Rams.
Sheep.
Birds.
Blood.
An overflow of blood.
Yes, I am in Leviticus. I have been stunned, anew, by the number of regulations required of the people. When one thinks of the throng of Israelites, the system of sacrifices had to be a full time job for the priests. Yesterday I even thought of how many sacrifices would have been necessary to keep me in right standing with God. And that was just one day!
Yet for years, this system of sacrifices & offerings was in place. Matthew Henry, in his commentary states:
God ordained diverse kinds of obligations & sacrifices…He declared by these sacrifices and ceremonies that the reward of sin is death and that without the blood of Christ, the innocent Lamb of God, there can be no forgiveness.
In reading in Leviticus, one thought repeated continued coming through my mind…
There was an overflow of blood for me – Christ’s.
I am so thankful that Christ died for me. No sacrifice is needed any longer. No animal need be slaughtered for the forgiveness of my sins. He did it all. Scripture tells us:
“With his own blood””not the blood of goats and calves””he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.” (Hebrews 9: 12-14 NLT).
There had never before been a sacrifice so perfect, so complete. And it was for me. It was for you.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT).
God loved.
        He loved me.
                  He loved you.
                           And Christ’s blood was the price of that love.
                             An overflow of blood. An overflow of love.
