I'm re-writing a bunch of devotionals that came with these Jesse Tree ornaments we got a few years back. I'm enjoying the challenge but HOLY CRAP its a challenge! Possibly the toughest one is the "Tongs" ornament, with recounts Isaiah's vision of God and is meant to help us remember that we are sinners and need the forgiveness of Jesus. But I can hear all the whys coming from my 6 year old and 9 year old. Tongs? Hot coals on lips? "What the crap, daddy?" (they actually don't say "what the crap", yet.)
The ornaments were supposed to be designed with kids in mind, but the included devotions just leave waaaaay too much unsaid in my opinion. So with a deep breath I took a crack at explaining the reasons for the sacrificial system, or at least a part of their purpose. I think I like it the way it is, but I'm gonna have to rehearse the first sentence a lot. I crack up laughing at how dark and heavy it sounds with Christmas music playing softly underneath it...
December 20th- Tongs Ornament
(Isaiah 6:1-7, Romans 3:23-26)
Before Jesus came, so that people would understand how hurtful and sad sin is, God told his people to kill their most beautiful animals at certain times and burn their bodies on a hot instrument called an altar. This must have been really hard for them to do, and sad to have to see those animals die. But God wanted them to understand that sin is a really sad thing. Even more sad than animals dying. Back then, animals were also used to help people make money, so killing some of their animals was also like giving up a whole bunch of their money! But God wanted them to understand that sin messes things up. And it wouldn't be fair if God just let people hurt each other without paying to fix the wrong things they've done.
So burning the dead animals on the altar helped people understand that sin was sad, and that we needed to do something to pay for the ways we hurt each other with our sin.
When the prophet Isaiah saw God in a vision(which was kind of like a special dream God gave him while he was awake ) he was scared, because he knew that sometimes he said things that were unkind, and he knew God should punish him for that. But in his vision, an angel used tongs to pick up a hot coal from the fire under the altar. And then he touched the hot coal to Isaiah's lips and said "your guilt is taken away, and your sin is paid for." Isaiah didn't bring an animal to the altar to pay for his sin. God forgave him without there being any animal at all! Do you know why?
Because God had a special plan that he knew could someday pay for everyone's sins, and be able to help anyone stop sinning forever.
Romans chapter 3 tells us that no one is as good and as kind as God, but because of Jesus, their sins can be forgiven AND they can be made so that they will never sin ever again. That's what will happen for everyone who asks Jesus for forgiveness. Someday, they will be fixed so that they are always good and kind and do the right thing, and it will be easy and fun to do the right thing all the time!
So the tongs ornament reminds us that, just like Isaiah, we need someone to pay for our sins. And just like God did with Isaiah, he can pay for our sins without killing any animals, because Jesus died to pay for our sins, so we could live with him and be happy forever.
The ornaments were supposed to be designed with kids in mind, but the included devotions just leave waaaaay too much unsaid in my opinion. So with a deep breath I took a crack at explaining the reasons for the sacrificial system, or at least a part of their purpose. I think I like it the way it is, but I'm gonna have to rehearse the first sentence a lot. I crack up laughing at how dark and heavy it sounds with Christmas music playing softly underneath it...
December 20th- Tongs Ornament
(Isaiah 6:1-7, Romans 3:23-26)
Before Jesus came, so that people would understand how hurtful and sad sin is, God told his people to kill their most beautiful animals at certain times and burn their bodies on a hot instrument called an altar. This must have been really hard for them to do, and sad to have to see those animals die. But God wanted them to understand that sin is a really sad thing. Even more sad than animals dying. Back then, animals were also used to help people make money, so killing some of their animals was also like giving up a whole bunch of their money! But God wanted them to understand that sin messes things up. And it wouldn't be fair if God just let people hurt each other without paying to fix the wrong things they've done.
So burning the dead animals on the altar helped people understand that sin was sad, and that we needed to do something to pay for the ways we hurt each other with our sin.
When the prophet Isaiah saw God in a vision(which was kind of like a special dream God gave him while he was awake ) he was scared, because he knew that sometimes he said things that were unkind, and he knew God should punish him for that. But in his vision, an angel used tongs to pick up a hot coal from the fire under the altar. And then he touched the hot coal to Isaiah's lips and said "your guilt is taken away, and your sin is paid for." Isaiah didn't bring an animal to the altar to pay for his sin. God forgave him without there being any animal at all! Do you know why?
Because God had a special plan that he knew could someday pay for everyone's sins, and be able to help anyone stop sinning forever.
Romans chapter 3 tells us that no one is as good and as kind as God, but because of Jesus, their sins can be forgiven AND they can be made so that they will never sin ever again. That's what will happen for everyone who asks Jesus for forgiveness. Someday, they will be fixed so that they are always good and kind and do the right thing, and it will be easy and fun to do the right thing all the time!
So the tongs ornament reminds us that, just like Isaiah, we need someone to pay for our sins. And just like God did with Isaiah, he can pay for our sins without killing any animals, because Jesus died to pay for our sins, so we could live with him and be happy forever.