Part 1
In some places the Jews have a belief that a child before he is twelve years old does not bear his own sins, but that they are counted to belong to his father and mother.
In Russia there was a ten-year-old Jewish boy who had a very loving father and mother. He also had an extremely good teacher who was also a Jew. This teacher was very well educated and knew the Jewish Scriptures.
Daniel (for this was the little boy’s name) often heard his father say that he was responsible for his little son’s sins till he was twelve years old, and this made him feel very lighthearted. But the time passed by quickly, and soon his eleventh birthday came round. That day he felt rather sad because he said to himself, “Only one year more, and I shall have to bear my own sins!”
The eleventh year was passing, and as he drew near to his twelfth birthday, he felt very sad and anxious at heart. Finally he went to his father and said, “Father, I shall soon be twelve, and I shall have to bear my own sins, but I beg you to bear them for me a little longer for I am terribly afraid to bear my own sins.”
“Impossible”, his father replied, “I cannot bear your sins any longer. Next year you will have to bear your own sins.”
“O Father, please bear my sins just one year longer!”
“I cannot” replied the father.
“Do you think my teacher could bear my sins?” pleaded Daniel.
“He could not either. There is no one who can bear your sins; you must bear them yourself.”
But the little boy would not give up his hope that someone might bear his sins. He went to his teacher and said, “Sire, before long I shall be twelve years old, and my father says I shall have to bear my own sins, but I am terribly afraid to bear them. Would you be willing to bear my sins one year for me?”
“My child, I cannot. Your father and I both love you, but there is no one who can bear your sins. You will have to bear them yourself. I have to bear my own sins. No one can bear them for me. Everyone must bear his own sins.”
“But how can we bear our own sins?” said little Daniel. “Will not our sins sink us to hell?”
“In olden days,” replied the teacher, “God prepared a lamb. A man could lay his hand on the head of the lamb, and confess his sins; then God counted that the lamb received the man’s sins; the lamb, on account of the man’s sins, was killed, and the man was free.”
“Where can I look for a lamb to bear my sins?” said Daniel.
“You cannot do so now,” replied the teacher, “for the lamb would have to be killed at God’s Temple at Jerusalem, or else it would be no use.”
“But could I find a man now to bear my sins?” said Daniel.
“It is only blood which can atone for sin,” replied the teacher, “and the blood must be shed in Jerusalem at the Temple, but the Temple is now destroyed, and everyone must bear his own sins.”
Daniel knew by this time that blood must be shed to cleanse from sin, and if someone could have told him; “The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth from all sin,” he could have been at rest about his, but none of his friends knew or cared for the Lord Jesus.
ML 03/03/1946