Man in Linen Garments

We are about to conclude this particular part of this study but we aren't going to leave the Sanctuary study altogether just yet. There is just so incredibly much for us to learn and yes, unlearn.  We have to comprehend what is going on if we desire to know what's going on in our lives. Yes, our lives. This affects every single one of us, eternally.  To know what our Savior is doing for us. To note the closeness of the return of our Savior, all this is very important. When we keep ourselves in the dark, uncaring, unconcerned, we risk our eternity. We are told by our Savior to pray and to WATCH.

When we stop learning, when we stop caring, we lose out on the blessings that our Savior wants us to have through the knowledge He has left for us.

Please, bless us LORD, help us to find understanding in Your truth!

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From- "LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY" XXXV - 1 (02)-

'A Connecting Link

On the Day of Atonements, special holy garments were designated for the High  Priest to wear. He was to be clothed in linen from his head miter to his ankles. (Lev. 16:4).

Careful observation of this fact, links other Scriptures into the study of the Day of Atonements and God's design in its realization.

In Ezekiel 9, the man with a "writer's inkhorn" by his side was "clothed with linen" (v.2).
This is emphasized three times (vs. 2, 3, 11).

(((Eze 9:2  And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and ONE man among them was CLOTHED WITH LINEN, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
Eze 9:3  And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the MAN CLOTHED WITH LINEN, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

Eze 9:11  And, behold, the MAN CLOTHED WITH LINEN, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me. ))))

 In Zechariah 3, there is another symbolic representation of filthy garments and a change of
raiment. An interesting comment is made concerning this text of Scripture:

"Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing up of the great day of atonement"  (5T:472).

We shall note these two visions of Scripture as we continue our  "learning" and "unlearning" investigation. '

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And that concludes that particular WWN and with that conclusion we have been introduced to and extended study which is picked up in the next WWN.

2002 Feb -- XXXV -- 2(02) -- "Mark a Tau"

 "Mark a Tau" -- The Tau is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

This was the mark which the "man clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side" was instructed to place on the foreheads of those "that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst" of Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 9:2, 4).

(((Eze 9:2  And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

Eze 9:4  And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. ))))

The margin in the KJV gives the literal rendering to verse 4, "mark a mark."

Besides being the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, it had a word meaning as well.

It meant a mark or a sign "especially in the form of a cross."

"It is related of the synod of Chalcedon, and other oriental synods, that the bishops who could not write their names affixed the mark of the cross instead of them; and this is common at the present day in the case of persons who cannot write" (Gesenius, Hebrew & English Lexicon of the Old Testament, art., "tau," p. 1121).

All of this data could open up speculative interpretations which should be avoided.

The context within this vision given to Ezekiel suggests that the concept of the Tau as the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet has merit. It is placed upon the foreheads of a "last" people of God.

Throughout this vision, the "man" who places the tau is described as "clothed in linen" (vs. 2, 3, 11).

(((Eze 9:2  And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and ONE man among them was CLOTHED WITH LINEN, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
Eze 9:3  And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the MAN CLOTHED WITH LINEN, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

Eze 9:11  And, behold, the MAN CLOTHED WITH LINEN, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me. ))))

This was the type of cloth of which the attire of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement was made. (Lev. 16:4).

(((Lev 16:4  He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.))))

The "man clothed in linen" with the other six having slaughtering weapons in their hands, come and stand at the brazen altar where the last act of reconciliation was performed ceremonially on that day. (Lev. 16:18-20). He who was enthroned above the cherubim moved to the threshold of the sanctuary, and gave commandment to the man clothed in linen at the Altar.

(((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.
Lev 16:20  And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat))))

In the book of Revelation, this last group, those which are "redeemed from among men," have "the Father's name written in their foreheads" (Rev. 14:4, 1).

(((Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. ))))

We would not, nor could we conceive suggesting that God signs His name with an "x." However, the Father has been closely identified with the Cross. He "was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself" (II Cor. 5:19). In Revelation, the vision of God upon the throne includes the "Lamb as it had been slain" standing in the midst.

In the typical service of the Day of Atonement, the objective concerned a select group of people - only those who had confessed their sins, and received the results of the first atonement, forgiveness.

Likewise the placing of the special mark is confined to a select group, those who sigh and cry for the abomination done in the midst of a special city, a city where God had placed His name.

In this vision of Ezekiel, the same One who would provide forgiveness, placed the mark on the recipients of that forgiveness. When "the man clothed in linen" completed his work, he reported back to the One seated on the cherubim (v.11).

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In this continuing study we have learned that the REDEEMED - who we hope to be among - have the FATHER'S name written on their foreheads.  

There is a sealing, and there is a mark. We know this!  Are they literal? I can't imagine they are. We know that our thoughts and actions actually reveal what we believe.  You can have anything on the outside of your body, any sort of mark but it doesn't necessarily mean it's what you believe. How many people have received tattoos of things that define them in the moment but fail to do so later on in life? Yet, our beliefs, our ideas, our thoughts, our actions, our reactions all of this defines us.   Do ideas, thoughts, actions, reactions change? Yes, praise God, YES! If they didn't we could never fall at the feet of our Savior repenting, seeking forgiveness, hoping in HIM for life eternal.

Could the mark be invisible yet there? Yes, it could.  There needs to be a lot more study and by the grace of God we will be studying much more.

The 'man in linen' - the High Priest on the Day of Atonement - the Heavenly High Priest ministering in heaven- our SAVIOR.    He ministers in the heavenly sanctuary for US. By His grace He will complete His work and we will be marked as HIS.

More on all of this tomorrow.

Please LORD, please bless us, keep us in YOU.

Open our hearts to all the understanding that we need.

All by YOUR GRACE and MERCY!

Two Goats- One for the LORD, the other a Scapegoat

'Returning to the services performed on the Day of Atonement, we note that besides the "young bullock," there were to be two goats provided by the congregation, both of which were to be for "a sin offering" (v. 5).

(((Lev 16:5  And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Lev 16:3  Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. ))))

 Lots were to be cast over these goats, and one was to be the Lord's goat and the other for Azazel (v. 8; margin).

(((Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat))))

 Both goats in the type would bear the consequences of sin, one vicariously, the other as the recipient of the due judgment on sin.

