Let me say, one might presume that Jesus would have commanded the disciples to publish the good news of His identity to everyone. However, Gods perfect timing took precedence over human reasoning, for other events were to take place before His arrest and crucifixion. The Lord knows the exact moment to bring an event to pass that will result in blessing and fulfillment in the lives of the intended recipients. God may not show up on our appointed schedule, but one should rest assured that He is always on time. According to 2 Corinthians 5:21.) We became the benefactors of His sufferings. In other words, for every negative experience perpetrated upon Him, we received a benefit. Yes, the Scriptures teach that everything Jesus Christ did was for our benefit. Since the fall of mankind, suffering has accompanied human existence. Perfectly created mankind became imperfect, and the body that had been unaffected by disease began to experience aging, sickness, and an inevitable death. Job in his writings followed up by saying: Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble according to (Job 14:1). Mankind, therefore, needed relief from his affliction and suffering. Jesus offered up Himself as that sacrifice to fulfill such need. Isaiah would best described the tradeoff the suffering Lord and Saviour would provide for all mankind that sense of hope and victory, when Isaiah stated in Chapter 53:5) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. When our first parents, Adam and Eve, made the choice to disobey God, the consequence of sin..death...became a reality. Though the lifespan of mankind continued to be long in comparison to that after the great flood, all people eventually faced physical death. Worse than physical death, however, mankind was condemned to an eternal death and separation from God. God, in His infinite wisdom, grace, and love allowed for a temporary substitute. He provided the first substitute just outside the gates of the garden. Where unto Adam and also his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them according to Genesis 3:21). Thus began the process of sacrificing literally hundreds of thousands of animals and birds as substitutes to atone for the sins of mankind. In Exodus the 12 Chapter and verse 2-13). When the Lord was ready to deliver Israel from bondage in Egypt, He told them to establish a new calendar. On the tenth day of that first month, they were to take an unblemished lamb into each household. God gave them specific instructions as to how they were to care for this lamb, when they were to sacrifice it, and what to do with the sacrifice. Upon completion of the sacrifice and the proper application of the blood, the Lord promised to pass over the land and facilitate the deliverance of His people out of bondage. In Exodus 12:2-13.) Every instruction God gave Moses and Aaron concerning this event had meaning for a future event in Gods plan of redemption. The establishing of a new calendar was symbolic of the opportunity for man to start over, as in a new birth. This new birth had to begin with a perfect sacrificial lamb taken from the flock, symbolic of the truly perfect sacrifice that Himself would provide. Blood was spilled throughout Goshen, enough to cover every household that was willing to obey the plan of God. The Lord passed through the land of Egypt on that fateful night and the households without a blood covering experienced the plague of death of the first-born. However, it resulted in the Israelites deliverance from bondage in Egypt. From that day forward, the people of Israel celebrated the Passover annually in remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt. It was no mistake when John the Baptist saw Jesus and cried out, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world in (John 1:29). Son of man had to suffer and die for our salvation because there was a requirement in the law stated that the soul that sins shall die. What the animal sacrifices did, was only to satisfied the requirements temporarily, and they had to be offered annually year after year. Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, was able to enter into death once for all mankind...past, present, and future..satisfying the requirement of the law for all mankind. According to Hebrews 10:9-10.) Death was the consequence or punishment for sin, and the law was the enforcer. Jesus had to conquer death and the grave. He became the victim of the flaming sword, and through His atoning death we become partakers of the Tree of Life. May God bless and comfort your hearts with these words.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 21:18:55 +0000
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