December 16

One of the most common phrases printed on Christmas greeting cards and home decor is “Peace On Earth” from the angels’ announcement of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds in Luke 2:14. Peace is another one of those high-frequency words we use that has layers of meaning, which when teased out, can yield some amazing depth.

One way we think of the word “peace” is as the antonym to “war”. World War II came to an end in the European theater in May of 1945, while Japan did not surrender until August of the same year. The Invasion of Normandy (think Saving Private Ryan and Omaha beach) is considered by many to be the offensive operation which lead to the ultimate breaking of Germany. Japan was definitively broken by the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In both cases, what ultimately led to peace was the shedding of blood.

Peace among nations and peace between God and man are two different things, but the idea of bloodshed before the achievement of peace applies to both.

By eating the fruit in the garden, Adam and Eve infected the world with sin. Just like an infection spreads throughout diseased flesh, sin spread throughout the earth. Because God is holy, he cannot abide with anything tainted by sin, but before Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden, God provided covering for their newly spoiled nakedness.

Read:

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
-Genesis 3:7
The LORD God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and he clothed them.
-Genesis 3:21

Adam and Eve instinctively knew their shame (sin) needed to be covered, and they tried to do it themselves. What the story tells us, though, is that their covering was insufficient. Therefore, God Himself provided their covering.

Was their self-made covering insufficient because they weren’t skilled tailors?

No.

Their covering was insufficient because it wasn’t the right kind of covering.

What kind of covering did God make for them? He made their coverings of skin. Did you ever pay attention to that detail? It’s mentioned in passing as though it’s not significant, but actually, it’s one of the most important road signs in the narrative of the fall. Ask yourself this: where did God acquire the skin?

From an animal.

The first shed blood in creation was not a murder. It was a sacrifice.

God himself slaughtered an innocent animal in order to cover the effects of man’s sin. That act pointed to a greater covering, a permanent covering, that was necessary for man to be in relationship with his holy Creator.

According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
-Hebrews 9:22

The whole of the sacrificial system was the repetitive shedding of blood of an innocent animal to momentarily cover over the guilt of man in order that he can be fit to stand in the presence of the Holy One. As it was in Egypt where the angel of death passed over those who were covered by the blood of the lamb, when God dwelled with his people in the tabernacle, peace with God was purchased by the blood of an animal that committed no offense.

What brings peace between God and man? The ugliness of shed blood.

Peace has a high price tag.

Pray: Father, thank you that you made a way for there to be peace between us. You would have been justified in leaving us to our own devices, for requiring our blood for our sin. Your mercy in substitutionary atonement is your glory and my gain.