Leviticus 8-10

Transcript

GRS 34
02/22/1987
Leviticus 3-7
Gil Rugh

It’s a little helpful to be able to get some idea of what the visual perspective was on the tabernacle and on the setting of the holy of holies, the holy place, the furniture, and so on. I think then as you read through these sections in Exodus and Leviticus, you can have somewhat of a picture of what Israel was seeing and this was the focal point of Israel’s life and of God’s presence of among the nation.

Leviticus Chapter 16 in your Bibles, Leviticus and 16th Chapter. The Chapter 16 of Leviticus is the pivotal Chapter in the Book of Leviticus. This is the focal point of the Book and really the Day of Atonement becomes the focal point in the worship of the nation Israel, key day for the nation. It’s going to focus attention on God’s cleansing of the nation that they might continue to worship him, that he may continue to dwell among them, that they might have access to him, that he might forgive them and remove their sins from them. The Day of Atonement, which encompasses the entire 16th Chapter was an annul feast as the end of the Chapter will tell us and it was to involve the whole nation. Yet would involve cleansing the tabernacle from the defilement of sin that would have taken place through the year from the defilement of the uncleanness that would have affected the sanctuary so that God could continue to dwell there and also going to picture removing the sins of the nation.

In effect if we talk about the Day of Atonement we are atoning for the sins of the past year if you will of the nation. Now, this doesn’t mean that it is rod or mechanical operation. The only ones who are cleanse through the worship system of the nation Israel are those who come to believe in the God of Israel and come with faith and we are familiar with the denunciations of the prophets, where the Israelites just came and went through the motions, offer the sacrifices and observe the holidays and so on. It became the repulsive the God because they did not come to him out of hearts of faith and belief and we can appreciate that today. Anything you do on a regular basis and you become familiar with can become somewhat common and that happened with the nation Israel.

We are going to see in Chapter 16 and 17 that God wants to draw attention. The attention of Israel to the fact that his presence among them and the worship of him must always be in awe, inspiring event that you stop and think how easy it is for us who come together to worship God, to honor him, to come and go through the routine the ritual if you will and not give it a second thought. To come and worship God so to speak and our minds are still at home, still on the activities of the day or planning tomorrow’s activities. You con see how Israel easily degenerated because the tendency is there for sinful people.

The Day of Atonement and we will pick with verse 1 because you will note every connection here to a previous event. Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the Lord and died. That connects Chapter 16 of Leviticus to Chapter 10 of Leviticus because there is recorded the death of the Nadab and Abihu, because they offered strange fire to the Lord. Now what we do is pick up in Chapter 16 with additional revelation from God so that the priest might not experience the same judgment from God for not functioning as they should.

In verse 2, the Lord said to Moses tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time in to the holy place inside the veil before the mercy seat which on the ark, lest he die; for I will appeared in the cloud over the mercy seat. So here is a word of warning and again it comes following on the events of the death of the Nadab and Abihu. God says I must be worshiped according to my instructions otherwise the result will be judgment. Aaron as high priest is not to enter at any time into the holy place, into that holy of holies that cube within the tent, where the mercy sear is over the Ark of the Covenant. He is not to enter there at any time.

Now Chapter 16 will give the exception the Day of Atonement that is the only day that the high priest and he is the only one allowed, can go in to the very presence of God before the mercy seat to do what is necessary to atone for the sins of the nation. The ark here is described back in Exodus 25 and using pictures of that and has some idea of what is entailed here. God’s presence manifests itself over the mercy seat. That is why his presences is centered for the nation Israel. God is going to be dwelling permanently among the people. This is the danger. Remember when God came at first on Mount Sinai and the nation was in awe. They were in terror that the living God had come down to speak to them. Now he is going to dwell every day in their midst in the tabernacle, in the holy of holies over the mercy seat. Now the danger of that, it will become a common place event.

It is not the same as when he came the first time and you lose something of that awe, that sense of the holiness and majesty of God. That sense of your sinfulness and the need to be forgiven and the need to worship. So these instructions are very important for God desires his people to always maintain that proper relationship and attitude toward him. The mercy sear is the cover over the ark and that is where atonement or propitiation will take place. The blood will be sprinkled on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat to atone for the sins of the nation on the Day of Atonement.

