What a Mess!
“‘Also one sheep is to be taken from every flock of two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These will be used for the grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the people, declares the Sovereign LORD. All the people of the land will be required to give this special offering to the prince in Israel. It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and the Sabbaths—at all the appointed festivals of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the Israelites.’”
Today’s Text: Ezekiel 45:9-25 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
On one hand, God did not require that much from Israel for the atonement of their sins—one sheep in two-hundred. On the other hand, Israel had to go through a lot of trouble for the atonement of their sins. Logistically, it would have required a lot of organization and a lot of coordination. And—whew!—what a mess with all that blood!!!
And what about all the trash? Jerusalem was basically party central. It held three major festivals every year, along with New Moon celebrations and, of course, the Sabbaths.
When it comes to the atonement of sins and our worship unto God, Christians today have it so easy compared to the Israelites back then. Of course, the reason that it is so easy for us is because Jesus serves as the Prince who also provided Himself as the sacrificial offering in order to atone for all the sins of all of humanity for all of time once and for all.
And really, all that we are called to do as Christians is to (1) confess and repent of our sins, (2) rejoice in the salvation we receive in Jesus Christ, and (3) share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Of course, there is a lot that we could unpack concerning (1), (2), and (3), but the point is that is basically it.
When it comes to the atonement of sins and our worship unto God, Jesus took care of all the hard stuff so that we could focus on the essentials—repentance, worship, and witness. Hallelujah!
Father, Your grace, mercy, and love are boundless. I confess my sins. They are ever before me, and You know them all. But I lay them at the foot of the cross knowing that my Lord had paid for all of my sins. I praise You because You are good and You alone are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. And make me more and more like my Lord so that I may bear witness to Him with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
