Scriptures teach that God requires a judgment of blood for sin.
In Leviticus, God commanded that animal blood could only be used to make atonement at the altar for sin. The blood of a beast is its life, and sin demands the punishment of death.
Thus, the sacrifice of an animal was required under the Mosaic law for sin. This pointed to the need for the death of a suitable substitute to redeem sinners from the judgment they deserve from God for their sin.
When God provided a lamb to substitute for Isaac, and when He commanded a passover lamb to spare the firstborn in Egypt from death, He was ordaining a picture of The Lamb that He one day would provide as an offering in the place of sinners who trust in Him.
The flaw, of course, is that a poor animal can never equal in value the life of the sinner. Thus, Hebrews informs us, it was not possible for the blood of animals to take away sin.
But God had always planned to provide a suitable substitute, His Lamb, His own Son the Lord Jesus. Abraham foresaw that Lamb, and rejoiced to see Christ's day as our sacrifice for sin.
Isaiah had revealed to him that Christ would suffer as a lamb, bearing the sin of His people under God's wrath, and redeeming them thereby!
John the Baptist announced the coming of God's Lamb of sacrifice when he laid eyes on Jesus at the Jordan River.
At the Lord's Table, Jesus specifically identified His body and His blood as the offering for sinners that would forgive our sin.
Sure enough, Jesus was beaten bloody, pierced by nails, and thrust through with a spear. His blood was shed at Calvary as our Lamb.
The shed blood of Jesus cleanses His people from all unrighteousness! |
