2-15-09

Well, we're still in the midst of yet another bailout. But this isn't The Great Bailout. That happened about 2000 years ago. Have you guessed it? If you'd guessed Jesus, you're right. There are a couple other lesser known bailouts than just THE Bailout I'll discuss this blog.

One takes us back to Genesis 22 when Abraham was tested on his faith and obedience to God. For those that have yet to read it, here it is. God wanted him and his only son, Isaac, to head to the region of Moriah for a burnt offering. What happens is that they get everything set up for it, but "Where's the offering?", Isaac was thinking. Then Abe comes up with, "The Lord will provide the lamb for the offering."

What happens next was whether Abraham would pass. Once everything was set up, he had Isaac to lie on the altar, bound. Just when he was about to put his knife onto Isaac, an angel came by telling Abe not to do it. Since God admired his obedience by not withholding a thing, even his own son, he provided the ram and the place was called Jehovah-Girah, for the Lord "will provide". The name "Moriah" is "a place chosen by God". In other words, God told Abe to go to a place He has chosen for a sacrifice. In fact, that whole range of mountains was called Moriah, even Calvary sits upon it.

Another example of a bailout would be Passover in Exodus. When the Hebrews painted the lamb's blood on their doors, they were being bailed out from the Angel of Death's entry, hence the name Passover. Now, onto the Great Bailout.

Yep, it's also called The Greatest Sacrifice, if ya'll wanna put it that way. This may have been something Jesus could back down from, but he chose God's agenda first before his since he is not just God's Son, but also Immanuel means "God with us". He died so we wouldn't have to and no more lambs or other animals would be sacrificed, but us to be given as living sacrifices. That is, to give Him our all in worship.

Now, where does "bailout" come in? Here it is, when Abe and Isaac found the ram in the thistle, Isaac was "bailed out" from being killed as an offering. The Hebrews' firstborn were "bailed out" from death with the blood painted doors. Christ "bailed us out" not only from sin, but also from continuing to offer up animal sacrifices for salvation. Sense a pattern forming?

Yet the thought of $1 Trillion is hard to swallow for us, but in the eyes of eternity, it's next to nothing. As Christians, we've already been bailed out, with Jesus, that is.

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