Continuing our discussion of the sin sacrifice of the ceremony for cleansing the leper in Leviticus 14 we find more symbolism between the ceremony and our redemption.
The use of the female lamb in the sin sacrifice revealed that God planned to use a woman in the creation of our savior. An old prophecy was given to show this purpose Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Is 7:14) The idea that a female would be the instrument God would use for the creation of Jesus bothers some people. The Lord created Adam out of the dust and to create Jesus in a womb was no problem. There is a very interesting discussion in the second chapter of First Timothy. It is about the fact that a woman was the first person to sin. But Paul tells us in verse fifteen that in childbearing the woman provided the possibility of Salvation. Because the female was in the plan of God this lamb becomes a dual symbol of both life and death. The scripture tells us that our savior came in the likeness of flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Ro 8:3b) Jesus came as a man in order to fulfill all God's plan to perfection. Flesh now saves flesh. This physical man Jesus was now related to King David through Mary's lineage. The lineage is found in Luke chapter three and it goes back to Adam. The line passes through Nathan, the brother of Solomon, thus avoiding any curses (Jeremiah 22) on the Kings of Judah. This is how the King of the Jews, a son of David, will fulfill all the prophecy concerning His kingdom.
Although the symbolic oil was used in many ways, the offering of this lamb was done without oil being used in any way. This lamb was a compelling symbol of his death which was the only thing Jesus did without the Spirit of God. Before Christ died the land became dark for three hours as he suffered and died all alone for mankind. Now from the sixth hour there was a darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matt 27:45,46) Jesus cried out that he was alone and this was certainly the darkest time for our savior. These dark hours became the power of our relationship with God. Because Jesus had suddenly accepted the penalty for all our sin the Father had to withdraw his helping hand from Jesus and look the other way. Jesus knew why the Father had to forsake him and this was only his cry of agony. Someday a horrendous cry will come from every person who rejects Jesus Christ and attempts to pay their own penalty in Hell. It is important that we find the Spirit who can bring what Jesus provided in the past into our lives.
We need redemption very badly and Jesus provided it through this terrible time of the cross. Paul tells us what happened in one great sentence. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (we are told about it) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: (we must believe it) for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (we are all sinners) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (because of what Christ did) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, (God accepts the blood of Christ) to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forebearance of God; (before the cross) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he must be just, (it is just to give us a chance) and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Rom 3:21-26) Paul goes on to say we do not by-pass the law, but by our faith in Christ we uphold the law.
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