Story 50: The Great Day Of Atonement And The Scapegoat ll

   The burning coals were placed at once in front of the Ark of the Cov'e-nant, and were sprinkled with finely grount incense until the Tabernacle was filled with a silvery cloud of smoke, symbolic of praise and prayer.
   Aa'ron then returnt for the vessel of blood, and sprinkled some of it upon the Mercy Seat as an a-tone'ment for his own sins and those of the priests who assisted him. This act of worship was performed seven times as a token of completeness.
   When Aa'ron stood once again before the Great Altar in the court of the Tabernacle, he was presented with two young goats which were just alike in appearance, and size, and value. These were placed by the altar with their backs toward the assembled people, and their faces toward the sanctuary of the LORD.
   Two lots of the same size, shape, and material were placed in an urn; on one was written, "for the LORD," while the other said, "to be sent away." After lifting this urn toward the people and shaking it, Aa'ron drew out the lots and placed one on the head of each goat. He then tied a piece of scarlet cloth around the neck of the goat which had been chosen for the LORD, and a similar cloth was tied on the horns of the one which was to be sent away.
   The goat on which the lot "For the LORD" had been placed was given as a Sin Offering for the people. This sacrifice was made in the same manner as the offering of the bullock. The blood was carried by the High Priest alone into the Holy of Holies, and was sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat as an a-tone'ment for the sins of all Is'ra-el. By various ceremonies the Tabernacle and all its furnishings were newly sanctified. Thus full a-tone'ment was made for the sins of all the people, and by ceremonial rites they were dedicated anew to the service of the LORD.
   Then the High Priest turnt again to the Great Altar where there still remained the goat on which the lot "to be sent away" had fallen. This goat, which was given the name "scapegoat," was then turnt to face the assemble people, waiting for their sins to be laid upon him. Then it was sent into the wilderness, to a land "not inhabited."
   Before the goat was sent away, however, the priest laid his hand on its head and made the following prayer:
               "O LORD, the house of Is'ra-el, thy people, have trespassed, rebelled, and sinned before
               thee. I beseech thee, O LORD, forgive their trespasses and sins which they have committed,
               that they may be clean from all their sins before the LORD."
   The "scapegoat" was then led away to some distant place in the wilderness, so far away that it could never find the way back, and was turnt loose to wander wherever it pleased.
   In the sacrifice of the first goat there was blood a-tone'ment for sin, while the second goat was an example of the results of the a-tone'ment. Through the mercy and grace of God the sins of the people were carried away into the wilderness, never to return to the people from whom they had been separated, indicating full and perfect remission of sins. Having completed these ceremonies Aa'ron removed the white garments designed for the Great Day of A-tone'ment, donned his regular priestly robe, and made Burnt Offerings for the people as a token of gratitude and renewed consecration.
   Instructions were then given by Mo'ses for continuing the Great Day of A-tone'ment, and rules for its annual observance were announced. It was to be observed by the entire nation, whether in their own land or among foreign people, and was set apart as a Sab'bath of rest. All worldly pursuits were to be laid aside during the sacred observances, and the whole thought of the people was to be centered upon the sacrifices, ceremonies, and rites of that Great Day. It was also required that the day be observed with deep sorrow, humble confession of sin, and genuine repentance toward God. This Annual Feast Day was faithfully observed by Is'ra-el to the time when its symbols of A-tone'ment were wonderfully fulfilled by the LORD Jesus in His death on Calvary.

