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Israel was to meditate and dwell upon their sins. They were to afflict their souls, taking time to consider the enor mity of their sins in the sight of God. We all need such days, such seasons. We need to face our sins of omission and commission. We have a good many days for feasting and frolic and fun, hut the church of Christ—the true be lievers—need to he reminded of their sins. “The thought of evil is Sin.” 1 “To know good and do it not” is sin.' (2) THE OFFICIATE The High Priest was shut up for seven days on a slender diet. The night before was spent in reading the Scriptures, to remind him of. the importance of the day, and to keep him awake. On the Day of Atonement he fasted all day. Note the order of services by the High Priest. (1) Bathed. (2) Dressed in white. (3) Presented a bullock (4) Presented two goats for sin offering. (5) Cast lots on. the goats and put ribbon on one: ( 6 ) Sacrificed the bullock for a burnt offering. ■ (T) Went into the Holy of holies with a censer taken from the altar of incense. ( 8 ) Returned to the court and took the blood of the bullock and Sprinkled once ih front of the Mercy Seat and seven times before it, for himself. (9) Comte out to the court and killed the goat of atone ment. (10) Went the third time to the Holy of holies and sprinkled the blood of the goat as he did before. (11) Purified the Holy place by sprinkling the blood of the goat and placing some on the horns of the altar of incense (Ex. 30:10). ( 1 2 ) Went back to the court and placed blood on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and sprinkled the altar seven times. (13) Offered to God the other goat by laying his hands upon it and Confessing the sins of the people. (14) Consigned the goat to a man who took it to the confines of the desert and released it. (15) Bathed and changed his garments for the garment of the common priests. (16) Sacrificed two rams for a burnt offering for'him-' . .. self and the people'. MR ; ’: M7 ) . Burnt .the fat-of the sin-offering Upon the altar Of burnt offering. ! tad* a-i^ienTUn 18): Had.the remainder of the sin-offering bftffit outside the camp. In Numbers 29:7-12 Sacrifices are com manded to be offered on that day by the High Priest. (3) THE OFFERINGS. What is the lesson to be emphasized with the scholars concerning all of this program on the Day of Atonement. Why did God command it, and what is the lesson for us? First,—is the fact of sin. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Every child born into the world is born with a sinful nature. That nature is never changed and never can be. Conditions in the world may be changed from the savage to the civilized state, but never the nature of man. Laws may compel restraint, but the nature re mains the same. There is no possible way to account for God’s program as we see it here, but by the fact of sin. Now we have seen in the study of the tabernacle* that everything about it and connected with it related to Jesus Christ, and in this lesson we have the same truth. Atone ment means a cover—“making a covering for sin.” We find its first application with Adam and Eve, when God
slew the sacrifice and made a covering for their naked bodies. God is a righteous God. He demands of those who would approach Him a clean life. Man is helpless. He has no way by which he can cleanse himself; no way by which to meet God’s demands. A man may be sorry for sin and wish that he did not sin, but it is his nature to sin, and it is the nature of every boy and girl. This lesson will enable us to make clear this one great fact, and the only way of escape from the consequences of sin. There was but one man Who could officiate on the Day Of Atonement, thè High Priest, and lie commenced by making a covering for his own sins. Christ is our High Priest and He made atonement for us by shedding His own blood and taking it into Heaven and presenting it before God as the sin offering (Read carefully Heb. 8:1, 9:1-5, 10:19-23; 13:12-20);. ■ ■; :■ ■ . , :v; Atonement involves a sin-offering for ( 1 ) .Indwelling sin (sinful nature) ; not what I do; but what I am.; inbred sin. (2) For unknown sin (Lev. 4:2, 13, 22). (3) For identi fication association with sinners. The High Priest 1 served atone. Christ served alone. The, High Priest laid aside his robes. So-Christ laid aside His royal robes-and clothed Himself in human form. No one could Share With Him in that service but we can share with Him in the results. The two goats which were offered are significant. One was slain and offered, and the other was taken to the wil derness. Three things are to be noticed here: A place (the- wilderness)-, i. e., the world. A person—-Christ, A thing-—sin. The wilderness is the place of wild beasts, Christ has atoned for sin and He has separated His own as far as thè East is from the West (Psà. 103:12; Rom. 4:25). The two goats equal the one sacrifice of Christ which pro vided propitiation for sin, purification of the sinner, and putting away sin from the sinner, (4) THE ORDER The sacrifice of the burnt offering previous to the burn ing. of the sin offering typifies wrath and destruction. Christ suffered, bore our sins,; was made sin for us. He cried ‘‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” He Was an offering; a sweet 'savour Unto God. He knew ho sin j d;ed to sin ; was without .sin ; in. Him was no sin. The blood sprinkled seven times suggests ( 1 ) The thorns. (2) Thè"scohi-ging in ihfate’s hall.'' t3) Smitten wi’tlh róàs: (4 and 5) Hands pierced. ( 6 and 7) Feet pierced. By blood, Christ atones for sin. He makes us nigh (Eph. 2:13); forgives (Eph. 1:7); justifies (Rom. 5:7); sanc tifies (1 John 1:7); brings into fellowship ( 1 John 1:3); gives victory (Rev. 12:11). By blood, God’s justice is satisfied, His truth is vindi cated, His righteousness maintained and His holiness is manifested. Topics for Study (1) Why has there been no change in the nature of man, if evolution is true? (2) What value was there in the shedding of blood? Why not water? (3) Why was it necessary for Christ to serve atone? (4) Would the Tabernacle be of any help to us today? Why not? (5) Why was it necessary to have so many types of Christ? ( 6 ) What three great questions are settled by this lesson?
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