Talk Tuesday-The JESUS Series; The Cross, The Tabernacle and The Day of Atonement, Pt II

The Day of Atonement foreshadows the Crucifixion. “30 For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord,” Leviticus 16:30 (NKJV). Of the five animals that were required, three were reserved to deal with the issue of SIN; the two remaining rams were for burnt-offerings.

Before the High Priest could mediate, his sin had to be atoned for. “11 Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering,” Leviticus 16:11 (NIV). Afterwards, he could enter behind the veil into the Most Holy Place with a censer filled with live coals and incense. “13 He will then put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, so that the cloud of incense hides the mercy-seat which is on the Testimony and he does not incur death,” Leviticus 16:13 (NJB).

Blood from the bull was then sprinkled on the mercy seat (also known as the atonement cover) which lay on top of the Ark of the Covenant. The goat for the sin offering of the people was then sacrificed. It's blood was also brought inside the veil, and sprinkled on the mercy seat. The blood of the bull and the goat was then brought outside and put on the altar of sacrifice. “20 When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat,” Leviticus 16:20 (NIV). This live goat became a scapegoat, bearing away the guilt of the people.

“21 Aaron will then lay both his hands on its head and over it confess all the guilt of the Israelites, all their acts of rebellion and all their sins. Having thus laid them on the goat's head, he will send it out into the desert under the charge of a man waiting ready, 22 and the goat will bear all their guilt away into some desolate place,” Leviticus 16:21-22 (NJB).

When JESUS cried out, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Mark 15:34 (NKJV), he bore all our sins as the scapegoat. GOD turned His face away from him at that very moment, as SIN cannot exist in the presence of a Holy GOD. Jesus experienced utter desolation on our behalf. When He declared, “It is finished,” John 19:30 (NIV), salvation, redemption, atonement, purification, restoration and a hope of eternity burst into existence. “37 But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the veil of the Sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom,” Mark 15:37-28 (NJB). When the curtain was torn, it meant that we now had direct access into the Most Holy Place, the Presence of GOD, by the blood JESUS. That is why John the Baptist declared, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 (NKJV).