Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope
November 15, 2008
Larry R Evans
1. The altar was a symbol of God’s presence, and by accepting the sacrifice, God was assuming responsibility for the sin of the person. True or False?
2. Today,the role of the priest of the Old Testament is carried out by the clergy. True or False?
3. Atonement in the Bible is symbolized as an event. True or False?
4. The Feast of Trumpets ritual illustrated the final resolution of the sin problem. True or False?
5. Because the sacrifice on the cross was complete we no longer need a mediator. True or False?
Introductory Reflections
The words sound so simple, “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” (Ex 25:8) With these words, however, we are introduced to a theme that occurs over and over again in Scripture. When Adam and Eve disobeyed, God went to them (Gen 3:8). Soon after Cain killed his brother, God went to him.(Gen 4:9). God was with Israel by day and by night as they wandered through the wilderness. (Ex 13:21,22) Moses soon learned that it was the presence of God that distinguished them from other nations (Ex.33:16) and he pleaded that God’s presence lead them continually. It comes as no surprise, then, for Jesus to be given the name Immanuel which means “God with us.” (Matt. 1:23) While sin is repulsive to God it also draws Him like a magnet to the very ones who are struggling with the deceptive powers of the Evil One. With this week’s lesson we are once again introduced to the symbols of the atonement, once again we see just how personally involved God has become in our salvation. There is nothing further from the truth than a deistic concept of God! From the moment God formed man in His image (Gn 1:26) His compassion for us has brought Him near. God does care about us and the sanctuary service illustrates just how much he cares about us now and how much He wants to share the future with us in a sin-free universe. His care translates into involvement. (Jn 3:16) The atonement teaches that when it comes to our salvation God takes a “hands-on” approach.
Notes for Reflection
1. The altar was a symbol of God’s presence, and by accepting the sacrifice, God was assuming responsibility for the sin of the person. True
“The altar was a symbol of God presence (Ps 43:4), and by accepting the sacrifice, God was assuming responsibility for the sin of the person. In other words, the Lord was telling the Israelites, ‘If you have sinned and want to get rid of this enslaving power, bring it to Me, to My dwelling place, and I will take care of it. Bring it to Me!” (Sunday’s Lesson)
Taken in the context of the sanctuary services, when individuals would bring their burdens and sin offerings to God, the words of Jesus take on a deeper and richer meaning:
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30 (NIV)
2. Today,the role of the priest of the Old Testament is carried out by the clergy. False
Martin Luther wrote, “Christ does not have two bodies or two different kinds of body, one temporal and one spiritual . . . . Whoever has undergone baptism may
boast that he is already a consecrated priest.” (See G. Oosterwal in Mission Possible, p.105)
On a personal note, I have a growing conviction that we are experiencing an “arrested Reformation.” While I do believe the clergy today do have a unique role, it is primarily that of “equipping” the members for ministry (Eph.4). The Reformation brought about many needed changes but there is one concept from the Middle Ages which still lingers and that is an almost pejorative concept which is often expressed as “I’m just a layman!.” Biblically the word “laity” is a single term for the people of God – not a term used for a group within the “people of God.” “Laos” means “a special people” clearly distinguished from other peoples of the world. It is not a term that designates a lack of technical skills or a lesser spiritual standing. “’Laos’ is a pilgrim nation without a permanent residence on earth.” (Oosterwal, p.109) No wonder Peter could say (and as you read keep in mind the sanctuary symbolism):
4 As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. . . .
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (NIV)
3. Atonement in the Bible is symbolized as an event. False
In many churches and even in some Adventist churches the impression is given that “atonement” was accomplished in a single event which we refer to as the “Cross” – when Jesus was crucified bearing our sins. While this is indeed a “once for all” sacrifice (Heb 10:10) fulfilling the symbolical sacrifices on the altar of the sanctuary it was not the end of the Christ’s ministry any more than the sanctuary services ended with the slaying of the lamb. The price was paid but the application still needed to be applied by the priests. With this in mind note what the writer of Hebrews says,
Heb 6:19-20
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. (NIV)
Heb 8:1-2
8:1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. (NIV)
“The Day of Atonement reaffirms the fact that in the sanctuary services atonement was a process. Scripture does not restrict the use of the Hebrew verb kipper (‘to make atonement’) in the Israelite sacrificial system to one specific element of the rituals.” (A. Rodriquez, p.82)
4. The Feast of Trumpets ritual illustrated the final resolution of the sin problem. False
It was the ritual with the Day of Atonement that taught this.
