To End the Curse- Part Two.

There was noise all around me and people coming and shaking my hand saying long sentences that I was trying to impossibly keep up with. I, as well as everyone around me was handed a stick and told “This is your spear.” Then we were handed a huge leaf and told “This is your shield.” I was taken to a small clearing, where we were separated into two groups with a ditch in between where a freshly slaughtered lamb and goat lay. I was trying to understand what was going on around me but  it was chaotic with all the noise, jumping, and voices. A man was trying to explain to me how the ritual worked, while a woman grabbed  my hand, I thought to greet me, but instead placed a handful of warm goat excrement, right from the stomach, into my hand. I looked at the woman who had a giant smile on her face, and simply uttered a “Wow… Thanks, just what I always wanted!” We lined up facing each other on both sides of the ravine, the group opposite me, uttered a war cry and together came charging toward us throwing their spears, shields and excrement, stopping right before the edge of the ravine. Then I was told it was our turn to utter a war cry and do likewise.  I had to be pushed and told repeatedly “Throw it, throw everything!” Before I finally threw all I hand in my arms toward the people on the other side (I kept thinking, really? What if I hit someone?). 

When it was finally over there was much shouts of victory and shaking of hands and people bursting out in dance. I sat there still looking at the lifeless lamb and goat in the middle of the ravine, which now was covered in pointy sticks, shields and excrement.

The idea was that both sides were to represent their ancestors, how they fought and were cruel to one another but now with this slain goat and lamb in-between it is finished…the curse is ended and now there is forgiveness and peace.

 God has displayed in creation, in pagan rituals of those who don’t even know Him illustrations of Himself. The word that kept ruminating in my heart the hike back home was “Forgiveness.” Everything we throw at each other really falls on our lamb or messiah our peace. All of our sins disgusting as excrement is laid on the slain lamb….On Jesus, Messiah. Therefore I have peace with God…as well as an obligation to forgive others. Those who have hurt me, well their repulsive acts are at the place as mine…in the ravine, yes, even at the cross.

Once again my dear friends, I went, with an attitude of envisioned sacrifice, intending to give, yet instead I come away, repented, bursting of grace and simply…Full.

Would you do me a favor? NO REALLY! I know you are tempted to skip over this, or tell yourself you will read it later(I do this all the time) but don’t! Read it NOW. Read some verses with me. Slowly…As Anne of Green Gables would put it “Drink it in Marilla!” Drink in the LOVE of God for us.

Isaiah 53:3

 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
   a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
   he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

A man of Suffering:

 mak'ôb  mak'ôb  mak'ôbâh

mak-obe', mak-obe', mak-o-baw'

From H3510; anguish or (figuratively) affliction: - grief, pain, sorrow.

"Familiar with pain": ידע      yâda‛

yaw-dah'

A primitive root; to know (properly to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care,recognition; and causatively instruction, designation, punishment, etc.): - acknowledge, acquaintance (-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, [un-] awares, can [-not], certainly, for a certainty, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be [ig-] norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to, let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have [knowledge], (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have [understanding], X will be, wist, wit, wot.

"Familiar with Pain": חלי

chŏlı̂y

khol-ee'

From H2470; malady, anxiety, calamity: - disease, grief, (is) sick (-ness).

" Like one from whom people hide theirfaces":

 pânı̂ym

paw-neem'

Plural (but always used as a singular) of an unused noun (פּנה pâneh, paw-neh'; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.): -  + accept, a (be-) fore (-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront (-part), form (-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him (-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look [-eth] (-s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, prospect, was purposed, by reason, of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them (-selves), through (+ -out), till, time (-s) past, (un-) to (-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with (-in, + stand), X ye, X you.

Isaiah 53 verses 4-5

 ^"Surely he took up our pain
   and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
   stricken by him, and afflicted.
 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
   he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." 

Surely He took up our pain: נסה    נשׂא

nâśâ'  nâsâh

naw-saw', naw-saw'

A primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, absolutely and relatively: - accept, advance, arise, (able to, [armour], suffer to) bear (-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honourable (+ man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, X needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.

But He was crushed for our iniquities: דּכא

dâkâ'

daw-kaw'

A primitive root (compare H1794) to crumble; transitively to bruise (literally or figuratively): - beat to pieces, break (in pieces), bruise, contrite, crush, destroy, humble, oppress, smite.

John 1:29

“The next day He saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Exerts taken from E-sword.