I am now in the last book of the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy. From Genesis up to here, I can only thank God on how he opened my eyes to give me a glimpse and better understanding of his character. Psalm 9:10 says that those who know God's name will trust in him, for he has never forsaken those who seek him. It is indeed fundamental and vital for a Christian's to walk in maturity to know who God is. The more we know about God, the more we gain insight into our total depravity as sinful and undeserving men, in contrast to a holy and merciful God.
When the Lord impressed upon me to do another cover to cover read on Old and New Testament (NT), I recall praying that he let me see Christ in each word, each verse, each story starting from Adam to Moses (as I am currently in Deuteronomy). To live and breathe and feed in the Scriptures was what I was after in starting this journey to read the bible from cover to cover again. It will do me no harm, and nothing is worth more my time and effort than to spend it re-reading God's Word over and over again till he calls me home.
True enough he has been gracious in answering that prayer to see Christ clearly. I can see Christ in parallel to the events that have been written in the Old Testament. Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son, Isaac mirrors that of God the Son and God the Father. The Israelites's rebellion and stubbornness after the LORD has mightily delivered them from the bondage of Egypt towards the Promised Land speaks of our hearts towards God today. The circumcision of flesh that was decreed in the OT in parallel to the circumcision of the heart in the NT. The whole OT is indeed a preparation, a sort of reflection, of God's overall redemptive plan to save his elect through Jesus Christ.
Salvation from God's wrath and justice is all by grace (meaning, you cannot work for it lest ye boast before God of your merits to attain such a great thing), through faith (that whosoever 'believes' = have faith in him, will not perish but have everlasting life) in Christ Jesus.
What greater thing God has given us than in giving us His only Son as a perfect atonement for our sins? Left alone to ourselves sinning our way to hell, and he would not be loving. But then again, simply forgiving us who are trespassers of his holiness without any sacrifice or payment of fines would make him an unjust God.
And I tell you, you will want that God be a Just God. Why?
Imagine if your loved one was brutally murdered. Naturally, you file a case against the murderer and that murderer is now on trial on the court for his crime. In the court room, Although the murderer is surely guilty of the crime, he now tries to plead his case to the judge and say, "Oh judge, forgive me for my crime. I know killing another person is wrong but please forgive me for I will not do it again!". Then the judge acquits the criminal because of this plea. Now, what would you think of that judge? You would say he is corrupt, he is unjust, you would plead that he be removed from office! You would cry out Justice must be served!
We have sinned against God and his laws in a similar way that we have murdered another being. All sin against him is a trespass against his holiness, against his perfect morality. We are, in the sense, that murderer standing before the judge on the trial court. Someone must pay the price of the committed crime. And indeed Someone had! Jesus Christ on the cross! He paid the high and lofty price we could only spend eternity in hell paying for if we try to pay it our selves.
There is a popular saying that goes around these days and it says: God will make a way.
I say, oh Yes! He did make a Way.
God made a Way, in fact, the Only Way (John 14) for us to be reconciled to him...and it is through His Son, Jesus Christ.
When Jesus died on the cross He bore our sin for us and nailed it to the cross. So that God the Father, who is thrice holy, almighty, all powerful, all encompassing, can administer his Justice against sin (because we have sinned against him) and he poured out every ounce of Justice and wrath against sin IN CHRIST when He died on the cross. It is paid in full! God is Love, and God is Just, and God is Holy. These are all satisfied in the Cross.
Now, like the Roman jailer who was guarding the Apostle Paul and Silas in prison trembled and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
Their reply was "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved - you and your household."
Without Christ's perfect sacrifice on the cross, all that's left for us would be a fearful Judgment of a Just God in the end.
Praise be to God for Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:4 says,
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."Surely, our hope is found and cannot be undermined when we remember what Christ has saved us From, and what Christ has saved us For.
