Patrick Hughes. It is explained as follows: “Lit. ‘ Approaching near’ A term used in the Quran and the traditions for a sacrifice or offering. Surah 5 30 “Truly when they (Cain and Abel) offered on offering”
From the time Muhammad had contact with Jews of Median, he reinterpreted the pagan sacrifices in the light of Jewish scriptures. This explains that Muslims offer the Quraban sacrifices annually –at the same time as the Jewish people celebrate Day of Atonement. Even so , at a later time, when Muhammad had fallen out with the Jews, another meaning was attached to sacrifices ( See Surah 22: 37)
(It is related to the Hebrew word “Corban” meaning something set apart for God) Mark 7:11
A Muslim may ask “Why should Jesus die on the cross for others? A perfect person is supposed to have died for sinners?”
He cannot accept this; it does not make sense to him. It certainly is a striking thought that God should punish someday else in our place.
We ask “ Do yhou something offer a Qurban sacrifices and what exactly does it mean to you ?”
The Muslim is likely to reply “ it is a feast in commemoration of Ibrahim as he, in obedience to God’s command, was willing to sacrifice his son Ishmael” (Actually it was Issac- but don’t argue about it- it is the principle that we are concerned with at this point).
Is there any other meaning in sacrificing the Qurban?
God Himself provided Abraham with a ram as a substitute for his own son. Abraham’s son was delivered from death, and in his lace the ram died. This is exactly what Jesus came into the world for! (Genesis 22: 1-19)
God took the form of man for a grad and noble purpose. He left His home in glory and was born in the filth of stable. He lived a perfect and sinless life. He taught the world’s greatest teachings. He worked the mightiest deeds.
Finallly, He came to the end of His life- to that hour for which He had come- to die as a sacrifice on the cross for our sins. ( John 12:23-28)