Leviticus 16 describes the rituals involved in the Day of Atonement. Leading up to this event was a series of sacrificial offering throughout the year. On this day the sanctuary was “symbolically” cleansed from all the sins placed there through the offerings. This was not a time for the forgiveness of sins. Essentially that had been cared for but the sin problem still prevailed. The Day of Atonement takes us to the ultimate step and that is the dealing with the very problem initiating sin in the first place. We see here a linear world view rather than a cyclical one – history is marching forward. It is not an endless cycle of going in circles. God has a plan to end the seeming reoccurring problem of sin (Rom. 7:14-20). The ministry of Jesus not only forgives but it will eventually triumph by ridding the universe of sin! (Rom 7:25; Rev 21:5-7) This is graphically shown with the two goats used in the Day of Atonement service. The sins symbolically forgiven still “reside” in the sanctuary. They are transferred to the head of one of the goats (the “scapegoat”) which is led into the wilderness. This goat is not representing the forgiveness of sin but is the means or vehicle uses to symbolize the transference of responsibility to the one who initiated sin. This goat is not our Saviour. Jesus, “the lamb of God” (Jn 1:29) is clearly our Saviour. The treatment of this goat depicts the eschatological event when sin itself is destroyed not unlike the description found in Rev. 20:10.
5. Because the sacrifice on the cross was complete we no longer need a mediator. False
It is true, nothing can be nor need be added to the sacrifice provided by Christ. It is all sufficient. Applying the benefits of that sacrifice is the work of the Christ who is now serving as our heavenly high priest. Should there be any question lingering in anyone’s mind as to whether our high priest will fully understand our need and treat us with fairness and compassion, the writer of Hebrews writes these encouraging words:
Heb 4:14-16
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (NIV)
Reflective Review
The Day of Atonement was a pivotal event in a series of sanctuary services. Its very design sounds a note of finality to resolving the sin problem. The purpose of the ritual was not to forgive sin. That had been cared for in daily sacrifices. Atonement on this day was made for the Most Holy Place, the holy place and the altar. (Lev 16:33) Nevertheless, such atonement was made for the benefit of the people. The object of atonement is nonpersonnal, that is to say, it is for the sanctuary and the altar. The sacrifices made during the year cared for the personal sins of the people. The Day of Atonement spoke to a deeper or root issue—the origin of sin and its final removal from the earth and the entire universe! It promises that sin will eventually be deleted forever. The service embodies hope that crying will cease and every tear will be wiped away. We are reminded by this service that atonement is much more than an event. It is a process. “Atonement was the result of the totality of the sacrificial system that included the slaying of the victim and the ministry of the priest on behalf of repentant sinners.” (Angel Rodriquez in Spanning the Abyss, p.82) While there are many intricacies full of special meanings within the activities on the Day of Atonement which teach much about how serious the problem of sin is, the primary purpose is clear. The Day of Atonement was to communicate the message that God’s presence dwells among his sinful people for the purpose of restoring not only salvation for each individual but resolving the root problem caused by sin which has impacted the entire universe. The Day of Atonement, therefore, touches the very core of our own spirituality. It calls each of us to a spirit of total submission and dependence on God. We are inheritors of a new creation (2 Cor 5:17) and a new heaven (Rev. 21:1) made possible because of God’s plan of restoration. We are a people of confirmed hope not only because of what Jesus did on the cross but because He serves today as our High Priest who continually administers the benefits of His sacrifice made on the Calvary. It would appear that the insights presented in the sanctuary services draw us to a profound conclusion:
The Spirit and the bride say ,’Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Rev. 22:17)
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