where god and i meet - martin probstle

Where God and I Meet 43

As Christians, however, we seek to spend quality time in service for God and others.

In calling Christians to be ready to be offered, Oswald Chambers asks the uncomfortable question you ready to be not so much as a drop in the bucket-to be so hopelessly insignificant that you are never thought of again in connection with the life you served? Are you willing to spend and be spent; not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work and remain saints because it is beneath their dignity:'10

For some, a self-sacrificing lifestyle for God's sake is foolishness. However, many Christians can testify that offering oneself for the higher purpose of serving and loving God goes hand in hand with utmost fulfillment.

Condusion God established the ritual of the sacrifice among humanity after the

entrance of sin into the world. Through sacrifice people can again come into union with God. However, it is not the sacrifice that we bring that restores our relationship to God, but rather the one that God provides. Our answer to His ultimate sacrifice is the surrender of our lives to His will.

1 G. Ulrike Dahm distinguishes 18 offering types. "Opfer (AT)," in Das wissen-schaftliche Bibellexikon im Internet (2006), www.wibilex.de (accessed Aug. 7, 2012).

2 Insofar as on many occasions the chattat was offered because a person had sus-tained a major impurity but had not sinned, the name "purification offering" has to be preferred. For such cases, see, for example, the purification offering of women after giv-ing birth (Lev. 12:1-8), or the purification offering of persons with genital discharges (Lev. 15:15, 30). Even a house could be "purified" (Lev. 14:49, 52, which uses the corresponding verb chata').

3 James L. Crenshaw, A Whirlpool of Torment: Israelite Traditions of God as an Oppressive Presence (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984), p. 28.

4 Allen P. Ross, Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1988), p. 393.

5 See 7he SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 1, p. 1094; E. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 154.

6 Ellen G. White, 7he Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1898), p. 112.

7 E. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 155. 8 See also E. G. White, 7he Great Controversy, pp. 18, 19; Patriarchs and Prophets, pp.

748, 749; and Prophets and Kings (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1917), p. 37.

9 John Stott, 7he Message of Romans (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1994), p. 322. 10 Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour, 1993),

p. 36.

The Israelite Sanctuary

The earthly sanctuary is God's satellite sanctuary. Just as the heavenly sanctuary is a multifunctional place that reveals various facets of God's character, we can expect the earthly counterpart to have a similar multifaceted significance. The sanctuary is certainly one, if not the best, of God's major devices to teach us the meaning of the gospel. The Lord designed it as an interface between Him and a sinful humanity, to bring them back into relationship with the Holy One.

We can learn much from the sanctuary. A breathtaking array of theological and conceptual connections emanate from it. In this chapter we can only follow a few of them, but let me assure you that the sanctuary has many theological treasures in store for the one seeking them. Peter Enns is right on the mark when he remarks that the tabernacle "is laden with redemptive significance, not just because of the sacrifices and offerings within its walls, but simply because of what it is: a piece of holy ground amid a world that has lost its waY:'1

In studying the sanctuary, you will find the following diagram of the tabernacle (see p. 45) helpful.2

Place of the Presence In the Garden in Eden sin shattered the face-to-face relationship between

God and humanity. Sin forfeited our first parents' unhindered communion with Him. However, the Creator still desires to draw humanity to Himself and to enjoy a deep covenant relationship with fallen humanity, and He began the process of restoration right there in Eden. He gave our first parents the promise and the sacrifice. Centuries later God again showed further initiative in bringing humanity back into His presence by delivering Israel from Egypt and establishing the sanctuary and the sacrificial system.

44

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The frrst two texts that mention the word "sanctuary" in the Bible reveal its supreme purpose: "the place, O Lord, which You have made for Your dwel-ling, the sanctuary" (Ex. 15:17); "let them construct a sanctuary forMe, that I may dwell among them" (Ex. 25:8). The sanctuary testifies to God's unceasing desire to dwell among His people. It is his initiative: "For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it" (Ps. 132:13, 14). His ultimate goal is relation-ship, and the sanctuary was His chosen means to attain it. It is the tangible evidence of God's presence with His people on earth. The pillar of cloud and the pillar offrre (Ex. 13:21, 22; 33:9, 10; Num. 12:5; Deut. 31:15), which may have been later memorialized by the two pillars at the entrance to the Temple, visibly indicated that presence during the desert years (1 Kings 7:15-22).

God did not temporarily visit His people. His intention was to pitch His tent among them and stay. The material and tent structure would ensure that the sanctuary, and thus God, could move with the people. Just imagine, with the sanctuary the Creator of the universe, the O ne who made all that existed, lowered Himself to dwell among homeless wanderers in the desert. The layout plan described in Numbers 2 indicates that the tabernacle was located in the center of the square encampment where, ordinarily in the-ancient Near East, the king would put his tent. Hence the tabernacle symbolizes that God is the king over Israel. The Levites, meanwhile, put their tents immediately around the tabernacle (Num. 1:53) and the other tribes "ata distance" in groups of three (Num. 2:2). Such a scheme illustrates in a tangible way both the nearness (immanence) and the distance ofGod (transcendence).

46 Where God and I Meet

Another purpose of the sanctuary was to provide a location for a centralized, divinely ordained form of worship. The people's impurities and moral failings jeopardized God's presence among them. As a result, He provided a system of sacrifices and offerings through which unholy people can live and remain in the presence of the holy God. The sanctuary also sought to reveal more details regarding the plan of redemption, which included not only the sacrifice but the ministry of the priesthood as well.

Finally, the sanctuary was a link to heaven. God did not live in the earthly sanctuary in His full presence, which He reserved for His heavenly abode. However, coming to the earthly sanctuary meant that one was seeking Godin heaven (1 Kings 8:29, 30).

"Be Ye Holy, for 1 Am Holy" Exodus 40:9, 10 shows us that the sanctuary was to be regarded

as "holY:' The basic idea of holiness is separateness and uniqueness, in combination with belonging to God.

The Lord uniquely designed the sanctuary to illustrate. His holiness by a gradation of holiness. As things get closer to the ark they are more holy, and the substances they consisted of were more valuable. The high priest wore more elaborate and costly fabrics, plus additional items such as a golden plate crown engraved with "Holy to the Lord" (Ex. 28). The materials for the garment of the high priest remarkably reflect those used to make the tabernacle, so that the high priest became a sort of moving mini-tabernacle. As for access to the tabernacle, fewer and fewer people were permitted to go into an area the closer it was to the ark. Any ritually clean Israelite could come into the courtyard, but only priests could enter the holy place (Ex. 30:19, 20) and only the high priest could visit the Most Holy Place, and then only once a year (Lev. 16:2, 34).

The sanctuary structure recalls the Sinai experience of the great revelation of God and His holiness. The three-part structure of the tabernacle, which progresses from lesser to greater degrees of holiness, reflects the levels of holiness commanded at Mount Sinai (Ex. 24:1-18): Moses alone is permitted in the presence of God where he receives the tablets of the testimony in the cloud and fire of the glory ofYahweh (verses 2, 12, 15-18); the priests and elders worshipped "ata distance;' saw God, and ate and drank (yerses 1, 10, 11); while the rest of the people stayed at the foot of the mountain tYerse 2), where Moses built an altar for burnt offerings (verses 2-6). WheneYer the people of Israel carne to worship at


the sanctuary, they would be reminded that God saved them out of Egypt and graciously revealed His character and principles to them at Sinai.

In consideration of the fact that God is holy and that one of the main purposes of the sanctuary is for Him to dwell among His people, some crucial questions arise: How cana holy God reside among an unholy people? God's command "You shall be holy, for I am holy" occurs refrain-like in the book ofLeviticus (Lev. 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8). But then, how can an unholy people actually be holy? The answer is "I am the Lord, who makes you holy and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord" (Lev. 22:32, 33, NIV).

It is God's holiness that transforms us and sets us apart. His holiness is the ultima te motivation for the ethical conduct of His people in all spheres oflife (see Lev. 19), whether for observing the dietary laws (Lev. 11:44, 45), respecting the priest (Lev. 21:8), or not giving into former lusts (1 Peter 1:14-16). Obviously God wants us to grow in holiness as we get closer and closer to Him. He longs to restore us into the "image of God:' Being holy affects everything: our thinking, our habits, our tastes, our activities, etc. It excludes nothing. Being holy is a lifestyle. It's the believer's attitude toward life.

Instruments of the Sanctuary God not only supplied the building materials through the plunder of

Egypt (Ex. 12:35, 36), but even more important, He gave the Spirit of God, wisdom, and the necessary craftsmanship to ensure that the creation of the tabernacle would comply with His instructions (Ex. 31:2-11 ). The Spirit's presence at Creation in Gene sis 1:2 is thus paralleled at the creation of the tabernacle. Obviously the tabernacle and its furnishings are of great significance, for the Spirit of God ensured the success of their construction, which for both should be after the heavenly pattern (Ex. 25:9). It is worth noting that "devotion to God and a spirit of sacrifice were the first requisites in preparing a dwelling place for the Most High:'3

What is the meaning of all the furniture involved? May I suggest a word of caution ?. Some Bible readers like to find symbolic significance for every detail of the sanctuary. Such an approach can be quite arbitrary when detached from the original context and intent, and the interpretations range widely. Therefore, we should refrain from allegorical and spiritualizing interpretations. However, the meanings of the main items seem quite evident even though the Bible might not explicitly mention them.4


The ark of the testimony is the supreme symbol of God's presence and His holiness. Its name derives from the two stone tablets of the law, called the "testimony" (Ex. 32:15, 16), that Moses placed inside it (Ex. 25:16, 21; Deut. 10:1-5). Through the law God made known His character to His people.

