ちょっとさばしいですねえ、、、

So, I'm reading through the book of Leviticus. Upon starting this book, the spirit has illuminated me quite profoundly.

If you were back in those ages, there is no possible way you could deny how badly man deserved to be condemned and how great God's mercy is upon mankind. Why? Just look at the sacrifices man and priest had to partake in. It was literally a bloodbath.

When an animal sacrifice was made, the animal had to be "prepared" in a certain way. I won't go too into detail, but it consisted of gutting its innards, or wringing its head off, or slicing it up in a certain manner. Then the blood (oh yes, the blood) had to be utilized in a certain way, whether it was sprinkling or pouring the blood of an animal onto a part of the altar.

Try to imagine that. Try to imagine yourself partaking in this kind of sacrifice. Back then, that animal was an atonement for your sins. Basically, if you weren't under the merciful hand of God, you'd be undergoing the same kind of graphic treatment and pain. If I were partaking in animal sacrifice, I'd imagine myself mustering up all my strength just to be able to kill the animal, let alone gut it and skin it. My gag reflex would probably be having a party. I can't imagine being the priest, having to see and practice these kinds of sacrifices all the time. I'd be covered in the blood of animals.

I then ask myself "how could anyone back then not fathom the depths of their sin, just seeing what these animals undergo in order to pardon those sins? How could anyone not maintain a reverent and repentant state of mind for such an all-powerful God?"

But such is the nature of sin that is manifested in man. How loving God was for us, that he sent a perfect human to undergo the exact same type of torture for the redemption of all the other absolutely sinful humans.

How he loves us so.