Can you imagine the shock Adam and Eve experienced when God killed that first lamb in the garden? These were the very animals that God put Adam in charge of naming and protecting. Adam and Eve knew only peace in the garden; there was no death yet as there were no predators or prey yet. This lamb was the first animal to die. It must have been both brutal and horrifying as the sheep bleated and its blood flowed.
A Visual Reminder of the Coming Lamb
The lamb’s death was a picture of the sacrifice to come. It was a visual reminder that Jesus would one day shed his blood for us. Every time people in the Old Testament sacrificed an animal, it was a reminder of what was coming…of Who was coming.
In our Western 21st Century mindset, we kind of romanticize the sacrificial system in the Old Testament. But can you imagine if you had to travel to a certain location and butcher a lamb every time you wanted God’s forgiveness? We forget how easy we have it. Today, our mediator (Jesus) sits in heaven, just a whispered prayer or thought away. We can find forgiveness and grace with just a prayer.
For there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.
I Timothy 2:5 NLT
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
I John 1:9
The Practice of Our Faith
In certain ways, the practice of our faith is so much easier than what others have had to deal with. We no longer have to sacrifice animals for our forgiveness; we just have to ask for it. We no longer have to try to find God’s Word and memorize it to keep hold of it. All of us own at least one copy of the Bible, and most of us have access to a phone where we can read the Bible. Add to that, there are thousands of Bible studies, devotionals, and plans online we can read and study. There are churches on nearly every corner in our country. We don’t face persecution in the US, and we can connect daily with other believers all around the world. Being a Christian or a follower of Jesus has never been easier.
One Day
The Old Testament sacrificial system was never meant to last; it was only to point to the future, to remind people that the perfect Lamb was coming. He would die a brutal death, but He would rise again and conquer death and the power of sin.
What’s that mean for us today? One day, God will make everything right in our broken world. But until that time, we have everything we need for this life of faith within our grasp. We have grace, forgiveness, peace, and love…and it all comes to us from our Mediator, Jesus. Tap into that power source and find what you need in Him today.
More Encouragement
For more encouragement, check out my post, Freedom from the Shame that Says I’m Not Enough. A great resource is Unmasked: Overcoming the Shame that Says You’re Not Enough.
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