On top of the ark rested the mercy seat with two cherubim over-shadowing the cover with their wings (Ex. 25:17-21). Appropriately called the "atonement cover" (verse 17, NIV), it conveys the idea that the compassionate and gracious God reconciled the people with Himself and made every provision for them to maintain a covenant relationship with Him. Here is where, once a year, atonement for the people and the sanctuary took place (Lev. 16:14-16). In Romans 3:25 Paul refers to Jesus as "atonement cover" ( usually translated as "propitiation" or "sacrifice of atonement"), because Jesus Himself is the place of redemption, the one through whom God has made atonement for our sins.

The people considered the ark to be the throne of God, for He is "enthroned above the cherubim" (2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chron 13:6; Ps. 80:1; 99:1; Isa. 37:16). The ark signifies the Lord as king. From between the two cherubim upon the ark God would reveal Himself to Moses (Ex. 25:22). In a symbolic sense, then, God's throne rests on mercy, represented by the atonement cover, and righteousness, represented by the tablets of the Ten Commandments within the ark.

In the holy place, the first apartment, the lampstand continually provided light (Lev. 24:1-4) and the altar of incense would continually produce the protective smoke that concealed the presence of God from the priest (Lev. 16:12, 13). On the table for the bread of the Presence the priests placed 12 loaves ofbread, representing the 12 tribes oflsrael, and also dishes, pans, jars, and bowls (Ex. 25:29, 30). Although the Bible gives little information about their significance, it seems that the items in the first apartment represented the elements of a covenant meal ( recalling Ex. 24:11) and served as a constant reminder of God's covenant with the people.

Ellen White provides further insight on the symbolic meaning of the altar of incense and the table of the Presence. "The incense, ascending with the prayers of Israel, represents the merits and intercession of Christ, His perfect righteousness, which through faith is imputed to His people, and which can alone make the worship of sinful beings acceptable to God. Before the veil of the most holy place was an altar of perpetua! intercession, before the holy, an altar of continuai atonement:'5

"The showbread was kept ever before the Lord as a perpetua! offering.


. .. It was an acknowledgment of man's dependence upon God for both temporal and spiritual food, and that it is received only through the mediation of Christ:'6

The unifying factor of ali items in the first apartment is that they are continuously in service: perpetua! incense, perpetua! lighting, and perpetua! offering of the showbread. Hebrew expresses the idea of continuity or perpetuity by the word tamd. Hence the regular or daily sanctuary service, which is connected to the first apartment and to the o uter altar, is the service of tamd. 7

The courtyard in front of the tabernacle tent contained the altar of burnt offering and the bronze water basin. The basin stood between the altar and the entrance to the sanctuary. Its location suggests that the priests should not forget to wash themselves before entering the tent, no matter what. Ritual cleansing of both hands and feet was obligatory if a priest intended to enter holy ground or serve at the outer altar (Ex. 30:19-21).

A sanctuary without an altar is no sanctuary. The altar ofburnt offering is, of course, the place the priests offered animal sacrifices to the Lord and, as such, it was central to the daily ministry of atonement ( see the next chapter) .

Center of Divine and Communal Activity At the dedication ceremony of the new-built Temple, King Solomon

offered seven cases of specific prayers that could be offered there ( 1 Kings 8). The seven functions exemplify the extensive role of the Temple in the lives of the Israelites. It is a place for seeking forgiveness (verse 30), for oath swearing (verses 31, 32), for supplication when militarily defeated (verses 33, 34), for petition when faced with drought (verses 35, 36) or disasters of various sorts (verses 37 -40), for the alien to pray (verses 41-43), for petition for victory (verses 44, 45), and for repentance and supplication in exile (verses 46-51).8 That God intended the Temple tobe a "house of prayer for ali the peoples" (Isa. 56:7) becomes evident from the fact that Solomon envisions the individual Israelite, the foreigner, and the entire people as petitioners. The range of subject matters include interpersonal relationships, foreign affairs, nature (natural disasters), health and sickness, and last but not least relationship to God.

The sanctuary was the ideologica! center of basicaliy ali activity in Israel. Religion was not part of the believer's life or even a major aspect- it was life.


When the people wanted to receive advice or judgment, or if they repented their sins, they went to the sanctuary. Leafing through the book of Numbers reveals that the sanctuary was the hub of life dur ing the desert years of Israel. When God desired to communicate to His people, He did so from the sanctuary (Ex. 25:22; 29:43). Therefore Scripture appropriately calls it the "tent of meeting" (e.g., Lev. 1:1).

Without the sanctuary, God's people on earth were in danger of ceasing tobe a worshipping people. After the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple when Israel had to go into the Babylonian exile, they could still pray, knowing that God would hear in His heavenly sanctuary (see 1 Kings 8:46-51). Even after the loss of the earthiy sanctuary, the heavenly sanctuary guaranteed their existence as a peopie of God. However, whenever Israel did Iose sight of God's sanctuary, they also wandered away spiritually and couldn't have cared less about God. The same is true today. The heavenly san.:ruary is the hub of divine activity. If we Iose our concern for it, we are danger of not worshipping Him anymore. Even though we do not have a

,:.ible sanctuary today, focusing our thoughts on the heavenly sanctuary ;ill help us to keep God at the center of our thoughts and activities.

Until 1 Went Into the Sanctuary of God" Time and again the psalms show that the sanctuary plays a significant

part in the relationship between believers and God. Well known is the firm -on,iction David expresses at the end of Psalm 23 that he "will dwell in the ouse of the Lord forever" (verse 6). This line is in parallel to the previous

one: "Only goodness and kindness pursue me alt the days of my life; And my dwelling is in the house of [Yahweh] for a length of days"

'LTl . Yahweh provides the psalmist with two lifelong companions for the

path oflife: goodness and loving-kindness. Goodness is the knowledge that o ne is known and loved by the Lord, while loving-kindness is the experience that the Lord is full of mercy, that He forgives and shares willingly all good things. David found both companions in God's sanctuary.

_o wonder his foremost wish in Psalm 27 is tobe in the presence of Yahweh, which is best experienced in the sanctuary. He expresses his wish in ,erse 4 in the language of Psalm 23:6.9 In order to show how much he -herishes the sanctuary, David uses the full panoply of expressions to refer to it, calling it the house of the Lord, Temple, tabernacle, and tent. It is there


that one can meditate and "behold the beauty of the Lord" (Ps. 27:4). How is this possible? "Dwelling in the house ofYahweh is not just an experience of aesthetic delight in the gracious hospitality of God. There is a protective nearness of God:'10 The activities of God in the sanctuary, as mentioned in Psalm 27, illustrate this point: He keeps the worshippers safe and hides them in His sanctuary, even in tough times (verse 5). God provides secure refuge and assures peace of mind for all who enter His presence. The beauty of God is thus connected to what He does for His people. God's actions make Him beautiful. In addition, the sanctuary service with its symbolic significance shows His goodness and loving-kindness as well as His justice.

The ultimate abject of David's deepest desire is not only to be just in the sanctuary, but for Yahweh to be present with him. That is why the psalmist resolves to "seek" God (verses 4, 8). "To seek God ... is nota matter of unfocused searching but a sign of commitment to the way of life he demands and provides:'11 Thus, seeking God is equivalent to self-surrender and a willingness to do what is right, regardless of the consequences.

Another psalm in which the sanctuary plays a pivotal role is Psalm 73. In it Asaph addressed the problem of suffering. He could not understand the ostensible success of the wicked ( verses 4-12 ), while the faithful suffered affliction. He himself almost slipped (verses 1-3), but entering the sanctuary made the difference for him (verses 13-17). There he could see the power and glory of God (see Ps. 63:2) and recognize that present conditions are only apparent and transitory. One day they will change and justice will occur. He could reflect anew on the truth and receive reaffirmation that in the end the wicked are on slippery ground (Ps. 73:18-20) and the faithful are secure (verses 21-28). For those who seek God, the sanctuary becomes a place of confidence, a stronghold of life, where God will set them "high upon a rock" (Ps. 27:5, NIV). From the truth taught by the sanctuary service we can indeed learn to trust in God's goodness and justice.

To look at our life, at our present decisions, at what happens to us today, from the point of"the end" will keep our priorities in the right balance. It is quite a healthy experience, and we should practice it regularly. What might seem so important for us today could be insignificant in view of eternity. The end, as promised in God's Word, gives us hope for now and a future for tomorrow. As we enter the sanctuary we will find the ups and downs of life put in perspective, and we can focus on Christ. Then we will know that "the end of a matter is better than its beginning" (Eccl. 7:8). Asaph was right on target.


Conclusion The earthly sanctuary is God's designated meeting place with His

people. It visualizes the holiness of God and the means by which believers can enter and stay in a relationship with Him. It provides a place for worship and living in the divine presence. Understanding what the sanctuary illustrates will awaken the desire to be near to God.

