A challenging problem faced by many people in their lives is the problem of debt. There are many possible causes for debts including: unforseen expenses, uncertain labor markets, fluctuating prices, inflation, and simple mismanagement of money. Certain debts have become such a problem for some that they have sought relief from the government in forgiving those debts.
The universe is a very large place, at least as far as we can understand its complexity. Within this universe are countless numbers of galaxies, each holding an uncountable number of stars. In reality, any such attempts at measurement are merely conjecture because man cannot comprehend such scope. Among such a maelstrom one singular galaxy does not appear to hold specific importance.
One can only imagine the agony, pain, and hardship endured by Jesus Christ through His scourging and His crucifixion. To hang in the presence of numerous onlookers, slowly asphyxiating as you struggle to bear you own exhausting weight. To realize that, although many onlookers are friends or family full of pity, anguish, and despair, still some onlookers are cynically present to watch an innocent man die, or to see whether He will truly “save Himself” (Mat. 27:41ff).
Sometimes a seemingly simple question can become more complicated when consider its real life application. The question of how God could forgive the sins of mankind prior to the sacrifice of Jesus can be one of those questions. The difficulty arises in attempting to understand forgiveness and sacrifice within the restraints of a timeline.
In the 7th Century B.C., the people of the Kingdom of Judah committed deeds of abomination so despicable in the sight of God that He decided to destroy the nation a few short years after. Man had been well practiced at committing sin, and both Israel and Judah were no exception. However, none of the idolatry, injustice, immorality, or other behavior had matched what was encouraged by King Manasseh. He encouraged the people to engage in child sacrifice, causing his very own son to “pass through the fire” (2 Kings 21:6, NASU).