Story 50: The Great Day Of Atonement And The Scapegoat l

   One of the natural results of the sin of Na'dab and A-bi'hu, and of the severe penalty inflicted upon them, was to put in the mind of Aa'ron a feeling of dread, lest he, too, should err in the ministries of his office. For this reason the LORD soon appeared to Mo'ses with full instructions for the High Priest to carry out on the one day of each year in which he was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. That day was called the Great Day of A-tone'ment, and became the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar.
   The sacrificial system of Mo'ses reached its highest point in the worship which took place on the Great Day of A-tone'ment. It was an annual day for Is'ra-el to make atonement for all the sins of the past year which might have escaped notice in the regular daily sacrifices. It was the day on which the entire nation received pardon for such sins, and the sacrifices and ceremonies then performed marked the climax of all the others.
   The first observance of the Day of A-tone'ment took place soon after the tragic death of Na'dab and A-bi'hu for impiety, and was held on the tenth day of the seventh month in the He'brew year. It was at the critical period in Is'ra-el's history when the chosen nation was being firmly established, and when the Mo-sa'ic system of rites and ceremonies was being completed. It was also just before the Is'ra-el-ites departed from Si'nai for the journey to Ka'desh-Bar'ne-a, where they were to be severely tested as to their readiness to enter at once into the Promised Land.
   The sacrifices of the Great Day of A-tone'ment were made by Aa'ron alone, and in this respect they were different from the daily sacrifices, which could be offered by any of the priests. As the High Priest, Aa'ron had to perform all the rites and ceremonies of the day without any help from the other priests. The refueling of the fire on the Great Altar within the courts of the Tabernacle, the filling of the lamps within the Holy Place, the lighting and burning of the incense, and all the daily offices required, were performed by the High Priest.
   The appointed sacrifices for that day were a Sin Offering and a Burnt Offering. A bullock and two young goats, each one perfect in every respect, were furnished from the public treasury of the whole house of Is'ra-el. Before going out to make these offerings, Aa'ron washed himself thoroughly, and dressed in the priestly garments specially designed for this particular day.
   On the Great Day of Atonement the High Priest wore fine white linen breeches next to his body, a fine linen coat, clean and white; a white linen girdle, and a linen mitre for his head. These garments were symbolic of perfect righteousness and complete purity. On this occasion the splendid golden garments which the High Priest ordinarily wore as a sign of his office were laid aside for the plain, simple garments of Holiness. The mitre with a plate of pure gold around the brow, the wonderful breastplate studded with twelve precious stones, the ephod with its onyx stones and tinkling bells of gold-all these were put away on the solemn Day of A-tone'ment.
   First in the order of the sacrifices was that of a young bullock which was offered in atonement for the sins of the High Priest and his family. Aa'ron slew the bullock, and let its blood flow into a vessel used for that purpose while he entered the Holy of Holies, carrying a censer of burning coals in his right hand, and a platter of fragrant incense in his left.

Story 49: The Sin Of Impiety In Divine Worship; Its Punishment ll

   The dreadful sin of Na'dab and A-bi'hu, and the sudden punishment of death inflicted upon them by the LORD, struck their father a hard blow. He felt that God had been insulted, that Is'ra-el had been disgraced, and that his own honor had been dragged into shame. But he restrained himself from making any comment on what had happened, or complaining to the LORD. He bowed in complete obedience to God's will, and held his peace before all that Mo'ses had to say. Beautiful, indeed, was the spirit of Aa'ron under so terrible a misfortune. Unable to eat the portion assigned to the priests in a Peace Offering brought at that time, he quietly accepted the rebuke of Mo'ses, and bore with silence the deep sorrow in his heart.
   The LORD then made use of the tragic occasion to lay down strict rules concerning the use of wine by the priests. Mo'ses was directed to say, "Let no priest drink wine or strong drink of any kind before entering upon the sacred duties of his office." Severe warnings were given against any form of intemperance which would tend to becloud the mind, defile the body, or in any way make the priest unfit for the solemn duties of his office.
   These words of Mo'ses have a message for those who seek to worship God today. Everything which makes it impossible for one to worship God in the way that He has commanded must be strictly avoided. The spiritual sight must be kept clear, the heart and conscience pure and undefiled, the eye single, and the mind free from all distracting thoughts when we come before God in worship.
   Throughout the history of religion, both during the period of Ju'da-ism and under the new era brought by the Gospel of Christ, Divine worship holds the central place. Spiritual worship and the proper observance of appointed hours of worship must be kept up, or else everything connected with the life of religion will go wrong. The Christian who does not keep his priestly garments unspotted, who fails to free himself from all that leads to carelessness and irreverence in worship, and who neglects the Divinely-given laws of worship, will become fruitless and without joy in his religious life. We need to give the best that we have to His worship today:
               Take my soul and body's powers; take my memory, mind and will;
               All my goods and all my hours; all I know and all I feel;
               All I think, or speak, or do,-take my heart, but make it new.


               Now, O God, Thine own I am; now I give Thee back Thine own;
               Freedom, friends, and health and fame, consecrate to Thee alone;
               Thine I live, thrice happy I!  Happier still if Thine to die."
   After this event was over, and the bodies of the two unfaithful priests had been buried outside the camp of Is'ra-el, Aa'ron and his other two sons, whose names were E-le-a'zar and Ith'a-mar, continued to carry on the services and sacrifices of the LORD'S House. They were very careful, indeed, to perform them in exactly the place, manner, time, and spirit which God had commanded.

