God does exist, and He is who He is—not who we think He is or who we want Him to be.

What happened when Moses spoke to God at the burning bush? Moses asked God, “. . .‘and they say to me, “What is His name?” What Shall I say to them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ . . .‘I AM has sent me to you’ ” (Exodus 3:13-14).

God is unlike anyone we can imagine. And as was mentioned before, He loves us so much, He has provided a way for the problem of sin to be overcome, and for us to be able to have a good relationship with Him.

Notice I said “a way” and not “several ways.” Does God only have one way?

• THE GARDEN: Adam and Eve could eat from any tree except one. There was only one way to separate mankind from God.
• THE PASSOVER: There was only one way for God’s judgment to pass over some homes and not others in Egypt—the blood of the perfect sacrifice on the doors of the homes.
• THE TEMPLE: There was only one high priest on one day a year who could approach God. And he couldn’t do it without the blood of the sacrifice.
• The LAMB OF GOD who takes away the sins of the world: There is only one way to have a relationship with God, the sacrifice—the blood of the Messiah.

We have a problem, sin. There is only one solution, and God provided us that solution in the form of a sacrifice—a substitutionary sacrifice.

Remember how we discussed that God is perfect? This means that He won’t allow imperfection, no matter what.

No matter how loving God is, He cannot just sweep sin under the rug.

God has a system of justice and it, unlike ours, is perfect. Just as our human judges can’t ignore convictions, God can’t ignore sin. God is love, but He is also just. An act of disobedience requires a punishment.

The penalty for sin, God said, is death—not just physical but spiritual death—eternal separation from God.

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59: 1-2).

The plan . . .