On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest went three times into the Most Holy Place:

1) With a golden censer "full of live coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense" (v.12).

2) With the blood of the bullock which was sprinkled once upon the mercy seat, and seven times before it. (v.14).

(((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. ))))

3) With the blood of the Lord's goat which was ministered the same as the blood of the bullock. (v.15).

(((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))))

Inasmuch as the live coals were taken from the Altar of Burnt Offering, and each of the two sacrifices were made at the same altar, the High Priest on the Day of Atonement moved three times from the Altar in the Court into the Most Holy Place, and then returned to the same Altar to complete the Atonement.

In type, the High Priest did NOT go into the Most Holy Place and remain there the entire day.

((( The cleansing of the earthly sanctuary was a complex ritual.  If this ritual was perform in type why can't we fathom that the true from which the pattern, example, was given must be similar? There are steps taken for each category of sinners- the priests, the rulers, the congregation, and the individual.  Yet we imagine that only the individuals are being addressed in the cleansing taking place in heaven.  Yes, individuals encompass all those categories, but they were separated for a reason. Each category had it's own responsibility on top of the individual aspect. The priesthood was accountable as priests- not just as an individual.  The rulers were accountable as being rulers, not just individuals. The congregation was accountable as a people, not as individuals.  A priest, a ruler, and a whole congregation could sin in a different capacity than a separate individual. You can make a collective decision and be accountable as a collective whole, yes? And if you are dissenting voice in that collective you can choose to leave that group and no longer be a part of the collective. Many times individuals chose to leave the group rather than be accountable along with the group. When people follow their groups blindly choosing to believe them without considering they could be following the group down the wrong path, they are accountable for that. Each of these groups had a different accountability, a different service for sin.  On the Day of Atonements -  it reads like this--

Lev 16:34  And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins ONCE A YEAR. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Lev 16:2  And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Lev 16:3  Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young BULLOCK for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

Lev 16:4  He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

Lev 16:5  And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel TWO KIDS OF THE GOATS for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Lev 16:6  And Aaron shall offer HIS BULLOCK of the sin offering, which is FOR HIMSELF, and make an atonement for himself, AND FOR HIS HOUSE.

Lev 16:7  And he shall take the TWO GOATS, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

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 16:11  And Aaron shall bring the BULLOCK of the sin offering, which is FOR HIMSELF and shall make an ATONEMENT for HIMSELF, AND FOR HIS HOUSE, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

Lev 16:12  And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

Lev 16:13  And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

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 16:15  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 ISREAL.

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 CHILDRENE OF ISRAEL.

Lev 16:20  And when he hath made an  END OF RECONCILING THE HOLY PLACE, AND THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION, AND THE ALTAR, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Lev 16:22  And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

Lev 16:23  And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:
Lev 16:24  And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an ATONEMENT FOR HIMSELF AND FOR THE PEOPLE.

Lev 16:25  And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.
Lev 16:26  And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
Lev 16:27  And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.
Lev 16:28  And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Lev 16:29  And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 16:30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Lev 16:31  It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

Lev 16:32  And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:

Lev 16:33  And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

Lev 16:34  And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Do you see? The MOST HOLY PLACE of the Sanctuary (here designated Holy Place), the HOLY PLACE ( here designated Tabernacle of the Congregation), and the ALTAR all had ATONEMENTS made for them!  There were atonements for the PRIESTS and for ALL the PEOPLE of the CONGREGATION.  They were all part and parcel of the cleansing of the Sanctuary.

Atonements were made. We have to understand this. ))))

Here is one facet of the typical services on the Day of Atonement where there is needed, not only "learning" but also much "unlearning," so that the presentation of the Antitypical Day of Atonement will coincide with the type.

The ministration of the blood in the Most Holy Place is twofold:

1) "Because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel" and
2) "Because of their transgressions in all their sins" (v.16).

Here is the record of all sins, yet no blood was ever brought into the Most Holy Place, whether for corporate or individual sins via the sin offerings prescribed.

At this point, in type, the record was cleansed; but "the uncleanness" was not cleansed until the final ministration at the Altar in the Court, when the blood of the bullock and the blood of the Lord's goat were mingled for that objective (vs. 18-19).

The passing from the Most Holy to the Alter of Incense in the Holy Place is only briefly noted (v. 16b). The instruction as what was to be done is given in Exodus 30:10. Atonement was "to be made upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements."

On it only was placed the record of confessed corporate guilt.

Is the brevity of the instruction concerning the ministration in the Holy Place indicative of how hard it is for religious leaders to acknowledge their transgression in leading God's people into
apostasy, or for corporate groups to confess their guilt as a body, and thus so little repentance, if any, is recorded.

The final cleansing at the Altar in the Court needs careful study. While the ministry in the Most Holy cleared the record of sin, the atonement at the Altar reached to "the uncleanness of the children of Israel" (v.19).

Unless the source of sin is cleansed, the acts of sin will not cease.

The combined blood was  placed on the horns of the Altar where the record of acknowledgment and confession had been placed (Lev. 4:30).

It covered over the blood which had been placed there during the year. The antitype is summarized concisely by John when he wrote, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

Here is the whole yearly typical service regarding sin in one sentence, and the one single
act, we do in that full redemption, confess ourselves to be what we are, and from which we cannot deliver ourselves.

Let us review so as to see the overall picture. Let us retrace the steps placing ourselves in the typical yearly services.

We sin, and becoming conscious of our guilt, we bring the specified offering.
On it we place our hands in full weight, confessing our sin.
We then slay the victim.
The officiating priest takes of the blood, and by it, places the record of confession on the horns of the Altar.
In his priestly ministration, the priest makes the atonement for us, and we are forgiven.

The Day of Atonements comes.
The record of sin is to be confronted, and carried away.
We are to be cleansed.
What can we do?
Afflict our souls, and cease to trust in any of our works.

Again it is a priest that ministers; however, on this day, it is the High Priest and he alone. He ministers with the blood from victims on which no hands of confession are laid.

For the final phase, part of the blood of cleansing, he himself has provided; the other part
is blood from a goat that has become by lot the Lord's.

We come in the words of the hymn, "nothing in our hands to bring" but simply to the Cross to cling.

