God is and always has been jealous for His sacramental signs. In ancient Israel He rebuked them for misusing the sacrifices and offerings. His jealousy flared when His people treated such ordinances as ways to buy God off. The vain heart thinks that offering a pure lamb upon the temple altar would put God at arm’s length. God is angry with sin. Quick! Let’s make some sacrifices in order to chase off our God, whom we’ve angered.
These sacrifices, when misread, became a greater damnation upon God’s people. He tells them by the prophets that He never desired rivers of blood. The burnt offerings were meant to be the means of assuring Israel that God had drawn close to them, not the way to get Him off their case. The pagans viewed sacrifices as ways to appease vindictive gods. They didn’t want the gods to come down from their celestial mountains, for then only mischief and heartache would be left in their capricious wake.
But Israel’s God gave these sacrifices for quite an opposite purpose. He gave them as a covenant feast to be enjoyed between a benevolent and merciful King and His beloved and loyal people.
We must not fall into a similar trap. This is a meal. A feast. A supper inaugurated by Christ in the warmth of an upper room with His inner circle. This isn’t a way to keep God happy with You. For if you are in Christ, God rejoices over you. God spreads His banner of love over His elect people.
This is why you must come with certain faith. Draw near. Pull up a seat. Put your elbows on the table. This isn’t fast food. This isn’t a visit to the principle’s office. This is a feast where God speaks to You the steadfast Word. And that Word is Christ, given for You.
So come in faith and welcome to Jesus Christ…
Related Posts
- How to Come to God
True and false religion are diametrically opposed to one another precisely on the point of how to come to God. False religion does one of two things.… Read more: How to Come to God - Be Risky
It is unfortunate that Christians are often characterized by the vice of timidity. In the early church, the Saints were characterized by boldness. Timidity really should be… Read more: Be Risky - A Sabbath Psalm
You must rid from your mind the notion that Sunday’s are merely for going to church in order to fulfill social obligations and to scratch an itch… Read more: A Sabbath Psalm - How to Change
It’s common to lust for change at the beginning of a new year. Wanderlust creeps in. Wasted time in the year behind us might haunt our hearts.… Read more: How to Change - Death & Life in One Sign
If I were to say that something was simultaneously heavy and light, you might rightly think I had been dropped on my head as a baby. In… Read more: Death & Life in One Sign - Eating the Everlasting
Every earthly meal is subject to the vanity of decay and death. We eat, yet hunger again. We drink, but grow thirsty again. We throw a party,… Read more: Eating the Everlasting - Eat
Unlike the beasts, who eat from pure creaturely instinct, man eats on the basis of God’s permission. It was unnecessary to give such command to the beasts.… Read more: Eat - Christ, Our Anchor
Like an anchor amidst a tumultuous sea, this meal secures you and keeps you steadfast. All around you is storm and wind and waves. Look at the… Read more: Christ, Our Anchor - The Centrality of the Throne (An Exhortation to DC)
The central symbol of the book of Revelation is that of the Throne of God. Almost every chapter depicts Christ enthroned above all things; despite raging beasts,… Read more: The Centrality of the Throne (An Exhortation to DC)
Leave a Reply