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282 Th, Tabernacle place within the vail before the mercy scat, which is up- on the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy scat.... And this shall be an ev- erlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year" (Lev. 16:2, 34). Let us turn now to the ninth chapter of Hebrews, and read the first fourteen verses. These words explain "the shadow" of the Old Testament ritual: "When these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle [i.e., the Holy Place), accomplishing the service of God. But into the second [the Holy of Holies] went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors [sins of ignorance) of the people. The_Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure for the time then present...• But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a great- er and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands that is to say, not of thia building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal re- demption for us" (Heb. 9:6-9, 11, 12). In quoting the book of Hebrews in this connection it is difficult to know where to stop; for the whole epistle is a marvelous explanation of the meaning of the ritualism of Judaism. and of ~he Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. But the passage quoted above is one of the priceless gems from this portion of the Word of God. _(Read the entire epistle carefully, prayerfully, repeatedly, 1f you would understand the books of Moses.) In these unmistakable words from the New Testament the Holy Spirit throws a flood of light upon the Old Testa~ ment ritual of the Day of Atonement. Day after day the
The Tabernacle morning and evening sacrifices were made_ in ls~ael, but only on this one day in the year could the high pncst enter the Holy of Holies where God dwelt in the pillar of cloud and fire. Now a year is a full period of time; and typically the Day of Atonement covers all human history. Christ died "once for all," in fulfillment of the types and shadows set forth in every animal sacrifice of Old 'Testament days. What a mighty grandeur this gives to the cross of our Lord! 'There all the ages meet! Every other day of the past and future is pressed into that one atoning day. 'The cross links the past eternity with the future eternity. Verily, Calvary's cross does tower- "Such an high priest became us, who is holy, harm- less, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needcth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he of- fered up himself" (Heb. 7:26, 27). "Now once in the end of the age (R.v.) hath he ap- peared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.... Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many" (Heb. 9:26, 28). "This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.... Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin" (Heb. 10:12, 18). The sweet incense, which Aaron burned above the mer- cy seat, speaks to us of the fragrance of our Lord's sinless character. On the merit of His atoning death, we are "ac- cepted" before God. " ... o'er the wrecks of time; All the light of sacre'd stOTy Gathers 'round its head mblime !"
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