Being Possessed with an Eternal Perspective
The only wealth that will last, forever, is that which is gained by obeying God in this life – thereby laying up treasure in Heaven.
True worshipers of the One who gave all rejoice to give a portion back to the LORD who provides all we have had, do have, and ever will have (James 1:17).
Are you truly trusting God for your provision?
“Without Faith it is Impossible to Please Him” Hebrews 11:6
Our LORD Jesus teaches:
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
First off, please realize that Christ didn’t teach us here not to lay up treasures, but He did instruct us where to lay them up. He actually commands us here to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
God so loved that He gave and the giver experiences the joy Christ gives in doing that which is “more blessed” than withholding – “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) God didn’t withhold but rather gave that we might have life and we should give to obey Him and that others might be blessed (John 3:16). Conversely, the person who withholds where he should give will reap accordingly. God’s Word informs us that “the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
What has one truly given up when he gives liberally or bountifully to the work of the eternal Gospel? Here are a few things we should consider concerning what is accomplished when we give financially to Christ’s work in the earth… When we give, we:
- Avert eternal judgment by giving away what we cannot keep to obtain what we cannot lose – in Heaven “where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt.” (Matt. 6:19) Hoarding is sin (see James 5:1-4).
- Alleviate the worry of “thieves” who “break through and steal.” (Matt. 6:19)
- Giving frees the soul to serve and love God and not money.
- Giving keeps covetousness and greed at bay.
- When we give, we give up that which can hold us back from laying up the treasure that will never stop giving – “treasures in heaven.” (Matt. 6:20)
- Giving helps us to set our affection on heavenly things and not the things on the earth in order to direct our whole heart upward to the LORD because “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21; Col. 3:1-4)
Jesus is specifically speaking of financial giving in many of His teachings. Our giving is a measure of what is truly in our hearts. Remember His parables? What about Luke 12 and 16? Have you read these lately?
According to Jesus’ teachings, coveting, greedily going after, and laying up treasure in this world will prevent one from the treasure of Heaven (Mark 10:23-25; Matthew 6:19-24; 1 Timothy 6:6-12, etc.).
Liberal or Generous Giving
Some wonder why they always run out of money and this indicates the great need to be a better steward of the money you obtain in this life. Complaining about not having enough is an invalid complaint if you have wasted what you did have. Wanting God to give us more when we have wasted and squandered what He already gave us is futile. We will lose it if we don’t rightly use it and that’s what Jesus taught in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25).
Hoarding or withholding is the opposite of liberality and generosity in heart and therefore in giving. Hoarding is the manifestation of unbelief (lack of trust in God) and selfishness. Unbelief is the root of all sin and will lead to eternal damnation (Heb. 3-4). Elijah trusted the LORD in the desert and He fed him by ravens (1 Kings 17:1-7). The LORD always provides and told us not to be as those without Him (heathen).
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:25-35
The happiest people are giving people. Lust gets love gives. People who trust God are not up tight. They are rather at peace. Joy comes from trusting and relying upon the LORD Almighty who has never in history failed one of His servants.
As a result of trusting the LORD we are free to be generous givers. God’s Word tells us that “the righteous giveth and spareth not.” (Prov. 21:26)
“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.” Proverbs 11:24-26
Those who scatter (plant seed liberally) increase while those who withhold come to spiritual poverty. A“curse” comes upon those who withhold and “blessing” upon those who release.
“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Luke 6:30-31
Hoarding is Sin
WHAT do you have against God’s work prospering? Is the spread of the Word of God important to you? If so, please give to those who are feeding you as the LORD says such is your personal responsibility in participating in His work in this late hour (Galatians 6:6; Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35, 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 Corinthians 9:1-14, etc.).
There is no sin in having wealth in this earth yet according to God’s Word to withhold undue portions is sin (Mark 12:41-44).
“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire (hell). Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days (the end of your tyranny is near – agony awaits if you don’t repent).” James 5:1-4
Friend, are you truly willing to listen to what the LORD you claim to serve said about giving? If not, perhaps we are lawless in heart and suppose to be making up our own religion instead of bowing humbly in obedience under the lordship of Christ (Matt. 21:44; Jn. 12:24-26). He made it clear that only those who do His will know Him and will reign with Him in eternity (Matt. 7:21-23; Jn. 14:15, 21).
