A Heart Problem
The sun was hot and without a cloud in the sky, as if God was clearing His view to observe that which the priest was about to do.
As he stood there, with the unblemished bull standing before him, he could not get past the smell, the flies swarming all around him and the beast.
“God, this is for the people, to atone for their sins and my own”, he spoke aloud as he readied the knife in his hand.
As he stared into the eyes of the innocent animal, his stomach felt uneasy and nausea threatened to overtake him and his fears.
He never enjoyed this part of the job, but for the sake of the people, he had no choice.
He laid his other hand upon the bull’s head, his palm flat on its forehead, and transferred his and the people’s sins and guilt upon it, and then, closing his eyes, maneuvered the knife and spilled its blood rather than his own.
And it died, for the sin of all the people, it paid the price that was rightfully theirs.
For the cost of sin is death, the price, the blood of life.
And at that moment, the priest wept.
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them, if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the Lord for a sin offering. He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord and lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull before the Lord.”
-Leviticus 4:1-4
This was what was required for forgiveness under the Covenant of Moses.
A life for a life.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”
-Leviticus 17:11
This was how people were forgiven under the Law.
But how are we forgiven today?
What did you gain from this devotional today or has the Holy Spirit brought anything up that you’d like to share? Join the community in the comments section below!
