PASTOR'S CORNER
The first phase of the Creator's rescue plan was to narrow the breach that Satan had forged between God and man. Effecting this reconciliation would, by definition, require the two parties to come together. To achieve such a union, there had to be a measure of mutual agreement. Therefore, the Creator established a covenant with His creation and sealed it with the blood of a slaughtered animal.
It was necessary for man to agree with God and confess his disobedience. (Honesty makes mistakes easier to tolerate). It wa also important that humanity understood that "the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23). To accomplish this, God creatively employed a visual aid that graphically illustrated both the peril of sin and His divine promise to cover its corruption from His sight.
Upon tasting Eden's forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve immediately realized that they were naked. Their corruption of sin was exposed. Seeing their sad condition, God Himself slaughered a beast and made coats of skin for the couple to wear. The Lord shed the blood of an animal to provide a covering for humanity's transgressions.
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skin, and clothed them. - Genesis 3:21
That event instituted the practice of animal sacrifice. It's purpose was to act as a temprary blood covering for man's transgressions. However, it's effectiveness was so inadequate that our Old Testament forefathers had to repeat the process each time they brought a petition to the Lord. In effect, the shedding of animal blood was a means of momentarily sterilizing man's sin infection, that he might re-establish limited contract with His Creator.
An alter of earth thou shalt make unto me, and thou shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings and thy peace offerings, thy sheep and thine oxen: in the places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. - Exodus 20:24
God desired a one-on-one relationship with humanity. He longed to supply all of man's needs: spirit, soul and boyd. And through the covering of animal sacrifice, mankind was able to achieve a glimpse into the vast range of blessings the Father yearned to share.
In Exodus 15, the Israelites discovered that God was not only capable of rescuing them from the clutches of Pharaoh's army, He was also willing and able to supply their physical needs as well.
So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. And when the came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter... And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we dring? And he (Moses) cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a gree which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet - Exodus 15:22-25
Through that episode, Israel got a glimpse into the character of the Lord. On that day, they heard the voice of God, through Moses, declare; "... I am the Lord that healeth thee." That powerful proclamation in the Hebrew is translated Jehovah-Rapha, which is to say - God Our Physician.
