Goats and Bulls

When I read through the Old Testament and what people had to do to atone for their sins, I marvel. During that period, the children of God had to put together a sacrifice every time they erred, and a priest had to go to God on their behalf to seek forgiveness.They were required to bring anything from flour to goats and even bulls. The gravity of the sin that was committed and the number of people involved determined the size of the sacrifice.

Sometimes, the offering had to be very specific; an unblemished female goat or a young unblemished bull. The whole animal could not just be burned for this offering. In Leviticus 4:8, the two kidneys and the fatty lobe of the bull used for the sin offering had to be taken out after the sinner touched the head of the animal and slaughtered it. The blood of the sacrifice had to be poured or splashed at the altar in a specific order to be acceptable to God.

I’m in awe of how the people, regardless of what it took, did what was required of them so that their sins would be forgiven. Even when they sinned unintentionally they had to atone for it!

I can’t begin to imagine slaughtering a dove let alone a goat. And to think about how much these things cost today, I am pretty sure many of us would abandon Christianity for something else.

But then our Father saw us, and His love for us was more than the sacrifice of goats and bulls. Rather than making us sacrifice animals, He made His Son the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, that our sins may be forgiven by the Blood of Jesus.

Now we have complete access to our father and we do not need to go through an appointed priest. At any time, we can call directly on our Father, and He will hear us.

Our God went out of His way to make sure that we are taken care of. His love for us was so much that He sent His only Son to die for our sins so that we will have life and have it fully. We are privileged to have this loving God as our Father. Let's remember the value that God puts on our lives and live as such! 

Love,

Alice