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From Eternity Past
land not inhabited.” Not until the goat had thus been led away did the
people regard themselves as freed from the burden of their sins. Every
man was to afflict his soul while the work of atonement was going
forward. All business was laid aside, and the whole congregation of
Israel spent the day in solemn humiliation before God, with prayer,
fasting, and deep searching of heart.
Truths Taught by Day of Atonement
Important truths concerning the atonement were taught by this
yearly service. In the sin offerings presented during the year, a sub-
stitute had been accepted in the sinner’s stead, but the blood of the
victim had not made full atonement for the sin. It had only provided
a means by which the sin was transferred to the sanctuary. By the
offering of blood, the sinner confessed the guilt of his transgression
and expressed faith in Him who was to take away the sin of the world.
But he was not entirely released from the condemnation of the law.
On the Day of Atonement the high priest, having taken an offering for
the congregation, went into the most holy place with the blood and
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sprinkled it upon the mercy seat, above the tables of the law.
Thus the claims of the law, which demanded the life of the sinner,
were satisfied. Then in his character of mediator the priest took the sins
upon himself, and, leaving the sanctuary, bore with him the burden of
Israel’s guilt. He laid his hands upon the head of the scapegoat and
confessed over him “all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all
their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the
goat.” As the goat bearing these sins was sent away, they were regarded
as forever separated from the people. Such was the service performed
“unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.”
Hebrews 8:5
.
The True Heavenly Sanctuary
The earthly sanctuary was “a figure for the time then present, in
which were offered both gifts and sacrifices”; its two holy places were
“patterns of things in the heavens.” Christ, our great High Priest, is “a
minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord
pitched and not man.”
Hebrews 9:9, 23
;
8:2
.