Revelations 22:12-21

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Read Revelations 22:12-21 Verses for meditation: Revelations 22:12-13, 16, 20-21 ESV: 12 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Reflect How does it feel to be reading the very last few verses of the bible? What do the proclamations, the last few of them, say about Christ? Come, Lord Jesus! Does this really express our desire? How does the greatest book end, and on what note? But is this really the end? Relate With mixed feelings, I'm writing this last devotion based on the final ten verses of the greatest book, the bible. What a journe...
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LEVITICUS 3; PSALM 58

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TITLE: God’s pain and pleasure

PASSAGE FOR REFLECTION

“If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord. 2 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and Aaron's sons the priests shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar. 3 And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as a food offering to the Lord, he shall offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 4 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire; it is a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Leviticus 3:1-5


REFLECT

The first seven chapters of Leviticus are detailed instructions on the elaborate system of offerings that was to be observed. Quite a lot of repetitions are made in the instructions. For example, in chapter 3, the instructions for the respective offerings of oxen, sheep or goats are repeated nearly word for word. This repetitive nature is probably to ensure that whichever animal is sacrificed, the sacrifice would be made in ways that are acceptable.  As we look more closely at the requirements for the sacrifices, we can observe similar themes that reflect our spiritual condition and God’s nature. In the peace offering and the food offering described in this chapter, the sacrifice is to be ‘without blemish’. This speaks of the requirement to give of the best and not the unwanted animals or the leftovers. The animal is to be slaughtered at the entrance of the meeting place with God. This speaks of the need for reconciliation with God before the people could come to God. The splashing of blood on the sides of the altar speaks of a peace offering that involves the exchange of life for life – the life blood of the animal in exchange for our lives. It reflects the severity of sin, that sin ultimately results in death, and the sinner’s life is only redeemed by a sacrifice of another life. The peace offering is a sombre ritual that acknowledges the seriousness of sin and our alienation from God.

Immediately after the peace offering is made however, the fat of the same animal is used to be burnt to offer a pleasing aroma to God. The animal that brings peace and reconciliation then brings pleasure to God.

The significance of the peace offering is clarified in the New Testament. Hebrews 10: 3 & 4 explains: “But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”  The peace offering was a foreshadowing of the real sacrifice – the death of the sinless Son of God, the most precious possession God had. It is the sacrifice of God’s own Son that brings reconciliation between God and us.

 

RELATE

The peace and food offerings tell us much about God’s nature and how He views us. We often overlook the fact of how much God longs for us to come to Him. We see coming to God more as an obligation, or as a time to ask for favours. But just consider this: God set up the Tent of Meeting so His people could come to Him, albeit the priests representing the people. God is not aloof. He wants to meet with His people. But despite His wanting to meet with His people, sin separated His people from Him. So God provided the solution. He sacrificed what was most precious to Him, His Son, to make access to Him possible. And the result of opening the door to us is pleasure for God. The food offering was sheer pleasure for God.

Our typical concept of God or of any deity is one who expects His creatures to find a way to Him, through offerings or good deeds. Our God desires us so much that, knowing our utter sinfulness and our inability to come to Him, offers the ultimate sacrifice to bring us to Him. God’s greatest pleasure is that we have full access to Him. In the hymn Beneath the Cross of Jesus, the song writer says, “And from my stricken heart with tears, two wonders I confess, the wonders of redeeming love, and my unworthiness.” If only we knew how much God longs for our presence with Him.


Chiu Ming Li

 

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