Sun.’s Devo - Forgiveness of Sins

Read: Ezekiel 20:1-49; Hebrews 9:11-28; Psalm 107:1-43; Proverbs 27:11 In the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, the leaders of Jerusalem came to Ezekiel to ask them what the Lord was saying. Ezekiel was enraged that they would ask since they had not listened to anything he had said in the past, and had persecuted him for the things he said. *** But, the Lord did have something to say to them. He told Ezekiel to bring charges against them and pronounce them condemned for the sins of their ancestors. He reminded them of the covenant God had given them when he took them out of Egypt. He said he wanted to give them the land of Israel, but they must get rid of all their Egyptian idols. When they refused, he threatened to pour out his fury on them. For the sake of his reputation, he didn’t destroy them. He didn’t want the nations who were watching to think that their God brought them out to destroy them. *** Israel continued to disobey the Lord. They violated his Sabbaths, rejected his laws and refused to follow his decrees. God warned their children not to follow in their parent’s footsteps, but they did. God wanted to give them life and prosperity, but instead they chose death. God then promised to scatter them among the nations because they refused to obey him. *** God had a question for these leaders who had come to Ezekiel for a word. He asked them if they intended to keep worshiping their idols and offering their first born as sacrifices? They had said that they wanted to be like the other nations and serve idols made of stone and wood. But they would not be able to do that because God would rule over them with an iron fist. He would bring them back to their land and they would stand before him in judgment. He will hold them to the covenant they made with him in the wilderness. He would purge them of those who rebelled against him and they would not be allowed to return to their land. Those who repented would return and be a pleasing sacrifice to him. *** Ezekiel was told to turn toward Jerusalem and prophesy against it. God would destroy it with fire. *** Hebrews tells us that when Christ died, he took his own blood up to heaven and offered it up on the altar in heaven. If the blood of animals could cleanse people’s bodies from sins, how much more can the blood of Christ cleanse our consciences from our sins. Not only does it do that but it sets us free from the penalty of our sins. *** The covenant God gave through Moses was their inheritance which was put into effect through the death of animals. Our new covenant was put into effect by the death of Christ. Moses taught us that blood purifies and without shedding blood, there is no forgiveness which is why the priest sprinkled everything with blood. The Tabernacle on earth was a copy of the one in heaven so it had to be purified also. Christ did it once and for all when he died. He carried his own blood to heaven and poured it on the altar in heaven, sanctifying the altar and removing our sins. Jesus will come again offering salvation to all who are waiting for him. *** Lord, thank you for your marvelous plan to save us. May we speak out and share your great love and plan of redemption for all who want it.