1 Peter Enns, Exodus, p. 522. 2 Roland Dell 'mour and Martin Probstle designed the illustration of the tabernacle

plan. 3 E. G. W hite, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 343. 4 Ellen G. W hite gives an insightful description of the tabernacle sanctuary and its

service in Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 343-358. 5 E. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 353. 6 Ibid., p. 354. - For more on the Hebrew cultic term tamd and its meaning, see chapter 10 of this

book. See John H. Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One (Downers Grove, 111.:

InterYarsity, 2009), p. 90. The phrase "ali the days of my life" o ce urs in Psalms only in 23:6 and 27:4. Another

expression found in both texts is "the house of Yahweh," which appears further on in P alms 92:13; 116:19; 118:26; 122:1, 9; 134:1; 135:2.

"':erald H. Wilson, Psalms, Volume 1, NIV Application Commentary (Grand ~ Zondervan, 2002), p. 484.

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Atonement Phase One: Purification Offering

T he sacrificial system is probably the best-known part of the sanctuary service, because it's the aspect that points directly to Christ's sacrifice. God gave it to ensure that His loyal people could stiU enjoy His presence if they sinned, and it demonstrates how He would eventually sol ve the sin problem. The central offering in the sacrificial system was certainly the mandatory "purification offering;' often called "sin offering" (Lev. 4).1 By means of such an offering sinners could be forgiven, atonement for them achieved, their lives saved, and covenant community with God maintained. The blood of the animal that dies for the sinner becomes a symbol for the blood of Christ, who perished for us.

The Israelite cult had two phases of atonement. Phase One is the regular service conducted throughout the year. Phase Two is the ceremony conducted on the Day of Atonement (in Hebrew called Yom Kippur) that takes place just once a year. Phase One is often called the daily service, and Phase Two, the yearly. Both were necessary to complete the cycle of atonement for God's people.

The daily service consisted of the regular activities of the priests and the special purification offerings for personal sins. They included the morning and evening sacrifice at the altar ofburnt offering in the courtyard, and in the holy place the trimming of the lampstand (daily), the offering of incense (daily), and the exchange of the showbread (weekly on the Sabbath). Such ongoing rituals confirmed the constant presence of God and the continued availability of divine forgiveness. In a way, we could say that the sanctuary assured them of being God's covenant people. In this chapter, however, we will focus on the purification offering, the prescribed means for atonement of personal sins.

The legislation of the purification offering appears in Leviticus 4. It has four parts, depending upon who brings the offering: anointed priest (verses

53


3-12), whole community (verses 13-21), leader (verses 22-26), or commoner (verses 27 -35). The ritual procedure is similar, except when it comes to the location ofblood applications and eating the remainder of the offering.

The goal of the purification offering was to remove sin and guilt from the sinner, to transfer its responsibility to the sanctuary, and to let the sinner leave forgiven and cleansed. The purification offering was mandatory-that is, one was required to bring it after becoming aware of a sin. God made provision so that everyone was able to offer some kind of purification offering. The anointed priest and the community as a whole had to present a bull, the leader should bring a male goat, while the commoner was to sacrifice a goat or a sheep, or, in rare cases of hardship, the tenth of an ephah of fine flour (approximately 4.5 pints). Although the last purification offering was bloodless, it is understood that "without shedding ofblood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22).

The relevant activities for a purification offering to achieve these goals involved the laying of hands on the head of the animal, the death of the animal, blood manipulation, the burning of fat, and the eating of the remaining flesh of the offering. The sinner who brought the offering was granted forgiveness only after the blood ritual. Hence forgiveness not only requires a repentant attitude, but also has something to do with the offering itself and its blood application.

The purification offering conveys several concepts ( each connected with a specific part of the ritual), which was God's appointed way to help us understand better how He is reconciling us to Himself through the only true sacrifice, Jesus Christ. Before we focus on those individual aspects, however, it is necessary to understand the overall (legal) concept of divine forgiveness.

Sin and Mercy As anyone who knows the Lord can testify, sin separates us from God.

The good news, of course, is that the Lord has put in place a system to heal the breach caused by sin and to bring us back to Him. At the center of it is the sacrifice.

The Old Testament depicts basically three kinds of sin, each cor-responding to the sinner's awareness while committing the transgression: inadvertent or unintentional sin, deliberate or intentiona! sin, and rebellious sin. The "purification offering" prescribed in Leviticus 4:1-5: 13 could be presented in cases of unintentional sin, as well as in some cases of deliberate sin (Lev. 5:1). While the first two categories had an offering


available, Scripture mentions none for rebellious sin, the most heinous kind. A person committed such sin "in the face" of God, with a high hand, and the rebel deserved nothing less than tobe cut off (Num. 15:29-31). Nowhere does the Bible prescribe a cultic way to cleanse this kind of sin from the rebel sinner. And yet, looking at the life of King Manasseh, one is surprised to see how far God could extend His mercy. Manasseh, who rebelled willfully against God, carne finally to his senses, humbled himself before God, and received forgiveness (2 Chron. 33:12, 13). God's grace can even prevail over intense hard-heartedness. What a wonderful God!

God forgives the sinner. However, the question remains whether He is justified in doing so, for the sinner is unrighteous and, as such, worthy of condemnation. So does the Lord do right to forgive the sinner? What happens when a judge pronounces the unrighteous to be just? This is certainly contrary to what justice demands and to God's own rule when He denounced those judges who "justify the righteous and condemn the wicked" (Deut. 25:1). Any judge who regularly pardoned the guilty would get kicked off the bench. What makes God different?

The story of the woman of Tekoa can illustrate the answer (2 Sam. 14:1-11). It's all about mercy, justice, and guilt ( and actually has to do with the case of Absalom). Pretending tobe a bereaved widow, the best actress of Israel went to King David, seeking his judgment as chief justice of the supreme court of ancient Israel. She contrived a story about her two sons, one killing the other. Israelite law demanded the death of the murderer (Num. 35:31), even though he was the only male left in the family. The woman pleaded with Judge David to let the guilty son go free.

Then, interestingly enough, she declared: "The iniquity is on me and my father's house, but the king and his throne are guiltless" (2 Sam. 14:9). Both the Tekoite woman and David understood that if the king should decide to let the murderer go free, the ruler himself would acquire the guilt of the murderer, and that his throne of justice ( that is, his reputation as iudge) would be in jeopardy. The judge was morally responsible for what he decided. That is why the woman offered to accept the guilt herself.

Similarly, God assumes the guilt of sinners in order to declare them righteous. If God forgives sinners, He takes their blame. For us to be forgiven, God Himself must bear our punishment. That is the legal reason that Christ had to die if we were to be saved. Forgiveness is costly, but God acquired the right to grant it. First John 1:9 tells us that "ifwe confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins:' The legal


declaration of forgiveness is a necessity for justification. It would have been very problematic, to say the least, if God would have "just forgiven" the sinner without getting too much into legal issues. The Lord needed to maintain His righteousness when He forgives so that He could defeat Satan, who accused Him ofbeing unjust or unloving, or both. God proved Satan wrong: He is love and He is just. Therefore, He had to die.

Identification The significance of the laying on of hands (Lev. 1 :4; 4:4; 16:21) is that

it involves an act of identification: it is done so that the offering "may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf" (Lev. 1:4). The offering applies only for the one who put his hands on the animal's head. The laying on of hands designates also the transfer of property, as now the sacrificial animal does not belong to the offerer anymore but to the sanctuary and thus to God. Once the hands have been laid on, there was no turning back on this "dead-end road" -the animal had to be presented. According to Leviticus 16:21, the laying on ofhands could also be practiced together with the confession of sin. In the purification offering this would acknowledge the transfer of sin from the sinner to the innocent animal.

The slaughter is, of course, basic to any animal offering. After the animal is killed, the spilled blood will make atonement on the altar (Lev. 17: 11). Because the sins have been transferred to the animal by the ritual of identification (that is, the laying on ofhands), we should understand the animal's death as a substitutionary one. The animal dies in the place of the sinner. This may explain why the guilty person, and not the priest, had to perform the act of killing the animal.

Transfer of Sin After the laying on ofhands and the death of the animal, the next ritual

activity in the purification offering was the blood manipulation. The priest would apply the sacrificial blood to the horns of the altar. Because blood is involved, this rite has to do with atonement (verse 11).

We notice two principles about the locality of the blood manipulation. First, the deeper that it penetrates into the sanctuary, the higher the status of the sinner is. If the offerer was a commoner or a leader, the blood was put on the altar of burnt offering in the courtyard (Lev. 4:25, 30). But should the (high) priest or the entire congregation sin, the blood was applied to the inner altar, the altar of incense, which stands in the holy place (verses 7, 18).


Apparently, with the office comes greater responsibility and accountability. Note that the sin under consideration in Leviticus 4 is an inadvertent sin otherwise not specified. Therefore, to which altar the blood should be applied did not depend upon the different nature of the inadvertent sin.

This brings us to the second principle. The attitude of the sinner influences how deep the sin affects the sanctuary. Rebellious sins (in Hebrew often called pescha') deflie the sanctuary even without sacrifice and blood manipulation (Lev. 20:2, 3; Num. 19:20), and the sanctuary had tobe cleansed from them on the Day of Atonement, because Leviticus 16:16 mentions the pescha' sins among those things for which it is necessary to make atonement. One can therefore assume that more grievous sins-that is, sins committed with a rebellious attitude-would penetrate deeper into the sanctuary.

