No, I've not forgotten our friend the leper. When we last saw him, the priest had just given the Thanksgiving Offering. Today we find out more about the sacrifices of the lambs. As you read, I hope you find a new thanks to God for providing Jesus to do away with sacrifices.
The high priest had just sacrificed the lambs in a sanctified room. Both the first and second lambs were cut into parts and cooked on the altar but there were portions which were to be eaten by the high priest. This verse tells us about some parts which were given to the priest For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Isreal from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons. (Lev 7:34) When the priest ate of the offering it showed that God was accepting the sacrifice as Holy unto Him. Do we realize that we are representing God today by what we partake of? We must remember that we are to be God's ambassadors to the people of the earth. There were other parts of the cooked lamb to be eaten by the people who brought the offering. This demonstrates to us that there can be fellowship between man and God through Jesus. When the people of our Church forget that they are a part of the most Holy activity on the earth they they are in serious trouble. It is urgent that we tell pepole how serious God is about our redemption and that we must become earnest ourselves.
Now the priest would use the bowl of blood he had taken from the lamb. And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the greeat toe of his right foot: (Lev 14:14) People have different thoughts of symbolism of why this was to occur, but we know for sure that a sinner must be totally covered by the blood of Christ or they will never see God. This first lamb shed his blood because the sin of Adam had spread into all the creation and now we needed the trespass offering also called a guilt offering. Because mankind is born in sin the guilt of his birth is answerable to judgment.
A man is guilty even when he does not know he is a sinner because God has been offended by all men. This is why even good people must repent- and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him. it is a trespass offering: he had certainly trespassed against the LORD. (Lev 5:18b)
We must make people aware of sin so they might seek Jesus while there is still time. The blood of animals provided a provisional covering for sin but, praise the Lord, the blood of Jesus provided total forgiveness of sin. The word atonement means only a covering but reconciliation through the Savior means forgiveness. God was reconciled to man nearly 2000 years ago when Jesus died on the cross. For if, when were were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Ro 5:10) Jesus died to fulfill God's requirements and now He lives to help us find our reconciliation to God. This is not double talk because it takes two parties to reconcile. First it was God toward us and now it must be us toward God.
The main similarity for cleansing the leper or the sinner is the requirement for blood. The New Covenant in the blood of Jesus fulfills all the patterns of the Law of the old days. The following verse gives the requirment This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the Law pursed with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Heb 9:20) The Law on earth required the blood of animals. But with this, the priest could only cover over sins. No person on earth had the power to forgive sins until the Father sent his son Jesus. The blood of Jesus Christ is required for heavenly purification. What value can be placed on something so powerful that it can make us pure forever? The perfect blood of Christ is strong enough to fill all the heavenly requirements for our redemption. Now each man must reconcile to the Father in order to receive the Holy Spirit who makes available to us everything that Jesus has done for the redemption of mankind.
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