Come down to verses 6 to 10, we have the attire of the high priest in verse 4, which is rather simple attire? But in verses 6 to 10 you have an overview of the Day of Atonement. Here is what is going to happen. Verse 6, Aaron will offer a bull for his own sin, the sin offering for his own sin, the sin of his family. Verse 7 he is going to select two goats and present them before the Lord. Verse 8 he will cast lots between the two goats for one of the two goats is going to be sacrificed and the other goat will be sent out in the world. Verse 9 mentions that the goat will be sacrificed. Verse 10, we have the scapegoat. We will talk about that in a little bit, which will be sent off into the wilderness, to bear the sins of the nation, so that is the overview.

Then we pick up with Verse 11. We are going to go back and look at the details of each of these events. In verses 11 to 14, you have discussed the sacrificing of the bull for the sins of the high priest. Verse 11, then Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself and make atonement for himself and for his household. He shall slaughter the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself; note the emphasis in that verse. Aaron is the high priest. First, he has to offer sacrifice for his sin, for his family, for himself. This is the key theme that will be picked up in the Book of Hebrews to show the superiority of Jesus Christ. He was without sin. He did not have to offer sacrifice for himself. But the Old Testament high priest, first he had to deal with his own sin before he could be an instrument in dealing with the sin of the nation. The procedure here is very similar to what was described in Chapter 4 of Leviticus, where the high priest makes his regular sin offering. The difference on the Day of Atonement is where the blood will be offered. It will be offered in the very presence of God in the holy of holies.

Verse 12, the incense that will be included here and you note the last statement in verse 12. He will bring it inside the veil. Now, this is special. He is on this day permitted to go behind the veil that separated the presence of God from the people. Put incense on the fire before the Lord that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, lest he die. So as he comes in with the incense burning and the cloud that forms that will keep him from looking directly on the mercy seat, directly on the presence of God and thus keep him alive. That seems to be the purpose of the cloud here, to keep him from looking on the presence of God at the mercy seat.

Verse 14, moreover he shall take some of the blood of the bull, sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side. Also in front of the mercy seat, he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. That is to make atonement for his own sin. Then verses 15 to 19, there is the sacrifice of the goat for the sins of the nation. He does not talk here in repetition about the choosing of the two goats and the separating between them with lots. He talked about that in verses 7 and 8. So that is presupposed here. Now we talk about the goat that is going to be slaughtered. He shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil. So he slaughters the bull, then he takes the blood inside the veil, that is the way himself.

Then out to slaughter of the goat and back inside the veil now on behalf of the people and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in the front of the mercy seat. He shall make atonement for the holy place. Now, note this make atonement for the holy place because of the impurities of the sons of Israel because of very transgressions in regard to all their sins. Thus he shall do for the tent of meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their impurities. Remember all the uncleanness that was discussed in Chapters 11 to 15 were uncleanness in the midst the people of God, where God dwelled, defile the place where God would dwell. So it had to be cleansed from the defilement of the people from their impurities and remember the discussion of those is quite a list and through the year this is viewed as having defiled the place where God would dwell. So this is sacrifice for their sins and is to cleanse the holy place from the defilement that might have come to it from the people and their uncleanness. This enables God to continue to dwell among his people, who obviously are sinful people.

Verse 17, when he goes into make atonement in the holy place, no one should be in the tent of meeting. So he goes in along, the high priest is the only one who ever goes in and only on that day, verse 18, then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make an atonement for it. Shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat and put it on the horns of the altar in all sides. With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it from the impurities of the sons of Israel that consecrated. So you see there is a cleansing of every thing associated here with the worship of God that might be defiled. There is some discussion whether this altar is the altar of incense or the altar of burn offering and the Jews said it was the odor of incense, but most commentators say it is the bronze altar since he comes out and cleanse it here, either a possibility but most commentators do identify as the bronze altar as you came in to the tabernacle itself and where the sacrifices were made on a daily basis. This is spoken as an altar before the Lord.