Of course, it is also clear that sins themselves differ from each other. The idea that one sin is the same as another is not biblical. There are various forms of sin with various kinds of consequences. Some sins are more serious than others. Although the final result of all sin is death (Rom. 6:23), the nature of the sin itself can be quite different, as the ancient Israelites' penallaw illustrates.

What does it mean to smear blood on the horns of the altar? The Old Testament often mentions altars with horns at each of their four corners. 2

The horns are curved-up projections on the altar's otherwise flat top.3 As the highest points of the altar, they could signify the vertical dimension and were considered the holiest part of the altar. Fugitives seeking refuge would grasp the horns of the altar to put themselves under the protection of the deity, and could in this way obtain asylum, as Adonijah's case demonstrates (1 Kings 1:50). However, the protection did not seem to apply to serious offenders, uch as murderers, as Joab had to learn dramatically (1 Kings 2:28-34).

The blood smeared on the altar's horns thus comes into the presence of God, into His jurisdiction. Jererniah 17:1 is of particular importance for understanding the concept behind the blood manipulation. The sin of Judah is engraved "upon the tablet of their heart and on the horns of their altars:' Although the prophet has idolatrous altars in mind here,

Four-horned altar from Tel Beersheba (eighth century the principle remains the same: the RC.). Photo: Author.


altar reflects the moral condition of the people. Blood transfers the guilt of sin. The blood smeared on the horns of the altar shifted sin away from the sinner to the sanctuary, a crucially important truth in order to understand the plan of salvation as revealed in the earthly sanctuary service. In idolatrous worship, of course (and that is God's argument in Jererniah 17:1), applying blood on the altar's horns cannot free the offerer from sin and guilt. Thus the guilt stiU remains upon the heart of the Judahites, as well as on the horns of their altars.

We have to cond ude that the blood manipulation transferred sin to the sanctuary-sacrificial blood defiled the sanctuary. The blood carries sin and, as such, has defiling properties. Here is an example. When the blood of the purification offering splashed by accident on a garment, it should be cleansed not just anywhere, but specifically "in a holy place" (Lev. 6:27). The bloodstained garment would not only be physically unclean, but also ritually so.

The burning of the fat in smoke on the altar, which concludes the symbolic actions of the ritual, indicates that everything about the purification offering belongs to God (Lev. 3:16; 4:31).

The ancient Israelites learned, among other things, that they could penitently bring their sins to the sanctuary and, through sacrifice, leave them there for God to take care of. Similarly, through our repentance and confession, our sin has been taken away from us, placed on Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate sacrifice, and transferred to the heavenly sanctuary, where God will take care of it. He forgives us and assumes the guilt upon Himself-a central concept of the plan of salvation. The question for us to ponder is How can we learn even better to give sin totally away to God when we repent and confess?

BearingSin A part of the purification offering ritual not described in Leviticus 4

is eating the remainder of the offering (Lev. 6:25, 26; 10: 16-18). By eating the purification offering at the holy place the officiating priest would "bear away the guilt" of the offender. The meat was not just remuneration for the priests; otherwise, Moses would not have been so angry with Aaron's sons for not eating of it. Yet how does eating the purification offering contribute to the process of atonement? Eating was required only of those offerings in which blood did not enter the holy place, that is, those of the leader and the commoner. Scripture explicitly states that the eating symbolized that the priests would "bear away the guilt;' which will "make atonement" (Lev.


10:17) for the sinner. Obviously, carrying another person's guilt implies that the individual can go free.

The Hebrew of Exodus 34:7 conveys that God "carries iniquity" when forgiving the trespasses of the sinner. The same two Hebrew words-"carrying iniquity" -appear in Leviticus 10:16, 17, in which it's ele ar that the priest carrying the sin is what brings forgiveness to the sinner. Otherwise, without that transfer, the sinner would have to bear his own sin (Lev. 5:1), and that, of course, would lead to death (Rom. 6:23).

Carrying guilt is just like conveying a backpack. If you carry the backpack of your own guilt, you are responsible for it and will suffer the consequences (Lev. 19:8). However, if someone else offers to take your backpack, you go unburdened and are free of guilt. A husband could do that for his wife (Num. 30:15). And the priest should do it because it belongs to his job description (Ex. 28:38; Num. 18:1). The priest does not have to suffer the consequences for the guilt he carries, because he would bring his own purification offering and thus deposit his sins on the sanctuary.

Bearing another's sin is exactly what Christ did for us. He offers to carry our entire backpack of guilt and sin so that we are free. Of course, He had to suffer the consequences. As a result, He died in our place (Isa. 53:5, 6, 11; 1 Peter 2:24). We conclude that what the priest did at the sanctuary typifies Christ's work for us, because He has taken upon Himself the guilt of our sins.

"If the transgressor of God's law will see in Christ his atoning sacrifice, if he will believe in him who can cleanse from all unrighteousness, Christ will not have died for him in vain. By giving himself a sacrifice for sin, Christ has given opportunity to every sinner to repent and be converted, and become a laborer together with God:'4

Forgiveness May I introduce you to my champion of all Old Testament texts about

God's forgiveness? Sure, Scripture has many candidates: He will forgive iniquity and remember sin no more (Jer. 31:34). He swept away offenses like a cloud and sins like the morning mist (Isa. 44:22). Even if our sins are as scarlet and crimson, He will make them blistering white (Isa. 1: 18). The best of all, however, in my opinion, is Micah 7:18, 19. Just read it, and you will know that God indeed is the champion of forgiveness.

The last three verses of the book of Micah focus on the relationship of God and His remnant. The text describes beautifully why He is unrivaled. He is incomparable, because of His forgiving love and grace.


The outstanding characteristic of God, as revealed in the book of Micah and elsewhere, is simply His unique forgiveness. Micah emphasizes the point by using varied repetition for God's attributes (verse 18) and for His achievements (verses 19, 20). Exodus 34:6, 7, one of the most beloved biblical descriptions of the character of God, explains His attributes and achievements in the language of the Israelite credo. The passage illustrates clearly that God is much more eager to forgive than to punish.

Interestingly, several crucial words in Micah 7:18-20 also appear in the Servant Song in Isaiah 53, pointing to the fact that the means of forgiveness comes from the One who is suffering for the people.

Unfortunately, not everyone will enjoy God's saving grace, but only the "remnant ofHis possession'' (Micah 7:18). God's forgiveness is neither cheap nor automatic. It involves loyalty. The emphasis here is on kindness or "love" (verse 18), which refers back to Micah 6:8, a central text in the book: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Thus as the Lord "delights in unchanging love" (Micah 7:18) He calls His remnant to "love kindness:' His people will imitate His character. His desires will become their own. Their lives will reflect His love, compassion, and kindness. In short, they act as imitatia Dei, the "imitation of God:'

Combining Micah 7:18-20 and its emphasis on forgiveness with Nahum 1:2, 3 and its stress on judgment unfolds the two dimensions of God's dealings with us: forgiving the repentant, and punishing the wicked. Both si des belong to God: He is Savior and judge. The two aspects of God's character are complementary, not contrary. A compassionate God can also be a just God. Thus we can rest assured in His love, in His forgiveness, and in His ultimate justice.

Now back to the purification offering. Its result is forgiveness. The one who offers the sacrifice "will be forgiven:' The Hebrew word used here appears in the Old Testament only with God. Thus it is absolutely clear that it is not the priest who forgives. Neither is it an automatic process that will happen just because the sacrifice gets offered correctly. Forgiveness is God's privilege. He alone can forgive, and He has provided everything for this end.

Of course, we know that the blood of animals could not purify the believer. In reality, we are redeemed "with precious blood, as of a Iamb unblemished and spotless, the blood ofChrist" (1 Peter 1:19). "As Christ at His ascension appeared in the presence of God to plead His blood in behalf of penitent believers, so the priest in the daily ministration sprinkled the


blood of the sacrifice in the holy place in the sinner's behalf. The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement; so in the type the blood of the sin [purification] offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement:'5 Atonement happens in two stages. It was so at the Israelite sanctuary, and it is the same at the heavenly sanctuary. We are ready for Phase Two.

Conclusion The sacrificial system of the Old Testament foreshadowed Christ's

sacrifice and illustrates clearly that the sins are transferred into God's sanctuary. The means of conveying them are the blood and the priest, signifying Christ's sacrifice and His priestly ministry. It is the first phase of the atonement. While God forgives the unrighteous sinner, He Himself will, and must, take care of the guilt.

Though the earthly sanctuary is "but a faint reflection" of the "vastness and glory" of the heavenly sanctuary, "important truths concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the great work there carried forward for man's redemption were taught by the earthly sanctuary and its services:'6

1 A note on terminology: Using the term purification offering instead of sin offering fits best the various reasons that it has to be brought. We need to avoid the impression that, for instance, giving birth is regarded as moral fault, because the new mother had to present such an offering (Lev. 12:6-8). This sacrifice is best understood as a "purification offering" for her ritual impurity, and not as a sacrifice because of sin.

