Matthew chapter 24 is directed to the Jews in Jerusalem, whether the ever increasing sorrows that come upon the World or more specifically, to the time of the Anti-Christ who proclaims himself as the Christ & begins to cause the Jews even greater hardship. So, in verse 15, when the Jews see this "abomination of desolation" standing in the Temple, then they need to get out quickly (run for their lives). To flee into the mountains without returning home to grab anything. Nursing mothers will find it hard because of the responsibility to their babies. And "pray that your flight be not in Winter, neither on the Sabbath Day, for then shall be great tribulation": and this means that if their flight (fleeing) into the mountains should fall on a Winter's Day or on the Sabbath, then there would be problems for them with the cold weather & restrictions of movement & work on the Sabbath.
This was given with the then Jewish culture & economy in mind. How this warning is translated into today's understanding, can be debated, given the developments of cities, of policing, of transportation, etc. Though I feel that the essence of the message is of the time of horror that is to come upon Israel, & will spread throughout the World, making it difficult for both Jew & Gentile as they have to answer to the Anti-Christ. And then of course, God also opens up the heavens to pour out His Wrath, so that coming time will be dreadful to those remaining on the Earth, to say the least.
Hi Beatrice, I do believe Abel was following instructions when he offered his sacrifice because he offered it by faith, and faith comes by hearing the word.
Hebrews 11:4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Genesis 4: 3-4 Cain offered the fruit of the ground but Abel offered the(( firstling ))of the flock.
I believe Cain sacrifice was the work of own hands and God rejected it.
Genesis 4:7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. Just my thoughts. Thank you.
The sin of Cain was the same as those in Sodom and Gomorrah. In the book of Jude we are told that those in S&G took the same path as Cain. Jude 1:11, "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain." Cain was the first person to commit murder and that backs up the Scripture in Romans that tell us murder comes from those given to unnatural sex.
When fornication ends, and it will, all our social ills will end. It would be love for others if we would put an end to the sex of S&G. It is hateful to promote it for that is proof we don't care if other suffer.
This phrase "shedding of blood for sin", stems back to God's Laws that required that when certain sins were committed (e.g. murder, adultery, witchcraft, homosexuality, child sacrifice, etc.), the penalty for those crimes was death. This was so, as God considered them so heinous, that they were not to be tolerated among His people, Israel. Today, many of those crimes are not considered so by most countries & even tolerated or encouraged - such is our world today.
So, if we then look at how God looks at sin in us as well, each one of us stands guilty before Him, as even one sin makes us guilty of all. If guilty, our punishment is also death (i.e. our blood has to be shed & Hell is our destination) & the only way to escape it, is by offering God some payment or restitution. But what could sinful man offer for his sins to escape death & Hell? Since all our good deeds are also tainted with sin, there is nothing that God could find acceptable from us.
God knew that nothing we could do or offer Him could get us freedom from death, so for Israel many years ago, He instituted a temporary system whereby they could offer a pure unblemished animal to God as payment for their sins. Since payment for sins was required (as God is Holy & Just), God accepted this type of sacrifice that kept Him from destroying them & though it did not continually deal with their sin (as they had to make offering each year), God had a plan where HIS Offering would be given that would be fully acceptable to Him.
And so Jesus, God's Son came to this World for that sole purpose to express His Love for us, that He willingly offered Himself as our substitute in death ("the Just for the unjust" 1 Peter 3:18). He didn't have to, but His Love compelled Him to do so because there was no other way for us to escape. So instead of us dying & going to Hell (which is our punishment), Jesus took our place & this was acceptable to God. So that's why One had to die (blood shed) for sins: it's God's requirement.
Thank you very much for your comments. It was very helpful. If you would enlighten me a bit father on the blood sacrifice. My question would you say the shedding of blood sacrifice started with Adam and Eve. When God slaughter the animals for the skins to cover their shame. Would you say this was the first blood sacrifice.
"Why is the shedding of blood need for the taking away sin"
Because the principle established in Eden was a life for life. "the wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23. "for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof" Leviticus 17:14, God has instructed us that blood is sacrosanct, that is, it has meaning beyond function.
Sinful Adam and Eve covered themselves with a lesser species of creation, as did sinful Satan. By the grace of God, he gave them a temporary acceptable covering, reflecting to Adam and Eve that his justice will be
done. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin" Romans 5:12. In Eden it was God who demonstrated death for Adam and Eve and established the meaning of a blood sacrifice. The works of man has
no standing in God's performance of absolute justice.
In respect of "God slaughtering animals for skins for Adam & Eve's covering", I don't see that this act of God instituted a blood sacrifice system. It was purely for the covering of their bodies. However, this does introduce the fact that these delightful animals created alongside Adam, were also created to be killed one day, whether for food, clothing or sacrifice.
We're not told how Adam & Eve found forgiveness & restoration from their first, & subsequent sins: whether by a blood sacrifice or some other way. In regards to Cain & Abel's offering to the Lord, again, we're not told: it could have been that Cain's offering was rejected as it was a non-blood offering or he could have done so with wrong motives. In any case, we don't even know whether the offerings given were for sin or maybe was another type of offering: a love or thank offering maybe.
