I enjoy learning the background information in the Bible because it helps provide context to the scripture. This includes what family life was like back then, how society worked, and symbolism throughout the Bible. Specifically, I want to talk about sacrifices throughout the Bible. The Old Testament is full of various sacrifices and if we look close enough, we can see that they are all foreshadowing and pointing to the greatest sacrifice to come in the New Testament. 

The purpose of sacrifices in the Old Testament was to repair the relationship between man and God because man sinned. The animal being sacrificed was the substitution for man. Animal sacrifices consisted of man reaching out to God while Jesus' sacrifice was God reaching out to man to have a relationship with man. Jesus is the substitute for us on the cross. The difference between the two is that Jesus' was the one to end all sacrifices. He came to fulfill the Old Testament sacrifices. God sent His son for us out of love and it is the greatest representation of who God truly is. The purpose of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was to restore the relationship between God and man, not just because man sinned, but because God loves us.