SCRIPTURE: Numbers 29
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” [Matthew 18:21-22]
So many sacrifices, why is God is focused on blood and sacrifice?
But what if we are looking at the human side of the sacrifice, instead of the divine side.
These sacrifices do involve human repentance, but they also express divine grace and forgiveness.
Again and again, day after day, the message comes through – ‘I forgive you, I do not demand Your blood, I provide a substitute, you are forgiven.’
From this angle, the question is raised, how many times will God forgive us?
The seventh month was a bloody festival month – the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, most solemn of Jewish holy days) and the Feast of Tabernacles.
In addition to the regular daily offerings, special sacrifices were made.
And the Feast of Tabernacles (‘tents’, remembering God’s provision and protection in wilderness) had extra offerings of bulls, rams, lambs, plus grain and drink offerings.
Through the week 70 bulls were sacrificed, plus all the other animals.
The purpose of all these festivals and sacrifices was to communicate the “seventy-seven” times (in others, ongoing) grace of God.
Every day, every month, every festival, every year – forgiveness, grace love.
Yes, these came at a price, a high price – much blood!
And whose blood?
Not ours, but God’s provided substitute, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
Sound the trumpet, spend time in serious and sincere repentance and reflection, recall the amazing grace of God as He has led us through the wilderness of sin and death (in ‘tents’ provided and protected by Him) to the realm of promised blessing, grace.
We too should celebrate, remember, stand amazed, worship.
Consider what the Lord has done.
He has not treated us as our sins deserve (if He had, we would not be here!).
How many times will the Lord forgive us?
Seventy-seven times?
His grace goes beyond that!
We have until the last day to receive His amazing grace.
The only thing that can prevent us from enjoying His grace and love and peace is our refusal to accept it.
PRAYER:
Lord, we need more reminders of Your amazing grace. Keep the vision of the crucified and resurrected lamb of God before our eyes and hearts!
It is the time between the harvest and the seed time. The people are gathered together for the various festivals. It was time spent in the presence of God. Not only were there sacrifices to remind them of their sins, but also the rejoicing what the Lord God had done for them.
Again and again, they sacrificed in the Festival of Tabernacles. Again and again the Lord God accepts the sacrifices – forgives the people of their sins. Year after year this happened – until Jesus Christ came along.
Everything here reminds man/us of our sinfulness but it is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ Who has made us/me whole and daily we/I need to be in His presence. It is He Who gives Life everlasting. I am in His presence at all times.
We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord
We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord
And we offer up to You the sacrifices of thanksgiving
And we offer up to You the sacrifices of joy