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Monday October 21 - God’s go-between
But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year,
and never without blood... Hebrews 9:7
Having yesterday made the point that God’s desire is to dwell with us, today’s scripture seems to contradict that statement. During this time in Israel’s history, it was certainly the case that God was unapproachable except through the complex sacrificial system which Hebrews 9 touches upon. Through it God was establishing two salient truths: that he is holy and that humanity is innately sinful.
Some people struggle with the apparent incongruity between God’s dealings with people throughout the period covered by the Old Testament and that of the New Testament, but there is no contradiction. One prepared the way for the other. Without an awareness that our sin needs to be removed we would remain separated from God. But not only did this elaborate sacrificial system highlight our need of cleansing and forgiveness, but it also pointed towards Jesus as Saviour.
Whilst today’s Bible passage reminds us of the need for Israel’s high priest to annually atone for the nation’s sins, through the blood of animals, we now know that Jesus became for us the consummate High Priest. That’s where the sacrificial system was directing people – to a time when God’s Son, Jesus Christ, would both deal with the matter of sin by his death on the cross and then present this sacrifice (his shed blood) before God in heaven, as our eternal High Priest.
Father God, thank you that you sent Jesus to atone for my sin, so that I can be one with you in your holiness. Amen.
Tuesday October 22 - The end of sacrifice
...but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12
In my youth, during a holiday from art school, I briefly worked in an abattoir. I say briefly because after just a few hours of this blood-soaked meat processing plant I’d had enough – of both the smell and of the animal organs. It put me off meat for quite a while.
That experience, albeit short-lived, helps me to understand something of what it must have been like in Israel’s Tabernacle with its continuous sacrifice of animals. When King Solomon dedicated the Temple, which replaced the Tabernacle, we are told that he sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. That’s a lot of blood! (1 Kings 8:63).
As grand a gesture as this was, from God’s perspective it was still insufficient to permanently cover human sin – the reason being that it was not about quantity but about quality. Yes, these slain animals had to be free from defect, but ultimately it was sinless human blood that was required to atone for human sin. The animal sacrifices were simply reminders of the need of forgiveness and pointers to Jesus, who was himself unblemished and whose blood would finally satisfy the righteous requirements of God.
When we understand these things, we not only understand our parlous state before God without a Saviour, but also we appreciate the efficacy of his blood in covering our sin fully and eternally.
Father God, thank you that Jesus Christ is my righteousness. Help me daily to live in the light of that righteousness. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY