An offering of sacrifice to the Lord “must be without defect pr blemish to be acceptable” (Leviticus 22:21). In Mark 15:15,
we have the great statement concerning the sinless Son of God taking
the sinner’s place – “Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus
flogged and handed Him over to be crucified.” “Praise be to the Lord,
for He showed His wonderful love to me when I was in a beseiged city” (Psalm 31:21).
The Cross was, for Jesus, a beseiged city. When He cried out to God,
it was like the prayer of the Psalmist – “In my alarm I said, ‘I am cut
off from Your sight!’” God answered the Psalmist’s prayer – “Yet You
heard my cry for mercy when I called to You for help” (Psalm 31:22).
God answered Jesus’ prayer when He raised Him from the dead. To those
who believe in the crucified and risen Christ, God says, “Be strong and
take heart, all you who hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:24).
What God did for His people, Israel, was very great. There is a striking contrast between their slavery in Egypt and their abundance in the promised land. God had multiplied His blessing upon them, just as Jesus did when He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). If the blessing is to be maintained and increased, we must honour the Lord. We must cry to Him for blessing: "Hear my prayer, O God, listen to the words of my mouth." We must call upon Him with faith: "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me" (Psalm 54:2,4).
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