"And when (the High Priest hath made an end of reconciling the (most) holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat" (Lev. 16:21). This live goat, by lot belonged to Azazel, as much as the sacrificed goat belonged to the Lord. (ver. 8, margin). While the two goats were taken for "a sin offering" (v.5), only the Lord's goat was so sacrificed. With the live goat, "an atonement" was to be made with him, but not a blood
atonement (v. 10). After "an end" of reconciliation was made with the mingled blood, then the goat for Azazel was brought into the typical ceremony. The High Priest was to place both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and "confess over him all the iniquities of the children of
Israel, and all their transgression in all their sins" (v.21).

It should be observed that the High Priest bore the sins of Israel, but not their uncleanness (Heb. 7:26). The sins were transferred to the goat for Azazel, but only the sins of Israel, not the rest of the world. No blood atonement was made by this scapegoat, only a judgment because of those sins. The great antitypical High Priest who in "His own self (bore) our sins in His own body on
the tree" (I Peter 2:24), has every right to take what He paid for, and assign the accounting to the source of that which cost Him so much.

To "Learn" and to "Unlearn"

1) We observed in our study, that both the sanctuary built under the direction
of Moses according to the "pattern" given by God in communion with him on Mt.
Sinai, and the "true tabernacle which the Lord pitched," were of temporary
duration.

2) The "true tabernacle" which the Lord pitched" and in which He ministered was
"pitched" in heaven, and was not heaven itself.

3) The sin offerings were not to record sin, or to transfer it to the sanctuary,
but were confessional of sins already committed, and the record of that
confession.

4) There was an atonement in connection with the daily sin offerings which
resulted in forgiveness.

5) The high priest on the Day of Atonements functioned in all his duties as a
type of the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ. This included his offering
of the bullock for himself and his house.

6) On the Day of Atonements, the High Priest went three times in and out of the
Most Holy Place. He did not remain in the Most Holy all day, in fact the last act of the Atonement was completed in the Court at the Altar of Burnt Offering.

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Again, WHY is this important to us today?!

Because our SAVIOR is in the HEAVENLY SANCTUARY right now!  And the cleansing of that heavenly sanctuary began in 1844!   170 years ago this coming October, the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary began.

How long will it take for the heavenly sanctuary to be cleansed?  We can't know. I can't imagine that year after year, from one High Priest to the next, that every time it took the exact same amount of time.  We know God has His own time.  God knows when the cup of iniquity is filled, we don't. We do know the end will come. We know that once the cleansing is complete that our Savior will return for His people, His cleansed saints.

More tomorrow all by the GRACE of our SAVIOR.

All in His LOVE.

Day of Atonements - PLURAL

The following is from  -  "LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY" XXXV - 1 (02)-

(((We did this study yesterday, but today I'm going to add my two cents here and there as I personally try to fully comprehend the truth. Please, God, please bless us as we study Your truth.  Please, open our hearts and our minds to all You would have us know. Give us all we need to live the truth, all through the Holy Spirit, the Comforter that the Savior has sent to us, to guide us in all truth. ))))

The Day of Atonement is listed among the "feasts of the Lord" in Leviticus 23.

Today, in Judaism, this Feast is the most important day of their yearly religious rites; YET in the Old Testament, there is NO record of any celebration of this feast.

In the Gospels there is  NO mention of Christ ever attending this feast as He did the Passover.

This we can understand; Jesus needed NO cleansing since He did NO sin.

(((Truly, our Savior needed no cleansing at all. There was not a single stain of sin upon Him. Yes, He was tempted and yes, He felt the temptation as only a human being can, but He never once yielded to the temptation, it was never once conceived in Him.  No sin of His own was ever recorded anywhere. There was absolutely NO need for our Savior to be cleansed. He didn't need to afflict His soul over His many sins, He had none. Yet you can be assured He kept this feast just as He did all the others, as a part of His life upon earth as a son of Joseph and Mary growing up as one of God's chosen people.))))

There is an allusion to the day in Acts 27:9.  (((Act 27:9  Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because THE FAST was now already past, Paul admonished them, ))))

"The day" in Hebrews 10:25 could refer to the Day of Atonement.

The preface to the listing of the "feasts" in Leviticus 23 notes the Sabbath commandment as a "holy convocation" even as the "feasts" were to be so proclaimed (verses 2-3).

There is a reason.

Concerning the Sabbath, the commandment specifies - "ye shall do no work therein: it is a sabbath of rest in all your dwellings" (ver. 3).

ALL the other feasts - the Passover, Pentecost, the Memorial of the Trumpets and the Tabernacles, the command was simply - "Ye shall do no SERVILE work therein" (verses 8, 21, 25, 35).

However, the command concerning the Day of Atonement carried the SAME injunction as the Sabbath - "Ye shall do no manner of work" (ver. 31).

The significance of the Sabbath rest would likewise be the significance of the rest for the Day of Atonement.

In Hebrews (4:10) speaking of the Sabbath in connection with the "rest" of God promised in Christ Jesus (Matt. 11:28-30), it reads that one who enters into that rest "hath ceased from his own works." Likewise, the one who receives the final atonement must cease from his own works, and rely solely on the High Priest. If not, he will be destroyed "from among his people" (Lev. 23:30).


(((Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Lev 23:30  And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. ))))


((( The Day of Atonement a feast among other feasts kept by God's chosen people. A feast that like all others had a significance, a reason behind its being kept. This was the ONLY feast of all the feasts God's people were told to keep that had the same wording as the fourth commandment-

Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Lev 23:27  Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28  And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
Lev 23:29  For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
Lev 23:30  And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.

Yet for the other feasts--

Lev 23:34  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
Lev 23:35  On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no SERVILE work therein.

Lev 23:15  And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete….
Lev 23:21  And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no SERVILE work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

Do you see the difference? It's there! And it's for our comprehension! For our learning!

This Day of Atonement, this Day of Cleansing was something so important it demanded no only the servile work to cease but ALL work to cease just as each and every seventh day Sabbath is kept!  ALL work ceasing!

Heb 4:8  For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Cease from OUR works as GOD ceased from His!

Cease from OUR works!

