In the picture, Abraham is just about to sacrifice his only son Isaac,
on the Holy Mount Moriah as a burnt offering (at present-day Calvary)
to Yehowah, at his command. His faith in Yehowah was only put to the
test, for Yehowah never demand or accept that a person be sacrificed to
test, for Yehowah never demand or accept that a person be sacrificed to
him as a burnt offering. Abraham passed the test of faith. Therefore he
became for all believers father of faith righteousness. Yehowah knew
what he himself would do on that very mountain a good 2000 years later:
He namely sacrificed his only begotten Son there as a sin offering for us.
Why was such an infinitely precious sacrifice needed?
It was the only and apparently the most extreme way to tell mankind how much Yehowah hates sin and disobedience to him. He did it because of our original and inherited sin and our own sins, so that all of us, like Adam and Eve, would have the opportunity to show faith and trust in him. In that sense, we are in a similar test of faith.
At the same time Yehowah showed how much he loves the people he created! He genuinely wants to save all people, but he has made it a condition of faith in his Son Adonai Yeshua's voluntary sacrifice for sin on Calvary's cross almost 2000 years ago. After all, it was an immense act of mercy from the Majesty who loved us lost people so much.
No other person would have been suitable for our sin offering, because according to the Tanakh, the offering must be without blemish, which means that the person who could atone for our sins would have to be sinless. That is why our Savior Yeshua HaMashiach renounced his position in glory and was born as a human being, proclaiming repentance to people and saying that the kingdom of heaven has come near.
The Kingdom of Heaven came close to people precisely through the person of Adonai Yeshua, because in him lived the Holy Spirit of the Majesty, Yehowah Elohim. By performing signs that no one else had done before him, he proved himself to be the promised HaMashiach (Messiah) to Israel and all nations, which Yehowah already promised in vv. Genesis 3:14-15
>>14 The Yehowah Elohim said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the wild beasts and all the living creatures of the field! On your belly you will crawl and dust you will eat all the days of your life. 15 And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; her offspring will attack your head, and you will attack her offspring's heel."<<
Why did it have to be a blood sacrifice?
Humanity's blood was defiled by the fall of our ancestors. We have inherited from them a polluted blood, as a result of which we are more inclined to sin than to live righteously. The life in the blood is passed down from generation to generation, as is original sin, which is inseparably involved in it. That's why we simply can't live a sinless life on our own!
According to the Tanakh, the Great Day of Atonement is once a year. It is Yom Kippur, which this year was celebrated on October 11-12. It is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It shows how important it was to sacrifice a heifer as a blood sacrifice for the sins of the people. We read Leviticus 16:17-18
>>17 Nobody is to be in the Meeting Tent when he enters to make atonement in the holy place until he goes out, and he has made atonement on his behalf, on behalf of his household, and on behalf of the whole assembly of Israel. 18 Then he is to go out to the altar which is before the Yehowah and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it all around on the horns of the altar.<<
Humanity's blood was defiled by the fall of our ancestors. We have inherited from them a polluted blood, as a result of which we are more inclined to sin than to live righteously. The life in the blood is passed down from generation to generation, as is original sin, which is inseparably involved in it. That's why we simply can't live a sinless life on our own!
The only way to completely get rid of that inheritance of the Devil is to be born as a new spiritual creation through faith in Adonai Yeshua. After we take him to live in our hearts through faith, he begins an internal salvation process in us, as a result of which we are born by the power of his Word into imperishable creatures, no longer under the control of the Devil.
After giving Adonai Yeshua full dominion over our hearts, souls and bodies, we are allowed to pass under the cleansing of his holy blood. Its example is the wine of the Holy Communion, which is a metaphor for the New Covenant. It represents the holy blood he shed for us. Likewise, the Communion Bread represents his body, which was broken for us.
According to the Tanakh, the Great Day of Atonement is once a year. It is Yom Kippur, which this year was celebrated on October 11-12. It is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It shows how important it was to sacrifice a heifer as a blood sacrifice for the sins of the people. We read Leviticus 16:17-18
>>17 Nobody is to be in the Meeting Tent when he enters to make atonement in the holy place until he goes out, and he has made atonement on his behalf, on behalf of his household, and on behalf of the whole assembly of Israel. 18 Then he is to go out to the altar which is before the Yehowah and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it all around on the horns of the altar.<<
The writer of Hebrews also referred to that feast when he explained how important it is that our Savior's holy blood produces atonement for us, but only for us who believe in his perfect and holy blood sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. Hebr. 9:13-14
>>13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow sprinkled on those who are defiled consecrated them and provided ritual purity, 14 how much more will the blood of HaMashiach, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to Elohim, purify our consciences from dead works to worship the living Elohim!<<
Let us sanctify the Holy Communion!
Since we have been purchased with the precious blood, innocent suffering and death of our Savior Yeshua HaMashiach, let us keep the celebration of the Adonai's Supper highly holy, remembering our Savior's tremendous sacrifice for us on the cross of Calvary, where he gained eternal victory over the enemy of our souls, Satan, defeating him once and for all through his own death!
Our Savior asked us to celebrate the Adonai's Supper often in his memory. Not only because he himself wants it, but so that we would not forget it, but would always remember how dearly we were redeemed from the power of sin and death, lest we end up in hell! I personally celebrate Holy Communion once a week and have done so for several years. 1 Cor. 11:23-26
>>23 For I received from the Adonai what I also passed on to you, that the Adonai Yeshua on the night in which he was betrayed took bread, 24 and after he had given thanks he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, every time you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Adonai's death until he comes.<<
Since we have been purchased with the precious blood, innocent suffering and death of our Savior Yeshua HaMashiach, let us keep the celebration of the Adonai's Supper highly holy, remembering our Savior's tremendous sacrifice for us on the cross of Calvary, where he gained eternal victory over the enemy of our souls, Satan, defeating him once and for all through his own death!
>>23 For I received from the Adonai what I also passed on to you, that the Adonai Yeshua on the night in which he was betrayed took bread, 24 and after he had given thanks he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, every time you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Adonai's death until he comes.<<
Maran ata! Our Adonai will come! / Marana ta! Come Adonai!
Songs suitable for the topic
Please, note: Our Savior's original name in Hebrew is Yeshua HaMashiach HaNotzri
Gethsemane
Via Dolorosa
At Calvary
This is My Father's World
Come Holy Spirit I Need You
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