2 The Old Testament refers to altar horns in Exodus 27:2; 29:12; 30:2; 37:25; 38:2; Leviticus 4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34; 8:15; 9:9; 16:18; 1 Kings 1:50, 51; 2:28; Psalm 118:27; Ezekiel 43:15, 20; Amos 3:14; and the New Testament once in Revelation 9:13.

3 Archaeologists have excavated severa! ancient Israelite altars with so-called horns. Most famous are the ones from Beersheba and Megiddo. One can get an impression of what such al tars looked like by visiting the archaeology wing in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, which has the 1.6-meter-square four-horned altar of Beersheba (eighth century B.C.) on display, or, more conveniently, by visiting the museum's Web site at www.imj.org.il!imagine/collections/item.asp?itemNum=370646 for the four-horned in-cense altar from Megiddo (ninth century B.C.).

4 Ellen G. White, in Review and Herald, Feb. 27, 1900. 5 E. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 357. 6 E. G. White, The Creat Controversy, p. 414.

Atonement Phase Two: Day of Atonement

Gmar Chatimah Tovah. "A good final sealing:' That's the Jewish greeting on or right before Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Idiomaticaliy, it means something like "May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for good:' A Jewish prayer declares, "On Rosh Hashana, it is written. On Yom Kippur, it is sealed:'1 In between there lie the 10 Days of Awe, or the 10 Days of Repentance, in which the "accounting of souls" takes place, when the good deeds and the transgressions of every person are juxtaposed on a scale to decide the fate of each one. The Talmudic rabbis imagined a heavenly court that judges ali people until the end of Yom Kippur, when the final "sealing" of our fate has taken place. During the Days of Awe, and especialiy on Yom Kippur, God gives the gift of His nearness. 2 The Jewish understanding ofYom Kippur reflects the gravity and solemnity of the day, but it also marks it as a time of forgiveness par excelience.

Yom Kippur has a historical precedent, at least according to tradition. The date of Yom Kippur, the tenth of the month of Tishri, was chosen to be the same calendar day when Moses, after another solemn encounter with the Lord, carne down from the mountain, carrying the second set of the tablets of the testimony (Ex. 34:29).3 Moses pleaded for the life of his people while in God's presence but shrouded by a cloud-foreshadowing the high-priestly intercession-and the repentance of the people saved them from extermination. His descent from Sinai thus signified that God had forgiven Israel their "great sin" of the golden calf (Ex. 32:21, 31). It was, in a way, the grand first "Day of Atonement:'

The Day of Atonement as regulated in Leviticus 16 is the cultic high point and the most solemn of ali rituals prescribed in the Old Testament. It is deliberately placed in the heart of the book of Leviticus in the center of the Tarah to illustrate its "most holy" character.4 Also, the names given

62


for the Day of Atonement underline its significance: Sabbath of Sabbaths "sabbath of solemn rest" in Leviticus 16:31; 23:32) or the "White Sabbath:'

The cessation of all work is unique for an Israelite yearly festival. This fact places the day squarely within the Sabbath concept, and marks it as a totally consecrated day of rest in the enjoyment of the full re-creation accomplished by God, of what He has done and will do for us.

To capture the mood of the Day of Atonement, it is helpful to follow the special readings from the Old Testament as prescribed by today's Jews for Yom Kippur. The morning readings comprise the regulations for the ritual 1Lev. 16:1-34; Num. 29:7-11) and Isaiah 57:15-58:14, which talks about the Lord's intentions to save His people and their correct attitude of true worship, especially with regard to fasting and the Sabbath observance, two essential components of the Day of Atonement. The afternoon readings also include three passages that emphasize sexual behavior (Lev. 18:1-30), God's intention to save (the entire book of Jonah), and the praise for His incomparable grace and faithfulness (Micah 7:18-20).

In this chapter we will study what happened on the Day of Atonement in the earthly sanctuary, specifically the rituals with the two goats, which helps us to better understand deeper truths regarding salvation and the final disposition of sin. Identifying the purpose of such rituals will aid in identifying what God intends during the eschatological day of atonement. 5

Let's start with a detailed overview of Leviticus 16 that will serve as a walk-through of the Day of Atonement ritual:

1. Preparatory Activities (Lev. 16: 1-1 O) equipment of Aaron for entering the sanctuary (verses 3-5)

bull + ram for Aaron, linen garments, two goats + ram for Israel purpose and preparation of bull and two goats ( verses 6-1 O)

bull for purification offering for Aaron and his house selection of ( 1) goat for purification offering for Israel (goat

for Yahweh) (2) goat for removal (goat for Azazel)

2. Purification Offerings and Blood Manipulation ( verses 11-19) bull on behalf of the priests ( verses 11-14)

slaughtering of bull entering the Most Holy with incense


blood application on mercy seat (o ne time) and sprinkling in front of it ( seven times)

goat on behalf ofthe people (verse 15) ritual analog to the bull

.... summary of purpose of the blood manipulation (verse 16) purification of the holy place ( tent of meeting) analogous to that of the

Most Holy Place (verse 16) .... summary of purpose so far (verse 17)

purification and sanctification of altar ofburnt offering (verses 18, 19) blood application on altar (o ne time) and sprinkling on it ( seven times)

.... concluding summary (verse 20)

3. Elimination Ritual: Live Goat (verses 20-22) laying on ofhands, confession of sins, sending into the wilderness ( verses 20, 21) .... summary of elimination ritual (verse 22)

4. Burnt Offering (verses 23-25) preparation: high priest disrobes and bathes (verses 23, 24) presentation ofburnt offering (verses 24, 25)

5. Postrequisite Tasks of Priestly Assistants (verses 26-28) designated individual for sending the live goat (verse 26) disposal of purification offerings (verses 27, 28)

6. Concluding Wrap-up (verses 29-34) people's task: fasting and resting from work (verses 29-31) .... concluding summary ofDay of Atonement (verses 32-34)

The Yearly Cleansing Throughout the year all kinds of sins and ritual impurities accumulated

upon the sanctuary. With the Day of Atonement carne the time for their removal. The yearly cleansing removed evil from the inside out. The high priest applied blood (1) on the ark cover, (2) in front ofit, (3) on the incense altar, (4) in front of it, (5) on the altar ofburnt offering by daubing its horns, and ( 6) by sprinkling on it. Finally, after the cleansing was complete, he confessed all sins on the live goat that then carried them into the wilderness.6


The ritual on the Day of Atonement thus has three main parts: 1. The purification offering of the priest. The high priest slaughtered

a bull for his sin, making sure that he (the priest) would be clean when entering the sanctuary and performing the ritual to cleanse it.

2. The purification offering of the goat 'Jor the Lord." Throughout the year the purification offerings brought the sins of the Israelites to the sanctuary, so that they "accumulated" there. The Day of Atonement was the time to remove all moral faults and ritual impurities from the sanctuary through the blood of the goat "for the Lord:'

3. The elimination ritual with the live goat for Azazel. God wanted to remove the sins of His people away from the sanctuary and camp. Therefore He had another goat sent alive out into the desert, taking all sins with it, to die there.

Most Hol Place

lx lx 7x

Ark

1 ~ 1 Altar of lncense 1 = Lampstand Altar ofBurm

Offering

The purpose of the blood of the goat for the Lord is to cleanse, not to defile. Because the ritual of the goat for the Lord involved neither confession of sin nor laying on of hands, there was no transfera! of sin on this goat, and its blood was not a carrier of sin. Leviticus 16:15 describes how the priest brought the blood into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled it once toward the ark of the covenant and seven times before it. The summary verses 16 and 20 describe clearly its effect: the high priest makes atonement with the blood of the Lord's goat, cleansing the entire sanctuary. The same procedure also purifies the people so that, when the sanctuary is cleansed from all kinds of.sins of the people, the people themselves are cleansed too. In this sense the Day of Atonement is a unique event in Israel, for only on this day were both the sanctuary and the people cleansed.

The Day of Atonement is the second stage of the divinely appointed two-phase process of atonement. In the first phase, during the rest of the year, the Israelites were forgiven. Their sins were transferred onto the

WGM-3


sanctuary and its priests, and thus into the sphere of God's responsibility. They were not blotted out but were entrusted to God Himself, who promised to deal with them. The second phase, the Day of Atonement, involves the elimination of sins. It does not have much to do with forgiveness. In fact, the verb "forgive" does not occur at all in Leviticus 16 or in Leviticus 23:27-32.

"The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement; so in the type the blood of the sin offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement:'7

What this shows us is that the entire plan of salvation deals with more than just the forgiveness of our sins, a point that makes even more sense when understood in the wider context of the great cosmic conflict between good and evil. God takes great care in the process of eliminating sins forever. He does not leave anything to chance and is committed to end the tragic history of sin in a manner that again demonstrates His love and justice.

Beyond Forgiveness The primary function of the high priest was to mediate between God

and humanity. Regarding the sanctuary, he administered the sacrificial system and performed or directed the various rituals of sacrifices and offerings (Heb. 8:3). His task on the Day of Atonement was enormous, the responsibility resting upon him immense, for he should "make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community" (Lev. 16:33, NIV). He performed almost every ritual component, except for leading the goat for Azazel into the wilderness, though he gave the command to send the animal away.

