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October 7, 2007AM
Hebrews 9:1-7, 22-26
CHRIST, OUR ALTAR
The Day of Atonement was a spectacular day for Israel.
The Jewish world just celebrated Yom Kippur on September 22nd.
The English translation of Yom Kippur is; “Day of Atonement”.
The Day of Atonement involved all three altars in the OT Tabernacle.
Each had a unique part in bringing Israel into a right relationship with God.
I The first altar was the altar of sacrifice found in the Outer Court.
It was required that everyone who committed sin come to the altar of sacrifice.
A sacrifice was brought to the altar where its blood was shed.
There was no hope of forgiveness without the altar of sacrifice.
“Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)
The sacrifice was an act of confession.
It was the place where Israel came face to face with their sinfulness.
II The second altar was the altar of incense located in the Holy Place (vs. 4).
The burning incense represented the prayers of the people.
The High Priest took the burning incense into the Holy of Holies.
He offered prayers of confession and repentance on behalf of the people.
As the incense burned it mingled with the prayers of repentance.
Repentance was a deep sorrow over sin and turning away from sin.
With repentance God lifted the sin like incense rising in the air.
III After confession and repentance the High Priest approached the final altar.
There was the Ark of the Covenant covered with the Mercy Seat (vs. 5).
The blood of the High Priest’s own sacrifice was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat.
That was where the confession and repentance was met with God’s mercy.
His mercy was the undeserved and unearned forgiveness of sin.
Three altars.
The Altar of Confession.
The Altar of Repentance.
The Altar of Forgiveness.
Did Israel really need a Day of Atonement and its three altars?
Moses reminded Israel that they did.
“Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much greater and more powerful than you. They live in cities with walls that reach to the sky! 3 But recognize today that the Lord your God is the one who will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy them. He will subdue them so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out, just as the Lord has promised.
4 “After the Lord your God has done this for you, don’t say in your hearts, ‘The Lord has given us this land because we are such good people!’ No, it is because of the wickedness of the other nations that he is pushing them out of your way. 5 It is not because you are so good or have such integrity that you are about to occupy their land. The Lord your God will drive these nations out ahead of you only because of their wickedness, and to fulfill the oath he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 6 You must recognize that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land because you are good, for you are not—you are a stubborn people.
7 “Remember and never forget how angry you made the Lord your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now, you have been constantly rebelling against him.” (Deuteronomy 9:1, 3-7)
Israel needed those altars of the Tabernacle for the Day of Atonement.
Eventually the tent of the tabernacle was replaced with Solomon’s Temple.
This magnificent Temple, built in Jerusalem, became the centre of worship.
It too had the Holy of Holies.
Still only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once each year.
The one day was the Day of Atonement.
But eventually that was going to change.
It was going to change on another special celebration called the Passover.
The Passover was a time of thanksgiving for Israel.
It was a celebration of their miraculous deliverance from slavery.
It too was a day of sacrifice.
After the Passover supper Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane.
To reach the Garden He passed over the Kidron Brook (see John 18:1).
Normally at that time of year it would be almost dry.
But during the Passover the brook flowed again.
It was not only water that filled the Brook Kidron during Passover.
It was water mingled with blood.
Blood flowed from the Temple sacrifices.
During the Passover the Temple was bustling.
200,000 sacrifices had to be made on the Day of Passover.
Tens of thousands of liters of blood had to be disposed of.
How was this done?
It was poured out at the "base of the altar" (see Leviticus 4).
In Solomon's temple ten lavers of water rinsed away the blood
(see 2 Chron. 4:6)
In Herod’s Temple of Jesus’ day much more water was needed.
Huge volumes of water flushed out the Temple’s drainage
system.
The mixture of blood and water rushed through the drains.
Then it gushed out into the Kidron Valley.
The Brook of Kidron ran deep with the blood from that slaughter.
Jesus passed over that blood as He went to the Garden to pray.
How His heart must have ached as He saw that blood.
A river of blood that represented the sins of the people.
He understood full well the significance of it all.
Indeed Israel desperately needed God’s mercy on the Day of Atonement.
And so do we!
Our need is just as great.
Our rebellion is just as intense.
But we have a new altar now.
Today and every day is a Day of Atonement.
We have a better altar with a better High Priest.
And His name is Jesus.
By dying on the cross He opened the way into the Holy of Holies.
Jesus is now the Sacrifice and the Altar for you and for me.
It is His blood that is now sprinkled on the Altar.
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:14)
Jesus invites us to come to Him in confession and repentance.
Our sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.
We enter His resurrection victory.
The Communion Table says God loves you.
Jesus is the unfailing love of God toward you.
You are invited to enter that love through Jesus Our Altar.
He offers you His broken body and shed blood.
As we receive His love we love Him as He first loved us.
We love Him and we love one another.
As our Altar He enables us to be one body, the body of Christ.
Look around you today.
Can you say to each other, “I love you with the love of Jesus”?
Can you say to each other, “I am thankful for you”?
To receive the juice and the bread is your expression of that love and
gratitude to God and to each other.