Back in Chapter 1 verse 3, verse 5 so that would fit there as well. Probably along with the high priest going in behind the veil that the very presence of God, the other outstanding thing on the Day of Atonement is the scapegoat and that is discussed in verses 20 to 22. We are familiar with the sacrifice; we talked about the sacrifice of the bull, the sacrifice of the goat. That is special because their bloods taken within the veil. But the sacrificing animals is a regular daily event going in the veil is unique, but the scapegoat is something unique and special through the day of atonement and it is interesting the word scapegoat and we have translated the scapegoat here is only used in Leviticus Chapter 16. It is used in verse 8, where the other lot, the last statement is for the scapegoat.

Verse 10, the last statement into the wilderness as the scapegoat and in verse 26, where the one released the goat as the scapegoat. Scapegoat or if you put an “e” on the front, that is we are talking about, the escape goat. So I will call it escape goat in our English translation. It is the escape goat. It is the goat that is going to get away of you or go away. It is the goat of removal. This goat is going to escape into the wilderness the sent away into the wilderness. It is not going to be executed. So that marks it off as different. Verses 21 and 22, then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat; confess over it all the inequities of the sons of Israel, all their transgressions in regard to their sins. He shall lay him on the head of the goat and by it send the way into the wilderness by the hand of a man, who stands in readiness. In other words, there is going to have to be a man is going to lead this goat out into the wilderness who will never go. Not a dump goat, but when you put your hands on the head, confess the sins, what you are doing its transferring the sins of the nation on to this goat.

Then when a goat is let out into the wilderness verse 22. The goat shall bear on itself all their inequities to a solitary line. He shall release the God into the wilderness. Take him out in the wilderness away from the camp. At pictures the God is taken away the sins of the nation. They are taken off into the wilderness, removed at last if you will, that is the picture of scapegoat. So two things happened, one goat for sacrifice for the people and one goat to picture the removal of the sins of the people. Now the rest of the Chapter talks about some details we are not going go into such as cleansing from the ceremony of defilement and so on that will come from certain contact. But verse 29, this shall be a permanent stature for you in the seventh month on the 10th day of the month you shall humble yourself.

May I note this because as you read on the Day of Atonement, many will make the comment that this is a fast day for the nation. You humble your souls in connection with the Day of Atonement. That is what they pick this up. Some say the humbling your soul is a reference for the fasting. No word as a Scripture clearly say that the Day of Atonement is a fast day, but this is where the implication may be and so some you have to study Bible that has a note that it is a fast day that comes from this expression to humble yourselves. You will not do any work. Verse 30 for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you that you may humble yourself. It is a permanent statue. It is not interestingly with significance of the Day of Atonement.

Leviticus Chapter 16 is the only place where it is specifically referred to in the entire Old Testament. So this central day the day when the high priest went in behind the veil. The day when the sins were sent off into the wilderness of you. But it is not referred to at least specifically any other place in the entire Old Testament. Significance of the day two things one of note, the high priest access into the presence of God and the removal of the sins of the nation. These two things are key. Both of these things will be picked up in the Book of Hebrews. Note something here though on this day I think there is benefit in seeing the day as a unit. Sometimes we get into difficulty and say now we have got the high priest sacrificing a bull for himself, then you sacrifice of goat for the people then you send to the goat out into the wilderness for their sins and did it save the nation or the nation saved before.

I think the events of the day all go together and the Book of Hebrews emphasizes this as all centering in Christ. He doesn’t need to offer a sacrifice for himself and he has offered the sacrifice that is acceptable and he has removed God’s sins from us, so all of these different aspects of the picture come together in Jesus Christ. And that is what is important to see both the goat dying and the goat carrying away the sins pictured basically what goes on our forgiveness. The penalty is paid and our sins are removed. Now two goats were used to picture that along with the purifying of the tabernacle here and I will think it is necessary to find well in our situation then is the goat that dies different than the goat that removed the sin. They come together in Christ for us. He is the one in who all the picture center and so our forgiveness, the penalty being paid and the removal of the sins and so all center there. The Book of Hebrews is the place in the place in the New Testament where the Day of Atonement is tied to Christ. May be one to look in Hebrews Chapter 9 just quickly.

Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 11, but when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, he entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say not of this creation, not through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood he entered the holy place once for all having obtained eternal redemption. So he sees the difference here for Christ. He is not in an earthly tabernacle. He is in the heaven itself, not the place where God manifested his presence on earth in that earthly tabernacle, but into the very presence of God in Glory. Not through the blood of animals but through his own blood. He entered the holy place once for all. The high priest entered the once, the next year has to enter again, the next year again, the next year again, the next year again constant reminder. This nation needs cleanse. This nation needs cleanse, defilement. Jesus Christ entered once it is done. So there is the fulfillment and that is striking contrast.

Down in verse 24 Hebrews 9, for Christ did not enter a holy places made with hands, and mere copy of the true one; but in the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: what was it that he should offer himself often as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own. Otherwise he would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world, but now once have the confirmation of the age as he has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And then in the Chapter 10 numerous verses, verse 12 having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time he sat down at the right hand of God. So all this in the Old Testament reminding the nation you need forgiveness you need forgiveness. The penalty for sin is death. Your sins must be taken away to prepare them for the coming of that one, who buys the sacrifice of himself would pay the penalty and remove the sins, finally for good for ever for those who believe.

Come back to Leviticus and Chapter 17. Chapter 17 sort of a transition Chapter, but it fits well with what goes before and closely to what we had in Chapter 16 of Leviticus. Its matter is related to sacrifice. It is a key Chapter on blood and the importance of the blood in God’s plan and program. The first two verses show again this is an authoritative revelation from God. The Lords spoke to Moses and so Moses is to tell Aaron and then all the people of Israel are to hear what God has said. Verses 3 to 7 in this Chapter talk about the fact that no domestic animals, none of the animals used in sacrifice are to be killed outside the tabernacle interesting insight here. None of the sacrificial animals are to be killed outside of the tabernacle. So while it is in the wilderness, they are not going to be killing a goat or a bull out here by their tent. They have stake tonight or something like that limited to being executed in the tabernacle.

Verse 3 any man from the house of Israel, who slaughters an ox, or a lamb, or a goat in the camp, or slaughters it outside the camp, and has not brought it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, blood guiltiness is to be reckoned to that man. He has shed blood that man shall be cut off from among this people. Serious matter, you are not allowed to slaughter animals, domestic or sacrificial animals any place, but at the tabernacle. You will be cut off from among the people. Three possible meanings of the cut off from among the people could mean executed, capital punishment. It could mean that he will be expelled exiled from the nation, it could mean God will intervene in judgment against that person. So anyone of those would be a possible meaning here.

Verse 5 to 7 tells you why? Why wouldn’t God want the people, I mean if you want stakes why can’t, you chose bull or goat or whatever, why can’t you kill it. Know the problem, to keep any kind of other religious activity from developing apart from focusing in the tabernacle. You are offering animal that are normally used for sacrifice that would allow people then to start their own little worships rather than going to the tabernacle and that is inconvenient. Keep in mind we are dealing with millions of people here. I am going to go all away over the tabernacle to do this. We can just do it out here and we can worship the Lord this way or we can worship other Gods which becomes a problem.

Verse 5: The reason is that so the sons of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they were sacrificing in the open field that they may bring them into the Lord at the doorway of the tent of the meeting to the priest, sacrifice them and sacrifices peace offerings to the Lord. The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting offer up fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to the Lord. They shall not longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons. This shall be a permanent statue to them throughout their generations. You see the purpose is to keep them from offering to other Gods.

Interesting in verse 7, they shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons. This may be a reference to Gods or demons that they viewed as taking the form of goats and it is interesting. In Lower Egypt goat worship was practiced. Keep in mind that Israel came out of the Egypt and they may have add some exposure from this influence of goat worship that took place in Lower Egypt at least that might help you appreciated also when we get further in the Leviticus the commands against thinks like bestiality, because part of the goat worship in Egypt repulses as it was with bestiality and involved in the worship of the goat was that sexual perversion. Now God says that he doesn’t want any sacrifices being offered to any other Gods particularly here he picks up the goat demons as a possible worship that would be going on. Now this command to not sacrifice any of these domestic animals anywhere, but at the sacrifice is modified when they settle in Canaan. Canaan they are going to be quite spread up and so that will be modified so that there is some allowance then, not for sacrifice to other Gods, but for slaughtering animals other place than the tabernacle.

