The Atonement

Scripture Reading: Leviticus 16:1-34, Leviticus 17:1-16, Hebrews 9:1-28

Memory Verses: II Corinthians 5:21 and Hebrews 9:12

Lesson Objective: To better understand the "Blood Covenant" of the Old Testament,
and the fulfillment of the "Blood Covenant" in the New Testament.

Introduction: God hates sin! God loves sinners! God kills sin. God forgives sinners
who repent, that is, become Born Again.

Those four statements summarize truths embodied in the "Blood Covenant." In order
to more fully understand all that the death of Christ accomplished for believers who
have received Jesus by faith into their hearts, every Christian must understand and
appreciate the four basic truths outlined above. More was accomplished at Calvary
than the average Christian realizes.

Review: In our previous studies we observed that man was created in the "image"
of God. He was created with a sinless nature. In rebellion, he exercised his own free
will against the known will of God, and lost his sinless nature. In that instant, man
inherited a "sin nature". He not only became subject to physical death, in that instant
he lost his intimate, unbroken relationship and fellowship with God. That broken
relationship and broken fellowship would leave man with a "spiritual vacuum" that
NOTHING can fill EXCEPT a restored relationship to God.

Man tries to fill his "spiritual vacuum" by becoming involved in "religious activities".  
He will often try to find satisfaction, joy and peace through fulfilling the desires of the flesh
 - to no avail. He often tries to fill his "spiritual vacuum" by the worship of false gods. 
(At the top of the list of false gods - -  is - -man HIMSELF!)  The "Big I" is enthroned on
the throne of his life!

Satan has introduced no small number of "religious activities" and "organizations" 
to attract mankind into a false sense of "religious security", all of which offer a system
of "religion" that invariably takes away from the centrality of the Lord Jesus Christ as
the one and only means by which sinful man can be reconciled to Holy God.  It is only
in and through the "Blood Atonement" of the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial and
resurrection, and in a personal relationship with Him by being "Born Again" that one can
find satisfaction, joy and peace.  That, is what the "Blood Atonement " is all about.

In our previous studies we saw how God allowed sacrificial animals to be used as
"substitutes". God allowed an innocent animal to die instead of the sinner.  The
animal was innocent because an animal cannot sin, but, the animal was not a willing
sacrifice. God's perfect "Blood Covenant Sacrifice" would be both sinless and willing.
That perfect blood sacrifice was Jesus Christ.

With those truths understood, let us now trace the "Scarlet Thread of Redemption"
-- the blood sacrifice -- through the Scriptures.

1.     What is the meaning of the word "atonement"?

2.     How was the sin of Adam and Eve "covered" or "atoned for" in Gen. 3?

3.     Who provided the sacrificial animal?

4.     Who performed the act of sacrifice?

5.     How does that speak to the death of Jesus on the cross?

6.     In Genesis 3:21, what did the sacrificial animal do that deserved death?

7.     Why do you think John referred to the Lord Jesus Christ as the "Lamb of God"
         in John 1:29?        

8.     What did Jesus do that deserved death?

9.    Although animals were used as a temporary, vicarious substitute, a "covering"
        for the sins of man until Christ Jesus Himself became the perfect, sinless and
        willing blood sacrifice, what one verse in Hebrews Chapter 10 reveals that the
        death of the animals could not fully satisfy the requirement for the "blood sacrifice"?

  

II. Read Genesis 4:1-4

Abel brought a blood sacrifice, the "firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof".

1.     How do you think Abel knew he was supposed to offer a "blood sacrifice"?

2.     Who was the eldest, Cain or Abel?

3.     Do you think Cain knew as much about offering sacrifices as Abel?

4.     Why do you think Cain did not bring a "Blood Sacrifice"?

5.     Why do you think God was not pleased with Cain's offering?

Conclusion: There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that we can do in and of ourselves
that can make us acceptable to God. Only one thing can make us acceptable -- the sinless,
willing, blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.

Have you, like Cain, tried to make yourself acceptable to God by self effort? It cannot be done!