CHAPTER TWO: REASON FOR FORGIVENESS
CHAPTER TWO
REASON FOR FORGIVENESS
" It's very important to know why something is been given. A quote said; When the reason for a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable." That will then mean that the reason for forgiveness must be put in place so that we won't abuse it. In our first chapter, we said every subject originated from the explanation of the Scripture ( Genesis to Malachi)
Luke 24:27
[27]And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Note: The word EXPOUNDED is the Greek word DIERMĒNEUŌ ( meaning to explain thoroughly) this means; Jesus explained effectively the message of the scripture. and pastor Chris Olusegun Onayinka said and I quoted " In rendering service unbehave of someone, then it must be done just like the person" that's to say, in doing the work of Jesus unbehave of him, then it must be carried out in his ways" That means in explaining the scriptures, it must be carried out the same way Jesus has done it which is from the scriptures.
Vs 27 of the Luke 24 says:]And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Now.....
Luke said "And Beginning from Moses..." the word "beginning" is from the Greek word ARCHOMAI meaning to 'commence from the start' so Jesus started with his own study from the Scriptures in explaining kingdom realities, to the disciples. And this now forms our ways of explaining scriptures.
That now means the prophet will then talk about FORGIVENESS.
Noah...
Genesis 6:1-7
[1]And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
[2]That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
[3]And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.
[4]There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
[5]And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
[6]And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
[7]And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
God repented that he created man. The word repent will be to have a second thought of something. Then the plan of Men's salvation begins to play. That will now be that God's forgiveness will be towards Men indignation, i.e SINS...
Same here...
Leviticus 16:34
[34]And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for ALL THEIR SINS once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Sin is then the major challenge to let FORGIVENESS take its place. So whenever FORGIVENESS is in place SIN around...
That will now let us check how God deals with sins in the old testament book of the Bible...
Now in this explanation, pay attention to the word ATONEMENT,
LEVITICUS
Leviticus 1:2-5
[2]Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
[3]If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.
[4]And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
[5]And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Leviticus 4:22-26,30-35
[22]When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
[23]Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
[24]And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.
[25]And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
[26]And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
[30]And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
[31]And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto the LORD, and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
[32]And if he brings a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
[33]And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
[34]And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
[35]And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
Leviticus 5:5-6
[5]And it shall be when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:
[6]And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
EXODUS
Exodus 29:35-37
[35]And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.
[36]And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
[37]Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it, and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
SOLOMONS ACCOUNT
1 Kings 8:30,33-34
[30]And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou heardst, forgive.
[33]When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
[34]Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
ISAIAH ACCOUNT
Isaiah 4:3-5
[3]And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:
[4]When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.
[5]And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
Isaiah 6:7
[7]And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isaiah 25:7-9
[7]And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
[8]He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
[9]And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Isaiah 27:7-9
[7]Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?
[8]In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.
[9]By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.
Isaiah 43:23-25
[23]Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.
[24]Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.
[25]I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Isaiah 44:21-22
[21]Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
[22]I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Now pay attention to the next old testament text of the Bible..
DAVID
He was said to be a man given to iniquities even involved himself in blood shed. He approved the death sentence of a service man.
2 Samuel 11:6-17
[6]And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
[7]And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
[8]And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
[9]But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
[10]And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
[11]And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
[12]And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
[13]And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
[14]And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
[15]And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
[16]And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
[17]And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
BUT SEE HOW HE TEACHES GOD'S FORGIVENESS;
Psalms 32:2,5
[2]Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
[5]I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
So this shows that Gods forgiveness is proactive one and a continuous one…Ephesians 2:1-6
[1]And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[2]Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
[3]Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[4]But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5]Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
[6]And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
So forgiveness won't just be a new testament thing but it's an old testament teaching of which Jesus teaches from and was the main reason for Jesus coming as a man.
Let's see that….
Psalms 32:1
[1](A Psalm of David, Maschil.) Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Psalms 85:2-4
[2]Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
[3]Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
[4]Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
Psalms 130:4,8
[4]But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
[8]And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Psalms 106:6-45
[6]We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
[7]Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
[8]Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
[9]He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
[10]And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
[11]And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.
[12]Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.
[13]They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:
[14]But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.
[15]And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
[16]They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.
[17]The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
[18]And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
[19]They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
[20]Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
[21]They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;
[22]Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.
[23]Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.
[24]Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
[25]But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
[26]Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:
[27]To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.
[28]They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
[29]Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.
[30]Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.
[31]And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.
[32]They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
[33]Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
[34]They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:
[35]But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
[36]And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
[37]Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
[38]And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
[39]Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
[40]Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
[41]And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.
[42]Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.
[43]Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.
[44]Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:
[45]And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.
Psalms 130:1-4,8
[1](A Song of degrees.) Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
[2]Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
[3]If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
[4]But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
[8]And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Psalms 78:38
[38]But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
JEREMIAH
Jeremiah 31:30-34
[30]But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
[31]Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
[32]Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
[33]But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[34]And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Jeremiah 36:1-3
[1]And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
[2]Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.
[3]It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
DANIEL
Daniel 9:8-9,14-16,19
[8]O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
[9]To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
[14]Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
[15]And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
[16]O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
[19]O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
HOSEA
Hosea 14:1-3
[1]O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
[2]Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
[3]Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
LAMENTATIONS
Lamentations 4:21-22
[21]Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
[22]The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.
Zechariah 3:4
[4]And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Zechariah 3:9
[9]For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
Micah 7:18-20
[18]Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
[19]He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
[20]Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Note: Forgiveness is not for a general thing but a specific thing. That means forgiveness in the scripture is towards a particular thing which is SIN. That will be that the phrase attached to sins, inequities should be pay attention to.
Back to Luke 24:25-27
[25]Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
[26]Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
[27]And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
This will then be that Jesus taught forgiveness of sins from the writings of Moses, prophet and psalmist. And it will be very helpful to note that in their emphasis on God's forgiveness, the combination of sin is categorized into SINS OR INIQUITIES.
Now pay attention…..
Now what's is the reason for that forgiveness for SINS/INIQUITIES.
Jesus and his apostles put a clearer picture to this…
Titus 2:11-14
[11]For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
[12]Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
[13]Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
[14]Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Matthew 1:21
[21]And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Matthew 9:6
[6]But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
Mark 2:5-10
[5]When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
[6]But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
[7]Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
[8]And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
[9]Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
[10]But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
Mark 4:11-12
[11]And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
[12]That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Luke 24:46-47
[46]And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
[47]And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Acts 26:18
[18]To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Romans 4:7-8
[7]Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
[8]Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Galatians 1:1-4
[1]Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
[2]And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
[3]Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
[4]Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Now this will be that the primary reason for God's forgiveness will be towards sin….
God's intention will then be seen clearly in his forgiveness of sins. It's will then be primary to note that if God's primary reason for forgiveness is sin then, it's important to now the how and why which we are going to see through our next study chapter.