Jesus spoke about a widow who gave “all” even though she gave much less monetarily than those rich religious men. The Son of God who surveys how and what (how much) we give said of this woman – “of her want (lack; poverty) did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” (Mk. 12:44) Have you stopped to meditate on this lesson Jesus gave us? What the poor widow did in giving all that she had out of her own lack, took much more faith than the rich religionists who cast in much out of their overflowing coffers. – “Without faith it is impossible to please him” and it doesn’t take much faith to cast in such a small percentage of what we possess because we have that temporal money to fall back on – to rely on instead of trusting God as Provider. Think about it – isn’t this why Jesus told us that very few rich people will go to Heaven? (Mk. 10:17-31; Heb. 11:6) A rich person who is not a liberal giver can insulate himself from needing God because of the wealth he is able to wield at any problem or need that arises. He finds himself in few positions that corner him into crying out to the LORD in deep and utter desperation. Such a position is to be pitied not coveted. Read 1 Timothy 6:6-17.
“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” Mark 12:41-44
When Jesus chose to go into the fellowship meeting of people who supposedly gathered to glorify God, He found some interesting things. Where did He choose to sit? – “Jesus sat over against the treasury (the place where people gave monetary offerings).” What was He looking for? – “Jesus…beheld how the people cast money into the treasury.” What did Christ discover? – “many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.” What was the conclusion of what He observed? – “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”
It was no strain for the rich to cast in what was a sizeable financial gift.
It was a real faith sacrifice for the poor widow woman to cast in all that she possessed. In this the LORD was pleased. This is the kind of faith in giving that impresses God. King David said “neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.” (2 Sam. 24:24)
“Rich Toward God”
“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Proverbs 13:7
We are all being weighed in the balance by the eternal God. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever and watches how and how much we give (Mk. 12:41-44; Heb. 13:8). He wants our hearts – our whole lives. When our hearts are truly His, so will be our monies (Matt. 6:21).
What is your real net worth? How does God determine your net worth? In eternal terms, right? – “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” (Matt. 6:20) What is your true net worth – in eternal terms? There are those, even ones who claim to be following Christ, who in heart think themselves to be “well off” or “set.” Instead of giving more to further the cause of the Gospel, in their prosperity they have said in their hearts “This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee…” (Lk. 12:18-20)
The absurdity of this depraved thinking is that these same people have not much visible fruitfulness consistent with the true Christian life as defined by the reality of Holy Scripture (Gal. 5:22-23). The fruit or evidence of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling a person is “love, joy, peace…” Love isalways – without fail – giving (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 13). So what is their true net worth in the eyes of the One whom they and all of us will soon stand before to give account for every intent of heart and work done in the flesh in this fleeting earthly life? Are we open to allowing the Judge to answer this for Himself?
“And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:13-21
According to Jesus Christ, those who build fleeting wealth in this world without being “rich toward God” are hell bound. – “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Lk. 12:20) See also Luke 16:19-31.
The rich will not be penalized because they possess earthly monetary wealth, yet if they do not aggressively and diligently find people and ministries to give it to, God will judge them – “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Tim. 6:17-19)
Note here in Luke 12 what the Master calls the one who seeks earthly treasures apart from being “rich toward God” – “thou fool.”
- “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to obtain what he cannot lose.” Missionary and martyr for Jesus, Jim Elliott
Jim Elliott had little in the way of material wealth in his earthly life, but what treasures do you think he possesses now and forevermore in Heaven?
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
“Nothing in life is insignificant or trivial when weighed in the balance of eternal justice.” FB Meyer
Jesus here (Luke 12) warns us to “beware of covetousness” and informs us that a man’s significance and true net worth is not based upon (has nothing to do with) what his financial bottom line is on earth – “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Lk. 12:15)The true believer must endeavor to see all of life through the eyes of the eternal One ho is the Author of all life. This is only possible through an intimate relationship with Him, he Holy Ghost, and observing “the thoughts of heart” which has been given to “all generations” in His written Counsel (Ps. 33:11).
Those born again from above can “see” the kingdom through Heaven’s eyes (Jn. 3:3). Never judge a man or woman by what their financial state is in this passing life. Ever see the bumper sticker that says “Don’t Laugh, My Treasure is in Heaven”? Is there truth in this statement? Yes. Where is your treasure? Remember that heart affections and treasures are linked by Christ who stated “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21)
The Holy Spirit instructs the saint to “withdraw thyself” from those who equate financial gain with being godly – who say that “gain is godliness.” (1 Tim. 6:3-5) Note: You will need to study this passage in 1 Timothy 6 from the Authorized Version (KJV) because the artificial versions have perverted the text by removing Christ’s instruction to His people to withdraw themselves from such false teaching. The phrase “from such withdraw thyself” is in the original Greek, but Satan didn’t want the LORD’s people to have this truth (Mk. 4:15). The LORD graciously preserved His Word as He promised in the KJV (Ps. 12:6-7). For this we give Him thanks! For a deeper study of this topic go to the “Bible Versions” button on the ministry site www.SafeGuardYourSoul.com.
