The Most Difficult Sacrifice Made Easy
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| John 4: 14 / 7: 38 |
Why do some people consider it 'ungodly' or ridiculous for God to become a man?
Where does this contention originate from?
Why do some people have an opinion claiming there was “no need” for God to become a man?
Simply put, this is the manner God established Himself as High Priest over the world, over all previous ideologies of man, and all previous manners of religious practice and thought.
Even prior to the Law being revealed through Moses (which details ritual sacrifice), blood sacrifice was already in the world and common place in several peoples, ancient Egypt being one such place in the east, and native peoples in the Americas in the west.
Some Biblical commentators claim the first sacrifice was when God provided clothes for Adam and Eve after they disobeyed God...which caused them to feel shame for their nakedness.
Perhaps the 'making' of a covering was another material manifestation over the now fallen spiritual beings, or perhaps it is a literal taking of animal flesh as covering.
Either way, explicit sacrifice is first mentioned in Genesis 4 when Cain brought certain portions from his animal flock in relation to an offering to God from man.
After Cain murdered Abel out of jealousy, the ground was cursed due to human blood being shed.
Prior to the law of retribution ('eye for an eye') being made clear through Moses and bound upon Israel, it was already existing and mentioned in the Hammurabi Code.
The idea of human sacrifice was also present well before the Hebrew religion began to influence its neighbors (or, as argument would have it, was influenced itself by previous peoples).
This is the context God had to bring mankind out of, starting with Adam's trespass, Cain's jealousy, the ground being cursed due to the sin of murder, and all the rest of humanity and man's nature.
The point that needs highlighting is the motivation behind sacrifice, and the understanding of sacrifice being mentioned, or demanded, in the first place.
Sacrifice has to do with loss, pain, reflection and many other things on the part of man.
It was a method to deal with such feelings and realities in the world, until God would provide yet another sacrifice Himself; this one lasting into eternity.
There is a purpose to recognize, and this is why sacrifice is logically abhorrent and insulting, even disgusting and arguably irrational (especially when the modern mind considers it, the practice being far removed for certain peoples of the world Today).
Regardless of how one desires to decipher ancient sacrifice, for the purpose of this article, sacrifice has transcended the external physical manner for the internal submission.
Today's sacrifice, in the Light of Christ, is individually and spiritually, and the only blood to be shed (if it came down to violence) is that of the believer's own blood, not of those beyond himself...neither the believer's enemies (those exacting violence upon the believer).
Regarding the manner God provided the eternal sacrifice that ended all such blood requirements, and provided an eternal forgiveness by His Hand, I suggest reading Isaiah 43 and Hebrews 5 in their entirety.
To explore through exegesis and in summary, Isaiah 43 depicts and describes 'who' God is and who He will be revealed to be on earth (I Am Who I Am / I Will Be Who I Will Be / Revelation 1: 8).
The Old Covenant is replete with prophecies, and Isaiah (among others) mentions the prophecies of Messiah and describes 'how' this Messiah will be known and what His purpose shall be.
Isaiah 43 describes how God is the only Savior for the believer, while in Hebrews (chapter five especially and throughout the New Testament) we read about the fulfillments of these prophecies.
We read of God doing something 'new' in Isaiah:
See, I Am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I Am making a Way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
- Isaiah 43: 19Notice how John the Baptist was sent before the Lord and for what purpose:
The beginning of the good news about Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send My messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your Way” —
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for Him.’ ”
- Mark 1: 1-3Returning to Isaiah 43, we read about the Lord being described as the sole Savior:
“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and My servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe Me
and understand that I Am He.
Before Me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after Me.
I, even I, Am the Lord,
and apart from Me there is no savior.
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I Am God.
Yes, and from Ancient Days I Am He.
No one can deliver out of My hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”
- Isaiah 43: 10-13Notice how God explicitly describes how before His appearance in the flesh that 'no god was formed' and that no god will be formed after Him.
This is significant and quite revealing.
In very explicit terms it explains that the Lord will appear, and will be God.
Notice it was the early disciples / apostles / Christians who were His witnesses that He was God (I Am He).
But you will receive Power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
- Acts 1: 8To explore how necessary it was for God Himself to provide an everlasting sacrifice, Hebrew 5 explores the reasons in detail.
We read the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies, and about this "new thing" mentioned therein:
Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the Source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
- Hebrews 5: 8-9Thus, Yeshua Christ became the Source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
The purpose for God becoming a man; for sacrifice of the vessel of that man (the flesh).
Earlier in Hebrews, we read how 'perfection' was achieved:
In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what He suffered.
- Hebrews 2: 10What was it exactly that Yeshua 'suffered'?
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross.
- Philippians 2: 8And since it is Messiah who is the Savior revealed, who else provides salvation if not God who came in the flesh as promised?
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth...
...No one has ever seen God, but the One and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.
- John 1: 14, 18How important is the Name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit - Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) - and the sacrifice God provided?
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
- Acts 4: 12So as you can see, God becoming a man was God's plan of salvation for mankind...according to the Scripture and its fulfillment.
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