Jesus Christ's own cousin, John the Baptist, prophesied with these words, "Behold, the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world!", the reason for Christ's first advent into our world. He came to be the long foretold sacrificial lamb for our sin, the once and for all sacrifice we would ever need, putting an end to ritual sacrifice for atonement of sin.
His disciples, His family members, His own people, were focused on the Old Testament prophesies of the Messiah as King. Surely, if Jesus Christ really was the prophesied Messiah, He would put an end to Roman rule and reestablish the kingdom of Israel. Jesus told them with His own mouth about His coming death, but they couldn't quite wrap their mind around it-couldn't make sense of it in the light of the Messianic prophesies about His rule and reign.
The Jews had been following the Levitical sacrificial system for atonement for sin for centuries upon centuries. Yet, they were blind to the fact that it was a foreshadowing of a perfect, sinless, spotless Lamb Who was to come. They could not comprehend that He came to do what no animal sacrifice was able to do. (Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, December 10th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)
still following,
Isn't it funny how they were there with Jesus and He gave them the true, but they still saw things how they wanted to. It makes me wonder, how much am I missing?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure we do the same thing all too often.
DeleteI think in some ways, we are still trying to shake the Levitical system. I think way deep down, we still think of faith as a system of checks and balances. It's a hard thing to let go of...I think it requires a continual acknowledgement of just how far off we are from leveling the scale.
ReplyDeleteSo very true!
DeleteAmen! He is coming again! Surely, it must be soon, as so many signs are pointing to His coming! It could be today!
ReplyDeleteEven so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!
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