Christ instructed us to “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (Jn. 7:24) The reader who is a disciple of Jesus Christ should here and now bow and repent for having ever judged another person using any other criteria than God’s Word and how Christ came to earth to pay the price for each of us who are spiritual paupers (1 Tim. 1:15). A fitting prayer could be as such: LORD Jesus, thank You for dying for my sins without which I would have no hope here or hereafter. Without You I can do nothing and have nothing. At this moment and here forward, I choose not to ever judge anyone (including myself) by shallow things such as what someone has on or what kind of car they drive or place they live in. Amen.
James tells us that we “are become judges of evil thoughts” and “convinced of the law as transgressors” if we size people up by their momentary monetary worth. Please read this following passage prayerfully and closely, asking Christ what He would have you to personally learn in what He is speaking here:
“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.” James 2:1-9
God bless you child of His – to number your days, realizing that your time on this earth is short to prove your love for Him by keeping a loose hold on this temporal world, escaping the lure thereof and laying up treasure in heavenly places for eternal blessings to abound. – “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Ps. 90:12)
Praising Him in Much or in Little
Look at this golden passage from the prophet Habakkuk:
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” Habakkuk 3:17-19
Let us resolve to never base our praise for the eternal God upon how much or how little in the way of material possessions we currently possess. I will worship and praise His holy name who is my wealth -whether in much or in little. Paul the apostle said “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Phil. 4:11)
PRAYER: Father, please strike my heart with Thy holy fear. I delight to do Thy will LORD. Jesus I choose this day forward to emulate You in being a giver. You loved and gave Your very life blood for my sins on the cross and for this I thank You my Savior. Teach me to understand that my days are numbered in this life and to build for the eternal future glory of Your holy kingdom and name. In Jesus’ name, amen. Glory to God forever!
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Abiding
The Song of Moses: God’s Favor upon His People [podcast]

“And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.” Deuteronomy 31:30
Everything we read of the children of Israel was pointing to Christ and to His perfect salvation He would later come and accomplish and bestow upon His beloved people, the body of Christ which is “the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:16) And so this song is written to us (Romans 15:4; Corinthians 10:11).
At the end of his days, at the end of the 5 books he penned, God gives us through Moses a summation of His salvation work among His beloved people.
“He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. 11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. 13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; 14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.” Deuteronomy 32:10-14
“32:10-14 The birth and childhood of the nation of Israel are described in verse 10. After the Exodus from Egypt, God guided, instructed, and preserved His people with the love of a mother eagle (v. 11). There was no foreign god who had a part in Israel’s preservation. Why then should the nation turn to idolatry and ascribe the goodness of Jehovah to another? Beginning in verse 13, the song is prophetic. He brought them into the blessings of the Promised Land.” Believer’s Bible Commentary
“Deuteronomy 32:10
a [He found him in a desert land …] The sevenfold preservation of Israel:
1. God found (literally, sustained) him in the wilderness (Deu_32:10).
2. He led him around (Deu_32:10-12).
3. He instructed him (Deu_32:10).
4. He kept him as the apple (pupil) of His eye.
5. He preserved him from idolatry (Deu_32:12).
6. He exalted him among the nations (Deu_32:13).
7. He gave him material prosperity (Deu_32:13-14).
b [apple of his eye] Hebrew: ’iyshown (H380), the dark pupil of the eye; the hole, gate, or door of the eye (Psa_17:8; Pro_7:2)” Dake
“Deuteronomy 31:30-32:14
MOSES’ SONG: THE LORD’S FAVOR UPON ISRAEL
The song of Moses, like the fabled song of the swan, was his last and sweetest. It is probably the noblest ode in the whole compass of the Bible, and is the source from which subsequent singers derived suggestions for their noblest outbursts. The marginal references prove how deeply it dyed the national sentiment.
It excels in the names and designations of the Almighty. He is the Rock: Deu_31:4; Deu_31:15; Deu_31:18; Deu_31:30; Jehovah: Deu_31:6; Father: Deu_31:6; the Most High: Deu_31:8; God: El, the strong, Deu_31:15, etc. What a study are the names of God, scattered through the Bible! Each was coined to meet some need of the human soul. What the rocks of the desert are to its shifting sands God is amid the changes of this mortal existence.