Deuteronomy Chapter 12: beginning with verse 20 talks about that modification of the instruction here. Verses 8 and 9 follow up on this. The previous verses talked about no animals to be slaughtered outside the tabernacle because that could lead to false worship and here verses 8 and 9 specify there are to be no sacrifices offered outside the tabernacle. So at the sacrifice to God and the priest does not need it as bad as I do. But if I take you to the tabernacle, he is going to take his portion. This guarantees that it will be done in God’s way and everything will be handled as he has said.

Verses 10 to 12 talk about the fact no blood is to be eaten and gets you know you will probably have had a great desire for a glass of blood lately, but the principle of the sacrificing of the meat the draining of the blood and so on, the reasons are given here. It is interesting seven times in repetitive the command is given not to eat blood. This passage in Leviticus is the fullest and clearest and the rationale for it is developed here. Two reasons are going to be given. Why they not allowed to eat blood? Number one, the life of the flesh is in the blood. Number two, the blood is to make atonement for sin on the altar.

Verse 10 If any man from the house of Israel or from the aliens who surge in among them, who eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood, will come out him off from among his people. The reason for the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls for this blood by reason of the life that makes atonement for the soul. Therefore, no one can eat blood.

Verse 14 as for the life of our flesh, its blood is identified with its life. There fore, I said the sons of Israel you are not to eat the blood of any flesh for the life of our flesh is in its blood, whoever eats it shall be cut off. The life of the flesh is in the blood. Life and blood are identified together. So when an animal or a person loses their blood, they die. We still use this kind of expression. We talk about bloodshed in a war what will mean, many people died, is when a person’s blood is shed they have died. He can’t live without your blood. So in a very real sense the life is in the blood. Not eating blood then demonstrates respect for life, which comes from God. To eat blood would be to show your authority over life and only God has authority over life. He gives it he takes it that is his authority. So there is a respect and a recognition of life and life is coming from God. The blood makes atonement. The penalty for sin is death so that when the blood is offered, it indicates that death has occurred.

Now the world blood is used often in the New Testament, I forget to judge down how many times, but many times throughout the Old Testament. The most common use of the world blood is to refer to a violent death whether in sacrifice or in some other way. Now because of the expressions here the life of the flesh is in the blood and so on. Some of thought that life somehow exists in the blood and so that the life remained in the blood after the animal has been sacrificed and there is a teaching that some who teach, should put that way that when the blood is offered it really is presenting the life to God. It’s releasing life to God. So the important thing in the blood is not death, but life. If you are not following, that’s right; I have to think about that for a while after I read it. After you think about it a while and ponder it you can see what they are saying. The life of the flesh is in the blood. So blood is life. So when you take the blood you have the life in your hand. It is not death, it is life. When you have the blood in the bucket from this animal, you have his life. So when you present that to God, you are presenting a life to God. I don’t think that that can stand the examination of the Scripture.

I think the indication to Scripture is the penalty for sin is death. What God requires for the payment of that penalty is death. So the giving of the blood, the shedding of the blood indicates death has occurred. And that is the point. As interested how the debate on blood is going on. I was in a telephone conversation the last week. Individual talking about the issue of the blood and concerned about saying that I say that blood means death so that I don’t know about that. That doesn’t sound right. So I think the Scripture is clear that is what we are talking about. The penalty for sin is death. The shedding of blood is an indication that death is occurred. Now we don’t drink the blood because that is indicative of the life of the person and it is the blood that is life to the body. That enables us to live. Interesting to me in the New Testament, we are told that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Remember Jesus is in his glorified body would decide touch me, handle me. Spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see that I have may indicate that blood will not be part of the resurrection body. Since flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, the flesh and bone will because Jesus Christ had a glorified body of flesh and bone. But the point here I think is that the life is in the blood. When you shed the blood you have taken the life. Death has occurred.

