The Day of Atonement….
The protective smoke was now in its place and the High Priest took a deep breath, he knew if he'd failed to do as commanded he would now be dead. Letting the breath out slowly he moved to take up the blood filled basin, still warm from the recent sacrifice of the bull. The life of that animal was in his hands, taken from the creature, sacrificed. Why? Why was it necessary for a blood sacrifice to be made?
The High Priest knew full well why. When man chose to disobey God they separated themselves from Him. When man chose to sin they chose death over life. God could have blotted them out of existence, instead He required life for a life. However, the symbolic act of taking an animal's life wasn't enough to redeem men permanently. A greater sacrifice would be needed. And the High Priest knew that every animal sacrifice made for man's sin was but a temporary fix to a very serious sin problem. Yes, a blood sacrifice was needed, a life for a life. Our life is forfeited every time was sin, because the penalty for sin is death. And for those who think it horrendous to take the life of innocent animals, how much more awful was the fact God would sacrifice His decreed son, innocent of any sin?
With the basin of bullock's blood in his hands, the High Priest moved closer to the incense cloud covered mercy seat. Dipping his finger into the thick, cooling blood he pulled it back and felt the droplets spilling back into the bowl, but before all the blood could slide from his finger he waved it at the mercy seat towards the east. Realizing as the blood splattered onto the seat where the Most High met with them, the High Priest comprehended this blood he was sprinkling there was to make an atonement for himself and his house, the house of the priesthood. The act of purifying, of cleansing was under way. The sin that was his and his house was being forgiven entirely. Seven more times his finger went into the bloody basin, and seven more times he sprinkled the blood before the mercy seat, an offering of sacrifice. Blood for blood. Life for life. A penalty paid by one undeserved of death for those who deserved death. A separation repaired, an at one ment made. He was now able to continue the sacred service, he was forgiven.
With that part of the ritual complete, the High Priest left the Most Holy Place. And returned outside, passing through the Holy Place, and out into the place of the altar where he'd left the two goats chosen earlier.
Having cast lots upon the goats, one to be named the LORD'S the other the scapegoat, it was time for the LORD'S goat to be sacrificed for sin.
Once more the animal was taken and bound accordingly and laid upon the altar. With the greatest of solemnity the High Priest once more raised the slaughtering weapon. The sharp blade swiftly pushed through the hide of the goat's neck separating the flesh, exposing the blood filled veins and arteries that kept the life blood flowing. Severing those all too vulnerable connections, blood quickly spilled once more into a clean basin, coating it instantly red.
With the life blood of the goat in hand, the High Priest moved once more towards the Sanctuary. Entering the Holy Place, he didn't linger. As before he walked to the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place and very reverently parted that curtain. This time as he began the ceremony the blood was warmer upon his finger, he hadn't had to wait for the smoky incense to cover the mercy seat this time, it was still filled with the sweet fragrance, now mingled with the coppery odor of blood. Sprinkling the blood of the goat, the blood shed for the people this time, all the people of the congregation, the people of God, he did exactly as he done with the bull's blood. Another life taken, another life for a life. Another innocent killed in another's place. Once upon the Mercy Seat and seven times more before the most holy of places blood was sprinkled.
An atonement was made for the people, their sins forgiven just as his and his house had their sins forgiven such a short time before.
The Most Holy Place cleansed.
The Holy Place cleansed. No man other than the High Priest alone inside the Holy Place as this atonement was made. The Sanctuary was being cleansed, sins, all sins forgiven. The separating barrier that sin wrought was being done away with, the way to God completed.
And the High priest moved slowly through this sacred ritual, this atonement of atonements for Himself, all His house, and all the congregation.
Still, it the rituals were not over and the people remained caught up in their soul affliction, knowing they needed the atoning, knowing there was no other way for them to remain God's chosen people, God's forgiven people.
*******
Lev 16:14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Lev 16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Lev 16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
Lev 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
Lev 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
Lev 16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
Lev 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
*******
How dare we imagine that the heavenly Sanctuary after which the earthly was created served no real applicable purpose other than to be home to Father and Son.
For sin to be permanently ended a permanent solution, a permanent application, a heavenly atonement for all sin everywhere had to be made. The Lamb Slain stands in the heavenly temple, as well as sits, He MOVES in the temple to complete the work.
It wasn't for nothing the prophecy was given- 'Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.' A prophecy for a time when no earthly sanctuary existed. A prophecy, a foretelling of time coming to an end, a work completed, sin gone from all that accept the atoning blood, the sacrificial blood of our Savior spilled for them, an innocent life given for them. God's Son taking our place upon the cross, dying upon the cross meant for us who deserve the cross.
All praise, all glory, all honor to our SAVIOR! All thanksgiving, all in all for HIM! All our love, our lives for HIM, yielded to HIM who alone believes us worthy.