This earlier part of the song is very tender. We are God’s portion; the apple of His eye; as young eaglets, whom the mother-bird is carefully teaching to fly, the favored recipients of God’s richest gifts, Deu_31:13, etc.” FB Meyer
Notice the descriptive language, the metaphors—how the LORD illustrates how He loves, protects, and provides for His people. In Scripture, the LORD uses imagery to communicate truth.
“Moses’ song and what our LORD reveals in this message, is such a beautiful picture of God finding us in our hopeless, miserable, and lost state. He pulls us out of the miry clay and gives us His supply of grace. He then clothes us with His righteousness, seating us in heavenly places in Christ and surrounding us with His care and protection. God’s love and goodness to us.” Karen Cochran
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will
say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my
God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee
from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome
pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers,
and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall
be thy shield and buckler.” Psalms 91:1-4
Read Psalm 91 often so this truth permeates you. Here the LORD uses the imagery of His “winged fowl” creation (Genesis 1:21). GOD made this very creature/bird for the express purpose of showing us how much He loves us and how He comforts, cares and provides for, guides, and protects His own (Psalms 91:1).
“The Song of Moses is recorded in Deuteronomy 32 of the King James Version (KJV), spanning verses 1 through 43. It is a prophetic poem given by Moses to the children of Israel just before his death, serving as a witness and a reminder of God’s faithfulness and Israel’s potential turning away.”
Prayer: Father, please grant that I know and understand You more and more. I love You LORD. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Articles
Jesus in Every Book of the Bible

First and foremost, God’s Word was written to reveal Christ.
The Bible is said to be “The only Book where the divine Author is present every time you read it.”
He’s divinely encoded and present on every page of His Word.
“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” Luke 24:44
Every book of the Bible is about the LORD Jesus, who is the central theme, the sacred substance of all of Holy Scripture. If we miss Him, we miss everything, we miss the grand subject and revelation of God’s Word.
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” John 5:39-40
This makes it clear that we can “search the scriptures,” we can know them, and yet not know the Author.
They knew the Word of God but did not know the God of the Word. They made the choice not to “come to” Jesus thorugh His Word. They made it about themselves, not Jesus.
The Bible is one Book from one divine Author. The divisions are there to help us navigator His Word. – Old and New Testaments, chapters, verses, etc.
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalms 119:18
The supreme and most important “wondrous” thing we are to behold in Holy Writ, is Jesus Christ.
Amen. Jesus Christ is King of all kings, LORD of all lords.
“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:7-8
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Articles
Redemption Through Christ’s Sacrifice [podcast]

The Glories
of the
Scarlet Thread
(Few things could be this important to your spiritual life)
Of the scarlet of redemption, one writer notes:
“The Wonder of Redemption: The blood is the power of redemption and you will see this as we follow through the Bible from the beginning to the end of God’s revelation of Himself to man as recorded in the Bible.”
“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:12-14
The great apostle of Jesus declared the Gospel to us:
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
The Fall of Man
The Good News is so good due to the very bad news of our fall.
“Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: … Therefore as by the offence of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” Romans 5:12, 18
When the man and woman whom God had created chose to sin against Him, He separated them from His presence. They attempted to cover their nakedness by sewing fig leaves together and girding them around their waists (Genesis 2:7). This was man’s attempt to cover his own sin and shame.
“The aprons of fig leaves speak of man’s attempt to save himself by a bloodless religion of good works.” William MacDonald
God did not honor the fig leaves so He shed the blood of animals to make them “coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Because He had already foretold that His Son would be sent to redeem the fallen race (Genesis 3:15), God chose to depict the sacrifice that the coming Redeemer would make by the sacrifice of innocent animals. The atonement for the man and woman by the sacrifice of these animals pointed to the prophesied Savior who would later come and personally shed His blood to atone for the sins of His creation which had been contaminated by sin.
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” Ezekiel 22:30
This Scripture above speaks to the utter need and absolute divine exclusivity and uniqueness of Christ.
From the cradle of creation through the dispensation of the Mosaic law, in Christ’s redemptive blood on Calvary’s cross, and throughout eternity future, we see that in the Creator’s economy it is blood that quenches the fire of His holy vengeance.
“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is NO remission.” Hebrews 9:22
God obviously instructed Adam and Eve to sacrifice animals to continue to cover their sin because their son Abel brought “the firstlings of his flock” at the time of sacrifice (Genesis 4:4).
The blood sacrifice that Abel offered to God was accepted because it demonstrated faith in the coming Redeemer.
