Thank God For The Blood of Jesus
The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands --
If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. . . . He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the LORD. . . . The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar . . .
If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands . . . the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting. . . .
When a leader sins unintentionally . . . and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat without defect. He is to lay his hand on the goat's head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the LORD. It is a sin offering.' "
Leviticus 4:1-24
If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. . . . He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the LORD. . . . The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar . . .
If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands . . . the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting. . . .
When a leader sins unintentionally . . . and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat without defect. He is to lay his hand on the goat's head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the LORD. It is a sin offering.' "
Leviticus 4:1-24
The Book of Leviticus has detailed regulations about how the Israelites were to worship God and honor his holiness. Life for the Israelites was one of continuous sacrifice of animals, without defect, to atone for their sins -- even unintentional ones. God demanded various offerings to cleanse the sins of His people: Burnt Offerings, Grain Offerings, Fellowship Offerings, Sin Offerings, Guilt Offerings, etc. Life must have been very stressful with the countless rules and regulations that had to be followed in order to be in right standing with God.
God demanded absolute perfection. Spiritual holiness was symbolized by physical perfection.
The animals used for the sacrifices had to be without blemish; the priests could not have any physical deformities; a man's bodily discharge or a woman's monthly period made them unclean; people with visible skin diseases had to be banished from the main camp because of the presence of God amidst His people. People, who were so banished, could only return to the camp after they had been declared clean by a priest and after they had offered the prescribed sacrifices. All these animal sacrifices were still insufficient to appease a holy God.
The Bible declares, "It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me . . . 'Here I am . . . I have come to do your will, my God.' " (Hebrews 10:4-7). The sacrificial death of Jesus put an end to all the prescribed sacrifices with its rules and regulations. The Blood of Jesus was the perfect sacrifice that cleanses our sins -- past, present, and future. We are made perfect and righteous by the Blood of Jesus.
Would you take some time to genuinely reflect over the sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross?
Would you take a moment to thank God for the Blood of Jesus?
God demanded absolute perfection. Spiritual holiness was symbolized by physical perfection.
The animals used for the sacrifices had to be without blemish; the priests could not have any physical deformities; a man's bodily discharge or a woman's monthly period made them unclean; people with visible skin diseases had to be banished from the main camp because of the presence of God amidst His people. People, who were so banished, could only return to the camp after they had been declared clean by a priest and after they had offered the prescribed sacrifices. All these animal sacrifices were still insufficient to appease a holy God.
The Bible declares, "It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me . . . 'Here I am . . . I have come to do your will, my God.' " (Hebrews 10:4-7). The sacrificial death of Jesus put an end to all the prescribed sacrifices with its rules and regulations. The Blood of Jesus was the perfect sacrifice that cleanses our sins -- past, present, and future. We are made perfect and righteous by the Blood of Jesus.
Would you take some time to genuinely reflect over the sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross?
Would you take a moment to thank God for the Blood of Jesus?
Prayer: Father, I thank you for the Blood of Jesus. Amen.