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Taken from Mumbai Christian Diary: http://mumbaichristiandiary.blogspot.in/2011/08/blood-of-jesus-ii.html
To understand the blood of Jesus, we need to understand the ancient system of worship in the tabernacle. I spoke about it a little in the earlier post on propitiation (Read | Propitiation) but we will talk about it in more detail in this post.
Taken from Mumbai Christian Diary: http://mumbaichristiandiary.blogspot.in/2011/08/blood-of-jesus-ii.html
To understand the blood of Jesus, we need to understand the ancient system of worship in the tabernacle. I spoke about it a little in the earlier post on propitiation (Read | Propitiation) but we will talk about it in more detail in this post.
The
ancient system of worship was not a creation of Man, but it was all
ordained by God. God gave Moses specific instruction as to how things
should be. He gave Moses the exact measurement for everything in the
tabernacle. God made it very clear that it should be just like he says.
(Exodus 25:40) This is because everything in the tabernacle was rich in
meaning and spoke of Christ. The Old Testament ordinances spoke of New
Testament realities. (Hebrews 8:5)
Now
the tabernacle had an outer court where the people gathered. In the
outer court was an altar where animal sacrifices were made. This altar
spoke of Christ. It spoke of how God would sacrifice Jesus Christ on the
altar of the cross once and for all for the sins of the whole world. (1
John 2:2)
In
the outer court, there was also a brazen laver. This stood for the
daily cleansing that believers would need after they are saved. It is
true that our sins were paid for, once and for all on the cross of
Calvary but sins do creep in, in a believer’s life and that is when we
need to be cleansed by remembering the completed work of Christ.
Then
there was the inner court. In the inner court was the seven-branched
lamp stand. This lamp stand stood for Christ, who would be the light of
the world. (John 8:12)
In the inner court there was also the table of shewbread, which stood for Jesus, who would be the bread of Life. (John 6:35)
And
then, there was the golden altar of incense, where fragrant offerings
were made to God continuously. This altar stood for the worship of
believers. It also stood for the method of worship. Not everyone can
worship God. What you do does not matter when you worship God. Yes, the
bible does talk about us lifting our hands and clapping (1 Timothy 2:8)
(Psalm 134:2) but there is something more important to learn here. What
matters most is how you approach God to worship. Nobody can approach the
altar of incense without shedding the blood of an animal at the altar
in the outer court. You need to first be cleansed in your heart by the
blood and then come and worship God. How can you worship God without
first receiving salvation and putting your faith in Christ?
Matthew 15:8
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Without salvation worship just becomes a ritual where we honor God with out mouths but our hearts are far from him.
You
need to first put your faith in the blood and then come and worship God
with a pure heart. That is what makes a church so special. In a true
church your race, community, country; all these things will not matter.
What matters is that all have come through the altar, by putting their
faith in the blood. (1 Peter 1:18-19) (Romans 3:25)
A
thick veil separated the inner court from the holy of holies. The Holy
of holies was the place where, God dwelled. There were no windows here
because God is light and his presence would light up the place.
This
thick veil, the bible says was torn in two from top to bottom when
Jesus Christ died on the cross. (Matthew 27:51). The veil represented
the body of Christ that was broken for us to make a way for us to
approach God boldly.
Hebrews 10:19-21
Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us,
through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God;
Finally in the holy of holies was the Ark of the Covenant. Now in the Ark of the Covenant were the 10 commandments.
Imagine
this for a moment. If a Man entered the holy of holies, the 10
commandments in the ark would accuse him immediately. The 10
commandments make every man guilty before God and speak judgment against
all men and women. (Romans 3:19-20) (James 2:10). Above the tabernacle
was the pillar of fire. The pillar of fire gave light and warmth in the
night to the Israelites (Exodus 40:38) but it was also a pillar of God’s
wrath and judgment. (Numbers 11:1) (Psalm 106:18) (Leviticus 16:2). So,
if a man entered the holy of holies, and the 10 commandments accused
him, the wrath of God would fall upon him and consume him immediately.
(Psalm 50:3) (Psalm 106:18).
But God who is rich in
mercy put a lid on the Ark of the Covenant and called it the mercy seat
(the place where mercy sits). (Exodus 26:34). Therefore, a priest could
now enter the holy of holies, and the 10 commandments would be covered
and therefore not accuse him. The priest could then sprinkle the blood
of an animal on the mercy seat to make atonement for his sins and the
sin of the community. (Hebrews 9:7) (Leviticus 16:1-34) This spoke of
Christ and how he would enter the presence of God in heaven with his
blood and sprinkle it as evidence that the sins of the whole world have
been paid for. (Hebrews 9:12) (Hebrews 10:10) (Hebrews 10:14)
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