On the Day of Atonement the "great priest;' as he is also called, becomes a living example of Christ. As God's people focused on the high priest, so Jesus is the exclusive center of our attention. Just as the activities of the high priest on earth bring cleansing to the people, so Jesus' work in the heavenly sanctuary does the same for us (Rom. 8:34; 1 John 1:9). It is the only ground for cleansing us from all unrighteousness. And as the only hope of the people on the Day of Atonement lay in the high priest, our only hope is in Christ.

The high priest was to cleanse the sanctuary from ali sins. According to Leviticus 16:16, he had to enter the Most Holy Place and purge it from


the ritual impurities, transgressions, and all sins. The cleansing was all-encompassing. Finally he transfered all the iniquities, all the transgressions, and all the sins of Israel onto the live goat and expelled them through the creature into the desert. Thus all moral fault of Israel was literally gone. The unique goal of the Day of Atonement had achieved its purpose: moral purification that went beyond forgiveness. There was no new forgiveness necessary on this day. God had already forgiven the sins that were now blotted out on Yom Kippur.

Verse 16 states that the sanctuarywas also cleansed from transgressions or rebellious sins. How did those sins end up in the sanctuary, because there was no sacrifice intended for them? Two texts suggest how such willful transgressions could have defiled the sanctuary. The rebellious -in of offering one's child to Molech (Lev. 20:2, 3) and the refusal to be ritually cleansed by the means that God had provided (Num. 19:20) both '"'defile the sanctuary of the Lord:' The obvious conclusion must be that a serious offense automatically made the sanctuary ceremonially unclean mdependent of any offering. As people who belonged (at least outwardly) :o God's people committed such transgressions, they cast a damning light on God and His government. By their action they called God's reputation .nto question, profaned His name, and defiled His sanctuary.8

Azazel First of all, let's make one thing sure: the ritual with the live goat was

not an offering. After the lot decided which of the two goats was to be for Yahweh and which one for Azazel (often mistranslated "scapegoat"), it was only the goat for Yahweh that Scripture referred to as a purification offering Lev. 16:9, 15). The goat for Azazel was instead called the "live goat:' He was

never slain, probably to keep away any idea that it constituted a sacrifice. :-he live goat carne into play only after the high priest had finished the atonement of the entire sanctuary (verse 20). We cannot overemphasize the fact that the ensuing ritual with the live goat has nothing to do with the actual purification of the sanctuary or of the people. They already have been cleansed.

Who or what is ''Azazel"? It cannot be the name of the goat or a geographicallocation, as some have suggested. This would not explain the antithetical mentioning of the names Yahweh and Azazel. Rather, Azazel is a name for a personal being like Yahweh, but antagonistic to Him (verses -10). Azazel must represent Satan. Incidentally, early Jewish interpreters


identified Asasel as the original angelic sinner and primary author of evil, even as the leader of evil angels, who is responsible for human sin as well: '~11 the earth has been corrupted by the deeds of the teaching of Azazel; and upon him write all the sins" (1 Enoch 10:8).9

So what was the purpose of the ritual with the live goat? A rite of elimination that accomplishes the final disposal of sin, it brought sin upon the one responsible for it in the first place, Azazel, and then carried it away from the people forever. '~tonement" was made upon it in a punitive sense (Lev. 16:10), as the goat conveyed the ultimate responsibility for sin.10

Does this mean that Satan plays a role in our salvation, as some falsely charge we teach? Of course not. Satan never, in any way, bears sin for us as a substitute. Jesus alone has done that, and it's blasphemy to think that the devil had any part in our redemption. But the final eradication of sin does require his elimination as originator of sin, and it is part of the plan of salvation.

We find the ritual with the live goat paralleled in the law ofthe malicious witness (Deut. 19:16-21). The accuser and the accused stand before the Lord, represented by the priests and judges. They conduct an investigation, and if they find the accuser to be a malicious witness, he or she shall receive the punishment he or she intended for the innocent (for example, vicious Haman, who put up a gallows for loyal Mordecai). Satan accuses the saints and God (Zech. 3:1-5; Rev. 12:10). A cosmic investigation will make clear that the devil's accusations will not hold (Dan. 7:9-14). Proven to be a malicious witness, he will receive the punishment he desired to have inflicted upon the saints (Rev. 20:7-10).

Ellen White observes that as the high priest confessed the sins upon the live goat, so "the sins of God's people will be placed upon Satan; he will be declared guilty of all the evil which he has caused them to commif'11

"For the sins of those who are redeemed by the blood of Christ will at last be rolled back upon the originator of sin, and he must bear their punishment, while those who do not accept salvation through Jesus will suffer the penalty of their own sins:'12

Call for Loyalty The people were not to be totally passive on the Day of Atonement.

Leviticus 16:29-31 and Leviticus 23:27-32 prescribe what the Israelites should do on Yom Kippur, and each of the activities required holds some truth for us today as well:


1. "Come to the sanctuary." There is no other place tobe. Their eyes and minds fixed on the sanctuary and on what the high priest was doing there, the people would understand the truths of the Day of Atonement. '

2. "Present an offering by fire." The priest was offering for the people, and they have to focus on what he does for them.

3. "Keep a Sabbath rest:' This makes it possible to direct all the attention to the sanctuary activities on this day. At the same time, the Israelites could recall their utter dependence on God, because they could do nothing to cleanse the sanctuary or themselves.

4. "Humble your soul." Traditionally the Israelites express their sincerity of faith and their respect of God through fasting and praying (Ps. 35:13). They lament their sin.

5. "Let oneself be cleansed." The people do not accomplish their cleansing by themselves but through the high priest. In as much as the high priest represents what God is doing for the people, it is clear that God Himself is responsible for their cleansing.

These who did not adhere to these instructions were to be cut off and destroyed (Lev. 23:29, 30). The Day of Atonement was, really, about nothing less than life and death. It demanded a believer's complete loyalty to God.

Suppose that some confessed their sins during the first phase of atonement during the year (that is, the daily sacrifices) but did not take the Day of Atonement seriously. By their disregard of what God planned to demonstrate on this day, such individuals proved themselves to be disloyal to God and revoked the forgiveness they had previously received. In fact, Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant illustrates the same point: after the servant has obtained the king's forgiveness for his monstrous debt, he mercilessly requires a fellow servant to pay him back a few shekels, thus proving himself disloyal to his king and not worthy of the previously granted forgiveness (Matt. 18:23-35).

The acquittal of the sinner during the year cannot constitute the final cleansing. Full restoration and demonstration of loyalty takes time. Acquitted sinners who remain loyal to God can prove that the Lord was just in forgiving their sins. The sinner does it through his or her actions, for actions demonstrate loyalty.

The Day of Atonement thus involves at least four aspects: the acquitted sinner who is loyal is justified; the acquitted sinner who does not care about God anymore is condemned; the originator of sin receives the punishment


as malicious witness; and God is vindicated and proven to be just in all His dealings.

What this means it that a person can, though professing faith in God, stilllose salvation. As Adventists, we do not believe in once-saved-always-saved, because the Bible does not teach it. We are secure in Christ just as long as we live in faith and surrender to Him, claiming His power for victory when tempted and His forgiveness when we fall.

Isaiah's Personal Yom Kippur Isaiah 6 presents us with one of the most thrilling and emotionally

moving encounters of a human being with God. Shortly after King Uzziah's breach of the sanctuary-he was presumptuous enough to play priest (2 Chron. 26:16-23)-Isaiah saw the heavenly King sitting on a throne in the Temple "high and exalted" (Isa. 6:1, NIV). The vision blended the earthly and the heavenly temples and was a judgment scene that presented God as coming for judgment (Isa 5:16; cf. Isa. 2:11, 17).

Can we be more specific about the identity of Yahweh, whom Isaiah beheld? The phrase "high and exalted" occurs two more times in Isaiah, for Yahweh's Servant (Isa. 52:13) and for the Holy One (Isa. 57:15). Isaiah 57:15 reads like a commentary oflsaiah 6: God's name is Holy (cf. Isa. 6:3), He dwells on a "high and holy place" (cf. Isa. 6:1), and He revives the lowly and the contrite ( cf. Isa. 6:5-7). It is the Gospel ofJohn that identifies the Yahweh in Isaiah 6 as Jesus Christ. Talking about Jesus in John 12:37-41, the disciple connects two quotations from Isaiah, one from the Servant Song of Isaiah 53 and the other from Isaiah's encounter with God in Isaiah 6, concluding that Isaiah "saw His glory" and "spoke ofHim" (John 12:41).

Even though Isaiah was God's prophet who called others to repentance (read the six "woes" in Isaiah 5:8-23), he understood that in God's presence he was doomed. He had to cry out the seventh "woe" to himself (Isa. 6:5). Confronted with God's holiness and glory, he perceived painfully clear his own sinfulness and also the uncleanness of his people. Holiness and sin are just incompatible. Always. Like Isaiah, each person needs to come to the conclusion that they are doomed and cannot pass the divine judgment by their own strength. It's impossible to move from "Woe to me" to "Here am I:' Human beings cannot change their futile situation. The good news, however, is that God can.

