Day 2- Making Sacrifices

Humans were separated from God by sin, but people were meant to worship God by definition and design, so God set up a provisional system in which they could worship Him, in spite of their sinful state. In order to take away sin, the price for sin must be paid, which is death. This death was a spiritual death, a separation from the life found in God, but it was also a physical death. None of us will live forever. God allowed this physical death to serve as a temporary substitute to cover the price of sin so that people could commune with Him.

After sinning, the Israelites would have to pay the price of death for their sins by sacrificing a perfect animal in their place. Different offenses called for different sacrifices, but blood paid the price. However, this payment was temporary. Once a person committed another sin, he was responsible for sacrificing yet another animal. Sin after sin, sacrifice after sacrifice, day after day, year after year, the Israelites allowed the punishment for their wrong doings to fall on animals in their place.

But this was not God's plan. This was just the temporary substitute. God would send one last Lamb to pay the permanent price for sin. Someone without sin- who did not have to pay the price for sin- would cover the cost for eternity. But the people had to wait.

Have you found yourself stuck in this sacrificial system mentality?
Are you working hard to follow the right rules to earn God's favor?
In what ways do you feel that you have earned the right to salvation by your good deeds or feel guilty when you don't live up to a certain standard?

While the Israelites had no choice but to follow these sacrificial rules to have community with God, we now live under a new covenant. We have a different source of forgiveness and life...

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