The Altar of Burnt Offering was placed before the door of the Tabernacle. As soon as an Israelite came through the colorful gate of the Court he was faced with the bronze Altar. God always meets people at the cross, at the place of the shedding of blood.

Coming to Christ on the cross is the first step in the redemption of the believer. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. People cannot come to God any other way. This is the alpha of salvation.

Since the bronze Altar stood before the door of the Tabernacle the Hebrew worshiper was reminded continually that God must be approached through a blood sacrifice. The believer cannot come to God in his own righteousness. The scales of Divine equity must be balanced. There must be the offering of a substituted life or else God will not accept the person of the worshiper.

The sinfulness of the worshiper and the utter righteousness of God are both underscored by the need for the death of the animal. The significance of Jesus' death on the cross was demonstrated under the old covenant by the constant shedding of blood at the Altar of Burnt Offering.

All the needs of the redeemed are illustrated by the various types of sacrifices. Not only was there the sin offering, which we need in order to approach God, but there also were the offerings of consecration, of fellowship, of peace, of thanksgiving, for minor trespasses, and for every other need of the believer (Leviticus, Chapters One through Seven).

We are to come to God continually through the blood of the Lord Jesus. We overcome the world, the accuser, and our own fleshly nature every moment of every day by the blood of the Lamb. If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves. If we are walking in the light of God's will the blood of Christ is cleansing us from all sin. We need the redeeming authority and power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ at every moment!

During the worship conducted at the Temple of Solomon thousands of gallons of blood were pouring from the sacrificial animals. But the offering of Christ on the cross is the one blood sacrifice that eternally redeems all of mankind who will believe and receive.

And he is the propitiation [appeasement] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:2)

Not that all men will be saved, unfortunately. Some will not accept the redemption offered freely by Christ. Those who believe that Jesus was a righteous teacher who offered his life rather than sacrifice his principles, or who offered his life to emphasize his sincerity and prove his love, are making a dreadful mistake. Christ was a sacrificial blood offering to God the Father!

Life must go for life in order to balance the scales of Divine justice. The blood of Jesus was His life and it was offered to God in place of our life. The soul that sins must die, and each one of us has committed many sins during his or her lifetime. Christ died for our sins; therefore the scales are balanced and our iniquity can be forgiven.

Whether our wickedness is minor or horrible by human standards is not the issue. The only considerations are what God's law states and the adequacy of the sacrifice on Calvary. Since the offering consists of the life's blood of God's Son, the sacrifice is perfect and absolutely adequate for every person.

All persons have sinned and all must come to God by the blood of the righteous Jesus. Any person who, knowing of the sacrifice made on Calvary, attempts to come to God in his or her own righteousness is doomed already.

To be continued.