Story 49: The Sin Of Impiety In Divine Worship; Its Punishment l

   Not long after the Tabernacle was erected, and the priests had begun the daily services ordered by Mo'ses, two sons of Aa'ron committed a great sin against the laws of worship. The LORD had directed that the fragrant gum used for incense be lighted from the fire which He had kindled on the Great Altar. Instead of following these instructions, however, two priests named Na'dab and A'bi'hu took coals of fire from some other place to set the incense in flames.
   This act of the two young men who had so recently been consecrated as priests was unforgivable. It profaned their sacred office, disobeyed the clear command of God, and showed inexcusable carelessness. The fire from the Great Altar was to be used because it had been lighted by the LORD, because it had been consecrated by the blood of atoning sacrifices, and because it had been especially blessed by the LORD.
   It appears that the sinful act of the two young priests was the result of their own sinful indulgence. In the recklessness and the folly of youth, they had taken too much wine, and then had tried to take their part in Divine Worship with their minds beclouded by the evil drink.
   For this act of sacrilege the two young men were suddenly smitten with death. As they stood beside the holy altar of incense the fire of God struck them, and they dropped dead by the altar. Their clothing was unharmed, there was no scorch of fire, but they were dead.
   Their punishment was both sudden and severe, but was fully justified by the terrible sin which they had committed. Na'dab and A-bi'hu had dared to offer fire which was forbidden by the LORD, and so they were punished by a fire which took their lives. They had burnt their own fire in preference to that which God had commanded to be used in Divine Worship, And were justly consumed by the fire which they had failed to use.
   When Mo'ses was told of their act, and of the sudden punishment inflicted, he declared, "This is the token of the holiness of God's House; His worship must be Holy." He refused to allow Aa'ron or his two other sons to touch the dead bodies, but called for two distant relatives to remove them. The usual mourning for the dead was also forbidden, for the two unworthy priests had been slain for sin against the LORD.
   Surely this striking episode, which took place at the very beginning of the new system of worship, and within the doors of the place which had been appointed for it, was a stern lesson in the need for sobriety, thoughtfulness, and strict obedience to every detail in the code of worship which God had given. Carelessness in the worship of God has within it an explosive fire which is sure to fall upon all who are guilty of it. The Divine Command which should be written in letters of fire before every worshiper of God is, "Be not rash with thy mouth, for God is in Heaven and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."
   Our worship should always be filled with deep emotion and outpourings of the spirit, but care must be taken to preserve true reverence; there is no place in true religion for presumptuous, undignified acts of our own. Whatever services we render unto God must be performed in the way and in the spirit prescribed by God.








               "No sacred lore, howe'er profound,
               Nor all the long and varied round
               Of sacred rites, can bliss procure
               For worthless man, in heart impure.










               Altho' a man with zeal and skill
               Should all external rites fulfill,
               He reaps no fruit of all his toil
               If sin his inner man should soil.










               E'en he his all in alms who spends,
               With heart defiled, secures no meed;
               The disposition, not the deed,
               Has value-on it all depends."
              
  

Story 48: The Mo-sa'ic System Of Sacrifices And Offerings lll

   The idea of fellowship was at the very center of the entire procedure, for in this sacrificial meal the donor enjoyed fellowship with God, with the anointed priest of God, and shared these blessed fellowships with his family and friends. It was a social meal in which there was Holy Communion with God, and blessed fellowship with one another.
   It is the right of God to say where and how He shall be worshiped. For one to look with scorn upon the ancient forms of sacrifice prescribed by the LORD is a sin unworthy of human intelligence, showing disgraceful ignorance and willful misunderstanding. The entire system of sacrificial offerings was provided by the LORD to meet Is'ra-el's great need of atonement for sin.
   The Tabernacle was the only proper place for Is'ra-el to worship God. The Great Altar was the only place of sacrificial worship, and on this holy place burnt a constant fire as the sign of God's willingness ever to forgive the sins of those who look to Him alone for salvation. It stood between the door of the Tabernacle and the symbol of the presence of God in the Holy of Holies, pointing to the Cross of Je'sus, without which no man may find shelter in His Loving Arms.
   Every detail of the sacrificial system of Is'ra-el was fulfilled in Christ. The offering of animal sacrifices, and the work of the priests in this respect have been set aside by the Gospel teachings of Christ, but the great spiritual truths taught by these offerings can never cease; they have full power upon us today in our relation and worship toward God through Christ the LORD.
              
               "He who would be cleansed from every sin
               Must to God's Holy Altar bring
               The whole of life-its joys, its tears,
               Its hopes, its loves, its powers, its years;
               The will, and every cherished thing."

