Topic: His Perfect Sacrifice [Thursday May 4, 2017]
Text: Numbers 19:1-10
Key Verse: “And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face” (Numbers 19:3).
The practice in the Old Testament was sacrificing animals to atone for the sins of the people. There were different kinds of animal sacrifices: daily, weekly and yearly sacrifices as well as sabbatical sacrifice. Without these sacrifices, nobody could have a relationship with God, including the priests.
The sacrifices, notwithstanding, the people could not be rid of their sins. The sacrifice could not last more than a few days; so the people lived in bondage to sin. In addition, the sacrifices only gave them an abridged sense of peace, offering temporary relief. God, being a holy God, will have nothing to do with impurity. He therefore commanded Moses and Aaron in the text to institute an ordinance of purification for sin. God saw the way people struggled with sin despite the various sacrifices they performed. Hence, He decided to perform one perfect sacrifice for man that would take away sin once and for all (Hebrews 10:12). He provided a sinless Lamb for that purpose. That Lamb is Jesus Christ.
He was sacrificed for the sins of humanity, completely abolishing the sacrifice of anything or anyone else for the remission of sins. Unlike the animal sacrifices that could not rid people of sins, the sacrifice of Christ has remitted the sins of the whole world (Isaiah 53:3-6). In spite of the huge sacrifice Jesus made for humanity, it is sad to note that many people are still in bondage to sin.
Are you still under the weight of guilt and condemnation of sin, when Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God has paid the ultimate price for your freedom? We were to have died for our sins because “the soul that sinneth, it shall die”. Yet, Jesus died in our stead to redeem us from eternal damnation. Sin gives the devil unlimited access to afflict and drag a soul to hell. Accept Christ’s sacrifice in absolute faith and submit to the sovereignty of His will to appropriate the fullness of redemption benefits for time and all eternity.
Thought for the day: Without Jesus, life is as the twilight with the dark night ahead.
Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Chronicles 12-15
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
