JEWELS FROM SESSION 10 IN EXPLORE THE BIBLE CURRICULUM

JEWELS FROM SUNDAY SCHOOL

Session 10

LEVITICUS 1:3-9, 2:1-3, 3:1-5

This week’s lesson in the Explore the Bible curriculum for Fall 2017, suggested an exercise in using a Bible dictionary on page 94. Many of you may not have taken the time to do it, so we will share our work with you. We looked up the word “atonement” in Easton’s Bible Dictionary found at www.biblegateway.com and have shared a couple of sentences from the definition below. We also looked up many of the references listed there and have copied them in the King James Version for you.  After those references, you can read how each of us defined “atonement” in our own words.

Excerpts from the definition of “atonement” in Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Atonement means at-one-ment

The means by which it is covered is vicarious satisfaction, and the result of its being covered is atonement or reconciliation.

It must also be constantly kept in mind that the atonement is not the cause but the consequence of God's love to guilty men.

SATISFACTION FOR OFFENCES

·      Exodus 32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

·      Leviticus 4:26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

·      Leviticus 5:16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

VICARIOUS SATISFACTION

·      John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

·      Romans 3:24-25 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

·      Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

·      1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

·      1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

GOD’S HOLY NATURE DEMANDS SATISFACTION, PAYMENT FOR SIN

·      Exodus 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

·      Joshua 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

·      Psalm 5:4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

·      Psalm 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

·      Nahum 1:2 God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

·      Nahum 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

Susie: Atonement, being made acceptable for a relationship with God, is the result of Jesus’s dying on the cross in my place. Atonement is purchased by the shed blood of Jesus once for all, replacing the need for shedding the blood of animals over and over again.

John 17:20-21 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Susan: Atonement is the manifested work of Jesus on the cross that enables me to come into the familyship of God, to be one with Him as the Holy Spirit abides with me forever.

Susie: Wow! This does give me a greater appreciation for all Jesus did on my behalf when He sacrificed Himself in my place. It makes me more aware of the utter sinfulness of all people, including me!

Susan: All the pain that Jesus endured on the cross and emotionally in the garden beforehand reminds me that even my earth-suit is a piece of cake. Sometimes it is hard to remember in the moment, but when frustrations come in life, it would behoove us to remember His sacrifice. Then whatever we are going through, whatever we are facing is all small stuff. All things are possible because Christ died to give me relationship with God, and He strengthens me each day.