Justice Divine Is Satisfied
✦ Key Verse ✦
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." — Ezekiel 18:20
Many are yet to fully comprehend the weight of indebtedness and the danger sin poses. The problem of sin in mankind is not a simple matter; it's not one that can be corrected by "doing the next right thing." Sin is a signed deal with death; for "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20), and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). These are ancient laws you cannot outsmart, or manoeuvre your way around; they cannot be broken. Every sinner has a death sentence hanging over their head.
But then, we have a God who does not delight in the death of sinners. He made and formed us with so much love; He wouldn't watch on as Man destroys himself through the instrument of sin. So, God, in His infinite mercy, came up with a plan for his escape. He did it such that, Man's wages of sin are paid, but he remains alive, and even obtains an abundant life.
Initially, God instituted a sacrificial system where the priest atones for the sins of Man by offering sacrifices of specific animals, with specific requirements and instructions. Some animals were to be completely burned; and animal blood was sprinkled on the person seeking atonement. This was a temporal solution to Man's greatest problem; a foreshadow of things to come, as it wasn't an end in itself. This arrangement wasn't the ultimate solution, because those sacrifices couldn't suffice, as Man kept relapsing. This precipitated the need for a more sufficient sacrifice to completely save mankind. And such sacrifice could only be made through the shedding of the pure, sinless blood of Jesus. There was no other way out (Hebrews 9:22).
Man needed a complete, perfect atonement; and the only Person who fits that bill was Jesus Christ — God's only begotten Son — who was guiltless, spotless, and blameless. He left His glorious throne; humbled Himself to become man's Substitute. He went all the way to Gethsemane, and bore our grief and sorrow. He paid the full ransom; went through great agony to purchase Man's redemption. He offered His life as payment for the debt of sin we owed.
There are no words to describe the excruciating pains of being nailed to that Cross; the searing agony of the nails cutting through the nerves of His feet and wrists; the deep throbbing pains of tissues tearing off His lacerated back; the crushing pain within the chest; the tortured lungs making frantic efforts to take in air; the torments of being hung on the Cross, encapsulated with the chilly feeling of death. Don't forget the unfathomable painful feeling of abandonment by the Father, who couldn't stand the grievous sight, and the hideous stench of the multitude of sins His beloved Son had to take upon Himself (Matthew 27:46).
What a dreadful experience! He suffered the most gruesome death for you. He endured all these, so you can be saved from sin and death. Thus, divine justice has been satisfied, and you don't need to go through any punishment again.
Today, in light of this once-for-all sacrifice, if you are still a sinner, you can cancel the deal with death (Romans 6:23) by humbly acknowledging what Christ has done for you. Accept Him as the Saviour of your soul; resolve to do away with every form of sin, and obey God. Make the right choice now; don't delay!
✦ Prayer ✦
Almighty GOD, I am that sinner for whom Jesus Christ died.
Forgive my sins in Jesus Name, Amen.
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