The Only Acceptable Offering
“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:5-8)
What is the “EVIL” that “grieved” the “heart” of the “LORD”?
Well, you need to have read the first four chapters to know, but to summarize, the first child born to Adam and Eve was Abel, and the second was Cain. In the course of time both Cain and Able brought an "offering" to God.
"So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. And Abel also brought an offering--fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor." (Genesis 4:3-5)
Our works can never be acceptable "offering". Our only salvation is to find “grace in the eyes of the LORD”. The "EVIL" that grieves the "heart" of God is to trust in the works of men, and not is the provision of God. And what do we see today?
The "high priests" of today, the Political and Religious institutions, are like Cain, working hard to save mankind. But it is Jesus who "offered" himself for our sin, once "for all" to save mankind from sin. God planned and approved of this "offering".
"After He had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high...not as the high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself." (Hebrews 7:27)
As a result mankind has found "Grace in the eyes of the LORD". Any other offering, no matter how sincere, is unacceptable and continues to grieve “His heart”. God will destroy this world again, in spite of mankind's noble works to prevent it.
What is the “EVIL” that “grieved” the “heart” of the “LORD”?
Well, you need to have read the first four chapters to know, but to summarize, the first child born to Adam and Eve was Abel, and the second was Cain. In the course of time both Cain and Able brought an "offering" to God.
"So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. And Abel also brought an offering--fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor." (Genesis 4:3-5)
Our works can never be acceptable "offering". Our only salvation is to find “grace in the eyes of the LORD”. The "EVIL" that grieves the "heart" of God is to trust in the works of men, and not is the provision of God. And what do we see today?
The "high priests" of today, the Political and Religious institutions, are like Cain, working hard to save mankind. But it is Jesus who "offered" himself for our sin, once "for all" to save mankind from sin. God planned and approved of this "offering".
"After He had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high...not as the high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself." (Hebrews 7:27)
As a result mankind has found "Grace in the eyes of the LORD". Any other offering, no matter how sincere, is unacceptable and continues to grieve “His heart”. God will destroy this world again, in spite of mankind's noble works to prevent it.
"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and ITS WORKS will be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)
As for mankind, because we are still a bunch of self-righteous sinners, God is still "sorry that He made" us. He did so only because it was necessary to demonstrate His love.
"For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. It is rare indeed for anyone to die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)
And “all” mankind's "works will be burned up" when it "is destroyed with intense heat" sometime in the future. But this time "all mankind" will find "grace in the eyes of the LORD" because the “Lamb of God”, our Lord Jesus Christ, brought himself as an acceptable "offering" to God of behalf of mankind. He is the “mediator between God and mankind”, and offered himself “as a ransom for all”.
“There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time”. (1 Timothy 2:5-6)
God provided the acceptable "offering" – His Son – and that “offering” was "for all". This is the good news that the political and religious institutions reject, preferring their own offering of works. Nevertheless this "sin of the world" - its UNBELIEF - has been taken away...
“Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world…He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world…It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2; 1 Timothy 4:9-11)
"For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. It is rare indeed for anyone to die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)
And “all” mankind's "works will be burned up" when it "is destroyed with intense heat" sometime in the future. But this time "all mankind" will find "grace in the eyes of the LORD" because the “Lamb of God”, our Lord Jesus Christ, brought himself as an acceptable "offering" to God of behalf of mankind. He is the “mediator between God and mankind”, and offered himself “as a ransom for all”.
“There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time”. (1 Timothy 2:5-6)
God provided the acceptable "offering" – His Son – and that “offering” was "for all". This is the good news that the political and religious institutions reject, preferring their own offering of works. Nevertheless this "sin of the world" - its UNBELIEF - has been taken away...
“Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world…He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world…It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2; 1 Timothy 4:9-11)