An the Day of Atonement everyone was to cease from their own works, completely cease from their own working. When we stop working our own works to rest we are doing so in order that we may connect fully with God. We stop doing our own things, our own will, our own desires, our own workings.  We stop and by the grace of our God we learn, when we stop working our own works, dependency upon our CREATOR, our REDEEMER.  We shift our self-centered focus from ourselves to God.  We acknowledge the God has commanded and we choose to obey His command. We say we are NOT our own, we are GOD'S. We say we are POWERLESS, GOD is ALL POWERFUL! We say, THY WILL BE DONE.

The Sabbath is a weekly opportunity for us to recall our total dependency upon God for our Salvation. Not that we shouldn't recall this daily, but the Sabbath specifically calls for us to STOP doing our own will in all things and do God's.

The Day of Atonement was such a feast day it was so important.
And our Savior who is even now, right at this moment in time, in the Heavenly Sanctuary living in the time of the cleansing day that encompasses all humanity, wants us to understand that now more than ever before in all time we must seek God's will, His perfect will and not our own wills.  We are living in holy time as our Savior as our High Priest performs His ministry of cleansing the heavenly sanctuary.  Sin in all its horror is being brought closer and closer to its end.

Remember our previous study on the Times of the Gentiles being fulfilled? Remember that in 1980 that was accomplished? That sign was given and in connection with it we traced through history that the people chosen in the early 1800's to bring the Everlasting Gospel, to preached the unfolding prophecy to all had themselves become corrupted. In 1980 these people as a corporate body apostatized from the truth.  This cannot help but remind us of the atonements made on that Day of Atonements. Remember a few days ago we talked about the High Priest making and atonement for the rulers, and for the congregation?  What happened to those of the rulers and congregations who chose NOT to cease from their work, but continued on in their sins?  They were NOT cleansed.  Why? Because they did not confess!  The atonements, the forgiveness only extends to those who confess! It is their sins that are cleansed, those same sins they placed there all throughout the year.  If you do not place something where it can be cleansed, can you truly expect it to be made clean? No. In type, we comprehend that the cleansing that our Savior is undertaking in the heavenly sanctuary is just as active as was the High Priests on the Day of Atonement.  He moved from one cleansing to the next, one phase to the next. We will study this even closer in days to come, by the Grace of God.))))

There is another interesting aspect to the Day of Atonement not indicated in the KJV. The text reads:

On the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonements (plural in the Hebrew): it shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is the day of atonements (plural in the Hebrew), to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. (Lev.
23:27-28).

Why the plural?

There are two possibilities.

In the outline of the services to be performed on the tenth day of the seventh month, there is enumerated a SERIES of atonements to be accomplished by the High Priest (Lev. 16:32-33), thus it was literally a "day of atonements."

(((Lev 16:32  And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:
Lev 16:33  And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. ))))

The other possibility is that it is the use of the pluralis majestaticus v. excellentiae (majestic plural) as is ascribed to the word, Elohim, the plural form for God in the Hebrew. If it is this latter possibility, the use elevates this day above ALL the other ceremonial feast days.

The services to be performed by the High Priest alone on that day are outlined in Leviticus 16.

There are some details of a typical nature that need to be carefully considered not only for "learning" but also for some "unlearning."

 [It needs to be kept in mind that the term, "holy" coupled with the supplied word, "place" in this chapter refers to what we often call the "Most Holy Place," or the inner apartment of the sanctuary. The phrase, "tabernacle of the congregation" (v.17) is used to designate the first apartment, which we often refer to as, "The Holy Place."]

The instruction given to Moses for Aaron begins with a specific warning. He was not to come into the Most Holy Place except on one day of each year the Day of Atonement (v.2).

 He was told what to bring: "a young bullock as a sin offering, and ram for a burnt offering" (v.3).

The first thing which must be decided is the question - Is this offering to be considered typical, or was it just a part of the ceremonial procedure? In other words, did Aaron function on the Day of Atonement in his High Priestly capacity as a type of the ministry of the great High Priest of the "true tabernacle which the Lord pitched"?

If Aaron so functioned, then there is significance in the fact that he provided the "young bullock" which he offered. Since the great High Priest must Himself "have somewhat also to offer" (Heb. 8:3), He presents Himself as the Mediator of His own blood.

(((Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.---

This man being - JESUS.  Jesus offered HIMSELF a Sacrifice, and Offering.))))

In the typical services of this day, the blood of the young bullock is carried into the Most Holy Place prior to the blood of "the Lord's goat" (16:14).

Further, when the last act of atonement was made on the Day, the blood of the bullock, and the blood of the Lord's goat were mingled to accomplish the final cleansing (v.18).

This is saying something.

The accomplishment of the last act of the atonement is by the power of both Him that sits between the cherubim, and He who ministers as the Divine Intercessor.

(((The Father and the declared Son))))

This typical message dare not be overlooked. It will appear again as we continue our study.

Two other factors need to be observed in regard to Aaron's offering.

In both his corporate capacity, should he lead the congregation into sin, and now in his functioning on the day of Atonement, a "young" bullock was involved (Lev. 4:3; 16:3).

In the reality of the offering provided for both forgiveness and for cleansing, it was made by One who "was cut off out of the land of the living" (Isa. 53:8). He gave Himself in the prime of His earthly experience.

In Leviticus 16, the offering of Aaron is defined as "for himself, and for his house" (v.6).

Is this to be considered as "for himself" as a sinner, or is it typical of the fact that the great Antitype gave Himself for us, as just noted above?

NO hands of confession were laid on this bullock by Aaron, even though designated as a "sin offering." It was a sin offering "for his house." Was this for his own family? It does say in a summary of the "atonements", that one was an "atonement for the priests" (v. 33). It needs to be kept in mind that the take off point in the book of Hebrews for the discussion of the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ was His being "a son over his own house."

Hebrews 1 presents Christ as God, worthy of worship, and as a Son through whom God has spoken.

Hebrews 2, presents Him as a man of "the seed of Abraham, ... made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest."

Then Chapter 3 asks us as "partakers of the heavenly calling" to "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession."

The first thing Paul presents is a comparison between two "houses" - the house of Moses, and the house of Christ.

