Perhaps its timely as we get closer to Passover and Resurrection Sunday, that I would find myself going through Leviticus now in my personal devotions. The past few chapters have outlined various sacrifices for various situations both for the people, and for the priesthood in how they would carry out their duties. When we come to chapter 9, the first, inaugural round of such sacrifices are carried out, and God shows up.
This coming Sunday will be Palm Sunday, followed by Passion Week. Passion Week will end with Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Just as Christ was born in the early Spring lambing season for the Temple flocks, and even born in a town where many of the shepherds of those Temple flocks lived and looked after their sheep, so Christ’s atonement for sin on the Cross would take the place of those lambs once and for all. Christ rightly is referred to as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Just as the command in Leviticus was that the lamb should be without blemish, and without spot, so was Christ. Scripture says He was tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Just as the lamb given as an atoning sacrifice for sin was burned without the camp, Christ was taken outside Jerusalem and hung on a cruel Roman cross! Just as that lamb’s blood was shed for the covering sin, Jesus’ blood was shed for the washing away of sin for all who would come to Him in repentance and godly sorrow for their sin.
Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Romans 3:21-26 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Hebrews 9:19-23 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Finally, just as God showed up in pleasure at the obedience of His children seeking atonement and peace with God, so God was pleased with Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for mankind. So pleased God was, that the 4″ thick veil separating the Holy of Holies from The Most Holy Place was torn in two! No longer was access to His throne reserved just for the High Priest every year, but now ALL who desired, could approach the throne of God, having their hearts sprinkled with the Blood of Righteousness!
The Lamb of God did not stay in the grave either, but three days later, on the first day of the week that we call Sunday, He rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples. 40 days later, during which He would appear not only to His own disciples, but would be seen by many others, Christ rose into Heaven and is forever seated at the right hand of God the Father. 10 days later, the Holy Spirit would come as promised, so that the Bride of Christ would not be comfortless, but guided into the ways of Truth found in the Scriptures.
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
When Christ said that He came to fulfill all the law and the prophets, we would do well to believe Him. Too many believers believe that Christ came to abolish the law, while other believers claim that the two greatest commandments don’t truly sum them up, but that they must be individually lived out. Christ fulfilled the law, doing away with the old sacrificial system entirely! The law now, for the believer, gives us a baseline upon which we can understand the teachings of Christ and the apostles as they wrote to the churches. For the unbeliever, the Law still does it’s job of showing mankind that apart from Christ, it is impossible to measure up to God’s standards.
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
That day will come at the end of time and then the books of the law will be reverted to a mere memorial in Heaven, having been fully completed once and for all, with the harvest having been fully brought in.
On which side of the law are you?
