April 24: Believing His Salvation.
HIS LIBERATION.
And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him [Jesus]...to present Him to the Lord.--Luke 2:22
When in Egypt, I spent almost two weeks navigating the Nile river. I was dumbfounded by the magnificent structures built during the time of Pharaohs: numerous imposing temples and striking tombs, such as the pyramids at Giza. Looking at the ancient buildings, I got a glimpse of the power and wealth of those rulers of old. I tried to imagine what it must have been like to watch the showdown between the gods of Egypt and the God of Israel during the ten plagues and to witness God's miraculous redemption through the blood of the Lamb.
Baby Jesus, the firstborn of Mary, was presented to the Lord, "Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord" (Luke 2:23). The firstborns were dedicated to the Lord; this practice came from the time when God delivered Israel from Egypt. God had sent a message to Pharaoh: "Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I said to you, 'Let My son go that he may serve Me'; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn" (Exodus 4:22, 23). Because Pharaoh refused to let Israel go, the firstborns of Egypt died in the tenth plague, but God spared the firstborns of Israel through the blood of the Passover lamb sacrifices in their place (Exodus 12:21-27). From there on, the firstborns of humans and animals belonged to the Lord (see Exodus 13:12-16), and they were presented to Him for sacred service and were redeemed back, since the Levites now served in place of the firstborns of Israel (see Numbers 3:11-13; 8:17, 18). As Baby Jesus was presented to the Lord that day, the priest did not realize that this was the ultimate Firstborn, whose blood had been foreshadowed by the Passover lamb in Egypt. "Christ our Passover has been sacrificed" (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus would die so that we may be set free. If you ever become discouraged and afraid for your eternal salvation, remember the blood of Jesus that was poured out in your place, so that you may be redeemed! Live in the assurance of His abundant sufficiency!
My Response:_________________________________________________________
HIS LIBERATION.
And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him [Jesus]...to present Him to the Lord.--Luke 2:22
When in Egypt, I spent almost two weeks navigating the Nile river. I was dumbfounded by the magnificent structures built during the time of Pharaohs: numerous imposing temples and striking tombs, such as the pyramids at Giza. Looking at the ancient buildings, I got a glimpse of the power and wealth of those rulers of old. I tried to imagine what it must have been like to watch the showdown between the gods of Egypt and the God of Israel during the ten plagues and to witness God's miraculous redemption through the blood of the Lamb.
Baby Jesus, the firstborn of Mary, was presented to the Lord, "Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord" (Luke 2:23). The firstborns were dedicated to the Lord; this practice came from the time when God delivered Israel from Egypt. God had sent a message to Pharaoh: "Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I said to you, 'Let My son go that he may serve Me'; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn" (Exodus 4:22, 23). Because Pharaoh refused to let Israel go, the firstborns of Egypt died in the tenth plague, but God spared the firstborns of Israel through the blood of the Passover lamb sacrifices in their place (Exodus 12:21-27). From there on, the firstborns of humans and animals belonged to the Lord (see Exodus 13:12-16), and they were presented to Him for sacred service and were redeemed back, since the Levites now served in place of the firstborns of Israel (see Numbers 3:11-13; 8:17, 18). As Baby Jesus was presented to the Lord that day, the priest did not realize that this was the ultimate Firstborn, whose blood had been foreshadowed by the Passover lamb in Egypt. "Christ our Passover has been sacrificed" (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus would die so that we may be set free. If you ever become discouraged and afraid for your eternal salvation, remember the blood of Jesus that was poured out in your place, so that you may be redeemed! Live in the assurance of His abundant sufficiency!
My Response:_________________________________________________________
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