The First Sacrifice

Isaiah 53: 6 & 5

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. 

Every one of us has chosen to go our own way, instead of His way. We all have earned the paycheck of death, separation from God. But God loves us, and wants us to be with Him. This is a sticky dilemma. God cannot abide in the presence of anything that misses the mark (sin). 

So He has solved the riddle by agreeing to Himself pay the debt we all owe, so we can be cleansed and healed. Made fit to dwell with Him.

When Jesus came the first time, it was to be our "suffering Servant," to divest Himself of all His glory and majesty to submit to the treatment we deserve. He came to be the sacrificial Lamb of God. 

And His suffering and death also was the healing balm to restore our well-being in every area; physical, mental, psychological, spiritual, financial, environmental, every area. 

He came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. His life fulfilled the letter of all the laws God gave Moses, and His death fulfilled all the sacrificial laws, beginning with the first one listed in Leviticus chapter 1, the personal sacrifice.

He also fulfilled the corporate sacrifice given for the Nation, and His precious Blood was so powerful it covered the purchase of the whole Universe, all of us included. That means He is our Owner and rightful Judge. 

So if you consider that Jesus took your place in death, as though you were the only one, letting Him be your personal Sacrifice; then God accepted that offering on your behalf and granted you all the riches in Glory He has reserved for His own family.

But if you consider yourself one of many He died for, dividing up His sufferings and death, then you are still in the crowd of possessions, and still under judgment. 

God puts everything in order, and He gave the personal sacrifice first because that's the one each person was to offer first, to begin that walk with Him.

O my Father, thank You so much for sending Your own Son, our Lord, to be our personal Sacrifice to offer Himself on our behalf, paying our eternal debt, and cleansing and healing us perfectly, to fit us suitably to dwell with You. You are perfect, You are our standard for right and just and beautiful. Whatever is lovely and fair and wise and fun is from You. Whatever is evil or ugly or foolish or harmful in any way is the absence of Your presence in it. 

Thank You, Father, for Your own Holy Spirit to dwell in me to teach me, to lead me and guide me into Your Truth, along Your pathway for me; to strengthen me to do those things You have designed me to do, to be Your hands and Your feet in this World, doing Your work for Your glory and our benefit. 

Keep me humbly in Your hand, Father, making the most of the time You have granted me, to accomplish everything You have assigned me; sharing all You have given me with others who need You but don't yet know how desperate they are for You. 

And You will have all the credit, all the honor, all the glory for all You have done, are doing, and will complete.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!