This carries over verses 13 to 16 when you talk about hunting while game. Obviously you can chase a wild turkey in to the tabernacle to kill it or another wild animal. So these animals would be killed other places and they are not animals of sacrifice. It was not the same issue the Ox and the goat and so on, but the principle on blood still of lives. You can drink the blood; you can eat the blood in any situation. It is interesting this issue of restriction on eating blood pops up in the New Testament. Remember in the council of Jerusalem and Acts Chapter 15 when they settled on how they were going to deal with the Jewish problem, may be one turn to Acts 15 quickly.

James writes the conclusion of the elders and church leaders. They have to send a letter and in verse 28 he says of Acts 15 it seemed good to the holy spirit on to us to lay upon you know greater burden then these essentials that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication if you keep yourselves free from these things, you would do well forever. You keep yourself from blood, from things strangled or something strangled, the blood is not properly drained. Now does that mean that we are not to drink or eat blood today. You have to be careful that there is no blood in your meat, some people like rare meat. Most of us at least don’t eat cushier meat that has been killed properly and drained properly. So there you know may be the possibility of blood being present in the meat that we eat. I watch some people eat a rare stake that look like a bad auto accident to me. I would never give in a thought to eating something like that but they said it was good. I think that there may be I know I am going to get notes on how good stakes are, have me over and I will try one with you.

There may be some indication in the context here that this doesn’t apply or have to carry through the day, would have to look for other places in the New Testament because you note also in verse 29 he says to abstain from things sacrificed to idols and later on in First Corinthians Chapter 8, Chapter 10 the Apostle Paul is going to say it is okay and certain circumstances to eat things sacrificed to idols. So that is the case, it seems we have here are conditions set down to not offend the Jews, to be non-offensive to the Jews in their ministry at this point. And that would be a principle that Paul adheres to as he talks about when you can eat meat sacrificed to idols. In First Corinthians 8: He wouldn’t want to be offensive. So that seems to be point here note that today then we were bound by the Old Testament obligation.

Chapter 17 then of Leviticus, I think as demonstrated that God expects and requires us as his people, to be obedient, follow his instructions that would be with Chapter 16 as well, but in Chapter 17 then when he talks about limiting our worship to him. You know Israel had a problem with this. You go to Deuteronomy Chapter 32 going to find out that they did sacrifice to demons that became a problem then. We come to the New Testament; we are warned about the danger of the demon worship. You remember that in First Corinthians Chapter 10 verses 20 and 21 also has the things to gentile sacrifice. They sacrifice to demons and I don’t want you to have any point of that.

False worship gets involved in the worship of demons, the danger for us like it was to Israel. Materialism Christ warning in Mathew 6, you cannot serve God and mammon. These things that would divert our allegiants and our singleness of commitment to worship and serve the living God are always dangerous that I much watch, be careful. That point is being driven home to the nation Israel and to remember that I am a worshiper of the living God today. And he still demands that I worship him in accord with his word. And of course that is the whole thrust of the Book of Hebrews that worship can only be carried out by virtue of the fact that we have a high priest and he has entered into the presence of God today on our behalf with the sacrifice that is acceptable to God. That sacrifice is sufficient to cleanse us from all sin for all time. If Israel had every reason to be faithful in the worship of God, how much more so we? They don’t live with the type; they don’t live with the symbol, but live in light of the reality, the sacrifice of the son of God knowing that he represents us even today as we are here studying his word. He represents us personally and individually in this very presence of God that guarantees that our salvation is secured for all eternity.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord for your faithfulness and your goodness. Thank you for revealing yourself, for making possible the worship of the God, who is holy and righteous. Oh Lord, thank you for forgiveness and cleansing that enables us to come through the veil that has been rent into the glory of your presence, to come with boldness and confidence not because of our worthiness, but because of the greatness of our high priest, because of the sufficiency of his sacrifice. What I pray that we might have that commitment, that allegiants in our service to you, which you called for from Israel, you called for from us today, and will be a people who indeed worship you, guard us from those things which would distract us, word which would divide our attention, and will be a people who are faithful to you in all what we do. Thank you for the blessings of the day together in the world. God, we look forward the good things before us as we serve you in coming days. We pray in Christ’s name, amen.