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Day Ten: The Old Testament Gridlock

I lived in New York City for eight years, and if you’ve ever been there, you know what I’m talking about. On its best day, New York is a traffic nightmare, but throw in some construction? As Donnie Brasco says, forget about it! It’s like the city is an obstacle course with detours, closed streets, and guys digging in manholes everywhere. Getting anywhere is a miracle.

Now, imagine the Old Testament tabernacle system like that—a spiritual New York City under construction. You’ve got the holy places, the outer courts, the Most Holy Place, all wrapped up in rituals and regulations. Only one guy, the high priest, got to go into the Most Holy Place once a year, and if he didn’t bring the right blood sacrifice? Dead meat. So many obstacles between the people and God’s presence.

But then Jesus shows up and clears the path. He’s like the ultimate construction crew—finishing the work, removing the roadblocks, and giving us direct access to God. No more detours, no more temporary fixes. Jesus doesn’t just get us through; He perfects the way. He’s the High Priest who made the once-for-all sacrifice, dealing with sin completely and giving us a clear route to the Father.

Now, why was this necessary? Because God is holy—first and foremost. We hear a lot about God being love, and that’s true, but let’s not forget that holiness is the drumbeat of the entire Bible. God’s holiness means He can’t just overlook sin. The penalty for sin is death—straight from Genesis 3. That’s why the Old Testament was so heavy on blood sacrifices—sin is serious, and blood represents life. Without it, there’s no forgiveness.

Here’s some great news though—God didn’t leave us stuck in that old system. He took on flesh, lived among us, and died in our place. That’s love driven by holiness. Jesus’ sacrifice doesn’t just cover sin temporarily; it clears the way, making us right with God once and for all.

So, why do we sometimes live like we’re still stuck in spiritual gridlock? Jesus has cleared the path. We’ve got direct access to God, no detours, no construction zones. It’s time to step into that freedom with confidence, knowing that because of Jesus, the way to God is open, and it’s perfect.