When Israel was in bondage God informed the nation that each family was to shed the blood of an unblemished lamb and place the blood upon their doorposts before He delivered them from Egypt (Exodus 12). He said that this blood would save them from His wrath. The unblemished lamb was a type of the spotless Lamb of God which was to come to be slain (1 Peter 1:19), saving those who would receive Him, from the wrath of God (Romans 5:9).
Not Just Any Blood
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem…” Galatians 4:4-5

Sin separated men from their holy Maker and God (Isaiah 59:2). Under the law God instructed the nation of Israel to approach Him by the sacrifice of animals. The sins of the people were atoned for by the blood of animals because this demonstrated faith in the prophesied and coming Redeemer (Leviticus 16:34, 17:11). In Leviticus 16 there is a twofold typology of Christ found. Aaron, the priest of Israel, was to take two goats to atone for the sins of the people (Lev. 16:8-10). One of these two goats was used as a “sin offering” and the other for a “scapegoat.” The “sin offering” goat that was sacrificed was a type of Christ who would later shed His blood, “offering Himself without spot to God” (Hebrews 9:14). His blood, which was depicted here in the blood of the animal, was to be the ultimate price for atonement (at-one-ment) that the Father required for the removal of the sins of the fallen race. The word “scapegoat” here literally means the goat of departure. Concerning this live goat of departure, the LORD instructed Aaron to lay both hands upon him and confess all the sins and iniquities of Israel upon him and then send him away into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:20-22). This goat, the scapegoat, was a type of Christ in that it would carry the sins of God’s people away from them. It would separate them from sin so that their sin wouldn’t separate them from God. This is a type of Christ in that He was to come and shed His perfect blood to “take away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
Jesus cried: “Why hast thou forsaken me?” (Psalms 22:1; Matthew 27:46)
“It was the human body which God had given Him. It was the sacrifice that cried-the Lamb about to die! The Son of Man knew Himself forsaken. God dumped that vast, filthy, slimy mass of human sin on the soul of the Savior-and then backed away.” A.W. Tozer.
“Wow! All that filth was ours! Jesus was our ultimate sacrifice! And Isaiah says in 53:10 that it ‘pleased the Lord to bruise Him.’ This was God’s divine plan that Jesus would be the sacrifice for our sins so we could have redemption and reconciliation with God. We cannot understand the depths of this kind of love for us! All we can do is praise Jesus! And love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37), and obey and follow Him all the days of our lives! All praise to You Jesus for loving us this much!” Karen Cochran
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This prophetic pattern continued to cover the sins of His people from the time of the fall until the One whom these sacrifices foreshadowed appeared (Hebrews 10). Those in Israel who truly loved the LORD fervently anticipated the arrival of the prophesied Messiah a Lamb of God. About 4,000 years after man had fallen, a prophet named John the Baptist, saw Jesus approaching and declared “Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). It was the fullness of time and the Father had sent the promised Redeemer into the earth to “take away the sin of the world.” The sacrifices that once atoned for Israel would now be superseded by the one sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son (Hebrews 10:1-23). His pure and spotless blood would now be shed to remove the sins of the world. The Lamb which was slain before the foundation of the world (in the mind of God) was now manifest in the flesh to redeem mankind from his sinful and separated state (Revelation 13:8; John 1:14). He became the “propitiation” (atoning sacrifice) for our sins (1 John 2:2).
Just before He went to His ordained altar, the cross, to be offered up for the sin of the world, Jesus said;
“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28
As is clearly announced in the God-breathed New Testament records, redemption, remission, and the forgiveness of sins comes only from the blood of Jesus, the one and only Redeemer of men (Ephesians 1:7).
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7
THE ULTIMATE AND FINAL SACRIFICE
He who knew no sin became the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21).
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30
It was out of the riches of His mercy and grace that our sins have been remitted by the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Note the finality of language He uses to convince you of this in the following passage:
“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God…For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified…. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” Hebrews 10:12-22
Not only does the blood of Jesus take away/remove the sins of the one who personally receives Him, but also the guilt that is always coupled with sin (Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:9). What great salvation!
“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” Revelation 1:5
His blessed sinless divine blood is available to those who will simply “Come” to Him as He invites them to do … before and in order to be saved AND afterward, that fount is always available during this season …. (Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:14-16)! Anyone else thankful and happy about “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” today? (1 Peter 1:18-19)
For a topical study of deeper proportions on this subject, see The Blood of Jesus.
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“Amen! Words cannot express our thanks in what our Lord Jesus has done on the Cross for us, His suffering. We thank You Lord for all you have done, though we are undeserving, we thank you so much. Otherwise I would be lost, on my way to hell w/out your salvation.” Paula L.
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