It also needs to be remembered that Aaron was to be only a spokesman to Moses (Ex. 4:16). It was Moses who erected and anointed the tabernacle of the congregation, as well as dedicating Aaron to the priesthood (Exodus 40). Aaron served as Moses' "alter ego" with whom God had made the "typical" covenant (Ex. 34:27).

Exo 34:27  And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.

Exo 40:13  And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

*******

Do you see, there is so much to learn, so much.

We were guided to the truth and to pull back rather than seek a deep comprehension of the truth would be wrong.  The Sanctuary in Heaven is REAL.  The earthly was but built after the pattern of the original. To stop right there and shove the Sanctuary aside as unimportant would be tragic, eternally tragic.

May God help us as we delve deeper and deeper into the truths of His Sanctuary.  We know our Our High Priest, our Savior is there right now and when He stands up, finishing His work there then our probation is over and all things are decided, the end of all things as we know it will come.  Our Savior will return for His people and only by HIS GRACE and MERCY, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, HIS LOVE will we be HIS, accounted worthy through HIS WORTH!


All praise, all glory, all honor to You, Savior! Always!

The Day of Atonement

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

Yom Kippur.  Most people have heard of Yom Kippur in connection with the Jewish people, it's there most sacred, most cherished holy day of the year.  The Jewish people keep this day holy but they offer no sacrifices and they do not believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ.  The whole reason for the Day of Atonement is lost on these people. They've kept up with their festivals and feasts and they have the ordinances but they do not offer sacrifices or have Jesus as their Sacrifice. They are waiting for a new temple to reintroduce the sacrifices, they will never believe that Jesus Christ was God's Son and their Savior.

This Day of Atonement is special because --

Lev 16:29  And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 16:30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Lev 16:31  It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

-- it is a day meant for CLEANSING, a day meant to make us CLEAN from ALL OUR SINS before the LORD.

Remember this--

Dan_8:14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

The prophecy that was unveiled in the early 1800's and proved to be ended in 1844.  The sanctuary the HEAVENLY sanctuary was to be cleansed.   And from the word of GOD we are told that there is a day of cleansing and that day of cleansing, the Day of Atonement was very complex.  What may have been in type here upon the earthly for the earthly sanctuary cleansing is unfolding in the heavenly sanctuary.

A final cleansing.

To comprehend the cleansing we must STUDY this special day with its complex rituals. They relate to the Heavenly cleansing.

May God bless us as we undertake this study to truly understand what our Lord is doing in the heavenly sanctuary, how the cleansing is unfolding.  All by HIS GRACE.

*******
The following is from  -  "LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY" XXXV - 1 (02)-

The Day of Atonement is listed among the "feasts of the Lord" in Leviticus 23.

Today, in Judaism, this Feast is the most important day of their yearly religious rites; yet in the Old Testament, there is NO record of any celebration of this feast.

In the Gospels there is  NO mention of Christ ever attending this feast as He did the Passover.

This we can understand; Jesus needed NO cleansing since He did NO sin.

There is an allusion to the day in Acts 27:9.  (((Act 27:9  Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because THE FAST was now already past, Paul admonished them, ))))

"The day" in Hebrews 10:25 could refer to the Day of Atonement.

The preface to the listing of the "feasts" in Leviticus 23 notes the Sabbath commandment as a "holy convocation" even as the "feasts" were to be so proclaimed (verses 2-3).

There is a reason.

Concerning the Sabbath, the commandment specifies - "ye shall do no work therein: it is a sabbath of rest in all your dwellings" (ver. 3).

All the other feasts - the Passover, Pentecost, the Memorial of the Trumpets and the Tabernacles, the command was simply - "Ye shall do no SERVILE work therein" (verses 8, 21, 25, 35).

However, the command concerning the Day of Atonement carried the SAME injunction as the Sabbath - "Ye shall do no manner of work" (ver. 31).

The significance of the Sabbath rest would likewise be the significance of the rest for the Day of Atonement.

In Hebrews (4:10) speaking of the Sabbath in connection with the "rest" of God promised in Christ Jesus (Matt. 11:28-30), it reads that one who enters into that rest "hath ceased from his own works." Likewise, the one who receives the final atonement must cease from his own works, and rely solely on the High Priest. If not, he will be destroyed "from among his people" (Lev. 23:30).


(((Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Lev 23:30  And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. ))))

There is another interesting aspect to the Day of Atonement not indicated in the KJV. The text reads:

On the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonements (plural in the Hebrew): it shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is the day of atonements (plural in the Hebrew), to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. (Lev.
23:27-28).

Why the plural?

There are two possibilities. In the outline of the services to be performed on the tenth day of the seventh month, there is enumerated a series of atonements to be accomplished by the High Priest (Lev. 16:32-33), thus it was literally a "day of atonements." The other possibility is that it is the use of the pluralis majestaticus v. excellentiae (majestic plural) as is ascribed to
the word, Elohim, the plural form for God in the Hebrew. If it is this latter possibility, the use elevates this day above all the other ceremonial feast days.

(((Lev 16:32  And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:
Lev 16:33  And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. ))))

The services to be performed by the High Priest alone on that day are outlined in Leviticus 16.

There are some details of a typical nature that need to be carefully considered not only for "learning" but also for some "unlearning." [It needs to be kept in mind that the term, "holy" coupled with the supplied word, "place" in this chapter refers to what we often call the "Most Holy Place," or the inner apartment of the sanctuary. The phrase, "tabernacle of the congregation" (v.17) is used to designate the first apartment, which we often refer to as, "The Holy Place."]

The instruction given to Moses for Aaron begins with a specific warning. He was not to come into the Most Holy Place except on one day of each year the Day of Atonement (v.2).

 He was told what to bring: "a young bullock as a sin offering, and ram for a burnt offering" (v.3).

The first thing which must be decided is the question - Is this offering to be considered typical, or was it just a part of the ceremonial procedure? In other words, did Aaron function on the Day of Atonement in his High Priestly capacity as a type of the ministry of the great High Priest of the "true tabernacle which the Lord pitched"?

If Aaron so functioned, then there is significance in the fact that he provided the "young bullock" which he offered. Since the great High Priest must Himself "have somewhat also to offer" (Heb. 8:3), He presents Himself as the Mediator of His own blood.