Story 48: The Mo-sa'ic System Of Sacrifices And Offerings ll

   In presenting this offering the donor must act entirely of his own free will; there was no element of extortion or force by the LORD. The one who made the offering placed his hands on the head of the animal as it was presented to the priest; this was to show that his guilt was to be transferred to the animal which he gave as a sacrifice for his sins. He was required to slay the animal himself, calling attention to the fact that his own sins were the reason for making the offering. The entire procedure of the sacrifice took place in the open, and in a reverent, orderly manner.
   In many respects the Sin Offering was similar to the Burnt Offering. The animals used and the requirements for perfection and cleanliness were the same, and the purpose in both sacrifices was that of removing sin. One difference appears in the fact that the Burnt Offering was made for the entire assembly of Is'ra-el, and for sins in general, although it was sometimes offered by individuals; while the Sin Offering was almost always made by an individual for his own benefit.
   The Sin Offering was also frequently made by a priest for his own sins, and in such cases the entire offering was burnt; while in offering it for others only a part of the animal was burnt, the remainder being given to the priests for food.
   This offering covered every kind of sin: sins of which the donor was conscious, and for which he made a direct confession; and sins which had been committed through ignorance, or without knowing that they were wrong. The sacrifice was an example of the hatefulness of sin in the sight of God, and required the one who made it to prove his repentance by looking upon sin with the same loathing. Through this offering sin was blotted out, and the eating of a part of the animal by the priest was a symbol of God's complete reconciliation with the sinner.
   In the Peace Offering, the donor brought to the priest some animal which had been selected because it was the best which he had. The sacrifice could be a bullock, a ram, a lamb, or a dove. Certain portions were offered to God in burnt sacrifices, while the remainder was eaten by the donor and the priest in a meal of thanksgiving and fellowship. Sometimes friends and relatives of the one who made the sacrifice were invited to take part in the feast. This offering was observed after the Burnt Offering and the Sin Offering, and could not properly be celebrated until peace had been made between God and man.
   There were elements of both confession and consecration in this offering. A portion of the animal was burnt unto the LORD, the blood was sprinkled upon the burnt offering, the donor placed his hands upon the head of the animal, and slew it himself, as in the previous offerings. The outstanding features of this sacrifice, however, were thanksgiving, fellowship, and friendship; and the donor came to the altar in a spirit of joy and spiritual delight.

Story 48: The Mo-sa'ic System Of Sacrifices And Offerings l

   With the setting up of the Tabernacle a new order of worship for Is'ra-el was established. Up to this time Mo'ses alone had been the one through whom God spoke to the people, and who served as their spokesman to God. Now God dwelt among His people in an unseen and mysterious manner, but in a very real sense, in the Holy of Holies. Now there was also provided a means of reaching the LORD every day through the system of sacrificial offerings and ministries of the priesthood, and the people might secure pardon for their sins by offering the sacrifices of repentance.
   Just as the moral law had been issued through Mo'ses from Mount Si'nai, so the laws of worship for the system of sacrifices and ceremonies were given from the Tabernacle. Both were given with equal solemnity, and both were equally binding upon the Is'ra-el-ites.
   In giving Is'ra-el this code of sacrifices, God provided a way by which His people could always reach Him. From the beginning there had been a feeling in the heart of mankind that some sort of sacrificial offering was needed in the worship of God. This feeling grew out of a sense of sin and need, and the knowledge of obligation to God. It was to meet this sense of sin and need, and to provide for Is'ra-el the sacrifices which foreshadowed the atonement made for all believers by Je'sus Christ, that God gave the Mo-sa'ic, or Aa'ron-ic, system of offerings.
   The Divine way for man's approach to God has always been by sacrifice. The objects of the sacrifices appointed for ancient Is'ra-el were the following: to provide a satisfactory way for man to lay his problems before the LORD, to awaken and maintain reverence for God, to secure greater consecration and obedience, and to open a new channel for the expression of man's feelings toward his Maker.
   In the Divinely given ritual for the He'brews there were three principal classes of sacrifices: the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the peace offering. In addition, there were several sacrifices of less importance, including the meat offering, the trespass offering, and consecrations of various kinds. These were usually offered in connection with other sacrifices.
   The first of these sacrifices, both in the order in which they were given, and in importance, was the burnt offering. Its chief purpose was to make atonement for sin, and thereby to keep open man's channel of communication with God.
   The animal to be offered in making this sacrifice must be chosen from the best of the flocks or herds, and must be absolutely free from any flaws or defects. It was entirely consumed by the fire, with no part being withheld from God.