The Daily Word of Righteousness

A Giant Step Forward, #18

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? (I Corinthians 6:2)

Mankind was created to be God's judges. As such we must be quick to confess our sins, as they are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, and judge them to be unworthy of the Kingdom of God. Until we pass judgment on our behavior, nothing can be accomplished.

Redemption is symbolized by the two goats by which atonement was made on the Day of Atonement.

Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat. (Leviticus 16:9,10)

The goat "whose lot falls to the Lord" was sacrificed, its blood being sprinkled in front of the atonement cover and then seven times before the atonement cover.

In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (Leviticus 16:16)

Notice that in the above verse the atonement is made for the Most Holy Place and also for the Tent of Meeting. Perhaps we are not accustomed to the idea of an atonement being made for the Most Holy Place and the Tent of Meeting. Nevertheless, it is true that the Lord Jesus Christ cleansed the Divine sanctuary in the heavens.

Previously in this chapter, Aaron is to offer a bull to make an atonement for himself and his household.

Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. (Leviticus 16:6)

It also is mentioned that an atonement is to be made for Aaron, his household, and all the people of Israel.

No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel. (Leviticus 16:17)

But in verse 16, the atonement is presented as being made for the Most Holy Place and the Tent of meeting.

The atonement for the Most Holy Place, and then the atonement for the people, suggests to us that the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed the sanctuary in the heavens and then reconciled people to God until such time as the sins of the people could be removed.

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Hebrews 9:23)

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,  so we may serve the living God! (Hebrews 9:13,14)

The Lord Jesus made an atonement not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world.

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:2)

To be continued.