HE altar of burnt offering on the Great Day of Atonement was intimately connected with the throne of by means of the sacrificial blood, which on that day was carried into the holiest of all where Jehovah dwelt between the cherubim. The disposal of the blood of the sacrifice on that day was unique. We have already seen that in certain cases the blood of the sin offering was carried into the tabernacle, and was sprinkled before the veil there, which separated the holy from the holiest; but once a year only the blood of the sin offering, was carried within the veil, where it was sprinkled upon and before the mercy-seat itself. By this action, which was unseen by Israel, the very dwelling-place of God, in the midst of His sinning nation, was rendered suitable to His holiness.
The blood of the sin offering was shed because of the sins of Israel, and that solemn witness to Israel's transgression and uncleanness was brought into the very presence of God, and it was laid upon His throne! But the blood was sacrificial blood, and while it witnessed to the depth of Israel's sins, preeminently it made atonement for the sins on account of which it had been shed. In this action sin had its true place given to it in the presence of God. Sin was acknowledged, but atoned for. The modern notion of God looking lightly upon human sin had no standing ground whatever. It was all brought out before God. Need we observe, that the teaching of the type was only an indication of the reality of the offering of Christ Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, and that that sacrifice forbids forever any notion that the Holy God, in consistency with His glory, can in any sense look lightly upon sin? Or need we state, that such notions are really the outcome of mean conceptions, or unbelieving thoughts, respecting the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ?
The throne of God—His seat (figuratively) of government in Israel—was exalted in righteousness by the blood of the sin offering; for that offering was the annual acknowledgment of all Israel, in the most solemn way possible, of their sin and uncleanness during the year. But the throne of Jehovah was also exalted in righteousness by the blood in forgiveness of the sins, on account of which the blood had been shed. By virtue of that blood Jehovah could, as it were, come forth to Israel and bless the people. The blood upon His throne magnified the requirements of His righteousness. Sin calls for death at the throne of God. The throne of God was anointed with the blood of the victim which had died in the stead of the sinful people; and, accordingly, from the throne of God the utterance of peace could be heard. How gloriously Christ's sacrifice thus speaks from heaven to man-proclaiming in righteousness God's justice in justifying him who believes on His Son. The Gospel of God is based upon righteousness. The love of God flows out to sinful man through the perfected righteousness of the cross. God can be just, and yet the Justifier of Him who believeth in Jesus. Thus we read that in the Gospel of God's Son the righteousness of God is declared.
This truth is one of the utmost importance for the day in which our lot is cast-since, on the one hand, the atonement of our Lord is made light of by the notion that His sacrifice is repeated continually; and, on the other, by the unbelief which repudiates the necessity of His sacrifice for our sins. It is due to this double character of unbelief in Christ's atonement, and in the righteousness of God, that sacramentalism and "higher" criticism obtain so many adherents.
After the majesty of God's throne in Israel had been exalted by the blood placed upon it, the way from that throne outwards to Israel was sprinkled with the blood, as if to say "The way of peace for Israel is made for Jehovah He can come forth to bless." Accordingly the high priest, from the starting-point of the blood sprinkled throne, went with the blood and purified thereby the holy place, and then the court, which was open to the sight of all Israel. There was work seen and unseen that day. We cannot see what has transpired in heaven! We know by the testimony of the Word of God. Further, we know by that same Word, and also by our own witness of heart and conscience to that Word, how verily by that blood there are peace and blessing for us here on earth. The way from the throne led towards the brazen altar. The blood of the sin offering was taken and "put upon the horns of the altar round about," and, further, it was sprinkled upon the altar, which was thereby hallowed.
Thus all Israel could see that the altar, whereby they drew near to God, was hallowed from their uncleanness by the selfsame blood which their high priest had carried into the Divine Presence. The horns, the power of the altar, proclaimed pardon according to the standard of God's own throne. And this, indeed, is the Gospel of God. The righteousness it proclaims is none other than divine, divine righteousness exalted by the cross of Christ, and brought forth for us all to see and to rejoice in to the glory of God's grace.
We earnestly press upon our readers the importance of studying Scripture upon the great question of the altar as designed by God in Israel. For in the details respecting it are object lessons unfolding the great truths of the New Testament relating to the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. And with these object lessons before the eye, the symbolism of very much that is now captivating the mind in connection with the altars erected in churches, will be seen to be utterly false to the teaching of Scripture.
It is mysterious in the extreme, that the position of the altar, its nature, its object, its use, and the manner in which it is served, should be so absolutely in contradiction of the Word of God. It is a terrible thing to indulge in will-worship, to invent a system of approaching God, and to maintain it in direct antagonism to His Word, and when the will-worship relates to man's mode of access to God, it is too evident that its end must be separation from God.