About This Product
No words of man could possibly exaggerate either the importance of the historical fact of the atonement itself, or of the revelation of its doctrinal significance as given in the Scriptures.
Excerpt- And Jehovah spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they came near before Jehovah and died; and Jehovah said to Moses, Speak to Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the sanctuary within the veil before the mercy-seat which [is] upon the ark, that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. Thus shall Aaron come into the sanctuary, with a young bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering. A holy linen coat he shall put on, and linen breeches shall be upon his flesh; and he shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen miter shall he be attired: these [are] holy garments; and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and put them on” (Lev. 16:1-4).
The preliminary verses of Lev. 16 introduce the day of atonement. It is indeed a chapter demonstrably instructive in all its provisions. It shows, in the light of the New Testament (that is, of Christ Himself and the mighty work He has accomplished), what the import of “atonement” truly is. But the distance of the O.T. was kept up.
In due course proofs will appear that in this type God not only had all before His mind (as every one that knows Him must feel), but that He has been pleased to unroll it before us. In a marvelous manner He has contrived, with a wisdom that bespeaks itself as divine, to furnish an earthly people with provisional sacrifices and outward cleansings (or what is called “the purifying of the flesh”); but in these self-same rites grace and truth lay hidden till the light of Christ should shine on them. Then could be perceived, if not the very image, a shadow of the good things to come; some already fulfilled, some not even yet, but no less assuredly so to be according to the word and purpose of God.
Inasmuch then as God has yet plans which have not been carried out to the full, as even this chapter does testify, we may see (what is true of scripture generally) that it is prophetic. Can anything witness to God more than that His word is thus pregnant? Is not prophecy a more enduring and deeper witness than miracle? While the world goes on as usual, a miraculous sign displays God's power and goodness; but prophecy gives living proof of His truth. None but a low-minded or thoughtless man could suppose that power is equal to mind. Yet there is more than this in it. Moral light and love are made known, the maintenance of God's character, will, and grace; which are evidently far beyond not matter only but mind. As a great Frenchman said, the least mind is above all matter, and all mind is below charity or divine love.
Here we find the true source of atonement. The love of God provided it in a way that should conciliate grace and righteousness, guilty man and a holy God, Who thus, and thus only, causes mercy to glory against judgment. Nowhere is God so highly exalted, nowhere man so truly humbled. What speaks so simply and withal so profoundly of sin as the blood of Christ? But this is applied to our utter unworthiness, meeting man as he is, to bring him out of all his iniquities to God as God is. For such, and nothing less, is the design of atonement. Divine righteousness, based on Christ's work, is its character, when man was proved unrighteous; and as it was according to God's grace, so is it of faith, and thus open to every believer, Jew or Greek.
Table of Contents
1. Leviticus 16:1-4, The Principle, Part 1
2. Leviticus 16:1-4, The Principle, Part 2
3. Leviticus 16:1-4, The Principle, Part 3
4. Leviticus 16:5-10, The Two Goats, Part 1
5. Leviticus 16:5-10, The Two Goats, Part 2
6. Leviticus 16:5-10, The Two Goats, Part 3
7. Leviticus 16:11-19, The Incense and the Bullock, Part 1
8. Leviticus 16:11-19, The Incense and the Bullock, Part 2
9. Leviticus 16:11-19, The Incense and the Bullock, Part 3
10. Leviticus 16:20-22, Azazel or the People's Lot, Part 1
11. Leviticus 16:20-22, Azazel or the People's Lot, Part 2
12. Leviticus 16:20-22, Azazel or the People's Lot, Part 3
13. Leviticus 16:20-22, Azazel or the People's Lot, Part 4
14. Leviticus 16:23-25, Concluding Remarks, Part 1
15. Leviticus 16:23-25, Concluding Remarks, Part 2
16. Leviticus 16:23-25, Concluding Remarks, Part 3
17. Leviticus 16:23-25, Concluding Remarks, Part 4
18. Leviticus 16:23-25, Concluding Remarks, Part 5
19. Leviticus 16:8,10,26, The Scapegoat
20. Leviticus 16, Modern Views Subversive of the Atonement