(cont…)
'These few
facts are sufficient to guide us in our examination of the atonement; and the
reader is requested to examine them with care, and get them all well fixed in
the mind. Having made an atonement for himself, the high priest took two goats
from the people, and cast lots upon them, one to be chosen for a sin offering,
the other for a scape-goat. The goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell was then
slain, and the priest took its blood and went
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Atonement - 130
into the
sanctuary and sprinkled it upon the mercy-seat and before the mercy-seat, in
that manner making an atonement for the children of Israel, by blotting out
their sins and removing them from the presence of God.
That this
was the true idea and intent of that work, we learn from Lev. 16:15-19, wherein
it is not only said that the priest made atonement for the children of Israel,
but that he also made atonement for the holy places, cleansing them and
hallowing them from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
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.
Lev
16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and
make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of
the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round
about.
Lev
16:19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven
times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of
Israel.
The
uncleanness or sins of the children of Israel could never come directly in
contact with the holies of the sanctuary, but only by proxy; for they (the
people) were never permitted to enter there. The priest was the representative
of the people; he bore their judgment. Ex. 28:30.
Exo
28:30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the
Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the
LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his
heart before the LORD continually.
In this
manner the sanctuary of God was defiled; and as the blood was given to make
atonement, the priest cleansed the sanctuary from their sins by sprinkling the
blood upon and before the mercy-seat in the divine presence. That this process
is called the cleansing of the sanctuary we learn in the plainest terms from
this scripture. We quote as follows:— “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. And he shall make an atonement for
the holy place [Heb., the sanctuary], 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… And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon
it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleanness
of the children of Israel.” Lev. 16:15-19. From this language there can be no
appeal. It has been seen that the sinner brought his offering; that it was
slain; and that the priest took the blood and made the atonement; and here it
is further established that the atonement was made in the sanctuary. This most clearly proves that the killing of
the offering did not make the atonement, but was preparatory to it; for the
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H. Waggoner
atonement was made in the sanctuary, but the
offering was not slain in the sanctuary.
These
things, of course, were typical, and have their fulfillment in the work of the
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. That he is a High Priest, and the only
mediator in the gospel, will be readily admitted; but the order and manner of
his service must be determined by the Scriptures.
The
apostle states that he is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, that is a
kingly priest, on the throne of the Majesty in the Heavens, a minister of the
sanctuary and true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. Heb. 8:1.
Of course
this is the antitype of the earthly sanctuary, of the tabernacle pitched or
made by man. He also affirms that if he were on earth, he would not be a priest
for the evident reason that the priests of the earthly sanctuary were of the
tribe of Levi, while our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake
nothing concerning priesthood, and of which no man gave attendance at the
altar. Heb. 7:13, 14; 8:4.
Heb
7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe,
of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
Heb
7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe
Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb
8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there
are priests that offer gifts according to the law
This will
correct a mistake very often made, that the priesthood of our Lord commenced on
earth. If he had entered on the work of his priesthood at his baptism, as has
been said, he would have acted with those who were types of himself; and if as
a priest he had officiated in the temple, it would have been to make offerings
typical of his own. That Christ was a
“prophet, priest, and king,” many of us have learned from our early childhood;
but comparatively few ever learn the true relation these offices sustain to
each other.
He was “that prophet” while on earth;
and Paul’s testimony given above shows that he filled no other office. Many
suppose that his priesthood is connected with that kingdom which is given to
him as the Son of David. But this is utterly forbidden by plain Scripture
declarations. Aaron had no kingship, and David had no priesthood; and Christ is
not a priest after the order of Aaron (Heb. 7:11), so is he not a king on the
throne of David (i.e., during his priesthood). It is “after the order of Melchisedec,” who was both king and priest,
that Christ is a priest on his Father’s throne.
At
different times, he occupies two different thrones (See Rev. 3:21)
Rev
3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
; and the
throne of his Father in Heaven, which he now occupies as priest, “he shall have
delivered up” at his
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Atonement - 132
coming. 1
Cor. 15:23-28.
1Co
15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward
they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co
15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority
and power.
1Co
15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his
feet.
1Co
15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
1Co
15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all
things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all
things under him.
1Co
15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son
also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be
all in all.
Then, in
subjection to his Father, he will take his own throne, called also the throne
of David, on which he will reign forever—without end. Luke 1:32, 33.
Luk
1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and
the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk
1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.
But then
he will no more be a priest, his priesthood being altogether on the throne he
now occupies. The reader is requested to examine these points carefully, as a
misunderstanding of them has given rise to much confusion in the “theological
world.”
Having
shown the distinction between the earthly and heavenly sanctuaries, Paul
proceeds to set forth the relation which the ministrations in each sustain to
the other, saying of the priests on earth: “Who serve unto the example and
shadow of heavenly things.” Heb. 8:5. As the earthly is the shadow and example,
we may compare it with the heavenly, the substance, by which we may gain a
clearer idea of the latter than is afforded us by any other means.
Indeed,
the comparison is made to our hand by the apostle. Note the following text, in
which the distinction here claimed between the death of Christ and his work as
priest to make atonement, is clearly recognized: “For the bodies of those
beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin,
are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the
people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” Heb. 13:11, 12.
Thus we
learn definitely that, as priest, he makes atonement; but his priesthood is not
on earth, but in the sanctuary in Heaven; and that he did not suffer in the
sanctuary where atonement is made. It was not necessary, in the type, for the
priest to slay the offering (see Lev. 1:4, 5);
Lev
1:4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it
shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
Lev
1:5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests,
Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon
the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
but it was necessary for the priest to take
the blood and with it enter the sanctuary of the Lord to make an atonement.
Jesus did not shed his blood as priest; it was shed by sinners. But he did by
“his own blood” enter “into the holy places” not made with hands, of which the
earthly were figures, “to appear in the presence of God for us.” Heb. 9:12, 24.
We might
quote much to show the prevalence of the error, that the Atonement was made on
the cross, but that is not necessary. The “Manual of the Atonement,” from which
we have before quoted, says:—
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H. Waggoner
“When he
had completed his mediatorial work, he meekly yielded himself up into the hands
of his heavenly Father, saying, ‘Into thy hands I commit my spirit.’”
(To be
continued)
(Excerpt
from-) THE ATONEMENT PART SECOND:
THE
ATONEMENT AS REVEALED IN THE BIBLE
(1884)
BY ELDER J. H. WAGGONER
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