Leviticus! Here we are! I once heard someone say that if they only had two hours to live, they would start reading Leviticus because it would make those two hours seem like days. Maybe! But in the details are some soul-enriching truths! In this morning’s reading of chapters 1-4, God details the procedures for several types of offerings.
In all the detail, two phrases stood out to me and were repeated several times; “…a pleasing aroma to the LORD,” and “…making them right with the LORD…they will be forgiven.” Yes, God is Holy, and Israel was sinful. But that didn’t stop God from wanting to dwell with His people! So God made a way! A way for sinful people to be made right with a Holy God.
As I thought about this system of sacrifices, how it pleased God, and how God granted forgiveness, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus in these following verses.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19–22, NLT)
Jesus, what a breath of fresh air in a toxic world full of sin and darkness! Jesus, how He calms the heart and clears the conscience of guilt! Jesus, how He makes us clean through His blood so that we are accepted by God! Jesus, the new and life-giving way! Believers, this is our God, this is who He is…let’s rejoice!
Instant acceptance and reconciliation!
Us humans may sometimes hold a grudge or be offended a bit before we reconcile a wrong. Praise God Jesus made a way for us to be covered, and a way to soften our hearts for forgiveness as God does. That is a sweet aroma isn’t it. ❤️