The vision in Isaiah 6 is full of allusions to Yom Kippur. The combination of a temple filled with smoke (verse 4), an altar (verse 6), a burning coal (verse


. judgment (verse 1), and atonement for sin and uncleanness (verses 6, 7) r:. the midst of uncleanness (verse 5), all emanating from God's throne in

e center of the temple (verses 2, 6), recalls strongly the Day of Atonement ~erminologicallinks to Leviticus 16 appear also ("atone;' "uncleanness;' "sin;' in the midst of" [KJV]). Isaiah experienced, as it were, his own personal

Day of Atonement.13 He was facing the heavenly King and High Priest on his -.rdgment day. Note that the "train" of Yahweh's robe in verse 1 recalls the obe of the high priest. 14 Functioning like a priest, a seraph (literally "burning ne") takes a glowing coal from the altar, presupposing some kind of offering,

- purge the prophet's sin and "iniquitY:' In the book oflsaiah this offering is - e Suffering Servant, our substitute, who carries our "iniquities" (Isa. 53:5, 6, ~ 11 . Isaiah 6 provides an apt image for the cleansing from sin that is possible :hrough the sacrifice of Jesus and His priestly ministry of mediation. Isaiah ::-ecognizes this as a cleansing ritual, and he keeps still as the coal touches !lis lips. Thereby his "iniquity is taken away" and his "sin is forgiven" (verse - . The passive voice in verse 7 ( which frequently indicates divine action in ~ cripture) shows that forgiveness is granted by the O ne sitting on the throne. The Judge is also the Savior. He is our only hope.

Then carne God's question: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" (verse 8). It's a discreet question, which is exactly why it is so .:ompelling. O ne can learn a lot about God's personality and His intentions through studying the questions He asks. The Lord is never more direct, :nore piercing, more up close and personal than when He asks a question.15

God could have commanded Isaiah to go. Instead He asked a question, a ubtle invitation, so that the prophet could raise his hand and volunteer. Isaiah was quick to respond. In the face of the Holy One, you will be changed and become His ambassador.

God's work of cleansing brings us from "Woe is me" to "Here am I, send me:' Understanding the heavenly activity on the Day of Atonement leads to a readiness for proclamation, because a true grasp of it creates assurance and surety. And that's because you know that, in judgment, you have a substitute, Jesus Christ, whose righteousness alone (symbolized by the blood) will enable you to stand without fear of condemnation (Rom. 8:1).

Apparently Isaiah needed to experience God's holiness and God's judgment himself in order to be God's good messenger. The prophet understood the lesson. He proclaimed Him to be the "Holy O ne" of Israel, a typical Isaianic title of God.16 And he announced judgment, knowing that it leads to salvation. From judgment to salvation is a movement echoed in


the book oflsaiah itself ( chapters 1-35 deal mainly with judgment, chapters 40-66 with salvation).

If you want to preach the judgment message, you need to desire your own judgment. Though it may scund strange, it is only when you understand that the judgment will justify the believer are you ready to proclaim the judgment message to the world. Gratefulness motivates mission. The acquitted sinner is God's best ambassador (2 Cor. 5:18-20), because he or she has experienced the loving and saving acts of God and knowwhat they have been spared from. Judgment and salvation-or better, judgment is salvation-is still the Adventist message today. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ holds the two of them together. That's the message of the eschatological Day of Atonement.

Conclusion The Day of Atonement constitutes the second and final phase of the

atonement. It will eradicate sin forever through the ministry of the high priest, while believers demonstrate their loyalty to God. In the end divine justice will hold the one responsible for sin accountable.

1 The prayer is the Unetaneh Tokef. See also the Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 16a: "It has been taught: 'Ali are judged' on new year and their doom is sealed on the Day of Atonement." Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year and is celebrated according to the Hebrew calendar on Tishri 1 and 2, which is nine days before Yom Kippur on Tishri 10. For the year 2013 Yom Kippur falls on September 13/14 (from sundown to sundown); for 2014 it is October 3/4.

2 For an excellent overview of the Jewish thought on Yom Kippur, see Nosson Scherman, Hersh Goldwurm, and Avie Gold, Yom Kippur: Its Significance, Laws, and Prayers, ArtScroll Mesorah Series (New York: Mesorah, 1989).

3 For the chronology of Moses' ascents and descents of Mount Sinai, see Yom Kippur, pp. 52, 53.

4 The book of Leviticus exhibits a concentric composition with Leviticus 16 in the middle. The section on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:2-34) is the center of ali 37 divine speeches in Leviticus, which start with the formula "The Lord spoke/said to Moses/ Aaron." See Wilfried Warning, Literary Artistry in Leviticus, Biblica! Interpretation Series (Leiden: Brill, 1999), voi. 35, p. 39; and Erich Zenger, "The Book of Leviticus: An Important Book in Jewish-Christian Dialogue," European ]udaism 41, no. 2 (2008): 88-93.

5 For the Day of Atonement, see Roy Gane, Leviticus, Numbers, NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004), pp. 268-297. See also the more in-depth discussion on the Day of Atonement in Roy Gane, Cult and Character (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 2005), pp. 217-323.

6 Adapted from Gane, Leviticus, Numbers, p. 279; designed by Roland Dell'mour and Martin Pri:ibstle.


7 E. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 357. 8 For the trajectories of different kinds of sin see Gane, Leviticus, Numbers, pp. 280-

283. 9 Similar statements appear in 1 Enoch 6:7; 8:1; 9:6; 10:4; 13:1; 54:5; 55:4; 69:2.

10 "To make atonement for" (Hebrew kipper 'al) is used in a punitive sense to describe the execution of a murderer (Num. 35:33) or the execution of an immoral Israelite and his Midianite lover (Num. 25:13, 14). The punishment of these sinners effected expiation for their immoral deeds. Gerhard F. Hasel explains the phrase "make atonement over it" (NRSV) in Leviticus 16:10 differently with the meaning "make atonement beside it" or "in proximity to it" ("Studies in Biblical Atonement II: The Day of Atonement," in A. V. Wallenkampf and W. R. Lesher, eds., 7he Sanctuary and the Atonement: Abridged [Silver Spring, Md.: Biblical Research Institute, 1989], pp. 115, 116).

u E. G. White, 7he Great Controversy, p. 658. 12 Ellen G. White, Early Writings (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn.,

1906), p. 178. 13 "The vi sion given to Isaiah represents the condition of God's people in the last days.

They are privileged to see by faith the work that is going forward in the heavenly sanctu-ary . . .. As they look by faith into the holy of holies, and see the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, they perceive that they are a people of unclean lips-a people whose lips have often spoken vanity, and whose talents have not been sanctified and employed to the glory of God. Well may they despair as they contrast their own weakness and un-worthiness with the purity and loveliness of the glorious character of Christ. But if they, like Isaiah, will receive the impression the Lord designs shall be made upon the heart, if they will humble their souls before God, there is hope for them. The bow of promise is above the throne, and the work done for Isaiah will be performed in them" (7he SDA Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 4, p. 1139).

14 The Hebrew for "train" (shulayim) occurs 11 times in the Old Testament, seven of them in connection with the high-priestly garment (Ex. 28:33 [twice], 34; 39:24, 25, 26). The New Testament depicts Christ wearing a high-priestly robe (Greek pod ere) reaching down to His feet (Rev. 1:13; cf. Ex. 25:7; 28:4, 31; 29:5; 35:9; Zech. 3:4).

15 Here is a selective list of divine questions you may want to study: Genesis 3:9, 11, 13; 4:6, 9; 18:13, 14; 21:17; 32:27; Exodus 14:15; Numbers 12:8, 14; 14:27; 1 Samuel16:1; Job 1:7, 8; 1 Kings 19:9; Job 38-41; Malachi 1:6-9; 3:2. In the New Testament, the Son of God asked some penetrating questions, e.g., Matthew 9:28; 12:48; 16:15; 20:22; Mark 2:9; 8:29; Luke 2:49; 10:36; 24:17; John 1:38; 2:4; 6:67; 8:10; 14:9; 21:15-17, 22; Acts 9:3, 4.

16 The title "Holy O ne oflsrael" occurs 26 times in Isaiah (Isa. 1:4; 5:19, 24; 10:20; 12:6; etc.) and only six or seven times in the rest of the Old Testament (2 Kings 19:22; Ps. 71:22; etc.). The adjective "holy" (qadosh) occurs 118 times in the Old Testament, 38 of them in Isaiah alone!

Christ, Our Sacrifice

Abittersweet rniracle took place on July 29, 1941, in the rnidst of the :valley of death. Earlier that year the Franciscan priest Maxirnilian Kolbe was irnprisoned as nurnber 16,670 in Auschwitz for providing shelter to refugees frorn Greater Poland, including about 2,000 Jews. In July 1941 arnan from Kolbe's barracks seemingly vanished (his dead body was found later), prompting the S.S. to pick 10 prisoners from the sarne barracks to be starved to death in reprisal in the so-called Bunker, an airless underground starvation cell. One of the selected rnen, Franciszek Gajowniczek, a noncommissioned officer, cried out in despair, "My wife! My children! I will never see thern again:' At this point the unexpected happened. Prisoner 16,670 stepped forward from the ranks ofthe reprieved and offered himself in the other rnan's place-that is, Kolbe asked that he be the one to starve, not the distraught farnily man. The utterly surprised S.S. officer, Karl Fritzsch, consented to the exchange, and Kolbe joined the ranks of the doomed, while Gajowniczek resumed his place in the barracks. On August 14, Kolbe, who had comforted and prayed with his fellow starving prisoners but had not died yet, was executed by a carbolic acid injection and then cremated.

