February 16: Faith in God’s Power
“Then Aaron shall come out to the altar before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and put it on some of the horns of the altar. He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleans it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelite” (Lev. 16: 18-19).
In the Old Testament, the blood of animal sacrifices had atoning power. Yet when the high priest put the blood on the horns of the altar, he had to believe that God’s power was great enough to atone for sins. After the sacrifices were offered on the people’s behalf and the scape goat was sent out into the desert, the people had to believe that the sacrificial offering cleansed them from their sins.
They needed faith in God’s power to fulfill His promise. In requiring the High priest to sprinkle blood on the horns of the altar, I believe God was telling us, “I want you to confess that I have power to do anything I have promised you.” In the Old Testament, the power of atoning blood lasted one year; the high priest returned each year, on the Day of Atonement to sacrifice.
Christ’s death on the cross made these animal sacrifices obsolete because He had to sacrifice Himself once – for all people and for all time: “Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, just for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself” (Heb. 7:27). It is now up to us to believe in the power of His sacrifice on our behalf. This then is our seventh preparation – to believe. Note: God has the power to do what He has promised, and He will let it come to pass, all that He has promised, in Jesus’ name.
Let’s pray: Oh God, my Father! Thank you for sending Jesus to atone for my sins once and for all. I believe you have forgiven my sins. Help me not to take your power and love for granted. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Today’s reading: Leviticus 21-22; Matthew 28
Rev Bassey Ekong, Dip Ed, BSc. Ed, B. Ed, M. Ed is an educator/teacher of science on the high school panel of the local board of education in the Ottawa-Carleton region. He’s a psychology of learning specialist. A scholar, always learning, a writer, teacher and trainer, adviser board of directors and pastor of the Light of the Nations ministry international, a non-denominational ministry with its headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.