John 15:13 English Standard Version (ESV) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

If Christ had not laid down His life for us as friends we would never have become family. We could not become “blood of my blood” without His blood being shed. This adoption into the family of God cannot happen without the blood of Christ covering our sins.

When God looks at us now He only sees the blood of His Son. Our sins are hidden from His sight.

Exodus 26:14 English Standard Version (ESV) And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and a covering of goatskins on top.

God exampled the covering sacrifice in the construction of the wilderness tabernacle. God would not enter into the Holy of Holies without it to commune with Moses. God would go before Israel in the cloud by day and the fire at night but would not enter into communion without the covering sacrifice.

Ezekiel 28:13 English Standard Version (ESV) You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.On the day that you were created they were prepared.

They were there all along but we did not know what was lost to us until God explained it to us. We could not see the covering for what it was until after it was lost to us and we became outcasts.

Restoration of the cover takes more than just being a gracious gift from God. It took sacrifice, the covering of a more perfect love. We could not receive a love that great without seeing the sacrifice that was made.

1 John 4:19 English Standard Version (ESV) We love because he first loved us.