8.33 God cannot gloss over our sins – justice must be satisfied
Coming before a fiery judge is a fearful experience. This was what Israel experienced at the foot of Mount Sinai when God was about to give the law. There was thundering and lightning. They trembled and they stood afar off. They also requested for a mediator. They were afraid that they would drop dead.
(Ex 20:18-19)
Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they TREMBLED and STOOD AFAR OFF. Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, LEST WE DIE.”
In the Old Covenant, the throne of God was called the mercy seat. It was a place where judgment was executed. It was a fearful thing for the priest to enter the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement because he may not come out alive if he made a mistake. But mercy was shown because of the sprinkling of the blood by the high priest. Thank God that mercy came through the blood that covered the sins of the nation before God their judge.
God desires for intimacy but this was not achieved under the Old Covenant. Today, many Christians still see God as their judge, and are fearful to come before His presence. They prefer to stand afar from Him. They prefer to find other people to act as their mediators instead of approaching Him directly through Christ. Have you felt that way before?
Even though God loves us and He desires for none to perish, He cannot gloss over our sins because justice is the foundation of His throne. God had to execute justice to punish the sinner. To deliver us, God would have to do it righteously so that His justice is satisfied. God cannot break His own laws.
There was a judge in a small town, whose son appeared in court for a speeding offence. As a judge, the father executed justice by imposing the maximum fine on his own son. The son did not have the means to pay. The father came down from his judgment seat, and paid the fine for his son. In doing so, he executed justice as a judge and he demonstrated his love as a father.
God’s justice demanded for our death. We have been found guilty. The only way to satisfy the justice of God would be to send His Son Jesus to take our place. In fact, Jesus would have to take the place of the whole mankind. Jesus could represent the whole world because we were created in Him. He could be our Lamb of God and our Savior.
(Ex 20:18-19)
Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they TREMBLED and STOOD AFAR OFF. Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, LEST WE DIE.”
In the Old Covenant, the throne of God was called the mercy seat. It was a place where judgment was executed. It was a fearful thing for the priest to enter the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement because he may not come out alive if he made a mistake. But mercy was shown because of the sprinkling of the blood by the high priest. Thank God that mercy came through the blood that covered the sins of the nation before God their judge.
God desires for intimacy but this was not achieved under the Old Covenant. Today, many Christians still see God as their judge, and are fearful to come before His presence. They prefer to stand afar from Him. They prefer to find other people to act as their mediators instead of approaching Him directly through Christ. Have you felt that way before?
Even though God loves us and He desires for none to perish, He cannot gloss over our sins because justice is the foundation of His throne. God had to execute justice to punish the sinner. To deliver us, God would have to do it righteously so that His justice is satisfied. God cannot break His own laws.
There was a judge in a small town, whose son appeared in court for a speeding offence. As a judge, the father executed justice by imposing the maximum fine on his own son. The son did not have the means to pay. The father came down from his judgment seat, and paid the fine for his son. In doing so, he executed justice as a judge and he demonstrated his love as a father.
God’s justice demanded for our death. We have been found guilty. The only way to satisfy the justice of God would be to send His Son Jesus to take our place. In fact, Jesus would have to take the place of the whole mankind. Jesus could represent the whole world because we were created in Him. He could be our Lamb of God and our Savior.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 9:52 PM
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