Chapter 2 - 2
SACRIFICE NEEDED
In
Leviticus 17:11, God instructed the children of Israel concerning their OFFERING of an animal sacrifice as a TEMPORARY atonement
for SIN. God explains what the sacrifice represents: 'For the LIFE of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you
upon the alter to make an atonement for your SOULS: for it is the BLOOD that maketh an ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL.'
When
“Old Adam” sinned, there was a DEATH PENALTY pronounced upon his SOUL and BODY. BLOOD represents the DEATH of
someone. The early sacrifice of animals for temporary atonement was to "stay" the wrath of God from "Old Adam"
until God could provide a BETTER SACRIFICE for him in CHRIST JESUS.
THE FIRST SACRIFICE
In Genesis 4:4, Abel, Adam’s son, brought a BLOOD sacrifice, a “firstling” lamb as an offering to God.
This is the FIRST MENTION of a SACRIFICE in Scripture.
There are theologians who argue that this was not really
the FIRST SACRIFICE, since God must have killed an animal to provide the COATS of SKIN mentioned in Genesis 3:21, to COVER
the nakedness of Adam and his wife revealed to them after the FALL. Other theologians argue that the animal slain for the
coats was not a SACRIFICE. They believe that for one to say this ACT OF GOD was a SACRIFICE would be to "null and void"
the EFFORTS OF MAN in God's Plan in the animal sacrifices recorded in the OLD TESTAMENT; and they argue that it would also
show that man PLAYS NO PART in OUR living a self-sacrificing life before God in our ACCEPTANCE of Christ as Savior. This is
mentioned because it is important to learn WHO is really GIVING the SACRIFICE; and WHO is really PROVIDING the SACRIFICE...GOD
or MAN. Note the key emphasis is on GIVING and PROVIDING, not the SACRIFICE itself.
WHAT is the PART of MAN in his own SALVATION?
There
are many instances where God PROVIDED perfect animals to be OFFERED in the ceremonial sacrifices mentioned in Leviticus. Accordingly,
it would not be strange that GOD PROVIDED and GAVE the FIRST SACRIFICE mentioned in Genesis in the death of the animal used
by God to provide COATS for Adam and his wife. Only God can PROVIDE and GIVE the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE of JESUS CHRIST for our
SINS, but it is up to MAN to "receive" this SACRIFICE, by "presenting ourselves" as "living sacrifices"
to HIM, in FAITH, as a SIGN that we accept GOD'S PERFECT SACRIFICE as our own.
THE PERFECT SACRIFICE
THIS IS THE PLAN of GOD to restore THE KINGDOM of GOD lost in the Garden: 'For God so loved the world that He GAVE
His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE.' John 3:16.
God’s
plan was to provide the PERFECT SACRIFICE for “Old Adam”, who would SATISFY THE LAW, and result in a PARDON of
his DEATH sentence, once and forever. But before God could do that...the LAW REQUIRES someone has to die.
The
sacrificial animal offered each year was a substitute for “Old Adam” to die in his place. It did not do away with
the death penalty, but only granted “reprieves” from year to year. The blood sacrifice of animals was not acceptable
to God for the purging of "Old Adam's" SIN. A MAN must be sacrificed for the forgiveness of a MAN'S SIN, not an
animal.
God in His Infinite Wisdom: Knew the only way to save “Old Adam” was to send a new Adam. THE
NEW ADAM would have to be a man WHO was PERFECT and would defeat sin and death while living on the Earth as "Old Adam"
lived. He would have to face the same temptations in an Earthly BODY, but would not succumb to SIN, as Adam did. Also, He
would have to be OBEDIENT to God, even to the point of WILLINGLY laying down His Life to die a cruel death on a cross in order
that HE might PURCHASE the lost SOUL of "Old Adam". THE NEW ADAM could not be a son of “Old Adam”, because
the death penalty extended to all the children born to him and generations afterward forever. “Old Adam’s”
sin had dire consequences.
Since the NEW Adam could not be a descendent of “Old Adam”, God decided
HE would have a SON, Who would be born of a woman. Think of it! God is including "Old Adam" in His Creation once
again by allowing the mother of His Son to be a descendent of "Old Adam".
Psalms 98:1 declares, 'He
hath done marvelous things'. GOD is preparing a BODY for HIS SON to become THE PERFECT SACRIFICE (Hebrews 10:5); and HE includes
"Old Adam" in the preparation of this BODY. Can you grasp it? This is a MARVELOUS WORK indeed that the Lord hath
done. What an AWESOME GOD! In the First Century A.D., God sent HIS HOLY SPIRIT to overshadow a maiden and she conceived and
gave birth to the SON OF GOD, Who is the NEW ADAM. His NAME is JESUS.
Hebrews 2:14 in the New Living Translation
says, 'Because God's children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in
human form. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the Devil, who had the power
of death. Only in this way could He deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.'
Four thousand years passed before God could send the PERFECT SACRIFICE to Earth that would pay the ultimate price to REDEEM
the SOUL and BODY of “Old Adam” from death. God had to allow “Old Adam” time in years to let him become
so wicked and harden his HEART so much that he would kill God’s Son. This is the same SON that God decided He would
send to Earth to die for “Old Adam’s” sins. “Old Adam” wouldn’t even know when he killed
God’s Son; in hatred, that he would be "offering up to God" the very SACRIFICE that would do away with his
own death penalty and set himself free. But more astonishing than that; God ACCEPTS this SACRIFICE for the FORGIVENESS of
sins, even from those who killed Him; when they BELIEVE in the Sacrifice, and God will indeed: SET THE SINNER FREE.
When a sinner, regardless of how wretched, believes in the PERFECT SACRIFICE of Jesus; and seizes upon it, so as to CLAIM
it as his own, and presents it before a Holy God, while asking for forgiveness of sins, finds that he is AMAZINGLY FORGIVEN.
WHAT A MAGNIFICENT PLAN and WHAT A MAGNIFICENT LOVE of GOD! AMAZING GRACE!
CHAPTER 2-3 Two Types of Sin