Note in Scripture how many times the blood is said to be ‘before the Lord’. Whether any man saw it or not was of small account, for it was offered ‘before the Lord’. When the Passover lamb was slain in Egypt, where was the blood placed? It was on the outside of the door, ‘before the Lord’. He said, ‘When I see the blood, I will pass over you’.
The suffering and death of Christ on behalf of his people was ‘before’ the Lord; unto the Lord; to declare the Lord’s righteousness; to satisfy the Lord’s justice; to fulfil the Lord’s purpose; to glorify the Lord’s character; and to enable the Lord to be both just and justifier!
The atonement does not change the nature and character of God, but rather honours and magnifies the character of God. The death of Christ is not the cause of God’s love, but the result of it. God is not merciful because Christ dies. Christ died because God is merciful. In order that every attribute might be expressed, glorified and honoured, God gave his Son to be the Saviour of his chosen people! Thank God there is an atonement ‘before the Lord’!
