Christ - Our Ultimate Sacrifice!

As we continue to study Moses in BSF, I am amazed at how I have done this study twice before and yet keep being so affected by the things I am learning. I guess we all need reminders of God's great love for us.

This week we talked about the Day of Atonement and the sacrifices made over and over and over and over again by the High Priest. The Day of Atonement was the one day a year where the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, where God's presence was, and make atonement for the sins of all the people. If he didn't carry out his duties just as the Lord commanded, it resulted in death! Can you imagine the pressure!?!

I have been struck by the thought of all the blood. Now, I know that sacrifices are bloody and messy - but I guess I thought it was somewhat contained. But how can the blood really be contained when in reality, our sin cannot be contained? Our sin affects everyone and everything around us. Adam and Eve's sin in the garden affected the whole world! Everything in this world is tainted by sin.

This week I realized that the beautiful, ornate garments that the Priests wore - they had jewels and precious stones. They had gold woven into them. They were sprinkled with blood! The tabernacle itself - The Israelites spent months sewing and building and making it just to God's specifications. Once a year it was sprinkled with blood! The beautiful Ark of the Covenant and all it's gold - sprinkled in blood! Blood was everywhere! Blood stains! Blood turns black after it sits for a while. Blood doesn't come out! But blood was necessary in order to be forgiven of their sin. The cost of sin is death - physical and eternal death - whether it be an animal, or us, or Jesus Christ. Something has to die. What a messy ordeal.

I am so thankful that Jesus Christ was the ultimate sacrifice! That he came and died in my place. That we don't have to make these kind of animal sacrifices anymore. Even the animal sacfrifices didn't work completely. They weren't perfect! The priests performing them weren't perfect. We could NEVER live up to God's standard! But, because of His great love and mercy for us, Jesus became the final sacrifice for all of us. He was perfect - without sin - and so He could be the final priest and sacrifice. I still sin and God takes that sin very seriously. But, because I have given my life to Him and trusted Him as my Lord and Savior, when He looks at me, He sees the blood of Christ and I am forgiven! Halleluia! What a Savior!

I was listening to this song on the way to BSF this morning and I thought about how easily we justify our sin. But even the smallest sin that we attempt to justify is rebellion against God. It's so easy to go along and think that we are doing "okay". This song reminded me that I'm not okay, but that God loves me unconditionally! Why? Because He is a God of great grace and I am His child!

Click on the title to hear the song......

Never Been Unloved
Micheal W. Smith

I have been unfaithful
I have been unworthy
I have been unrighteous
And I have been unmerciful
I have been unreachable
I have been unteachable
I have been unwilling
And I have been undesirable

And sometimes I have been unwise
I've been undone by what I'm unsure of
But because of you and all that you went through
I know that I have never been unloved

I have been unbroken
I have been unmended
I have been uneasy
And I have been unapproachable
I've been unemotional
I've been unexceptional
I've been undecided
And I have been unqualified

Unaware - I have been unfair
I've been unfit for blessing from above
But even I can see The sacrifice You made for me
To show that I have never been unloved.
It's because of You and all that you went through
I know that I have never been unloved