NATIONAL ATONEMENT, CLEANSING THE HOLY SANCTUARY.

"An Holy Convocation : an Ecclesiastical Assembly."
[J. E. Worcester.]

The 10th day of the 7th month every year, the holy sanctuary is cleansed. This is the day the sweet incense from the Golden Censer ascends up between the wings of the Cherubim’s to the Father. This is the day of the sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat and seven times before it, and seven times on the Golden Altar. This is the day of affliction for all Israel, and is to be a Sabbath or rest, from even to even, [24 hours.] you shall rest your Sabbath. The sum of all this whole day's work is in eighteen words, viz. "because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins." Lev. 16:16.

The following will explain the Convocation day: Lev. 16:17,33; Num. 29:7; Lev.23:4,27; day of affliction 29 v., rest day or Sabbath, and when to begin it, 32. Day of blood, Lev. 16:14,15,18,19, in the Holy Sanctuary, 33. Day to use the Golden Censer 12,13. See where the multitude was when Zac. performed the service: Luke 1:10. Paul's exposition of this day's work: blood offered for the errors of the people. Heb. 9:7, the mercy seat, and seven times before the mercy seat, 11,14. Then kill the goat whose lot falls to the Lord, 9 v. and with his blood enters the holy again and sprinkles his blood upon the mercy seat and seven times before it, 15 v. He also sprinkles the blood of the bullock, and the goat seven times upon the Golden Altar and upon the horns thereof, to cleanse it because of their transgression, 18,19.

The scape goat shall then bear away all their sins, 20-22. And the Priest shall make an atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, and for the Tabernacle of the congregation and the Altar, and for the Priests, and for the people, 33 v.

In this manner the national atonement was to be made every 10th day of the 7th month, until a Priest should come who had no beginning or end of days.

Paul calls them shadows of good things to come. In his epistle to the Hebrews, he shows that Christ came to take these first away that he may establish the second; 10:9,10.

He also shows that we, under the gospel, have just such an high priest, who is minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man, 8:1,2. He also comments on the Tabernacle and Holy Sanctuary, (See 9:1-5,) and shows for what the High Priest entered the holiest of all (6,7,) to blot out the errors of the people.

To understand the good things, (Heb. 10:1,) we must follow the pattern which means types, shadows or figures. Paul shows, first, that Aaron or the High Priest was not a perfect shadow of Christ, but Melchisedec was in all other respects that which Aaron could not be, for he was both King and Priest, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God. Heb. 7:1-3.

Second, that he needed not to offer daily for his and the people's sins, for this he did once when he offered up himself. 27th verse.

Third, nor yet that he should enter into the holy places every year, with the blood of others. He does it but once, (9:25,26,) but he does not enter but one holy place at a time. In other respects Christ will follow Aaron and his successors.

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An Explanation of the Typical and Anti-typical Sanctuary by the Scriptures
"National Atonement, Cleansing the Holy Sanctuary"
Joseph Bates