Tag: love

. . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.  (Romans 3:23-25, NASB)

The passage above from the book of Romans summarizes the human condition very well:  We’re all sinners!  We all deserve to die because of our sins.  But our God has a plan for our salvation:  We’re “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.”  Because of God’s grace, we’re saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.  It’s nothing we did–it’s all because of what He did. 

What is “propitiation”?  According to Got Questions, “The word propitiation carries the basic idea of appeasement or satisfaction, specifically toward God. Propitiation is a two-part act that involves appeasing the wrath of an offended person and being reconciled to him.”  (Found at https://www.gotquestions.org/propitiation.html)  In other words, we appease God, or satisfy His wrath, by placing our faith in Jesus.  If we do this, we’re reconciled with God. 

In this Lenten Season, this is an important message:  We have to accept God’s free gift, which was purchased at great price, to be reconciled with God!  When we do this, He forgives our sins!

‘And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’ Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any alien who sojourns among you eat blood.’ . . . “For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life.”  (Leviticus 17:10-12, 14, NASB)

God requires blood for the atonement of sins.  Blood is the lifeline of humans and animals.  Therefore, God prohibited the Israelites from eating blood, but saved it for sacrifices for the atonement of sins.  The author of Hebrews writes, “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”  (Hebrews 9:22)  Blood, then, cleanses us from unrighteousness.  But where do we go today to get such cleaning?  To the cross of Jesus Christ! 

Jesus was sacrificed on our behalf, once and for all time, the perfect sacrifice.  He died as a substitute for you and me.  He willingly endured horrific torture, and crucifixion because He loves you and me.  If we accept His sacrifice, God has promised forgiveness of our sins, and eternal life with Him.  It’s all because of His shed blood. 

I’ve been to a few “Jesus in the Passover” Seder dinners.  During at least one, the Rabbi explained the significance of the blood on the door frame of the Israelites during the night of the Passover.  God had commanded Moses to tell the Hebrews to put some of the blood from their slaughtered lambs on the door posts and the lintel (the piece at the top of the door frame) so the destroyer would pass by their homes.  The Rabbi explained that to him, the blood was a picture of the cross:  It represented Jesus’ nail-pierced hands and His bloody head

It’s all about the blood shed by our Savior!  It’s about the blood of the Lamb! 

Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”  (Exodus 19:3-6, NASB)  

At Mount Sinai (aka Mount Horeb, aka the Mountain of God),  in the third month since Israel left Egypt, Moses received a word from God.  In the passage above, God reminds the people of the miracles He performed to get them out of Egypt.  There were plagues, killings, and weather phenomenon.  The firstborn of the Egyptians were slain, of both man and beast, and the Israelites were exempt.  Finally, when leaving Egypt, God parted the Red Sea.  The Israelites went through as if on dry land, and the pursuing Egyptian army were swallowed and drowned.  God here is reminding them. 

Next, God implores the people to “obey My voice and keep My covenant.”  God uses an if . . . then statement here.  The result of the Israelites’ obedience?  ” . . . then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  I think this is the first warning from God to Israel that they should obey His laws and precepts.  They were warned time and again by God’s prophets over the years.  But Israel and eventually the kingdom of Judah, didn’t listen, and they were utterly defeated and driven into exile.  

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re called to be the same thing: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”  (1 Peter 2:9)  In both Old and New Testaments, God’s people are called to be priests, and a nation set apart from all others.  The reason, as Peter says, is to praise God, to shine our lights, and to call the unsaved out from their darkness. 

O that a man might plead with God a6s a man with his neighbor!  (Job 16:21, NASB)

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God; Whom I myself shall behold, And whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me!  (Job 19:25-27, NASB)

Job had been messed up by Satan.  “Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.”  (Job 2:7-8)  This was after Satan killed all Job’s livestock, his children, and almost all of his servants.  He must have been a sight, covered with boils from head to toe.  Mrs. Job even wanted him to “curse God and die.”  (Job 2:9)

Then Job’s friends showed up.  They acted like friends for a week, sitting in the ashes, mourning with him.  When Job started cursing the day he was born, and wondering how God could let this happen to him, they began to tell him how wicked he was.  “With friends like these, . . . ”  Job’s discourses include both of the passages above. 

Job 19:25 image.  Found at Facebook, New Living Translation, https://www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation/photos/a.180737063978/10158812566333979/?type=3 

In the first verse above, Job pleads “that a man might plead with God As a man with his neighbor!”  Today, Jesus-believers have an Advocate with God the Father in Jesus Christ Himself!  Job, of course, did not know of Jesus, but as we see later in the story, God was listening, and came to remind Job of just Who He is, and to put Job’s “friends” in their place.  God is ALWAYS listening! 

In the second passage, Job professes to know that “[his] Redeemer lives.”  Indeed He does!  Job was prescient to believe that he would see God in the end.  Job had faith, even though he had lost everything, and he was painfully sick.  

Job’s “friends” fell into the trap of believing that if something bad happens, it’s because a person did something bad, or he’s just a bad person.  This is bad theology.  Bad things happen to good people.  Jesus said we would have troubles in this world.  Jesus also said that troubles would reveal the glory of God!  Job had hope that he would someday see his Redeemer.  That’s MY hope too! 

But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.  (Genesis 50:19-21, NASB)

In this passage, Israel (Jacob) had died.  Joseph’s brothers were afraid that Joseph would take revenge against them for selling him into slavery.  Joseph seeks to reassure them:  “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid.”

Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream.  He told Pharaoh there would be a great famine in the world, preceded by seven years of plenty.  He convinced Pharaoh to stock up on food during the good years so Egypt would have food during the lean years.  Pharaoh made Joseph his number two, and put him in charge of the food situation.  Not bad–a Hebrew running Egypt!  

When the famine hit the land of Canaan, Israel sent Joseph’s brothers down to Egypt to buy food, and they eventually discovered that their brother Joseph was alive, and in charge of Egypt.  Pharaoh told Joseph to move the family to Egypt, where they would survive and thrive.  When Israel died, the brothers became concerned about Joseph’s revenge.  

What I find interesting is the thought of Satan’s participation in the story.  Did the devil convince the brothers to sell Joseph into slavery?  Was Satan trying to interrupt the ancestral line of the Savior of the world?  Joseph’s actions prevented Israel’s family from starving.  Israel’s son Judah, and his grandson Perez, are ancestors of Jesus.  Did Satan try to snuff them out? 

God often uses evil for good.  In the case of Israel’s family, God took the situation of Joseph’s plight, and used it to sustain the family.  God not only kept the future tribes of Israel alive, but He sustained the ancestral line of Jesus Christ! 

We learned on Thursday morning that my Mom passed away.  I’m comforted knowing that she’s in Heaven, and she was welcomed by the loving arms of Jesus!