INTRODUCTION

Sin demands atonement. This is confirmed in the Old Testament with phrases such as, "I shall make an atonement for your sin" (Exodus 32:30And 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.
See All...), and "the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these" (Leviticus 5:13And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest's, as a meat offering.
See All...). It has been pointed out that the word atonement basically contains its own definition. Atonement, generally speaking, puts God and man at one . When atonement is made, man is "forgiven" (Leviticus 4:20And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
See All...) or "cleansed" (Leviticus 14:31Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD.
See All...). Things are made right! Atonement is a frequent subject in the Old Testament, but the New Testament declares in finality that "we have now received the atonement" (Romans 5:11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) In the Old Testament, blood had to be offered yearly for the people's sins (Hebrews 9:6-7 [6] Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. [7] But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
  See All...; Hebrews 10:1-4 [1] For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. [2] For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. [3] But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. [4] For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
  See All...). Jesus' blood paid for our sins (Romans 5:9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
  See All...; Ephesians 1:7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
  See All...). He only had to die once (Hebrews 9:24-28 [24] For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: [25] Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; [26] For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: [28] So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
  See All...). That's why His atonement is "the" atonement.
• How many times does the word atonement appear in the Old Testament? How many times does it appear in the New Testament? What is the significance of this truth?
• Read Leviticus 17:11For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
  See All.... What is it "that maketh an atonement for the soul"? How was this accomplished by the death of Christ? How does Romans 5:11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
  See All... prove this fact?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Thank the Lord for the atonement received through His Son.
• Ask God to continually show you what Christ has done for you.

HYMN

Arise, My Soul, Arise

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