Topic: A Perfect Sacrifice [Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 21 December 2019]

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Leviticus 22:17-21

In the Law, God gave the Jews strict rules regarding sacrificial animals. Each was to be without defect, or He wouldn’t accept it—in fact, when the Israelites offered blind, lame, and sick animals, the Lord angrily called them to account (Mal. 1:8).

The early system of spilling blood to cover sin foreshadowed the Father’s ultimate redemption plan: He gave His Son to die in the place of corrupt men and women (John 3:16). To be an acceptable sacrifice, His Son would have to be perfect too, and only a member of the Trinity would be able to remain sinless in life on earth.

But divinity could not be bestowed on a child after birth. That is, the sacrificial Lamb needed to be both God and man from the moment of conception. So Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and came from heaven to Mary’s womb without human intervention. Unlike every child born of a woman and a man, Jesus arrived by the Holy Spirit, untouched by Adam’s original sin.

Our salvation depends upon Jesus’ flawless nature because, as God made clear to the Israelites, only a perfect sacrifice would do. Jesus was the perfect Lamb, unblemished in every way, and that’s why God accepted Christ’s sacrifice. The way we lay claim to the offering made on our behalf is by placing faith in Him.

Do you trust that God’s demand for justice was met through Jesus’ death? Do you believe that His death frees you from the condemnation your sins otherwise deserved? If you’re unsure, take a moment to reflect on God’s sacrifice, and ask Him to guide your heart.

Bible in One Year: Hebrews 12-13