Slideshow image

It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.  If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, you are to offer a male without defect. Leviticus 1: 9b-10 NIV
 
Sin infected our system through the Adam, who was given the full authority over all of God’s creation, being told to rule and have dominion over all the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, every crawling and creeping thing but do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Adam disobeyed the one thing God told him not to do and thus the infection of sin entered into our system and disrupted the purity and closeness of our relationship with God.  
 
The burnt offering is designed to provide a payment or an atonement for our  sins.  The blood of the sheep or goat had to be without defect and had to be male because it was through Adam the sin was brought it so it had to be through a representative of Adam, that this atonement was laid upon.  And this pleased God, it pleased God because God desires pure and close communion with humanity but cannot dwell or Tabernacle in sin.  This is a direct representation of what Jesus does for us years later, Jesus becomes our burnt offering, our lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  As the song writer says, “what can wash away our sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”  So as you read this, know that as we accept the finished work of Jesus on Calvary, what we accepted and stepped into is a pure and communal relationship with the Triune God.  This means, our sins have been forgiven, we experience the greatest love relationship one could ever have, and we are invited to reflect the love to others.  
 
As you go out into this world, God desires that we be his examples of God’s love and mercy and grace and care and truth to all of Creation.  So when your Brother or Sister offends you, show mercy.  When a Brother or Sister is being taken advantage of, be God’s voice for them.   When we know a Brother or Sister is in need we can be the person who will be the representative of God’s Kingdom for them.