In HIS LOVE!
The protective smoke was now in its place and the High Priest took a deep breath, he knew if he'd failed to do as commanded he would now be dead. Letting the breath out slowly he moved to take up the blood filled basin, still warm from the recent sacrifice of the bull. The life of that animal was in his hands, taken from the creature, sacrificed. Why? Why was it necessary for a blood sacrifice to be made?
The High Priest knew full well why. When man chose to disobey God they separated themselves from Him. When man chose to sin they chose death over life. God could have blotted them out of existence, instead He required life for a life. However, the symbolic act of taking an animal's life wasn't enough to redeem men permanently. A greater sacrifice would be needed. And the High Priest knew that every animal sacrifice made for man's sin was but a temporary fix to a very serious sin problem. Yes, a blood sacrifice was needed, a life for a life. Our life is forfeited every time was sin, because the penalty for sin is death. And for those who think it horrendous to take the life of innocent animals, how much more awful was the fact God would sacrifice His decreed son, innocent of any sin?
With the basin of bullock's blood in his hands, the High Priest moved closer to the incense cloud covered mercy seat. Dipping his finger into the thick, cooling blood he pulled it back and felt the droplets spilling back into the bowl, but before all the blood could slide from his finger he waved it at the mercy seat towards the east. Realizing as the blood splattered onto the seat where the Most High met with them, the High Priest comprehended this blood he was sprinkling there was to make an atonement for himself and his house, the house of the priesthood. The act of purifying, of cleansing was under way. The sin that was his and his house was being forgiven entirely. Seven more times his finger went into the bloody basin, and seven more times he sprinkled the blood before the mercy seat, an offering of sacrifice. Blood for blood. Life for life. A penalty paid by one undeserved of death for those who deserved death. A separation repaired, an at one ment made. He was now able to continue the sacred service, he was forgiven.
With that part of the ritual complete, the High Priest left the Most Holy Place. And returned outside, passing through the Holy Place, and out into the place of the altar where he'd left the two goats chosen earlier.
Having cast lots upon the goats, one to be named the LORD'S the other the scapegoat, it was time for the LORD'S goat to be sacrificed for sin.
Once more the animal was taken and bound accordingly and laid upon the altar. With the greatest of solemnity the High Priest once more raised the slaughtering weapon. The sharp blade swiftly pushed through the hide of the goat's neck separating the flesh, exposing the blood filled veins and arteries that kept the life blood flowing. Severing those all too vulnerable connections, blood quickly spilled once more into a clean basin, coating it instantly red.
With the life blood of the goat in hand, the High Priest moved once more towards the Sanctuary. Entering the Holy Place, he didn't linger. As before he walked to the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place and very reverently parted that curtain. This time as he began the ceremony the blood was warmer upon his finger, he hadn't had to wait for the smoky incense to cover the mercy seat this time, it was still filled with the sweet fragrance, now mingled with the coppery odor of blood. Sprinkling the blood of the goat, the blood shed for the people this time, all the people of the congregation, the people of God, he did exactly as he done with the bull's blood. Another life taken, another life for a life. Another innocent killed in another's place. Once upon the Mercy Seat and seven times more before the most holy of places blood was sprinkled.
An atonement was made for the people, their sins forgiven just as his and his house had their sins forgiven such a short time before.
The Most Holy Place cleansed.
The Holy Place cleansed. No man other than the High Priest alone inside the Holy Place as this atonement was made. The Sanctuary was being cleansed, sins, all sins forgiven. The separating barrier that sin wrought was being done away with, the way to God completed.
And the High priest moved slowly through this sacred ritual, this atonement of atonements for Himself, all His house, and all the congregation.
Still, it the rituals were not over and the people remained caught up in their soul affliction, knowing they needed the atoning, knowing there was no other way for them to remain God's chosen people, God's forgiven people.
*******
Lev 16:14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Lev 16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Lev 16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
Lev 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
Lev 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
Lev 16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
Lev 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
*******
How dare we imagine that the heavenly Sanctuary after which the earthly was created served no real applicable purpose other than to be home to Father and Son.
For sin to be permanently ended a permanent solution, a permanent application, a heavenly atonement for all sin everywhere had to be made. The Lamb Slain stands in the heavenly temple, as well as sits, He MOVES in the temple to complete the work.
It wasn't for nothing the prophecy was given- 'Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.' A prophecy for a time when no earthly sanctuary existed. A prophecy, a foretelling of time coming to an end, a work completed, sin gone from all that accept the atoning blood, the sacrificial blood of our Savior spilled for them, an innocent life given for them. God's Son taking our place upon the cross, dying upon the cross meant for us who deserve the cross.
All praise, all glory, all honor to our SAVIOR! All thanksgiving, all in all for HIM! All our love, our lives for HIM, yielded to HIM who alone believes us worthy.
In HIS LOVE!
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