Sword & Trowel 2018: Issue 2
symbolically convey their sin to the sacrifi ced bullock or the sheep or goat, and trust that it would be for- given. The symbols were assurances or promises, but the real and effective atoning work would be the mysteri- ous work of Messiah. Sincerity would be vital for the one who brought his oblation. ‘He shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle’ (Leviticus 1.3). He was not to rush in for he was a sinner, but would make his atonement offering at the door of the holy tent, ‘before the Lord’. The two components of this procedure were — offering outside because he was rejected by God until repentant and forgiven, and also ‘before the Lord’, reminding him of the necessity of sin- cerity. God observes the heart. Then the offerer ‘shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering’,
to identify with the beast that is taking his sin by symbolic transfer, ‘and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.’ The word ‘atonement’ means that the sin will be covered or removed, to be out of God’s sight and justice. When we think of the usefulness of this picture, we could almost wish we had such a ceremony today. We dare not wish this, but you could almost do so, to make us think. To lay our hand on some representative object, and think our sin has to be trans- ferred to the Son of the living God, may make us think more of the real- ity of our Saviour’s work for us, and the consequences of our sin. Did the Jews of old have an ad- vantage over us by having such a symbol? The answer is no, because they did not have a clear view of Christ. They had to work with a mere symbol. We have the clear light of the Gospel, and repent by faith alone, but we must think, and feel deeply what we have laid upon Christ by our sin. A shock awaits us when we read
(in verse fi ve) — ‘And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord.’ We are ‘townies’, at least most of us are, in this place. Killing a bullock would have a tremendous effect upon us. To stand outside the holy place, and slaughter the animal ourselves, to make our symbolic atonement, would be an ordeal for us. It constitutes a dramatic act. For one who works as a butcher or a slaughterhouse em- ployee, it may seem a normal thing to do, but for most of us it is a colossal
Successive promises of a great Descendant were made to Abraham.
True Repentance for Believers page 17
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