In the typical services of this day, the blood of the young bullock is carried into the Most Holy Place prior to the blood of "the Lord's goat" (16:14).

Further, when the last act of atonement was made on the Day, the blood of the bullock, and the blood of the Lord's goat were mingled to accomplish the final cleansing (v.18).

This is saying something.

The accomplishment of the last act of the atonement is by the power of both Him that sits between the cherubim, and He who ministers as the Divine Intercessor.

This typical message dare not be overlooked. It will appear again as we continue our study.

Two other factors need to be observed in regard to Aaron's offering.

In both his corporate capacity, should he lead the congregation into sin, and now in his functioning on the day of Atonement, a "young" bullock was involved (Lev. 4:3; 16:3).

In the reality of the offering provided for both forgiveness and for cleansing, it was made by One who "was cut off out of the land of the living" (Isa. 53:8). He gave Himself in the prime of His earthly experience.

In Leviticus 16, the offering of Aaron is defined as "for himself, and for his house" (v.6).

Is this to be considered as "for himself" as a sinner, or is it typical of the fact that the great Antitype gave Himself for us, as just noted above?

NO hands of confession were laid on this bullock by Aaron, even though designated as a "sin offering." It was a sin offering "for his house." Was this for his own family? It does say in a summary of the "atonements", that one was an "atonement for the priests" (v. 33). It needs to be kept in mind that the take off point in the book of Hebrews for the discussion of the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ was His being "a son over his own house."

Hebrews 1 presents Christ as God, worthy of worship, and as a Son through whom God has spoken.
Hebrews 2, presents Him as a man of "the seed of Abraham, ... made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest."
Then Chapter 3 asks us as "partakers of the heavenly calling" to "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession."

The first thing Paul presents is a comparison between two "houses" - the house of Moses, and the house of Christ.

It also needs to be remembered that Aaron was to be only a spokesman to Moses (Ex. 4:16). It was Moses who erected and anointed the tabernacle of the congregation, as well as dedicating Aaron to the priesthood (Exodus 40). Aaron served as Moses' "alter ego" with whom God had made the "typical" covenant (Ex. 34:27).

*******

Pausing here.

Do you see why we need to study this so much more than we have? Even having read all this it still needs more discussing and that's what's going to happen tomorrow by the grace of our Savior!

There truly is so much to learn and yes, unlearn. We might think we know something but the Lord can reveal to us His truth that takes that away. We must always follow the TRUTH! Always!

In HIS LOVE!

A record of sin is made... we must confess

The Sanctuary - The Heavenly Sanctuary.

Yesterday we discussed in great detail the services undertaken in the earthly sanctuary.  We have to realize the entire reason for the existence of the earthly sanctuary was so that man could find a way to be reunited with God, his Creator, his Redeemer. Sin separates man from God. Sin separated man from His Creator. Sin separates man from His Redeemer. The only way for man to be reunited - made AT ONE WITH- God is through the recognition of the separation and what caused the separation, and then a repairing of the separation.

Sin caused the separation.  Our rebellion against God, our pulling away from God, our deciding that God was not to be believed caused the separation.  When we chose to sin, to separate ourselves from God and His will, we created the enormous gulf between us that no man is able to span. 

God still wanted something to do with us, He wanted to repair the situation, He wanted to end the separation but there was a cost that needed to be paid for the reparation.  He could NOT force the repair. He could only OFFER the repair, He could only OFFER to pay the price for the repair and only we could choose to accept His repair, accept the price He would have to pay, comprehend that HE and HE only could pay the price.

Sacrifice was necessary.

The earthly sanctuary was created in such a way that it could reveal that sacrifice for sinning was necessary, a penalty for sinning was mandatory, a price had to be paid.  If we wanted to remain in contact with our GOD, then we had to realize what price was going to be asked. 

Sacrifice, a death, the taking of life- all because we choose sin.

We are learning more about the various sinners and sin-  sinning as an individual, sinning as a ruler, sinning as a member of the priesthood, sinning as a congregation.

There were instructions for the various sacrifices needed for the various sinning and we are going to study more of them and by the grace of our God we will gain understanding of His truth!

******* The following excerpt is from -  "LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY" XXXV - 1 (02)

'Returning to the instruction regarding the sin offerings, we find that these offerings were for SINS OF IGNORANCE.  The preface reads:

If a soul shall sin through IGNORANCE against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, . . . (4:2)

Then "when the sin which they have sinned ... is known" (4:14) confession is required.

The directive reads for the ruler and common persons: "if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge," then he shall bring a sacrifice.

Not only did the sinner place his hand upon the head of the victim, thereby giving evidence of his intent to transfer the guilt so that the victim paid the price for the sin committed, death; but
he also was to "confess that he hath sinned in that thing" (5:5).

(((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_3:2  And he shall LAY HIS HAND upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

Lev_3:8  And he shall LAY HIS HAND upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.

Lev_3:13  And he shall LAY HIS HAND upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

Lev_4:4  And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall LAY HIS HAND upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.

Lev_4:24  And he shall LAY HIS HAND upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.

Lev_4:29  And he shall LAY HIS HAND upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.

Lev_4:33  And he shall LAY HIS HAND upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.

Lev 4:15  And the elders of the congregation shall LAY THEIR HANDS upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.

Lev 5:5  And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing))))

The sin had already been committed and a record made even though the sinner was in ignorance.

But when CONVICTED, he was to respond with a proper confession.

That made it necessary for an offering to be made so that the sin might be forgiven.

The record of the sacrifice marked in blood upon the Altar in the Court, or on the Altar of Incense did not record the sin (IT HAD ALREADY BEEN RECORDED); but the confession, which was made so that the sin might be forgiven. (I John 1:9; Lev. 4:26)

(((1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Lev 4:26  And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him. ))))

The Scripture is clear that our sins are known and recorded (Eccl. 5:6), even though we may be in ignorance. If the confession of sin is the means by which the sins are recorded, then the best way to have a clean record is not to confess or recognize the Substitute.

This concept strikes at the very heart of the plan of redemption.

