Talk Tuesday-The Jesus Series; Blood and Sacrifice, Pt. II

Last week we asked the question, 'How could a HOLY GOD exist with a SINFUL people?' The answer; blood and sacrifice. God's desire to be in relationship with humanity is both beautiful and profound.

In the Book of Leviticus (OT), we are introduced to all different kinds of sacrifices: burnt offerings, sin offerings, peace offerings, grain offerings and trespass offerings. The sacrificial system made a way for God's presence to dwell among a sinful people. It is based on the HOLINESS command and centred around the shedding of blood. “ 45 Yes, it is I, Yahweh, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God: you must therefore be holy because I am holy,” Leviticus 11:45 (NJB). “11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life,” Leviticus 17:11 (NIV).

This word 'atonement' appears several times in the OT. What does it mean? Atone means to make amends or reparation (Oxford Dictionary). The Hebrew word used in the OT is kapar which means 'to ransom, atone, expiate, propitiate' (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words). Expiation is, 'the act or means of making amends or reparation for sin,'; propitiation is, 'to cover, to appease the wrath of God so that His justice and holiness will be satisfied and He can forgive sin,' (The Zondervan Topical Bible). Kapar also means to purge, make reconciliation, pacify, pardon, appease, release (The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible).

Where does Jesus, the Lamb of God, fit into this? “25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith,” Romans 3:25 (NIV).

“17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:17-19 (NKJV)

Join us next week as we begin to look at the Tabernacle, the Day of Atonement and Jesus' death on the cross. Remember, God loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die so that you might live!