Today's Reading: Leviticus 4
Forgiven. What a beautiful and powerful word. It means to
release someone from the debt or obligation they owe you due to their
wrongdoing or offense.
The Bible teaches that all of us have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Our sins create a barrier between us and
God, who is holy and perfect. We need forgiveness because our sins separate us
from God, and without His forgiveness, we cannot have a close and meaningful
relationship with Him nor can we enter into eternal life.
In this particular verse, the focus is on the priest's
actions in making atonement for the people's sins. The Hebrew word for
atonement is "kaphar," which means "to cover or conceal."
In the Old Testament, this word is used to refer to the process of offering
sacrifices for sin through the shedding of blood. The blood of the sacrifice
was seen as a covering or concealing of the sin, making it possible for the
sinner to be forgiven by and reconciled to God.
The shedding of blood was an important element in the
process of making a sin offering because blood was seen as the source of life.
The life of an animal was understood to be in its blood, and the shedding of
blood represented the giving of that life as a substitute for the life of the
sinner.
In the New Testament, the Greek word for atonement is
"katallage," which means "reconciliation." This word is
used to describe the process of making peace between God and humanity through
the death of Jesus Christ, thereby releasing us from the guilt and penalty for
our sin.
As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ's sacrifice on
the cross was the ultimate blood sacrifice that provides forgiveness for our
sins. His death was a substitutionary sacrifice in which He gave His life as a
ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Through faith in Jesus, we can be reconciled to
God and receive forgiveness for our sins, without the need for any further
blood sacrifices.
Oh, what joy to be forgiven! Confess your sins and receive
that forgiveness right now!
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