It only took me two weeks to catch up on all that needed to be done after returning home (including finishing my taxes, which I never seem to do until the last minute).
However, a couple of “extra” events and projects kept me from finishing the bulletin and getting it out “on time.” One event was Jonathan Lopez’s high school graduation. I’m glad I was invited and able to go.
I am now two-for-two in prayer requests that didn’t make it into the bulletin. A week ago Sunday Chuck and Claudia Umlor were at the church service. Sarah and Samantha also came, too. The prayer request is especially for Claudia. She will be giving birth on February 14th (if she makes it until then). This has been an unusual and complicated pregnancy. I know they would appreciate your prayer as this new little life enters the world.
You will find included with this edition the first installment of our trip to Israel. The goal is to include one day from the trip each week. While those on our email list received a rough draft of these reviews nearly every day, I am working to clean them up, correct the errors (yes, I know David did not fight David), and fill in some missing information. I do hope you will enjoy reading these as much as I have enjoyed writing them.
In our Bible reading we are in the book of Leviticus. Most of us tend to avoid this book because of the detail given for the various offerings and feasts as well as the ritualism we don’t easily understand. The more we become acquainted with God’s requirements for His people in the Old Testament the better we can appreciate and understand what was accomplished for us in Jesus Christ. Rising above the details for a moment to see the “big picture” of just one of the offerings might be helpful.
There are many fine points concerning the requirements for the “sin offering” (Leviticus 4:1—5:13). Generally, the type of offering presented depended on a person’s wealth or social status, not on the severity of the sin. The priests were required to offer a young bull, the leaders a male goat. The common person would offer either a female goat or a female lamb, while the poor would bring either two birds or flour.
The “sin offering” was for sins committed unintentionally or in ignorance. The reason for the “sin offering” was to atone, providing forgiveness for unintentional sins. No restitution was required in the sin offering (by contrast the “guilt offering” did require restitution, Leviticus 5:14—6:7).
The result of the “sin offering” was that God’s wrath was diverted from the sinner. God accepted the slaughter of the animal as a ransom payment for the particular sin which necessitated the offering. The sacrifice was offered as a substitute in place of the sinner. Forgiveness of sin was received.
I am sure that from this perspective you recognize that Jesus Christ is our “sin offering.”
He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (II Corinthians 5:21).
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
It is unfortunate that Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice is so often believed to be like a “guilt offering” where restitution is enforced by others or demanded of one’s self.
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