If one person dies willingly for another, it rnoves our hearts deeply. Yet Kolbe's selfless sacrifice is only a faint shadow of the One who willingly stepped forward to take our place and to die for all of us, an act syrnbolized in the sanctuary service.

The New Testament identifies Jesus with the two major aspects of the Old Testament sacrificial system: He is our sacrifice (Heb. 9; 10) and He is our high priest (Heb. 5-10).

For this chapter we will focus on different aspects of Christ's ultirnate sacrifice, beginning with one of the most studied chapters in the Old

74


Testament (Isaiah 53) before we delve into the theme of sacrifice in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Hebrews.

Suffering Servant Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is the fourth and climactic of the so-called Servant

Songs in Isai ah that talk about the "Servant of the Lord" ( the others are Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-9). Much scholarly discussion concerns the identity of the Suffering Servant. It centers on the question whether we should interpret him collectively (national Israel, ora remnant within Israel) or individually (the prophet Isaiah himself, King Cyrus, or Jesus Christ). 1

While in several instances in Isaiah 40-55 the Servant is a reference to Israel (Isa. 41:8, 9; 43:10; 44:1,2, 21; 45:4; 48:20), a number of considerations strongly suggest that the Servant in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 represents an individuaP The passage never designates the Servant as Israel. Rather, the Servant is "high" and "exalted" (Isa. 52:13), descriptors used in Isaiah only for God (Isa. 6:1; 33:10; 57:15). We find a distinction between the Servant and the "we:' "us:' and "our;' the latter seeming to refer to the people and the prophet. Also we note that Isaiah distinguishes between the Servant and the "many" who will be justified and forgiven (Isa. 53:11, 12). Thirteen times the book states that the Servant acts in a substitutionary manner. Isaiah compares the Servant to a "root" (Hebrew shoresh) and a "tender shoot" (Hebrew yoneq) (verse 2), using the same Hebrew word for "root" as in the messianic passage in Isaiah 11:1, 1 O. The Servant is equipped with knowledge and righteousness that He shares with others (Isa. 53:11), reminiscent of the work of the Messiah (Isa. 11:2). All such factors lead to the conclusion that we must identify the Servant in Isaiah 53 with the Messiah.

The structure of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 reveals both a progression of thought and an interconnection of its paragraphs:3

52:13-15 53:1 53:2,3 53:4-6 53:7-9 53:10, 11 53:11, 12

My servant will triumph despite his suffering. Who would have recognized Yahweh's arm? He was treated with contempt. The reason was his suffering for us. He did not deserve his treatment. By his hand Yahweh's purpose will succeed. My servant will triumph because of his suffering.

This song shows in full bloom the thematic buds of the previous three


songs: the Servant's willingness to endure undeserved suffering (Isa. 42:4; 50:6), the people's lack of understanding of His task (Isa. 49:4, 7; 50:6, 7), the worldwide consequences of the work of the Servant after His apparent failure (Isa. 42:1, 4, 6; 49:6), and nonetheless His certain success as God vindicates and exalts Him (Isa. 42:6; 49:7; 50:8, 9).

Especially prominent in Isaiah 53 is the idea of vicarious, sacrificial substitution, which is also the theme of the structural center paragraph. Several aspects provide clear evidence that the Servant's death is atonement in the form of penal substitution, which means that He took the penalty that others deserved and, in fact, died as a substitute for them:

1. The Servant suffers for others. He takes their grief and sorrows (verse 4), transgressions and iniquities (verses 5, 6, 8, 11), and sin (verse 12). He not only participates in their suffering and pain, but also assumes the sinful burden from them. Two Hebrew verbs, used twice in reverse order, express this idea: He "hore [nasa1 our griefs" and "carried [sabal] our sorrows" (verse 4), as well as He shall "carry [sabal] their iniquities" (verse 11) and "hore [nasa1 the sin of the many" (verse 12). The language of carrying the sin of others is familiar from the book of Leviticus.4 We see carrying and deliverance beautifully joined in Isaiah 46:4, in which Yahweh carries and delivers His people.

2. The Servant is sinless. He is righteous (Isa. 53:11 ), without violence or deceit (verse 9). Having no sin ofHis own, He does not deserve to die.

3. The Servant brings great benefits to those for whom He suffers: peace and healing (verse 5) and justification (verse 11). It is an exchange of consequences. Our sin causes His death, but His death brings us peace.

4. The Servant chooses willingly to suffer (verses 7, 10, 12). His affliction is not forced against His will upon Him.

5. It is God's will for the innocent Servant to suffer and be crushed (verse 10). God put humanity's iniquity on Him (verse 6). The suffering and death of the Servant is thus part of God's plan of salvation.

6. The Servant offers Himself as a "guilt offering" (verse 10). Interestingly, Isaiah 53: 1 O reverses the regular substitution of animals for humans, which implies such extreme guilt that only the death of the innocent Servant as a guilt offering will put things


right. The people's guilt must be immense. The language points again back to Leviticus.5 The "guilt offering" (Hebrew 'asham) makes atonement for the desecration of God and His holy things that someone has treated as if they were common. It includes reparation for the damages do ne and restoration of the holy things to their right status (reconsecration).6 So the Servant's life as guilt offering comprises redemptive atonement and reparation on behalf of God's people, as well as their restoration.7 He is "dying to provide restitution for the sins of everyone else:'s

Even without the New Testament it is obvious that Isaiah 53 portrays the image of a messianic figure suffering vicariously. It must have been one of the prophetic passages the risen Christ referred to on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:25-27).

The New Testament allusions to Isaiah 53 establish beyond doubt that Jesus Christ fulfills the Servant's role. The Ethiopian eunuch read from the chapter, then quoted two verses to Philip, asking who the prophet was talking about. Then Philip explained to him about Christ (Acts 8:28-35). The apostle Peter used extensive phrases from Isaiah 53 in extolling Christ as the innocent Suffering Servant of God and model for the suffering believers (1 Peter 2:21-25). Even Jesus identified Himself with the Servant depicted in Isaiah 53 (Luke 22:37). He took our sins upon Himself and suffered for us so that we could be forgiven and transformed.

Many passages in the Bible are worth the effort to be committed to memory. Isaiah 53 is certainly one of them. In fact, Ellen White recommends memorizing the entire chapter.9 Why not try over the next few days to memorize several verses from the chapter with careful thought as to the meaning of the text? The effects of doing so should not be underestimated. Because memorizing and contemplating the text go hand in hand, you might find a new appreciation for the messages of this profound chapter. The exalted Servant Himself might inspire you with new personal insights.

Sufficient Substitution The interpretation of the death of Christ in the New Testament is

crucial to understanding its meaning. The following statements reflect the textual evidence.

Christ's death is a sacrifice. The Suffering Servant offered Himself as a sacrifice. "Sacrifice" is the most prominent metaphor to express


the significance of the death of Christ. Using different terminology in the Greek, Jesus is called a "sacrifice;'10 an "offering" or "gift;'11 and a "(sacrificial) gift:' 12

Christ's death is designated as "ransom." Here is another metaphor to explain what Jesus did for us (Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:5, 6). The Greek word for "ransom'' (ly.tron) refers to the price of release, especially the payment to set slaves or prisoners of war free. The ransom is a substitute for the person redeemed, and it is costly and painful. In addition, it points to the legal aspect of Christ's death. Jesus was prepared of His own free will to give His life as a ransom. The preposition "for" ( Greek an ti) in Mark 10:45 means "in place of" as well as "in behalf of' It expresses the fact that Christ gave His life instead of that of many and also for their benefit. The "many" links Mark 10:45 to Isaiah 53:11, 12, which predicted that the Servant will bear the sin of "many" and thus will justify "manY:' Even more explicit is 1 Timothy 2:6 in stating that Jesus "gave Himself as a ransom for aU;' using the Greek antilt;tron (literally "instead-of-ransom'') with the prefix anti to emphasize the idea of substitution. Christ paid for us the ransom that we are not capable of meeting ourselves.

Christ's death is substitutionary. The concept is closely connected to His death being a sacrifice. Jesus died for sinners. He was without sin (Heb. 4:15), so that when He gave His life as a sacrifice He would not be dying for His own sin. On the contrary, He was "to bear the sins of many" (Heb. 9:28), to "make propitiation for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2:17), and to put away sin forever (Heb. 9:26). Jesus' death therefore is a substitutionary one and not just that of agreat martyr (Rom. 4:25; Gal. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:14). Through Him God could reconcile humankind to Himself (Col. 1:20).

We are the beneficiaries of Christ's death. What Martin Luther frequently called a "wonderful exchange" or "joyous exchange" of Christ's righteousness for human sin, 13 Ellen White described in a classic statement as follows: "Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. 'With His stripes we are healed: "14

"We may enjoy the favor of God. We are not tobe anxious about what Christ and God think of us, but about what God thinks of Christ, our Substitute:'15


Christ's death is all-sufficient. Though the animal sacrifices had to be repeated time and time again, day after day, year after year, Jesus died but once. The littl

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