The Innocence of Animals

I was watching an episode of NCIS the other night. It is a show about the American navy's criminal investigations department. This particular episode began with a marine in Afghanistan whose job was to clear out mines so that civilian contractors can do their job in a given area. The show began with the sergeant and his specially trained dog that had the ability to sniff out explosives identifying mines. The dog finds a mine, the marine disarms it and then a sniper shoots the marine in the head killing him. The dog is fine. Thus begins the conflict that must be resolved. At the end of the episode NCIS identifies the sniper who is one of the American contractors and when he is accused he pulls his gun provoking the dog to jump on him to protect the special agent. And yes the dog gets shot. I cried. Fortunately the dog survives and even receives a military commendation. But I still cried.

I cried when old Yeller was shot. I cried when Sounder died. I'm a sucker for dogs suffering needlessly. So why didn't I cry for the marine risking his life? For that matter why don't I cry for the thousands of characters on prime-time TV who die? Probably because deep in my soul I know we deserve death. It's what we inherited from Adam. We die because we are bad people. (Rom. 6:23) The heroic character who dies is still human. Yet it's the dog we cry for. We deserve to die not the dog.

I wonder if the ancient Israelites cried when they brought their lambs, bulls or pigeons to be killed in their sacrifices? Did the leper weep over the bird that was killed when he became clean? (Lev. 14:5) Did the man who deceived his neighbor lips tremble when he brought his best ram from his flock to be sacrificed for his guilt. Or how about the person who unintentionally sins. Did he grieve over the female goat that died because of his mistake? (Lev. 4:27-29) For that matter what was in Abel's heart that inclined him to shed the blood of the firstborn of his flock resulting in God's favor? What was Mary & Joseph thinking as they brought two young pigeons when presenting Jesus to the temple? (Lk. 2:22-24) Perhaps a better question is, do we every think about the agony Jesus went through when on the Cross He died for us? He was innocent!

Deep in our souls we hold the truth of our creation. Animals are our companions. (Gen. 2:18-19) We talk to to them. We get upset when we hear stories of animal cruelty. But we just don't get all that upset of the soldiers who die in the line of fire. Or kids who die in a car accident. What grief do we have for the person who just dies. I am not talking about our family members  and close friends as we have a special connection to them. I am talking about our collective unconscious as a people. You see deep in our souls is the truth of our fall as well. We deserve death. And before we were exposed to the cruelty of the world, God killed an animal to cover our nakedness. (Gen. 3:21) Because of us, blameless animals die because without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins. (Heb.9:22) But when an animal was sacrificed for our sins, our conscience was only temporarily pricked. Something permanent has to happen. And so God himself gave us His only-begotten Son shedding His blood for our conscience. (Heb. 9:14) You see, the blood of goats & birds can never truly take away our sins. They serve only as a reminder that God in His mercy allows us to continue living. On the surface of our thoughts we seldom think about it. But our conscience are often pricked when we see something blameless die instead. Our conscience should be pricked when we see Jesus die for us as well. After all, he is blameless.

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Ps. 51:16-17)

Real Presence

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”  (Mark 14:22-25)

What are we to make of these words by our Lord? He points to the bread before Him and says. “This is my Body.”? He takes a cup and says, “This is my Blood.”? Much debate goes on about the ‘Real Presence’, that is, how is Jesus present in the bread and wine of our Holy Communion. It may help us to remember again what Jesus was about to do as He led this Passover meal.

He was about to die as an ultimate sacrifice, a perfect sacrifice for our sins. No more need we go to the Temple and offer a bull or a goat for our daily sins. If the shedding of blood was necessary for the forgiveness of sins (Heb. 9:22) then once and for all it will be shed by the sinless Son of God. When we take the cup we are never to forget this! For that very next day Jesus body was broken on that cross for all of our sins. He became the new Passover releasing us from the bondage of our sins. For if there is life in the blood, (Lev. 17:11) then Jesus desires to have us consume His life for our very nature is death (Eph. 2:1) until we are born again! (Jn. 3:3) We are sustained in our exile from Eden where the Tree of Life was withheld by our feeding on Jesus in the here and now for it is in the here and now we are asked to live!

Never are we to forget what Jesus did that guarantees our eternal life. Let us come to the table humbly because we are not deserving but forgiven. And forgiven if we truly repent. Let us not forget the pain endured by our Savior that saves us from eternal torment for our sins. If we are present with Jesus at His table, then He is really present with us.

HE was the Word that spake it;

He took the bread and brake it;

And what that Word did make it

I do believe and take it. 

~ John Donne

Perfect God, Imperfect Man

"Moses could mediate on the law; Muhammad could brandish a sword; Buddha could give personal counsel; Confucius could offer wise sayings; but none of these men was qualified to offer an atonement for the sins of the world. Christ alone is worthy of unlimited devotion and service" - R.C. Sproul in "Reason to Believe" p. 44

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:4)

Our Father in Heaven is the creator of the universe. He is perfect. Because we are not perfect, we cannot approach Him. Israel understood this as the Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple by a thick veil. Behind it was the Ark of the covenant holding the perfect law, a reminder of our sinfulness. Daily sacrifices were made in the outer court for there cannot be the forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood.  (Hebrews 9:21-23) But daily we remained guilty.

But Jesus, the perfect Son of God, turned all that around. He made one perfect sacrifice. (Rom. 3:21-26) On that day, the veil of the temple was torn in two. (Mt. 27:51-54) We are no longer separated from the holiness of God. We have been adopted as His children. Sure, we are not perfect. But with the aid of the Holy Spirit, we are growing into the likeness of God’s Son. Only Christ, one with the Father, made this atonement, propitiation for our sins! He alone is worthy of our devotion!

And how do we know this once and for all offering was for us, the believer? God’s law is not separated by a thick veil, but is written on our hearts!

And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"
then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more. "Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:15-18)

Our conscience bears witness to God’s promised redemption.

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. John (3:19-24)