*******

Sins of ignorance.  Not intentional sinning, but sinning and the realization of that sin hits home. We all know what that's like, don't we?  We live with a flesh nature that is horrific. Our tendencies towards self absorption overwhelm us all the time and when we are shown that we've sinned, we HAVE to confess! We HAVE to repent! We HAVE to seek the forgiveness of our SAVIOR!  Inviting the conviction, asking our God to reveal our sins to us is something we have to do.  To desire ignorance is to desire not to confess. We need to know our sinfulness. We need to  recognize our sins.  I can say this over and over and over because it's so true! 

We need to confess to our GOD.

Our GOD is FAITHFUL to FORGIVE US, to CLEANSE US!

All our sins are known and recorded and for that record to be cleared we must confess every single sin that is brought to our mind, every single one.  Our Savior will forgive us! He will!

Please Lord help us to comprehend YOUR desire to forgive us.  Help us to comprehend that we need to understand YOUR plan for us in all things.  You gave us Your plan and we have to recognize it.  Please, let the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth!

In the Sanctuary service the sinner had to CONFESS and lay their hands upon the intended victim of the sacrifice, symbolically putting their sins upon that sacrifice, transferring them.  It was a tactile act! It was an INTIMATE act! You placed your hands upon the animal you knew was going to die! You had contact with the one that would die!  We have to consider all of this, we can't remain ignorant to it all just because it's in the past.  Our SAVIOR took the place of all those animal sacrifices, it is our SAVIOR we must confess our SINS! We have to have a REAL relationship with our SAVIOR, this has to be REAL, the connection must be REAL. 

Please LORD be REAL to us!  PLEASE.  Help us to confess!

We need YOU LORD, we need YOUR FORGIVENESS!

All in YOUR LOVE!

We have such an high priest... in heaven

First of all I want to recap the FOUR categories we've discussed. Read each category in it's fullness before we examine it closer.

All by the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Lev 4:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 4:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them

*******
Category ONE -  PRIEST

Lev 4:3  If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.
Lev 4:4  And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.
Lev 4:5  And the PRIEST THAT IS ANOINTED shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
Lev 4:6  And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.
Lev 4:7  And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:8  And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
Lev 4:9  And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,
Lev 4:10  As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
Lev 4:11  And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,
Lev 4:12  Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.

Category TWO - CONGREGATION

Lev 4:13  And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
Lev 4:14  When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:15  And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.
Lev 4:16  And the PRIEST THAT IS ANOINTED shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:
Lev 4:17  And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.
Lev 4:18  And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:19  And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.
Lev 4:20  And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
Lev 4:21  And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.

Category THREE - RULER

Lev 4:22  When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
Lev 4:23  Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
Lev 4:24  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.
Lev 4:25  And the PRIEST shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
Lev 4:26  And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

Category FOUR - INDIVIDUAL

Lev 4:27  And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
Lev 4:28  Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
Lev 4:29  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
Lev 4:30  And the PRIEST shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
Lev 4:31  And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev 4:32  And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
Lev 4:33  And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
Lev 4:34  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
Lev 4:35  And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

*******

The high priest - "the priest that is anointed" - officiated at the sacrifice of confession for CORPORATE  guilt (4:5, 16), while the common priest officiated in the sacrifice brought by the RULER or COMMON PERSON (4:25, 30, 34).

(((Lev 4:5  And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation

Lev 4:16  And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:

Lev 4:25  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.

Lev 4:30  And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

Lev 4:34  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: ))))


The APPLICATION of the blood of the sacrifice varied.

The blood of the offering confessing CORPORATE GUILT was taken WITHIN the sanctuary, and sprinkled BEFORE THE VEIL separating between the holy and most holy place, and a record was made by placing some of the blood on the HORNS of "the altar of sweet incense before the Lord" (4:6-7, 17-18).

(((Lev 4:6  And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.
Lev 4:7  And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Lev 4:17  And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.
Lev 4:18  And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. ))))

In the case of the INDIVIDUAL  sin offering, whether offered by ruler or common person, the blood was NOT taken into the sanctuary, but the common priest marked the record of confession in blood on the HORNS of the Altar in the COURT(4:25, 30, 34), and ATE a small bite of the sacrifice (6:25-26).

(((Lev 4:25  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.

Lev 4:30  And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

Lev 4:34  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar))))

In all four categories of these sin offerings the remaining blood was poured at the base of the Altar of Burnt Offering (4:7, 18, 25, 30, and 34). In the sacrifice of the sin offerings, the focus was centered around the Altar of Burnt Offering in the Court, NOT IN THE SANCTARY.

(((Lev 4:7  And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Lev 4:18  And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Lev 4:25  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.

Lev 4:34  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar))))

*******

The focus of the Christian faith is centered in the CROSS set up on earth upon which the Lamb of God was offered in making provision for the sin of the world.

It was the Word made flesh Who provided the atonement by which forgiveness can be offered.

He, as a COMMON PRIEST, officiated in the sacrifice of Himself for the individual who would come to Him in confession of sin.

It was the atonement of the cross which provided the forgiveness.

But the sinner requires more than forgiveness; he needs to be cleansed (I John 1:9).

(((1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ))))

This must await His ministry as HIGH PRIEST in "the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man" (Heb. 8:1-2).

(((Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. ))))

*******

It's time to pause again and digest a bit of what we've just read.

Four categories of people, four different applications, services for these four categories.  How dare we ever imagine that they don't matter at all.

Throughout the entire Old Testament we've read about the corporate accountability of God's people.  The corporate calls to repentance.  The corporate guilt.  Yet we want to imagine that it all has only to do with us as individuals. We want to forget all about the rest of it.  We can't forget. We have to learn.  We are given lessons so we do learn. The entire Bible is ours for learning and if we don't learn from it all we have only ourselves to blame.

Where is the importance in all this sanctuary, sin, blood, priests, rulers, individuals, congregations stuff? 

Remember there is a HEAVENLY SANCTUARY where our SAVIOR is RIGHT NOW!  Do you know where He is at in the heavenly sanctuary? Do you know what He is doing in the heavenly sanctuary?  Do you know what He's done already? These are the questions we have to ask and find answers for.  All that we are learning here, all these FACTS are all important and by the grace of our LORD we will find understanding.   We must remember the things done here in the earthly sanctuary were done after the pattern, the example of things in the heavenly sanctuary.

Please LORD give us understanding! 

