BOOK: THE GARDEN THE CURTAIN AND THE CROSS
AUTHOR: CARL LAFERTON
ILLUSTRATOR: CATALINA ECHEVERRI
PUBLISHER: THE GOOD BOOK COMPANY
PAGES: 32
AGE RECOMMENDED: 4+
Easter is more than the Easter Bunny. The legend may say Easter Bunny paints eggs, but the whole Easter is about Christ’s resurrection. Christmas is often jinxed more than Easter, but without Easter Sunday we wouldn’t have Christmas.
This beautifully illustrated book talks about the first creation, their sin, the temple, the alter and curtain, the birth of Jesus, the cross and his resurrection. This book is old and new testament combined. From being saved by the blood of the lamb to being saved by the blood of Jesus, everything is said in this book.
When God created the world, he created everything according to his liking. He created two humans to enjoy his creation. Adam and Eve were living in the Garden of Eden, and they could talk to God just like their friend. Until one day they ate the forbidden fruit and lived in a world without God being in charge. They were chased out of the garden, and two warrior Angels were put to guard the garden. The sin was growing, and they could not meet God. Because of sin, we can’t meet God.
But our God is filled with grace, and he said to build a temple, and you can come to worship me. But there was a condition; there will be a curtain in the middle of the temple, and only the high priest can talk to God directly. If we have to talk to God, we have to talk via the high priest. We cannot have any personal request to God directly with no intermediate. Years passed, and a baby was born to Mary and Joseph. He was the son of God, and he was Jesus. Jesus came to make things right in the sinful world, and part of God’s plan was to save the world by the blood of Jesus. So how will Jesus shed the blood? He has to die. The authorities and people around him didn’t like him to be in charge, and so they put Jesus on the cross.
While he was on the cross, and taking away our sin, something astonishing happened. The curtain ripped, and from that moment we can enter the temple, and talk to God directly. Because we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, we are saved by his blood and we are protected by his blood. That was one victory and after three days, he rose and he is still alive. He took charge of the world once again, and that was the biggest victory.
We are waiting for the day he will come and take us back to heaven. The next time he comes, he will not come as a baby, but as a king of kings. We knew the blood will heal us and cleanse us. So it’s time to turn towards him and wait for his second coming.
I loved the small prayer on the last page ‘To become friends with Jesus, all we need to do is say SORRY to him for our sin, and THANKYOU to him for dying on the cross to take our sin, and to ask him to PLEASE help us live with him as our king’.
This is a must-have book in your home library.
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