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Redemption
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Finding Significance by Relating with God through the Lord’s Atonement
TRUTH AND PURPOSE
Bad things will always happen in life. We will always wonder why God allows bad things. The key to being at peace with God and at peace with others is finding the real significance of the matter in the big scheme of things—or bigger purpose of God. One thing you can be sure of is God always has a redemptive purpose and plan behind everything that happens in life! The more we look for His redemptive purposes and values, the greater peace we will have. Seeing the significance in the LORD’s atonement is a way God opens our eyes to the deeper truths of life.
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was prescribed as a day of confession to cleanse the soul from sin. “For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.” (Leviticus 16:30-32 NKJV)
It was the one day of the year when the high priest would go into the tabernacle, behind the veil into the Holy of Holies, and sprinkle the blood of the covenant sacrifice over the Mercy Seat. From within the cloud of God’s glory over the ark, God would see the sacrificial blood as evidence of man’s atonement of sin; reversing His judgment to mercy.
RELEVANCE
The LORD Messiah Jesus came as more than our High Priest! His blood was poured out as a sacrificial love offering forever reversing God’s judgment of sin for everyone who calls upon His name, believes in the heart, and receives His redemption.
But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol (high priest) of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), 12 he entered the Holiest Place once and for all. And he entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus setting people free forever. 13 For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity; 14 then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God! 15 It is because of this death that he is mediator of a new covenant [or will]. Because a death has occurred which sets people free from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:11-15 JNT)
REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE
How might you express greater gratefulness for the victory over sin and death that the LORD has won for you?
In what ways could some of your attitudes reveal a posture of gratefulness to the LORD? What new safeguards or attitudes can you establish to help you resist the powers that tempt you to sin so you can keep a clear conscience and experience Christ’s love, redemption and victory?
REFERENCES
Leviticus 23:26-31; Psalm 51; Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19;
Romans 5; Hebrews 2:14-3:6
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