WHY
BLOOD SACRIFICE?
Thirteenth
of fourteen devotions in Gethsemane series
Leviticus
17:11: “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.”
What a
bloody mess! Old Testament people sacrificed
thousands of animals in atoning for their sins. (See lesson linked below). Then Jesus came. Only a select few knew why He came to
earth. (Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna are
mentioned in Luke 2:21-39).
Let’s follow Jesus’ beloved disciple
John to Golgotha [GOL-gotha-a]. (The
skull).
I screeched seeing Jesus! What a bloody mess! Carrying a cross, Jesus’ back was a patchwork
of skin tatters and bone. Every bloody step
buckled His knees.
Soldiers forced a man to carry the
cross. Following Jesus up the hill, I panicked
trying to think of some way to help.
Soldiers lay the cross on the ground,
then made Jesus lay down on top. Raising
His arms to the crossbar, they nailed His hands in place. A large nail secured His feet, crossed at the
ankles, to the foot rest.
I sighed.
The cross was raised using rope
pulleys. Soldiers aimed the bottom
toward a hole dug in the ground.
THUNK! “Uh!”
I heard Jesus gasp. Jesus was now
slumped upright. He tried pushing His
feet to straighten up using the foot rest, but couldn’t. He labored at every breath.
Women wept. I wept too, wringing my hands. All I could do was watch Jesus’ face.
Scanning His eyes to see who were present,
Jesus spoke to His mother, “Dear woman, here is your
son.” Then Jesus looked at me and
said, “Here is your mother.”
I
looked toward Mary and opened my arms. Walking
to each other, we collapsed in a shaky embrace.
Tears flowed freely.
Then Jesus spoke again, “I am thirsty.”
Soldiers soaked a sponge in vinegar, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. The next thig Jesus said was His last, “It is finished.”
(John
19:16-30).
Take Home Nugget
We can
imagine John, Mary and the other women weeping together before John took Mary
home. Jesus even took care of His mother
before His dying breath.
Now we understand the opening
Scripture. Without Jesus being a bloody
mess, we’d still be hell-bound—forever separated from God. Jesus finished the job that He was sent to earth
to do.
His Believers are horrified at what
our forgiveness cost Him, and moved to tears.
That day is called
“Good Friday.” His blood washed away the
sins of the world. Now you and I can
sing praises to the last Lamb to be
sacrificed for forgiveness of sins (Revelation 5:9-19).
Thank You Jesus for purchasing me with
Your own blood.
Adapted
from “The Necessity of Blood Sacrifice.” Dr. Charles Stanley. March 31, 2015. In Touch magazine. Georgia, USA.
J.D.
Griffith
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Griffith:
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