Atonement

Scripture:

Leviticus 1:4  "You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you".

Observation:

God told Moses to tell the people that they were to present offerings to the Lord.  In this passage there are instructions about the burnt offering which was an animal that had to be a male and it had to be without defect.  The people were to lay their hands on the head of the animal, then sacrifice it.  This would bring atonement and the animal would be killed instead of the person.  In Genesis, God said that the soul that sins would die.  Here we see the sins being transferred through laying on of hands and the death of the animal is an atonement for the sins of the people.

Application:

When John the baptist saw Jesus coming to him he declared, "Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world".  Jesus lived a perfect sinless life and was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  Instead of atoning for one person's sin, the blood of Jesus was enough to atone for all who would ever come to Him.  He paid the price for our sins and we are accepted because of Him.  We should live our lives every day thanking God for sending His Son Jesus to atone for our sins.  Our sins were nailed to the cross of Calvary and we are free to walk in victory over sin because of the sacrifice Christ made for us.  We must live in a way that says, "I appreciate Your sacrifice".

Prayer:

Lord, help me to never take your sacrifice for granted.  Help me to walk every day thanking You for going to the cross on my behalf.  Help me also understand better that my sins have been paid for be the blood of Christ and that I am free from the slavery that sin produces.  Help me to live a life that appreciates the blood shed on Calvary.

Yours,
Jeff