All by YOUR amazing love and grace!

Sanctuary Services

"The pattern . . shewed . . in the mount"

Following the directive that Israel make a sanctuary, Moses was instructed that it be made according to "the pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount" (Ex. 25:9, 40).

Linguistically, the Hebrew word translated, "pattern," in both of these verses - tavnith - is translated as "likeness," "similitude," "figure," "form," as well as "pattern," in other Old Testament references.

The LXX renders the Hebrew word for pattern in verse 9 by paradeigma, and in verse 40 by tupoV, from which our English word, "type" is derived. We would designate it today as either a "blueprint," or a "scale model."

In Hebrews 8:5 where Exodus 25:40 is quoted, the LXX is followed (kata ton tupon).

Actually in Hebrews 8:5, the variant (upodeigma) of the Greek word used in Exodus 25:9 (paradeigma) is used and in the KJV is translated, "example."

The question that must be determined is whether the relationship between the earthly tabernacle and the heavenly is structural or is it the services performed by the priests which typify the reality of Christ's priestly ministry.

The context in Hebrews 8:4-5 where Exodus 25:40 is quoted, the KJV translation indicates the SERVICE motif over the structural comparison.

It reads, speaking of the earthly temple:

There are priests that offer gifts according to the law;
who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things,
as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle:
for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount.

On the other hand, the NIV reads:

There are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.
They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.

[The NKJV follows the NIV closely)

Which is right?

Both the words "example" (upodeigmati) and shadow (skia) are in the dative case.

 A. T. Robertson observes that in the use of the dative case, there was "originally no idea of place in it." It is purely a grammatical case "used of a person, not place." (A Grammar of the Greek New Testament, p. 536).

The emphasis is NOT that the priests served in a "copy" (NIV, NKJV); but that they "SERVE UNTO THE EXAMPLE AND SHADOW" (KJV) of the redemptive ministry of Jesus Christ.

This distinction is basic to a Biblical doctrine of the sanctuary.

The doctrine of the sanctuary is based in typology.

Is the emphasis of this typology, a typology of STRUCTURE, or a typology of SERVICE?

The latter can be sustained BIBLICALLY as well as LINGUISTICALLY, as noted in the above paragraph. On that concept we shall seek to find answers to questions raised in a study of the
doctrine of the sanctuary as we "learn" as well as "unlearn."

(((If you've read this far… then you might be a bit confused and asking yourself why is this important at all? 

We go back to this question posed -

'The question that must be determined is whether the relationship between the earthly tabernacle and the heavenly is structural or is it the services performed by the priests which typify the reality of Christ's priestly ministry. '

A structural relationship or a the services performed relationship.  Why do we need to know this? Can it be both? Where do we place our emphasis?

We are going to continue follow this study for the answers. And we do NEED the answers because the more we know about the Sanctuary, the more we know about the Tabernacle the better- right? We can't afford to leave out any information. To disregard anything would be a huge mistake. 

So far we are finding out that the SERVICES being performed are emphasized. Let's continue with the study from WWN (Watchmen What of the Night) and pray for all the comprehension we need. May the HOLY SPIRIT bring us the spiritual sight we need, by the grace and love of our Savior!))))

In the earthly "pattern," many priests served. (Heb. 7: 23).

In the heavenly tabernacle, only One.

In the earthly, various animals were offered, and their blood mediated.

In the heavenly, there was but one sacrifice, "the Lamb of God , which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

Note: The book of Revelation indicates that certain services performed by the common priest in the earthly tabernacle, are performed by "redeemed" men and angels in the heavenly. (4:8-10; 8:3)

(((Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Rev 4:9  And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
Rev 4:10  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying
Rev 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. ))))

The main SERVICES of the earthly can be divided into two divisions, the  DAILY and the YEARLY.

The Sin Offerings.  While a morning and evening sacrifice was offered DAILY (Ex. 29:38-42), there
were also prescribed offerings by which CORPORATE and INDIVIDUAL confession was to be made for sins committed. These required offerings are listed in Leviticus 4.

FOUR CATEGORIES of sinners are given and what each was to offer and the result to be expected stated.

The CORPORATE transgressions involved the HIGH PRIEST - "the priest that is anointed" (4:3) - when acting in his official capacity; and the whole congregation (4:13).

(((Lev 4:3  If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.

 Lev 4:13  And if the whole CONGREGATION of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty))))

 INDIVIDUAL transgressions involved the RULERS (4:22), and the common people (4:27).

(((Lev 4:22  When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty

 Lev 4:27  And if any one of the COMMON PEOPLE sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty

The result to be grasped by faith was forgiveness.

In each category, save one, the statement is made - "it shall be forgiven them" or "him" (4:20, 26, 31, 35).

(((Lev 4:20  And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be FORGIVEN THEM.

Lev 4:26  And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be FORGIVEN HIM.

Lev 4:31  And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be FORGIVEN HIM.

Lev 4:35  And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be FORGIVEN HIM. ))))

Further, the forgiveness followed the mediation by the officiating priest. "The priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him." There was AN ATONEMENT made in these confessional sacrifices. There were also other variations.

*******

Let's stop here and recap.

We've studied the fact that the SERVICES being performed in the EARTHLY TABERNACLE are VERY important and necessary for us to comprehend fully what is taking place in the HEAVENLY TABERNACLE.

As we've begun a deeper study into the services we realize that there are different categories.

There is CORPORATE sinning.
There is INDIVIDUAL sinning.
There is RULER sinning.
There is PRIESTHOOD sinning.

Corporate being a whole congregation.
Individual obviously being one person.
Ruler the leader of the people.
Priesthood those responsible for mediating between the people and God.

Each one of these categories of people had the ability to sin, and did sin, and because of that they needed to confess those sins according to the laws given for the Sanctuary services.  We need to study these services because we still live in a world of CORPORATE, INDIVIDUAL, RULERS, and RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP.

We MUST know if for no other reason than we are all INDIVIDUALS!

We might not live under the SANCTUARY SERVICES  and haven't since our Savior died for us, but we need to understand them because we have a Savior in the Heavenly Sanctuary right now, and He's there for US!

More tomorrow by the grace of our God.

All in HIS LOVE!