So a lot of unknowns here in Genesis but when God commenced a blood offering in Genesis chapters 8, 22, etc. (just a burnt offering & not necessarily for sin) & then officially in Exodus 29:9 ff, we see that God had to exact payment for man's sin & He did so through sacrificing of animals as their blood only covered their sins until the next sacrifice. But Jesus became the one & only Sacrifice, so no other sacrifice would ever be needed nor could ever be found.
HI Beatrice. Here is some verses to start with, Maybe someone more capable would like to elaborate on this further
Hebrews 9:22. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Leviticus 17:11. For 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.
The life is in the blood and the wages of sin is death. God don't pardon sin, Jesus came to die in our place because all have sinned. Thats why when John the baptist saw him he said behold the lamb that take away the sins of the world.
There is physical death and spiritual death. Those given to unnatural sex are said to be twice dead. They are not physically dead. But they are spiritually dead. There are three ways to die. 1. Sin will kill the righteous. 2. There is physical death. 3. Truth will slay the wicked. We need a lot more truth to be spoken. This is a very wicked generation and is much like the generation in the days of Noah. I am waiting for the truth to go out.
The wages of sin may be physical death but unfortunately the "dead" end up in the lake of fire of all eternity.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
This is why we must be "born again" Jesus himself told Nicodemus you must be born again as we are dead in our trespass and sin.
John 3-5
3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
This was given with the then Jewish culture & economy in mind. How this warning is translated into today's understanding, can be debated, given the developments of cities, of policing, of transportation, etc. Though I feel that the essence of the message is of the time of horror that is to come upon Israel, & will spread throughout the World, making it difficult for both Jew & Gentile as they have to answer to the Anti-Christ. And then of course, God also opens up the heavens to pour out His Wrath, so that coming time will be dreadful to those remaining on the Earth, to say the least.
Hebrews 11:4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Genesis 4: 3-4 Cain offered the fruit of the ground but Abel offered the(( firstling ))of the flock.
I believe Cain sacrifice was the work of own hands and God rejected it.
Genesis 4:7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. Just my thoughts. Thank you.
When fornication ends, and it will, all our social ills will end. It would be love for others if we would put an end to the sex of S&G. It is hateful to promote it for that is proof we don't care if other suffer.
So, if we then look at how God looks at sin in us as well, each one of us stands guilty before Him, as even one sin makes us guilty of all. If guilty, our punishment is also death (i.e. our blood has to be shed & Hell is our destination) & the only way to escape it, is by offering God some payment or restitution. But what could sinful man offer for his sins to escape death & Hell? Since all our good deeds are also tainted with sin, there is nothing that God could find acceptable from us.
God knew that nothing we could do or offer Him could get us freedom from death, so for Israel many years ago, He instituted a temporary system whereby they could offer a pure unblemished animal to God as payment for their sins. Since payment for sins was required (as God is Holy & Just), God accepted this type of sacrifice that kept Him from destroying them & though it did not continually deal with their sin (as they had to make offering each year), God had a plan where HIS Offering would be given that would be fully acceptable to Him.
And so Jesus, God's Son came to this World for that sole purpose to express His Love for us, that He willingly offered Himself as our substitute in death ("the Just for the unjust" 1 Peter 3:18). He didn't have to, but His Love compelled Him to do so because there was no other way for us to escape. So instead of us dying & going to Hell (which is our punishment), Jesus took our place & this was acceptable to God. So that's why One had to die (blood shed) for sins: it's God's requirement.
"Why is the shedding of blood need for the taking away sin"
Because the principle established in Eden was a life for life. "the wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23. "for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof" Leviticus 17:14, God has instructed us that blood is sacrosanct, that is, it has meaning beyond function.
Sinful Adam and Eve covered themselves with a lesser species of creation, as did sinful Satan. By the grace of God, he gave them a temporary acceptable covering, reflecting to Adam and Eve that his justice will be
done. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin" Romans 5:12. In Eden it was God who demonstrated death for Adam and Eve and established the meaning of a blood sacrifice. The works of man has
no standing in God's performance of absolute justice.
We're not told how Adam & Eve found forgiveness & restoration from their first, & subsequent sins: whether by a blood sacrifice or some other way. In regards to Cain & Abel's offering to the Lord, again, we're not told: it could have been that Cain's offering was rejected as it was a non-blood offering or he could have done so with wrong motives. In any case, we don't even know whether the offerings given were for sin or maybe was another type of offering: a love or thank offering maybe.
So a lot of unknowns here in Genesis but when God commenced a blood offering in Genesis chapters 8, 22, etc. (just a burnt offering & not necessarily for sin) & then officially in Exodus 29:9 ff, we see that God had to exact payment for man's sin & He did so through sacrificing of animals as their blood only covered their sins until the next sacrifice. But Jesus became the one & only Sacrifice, so no other sacrifice would ever be needed nor could ever be found.
Hebrews 9:22. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Leviticus 17:11. For 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.
The life is in the blood and the wages of sin is death. God don't pardon sin, Jesus came to die in our place because all have sinned. Thats why when John the baptist saw him he said behold the lamb that take away the sins of the world.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
This is why we must be "born again" Jesus himself told Nicodemus you must be born again as we are dead in our trespass and sin.
John 3-5
3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
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