Truth For Today Bible Study Course

At-a-glance …

The work of Jesus in miniature. 

—Forgiving sin

—Cleansing sin

—Separating good and evil

—Destroying sin.

Making a clean new earth.

Q12 What verses in the New Testament show that the same experience is ours today, through the blood of Jesus, when we pray for forgiveness?

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:22.

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 1:2

NOTE:  The coming of Jesus marked the end of the object lesson of sacrifices of animals for Jesus Himself, the Lamb of God had come to die.  The blood of Jesus is all we need for our forgiveness and pardon, not sacrifices of animals.

Q13 Where is Jesus now?

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Hebrews 9:24

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 6:19, 20

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

NOTE: Jesus is in the sanctuary in heaven as our High Priest.

Q14 Is there a record of our sins in the sanctuary in heaven, as there was in the sanctuary on earth?

Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment;  1 Timothy 5:24

The judgment was set, and the books were opened.  Daniel 7:10.

And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  Revelation 20:12.

Q15 Looking again at the object lesson of the wilderness sanctuary, what was the solemn service for the Children of Israel at the end of their religious year? And what was its purpose?

For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sinsbefore the LORD.  Leviticus 16:30

NOTE: This special day came to be known as the Day of Atonement.  On that day in the wilderness, all who had confessed their sins during the year, were to meet around the sanctuary to search their hearts for sin unconfessed.  This was the time when an important sacrifice was made for the record of the sins of the year. It was the cleansing of the sanctuary.

Two goats were brought to the sanctuary and lots were taken to chose one goat for the Lord and one for Azazel, the devil.  The High Priest took the Lord’s goat and sacrificed it. On this solemn occasion the High Priest, taking the blood, went through the veil to the Ark of the Covenant where the glory of God hovered over His Ten Commandments.  Taking incense with him as a covering, he sprinkled some of the blood on the top of the Ark.  The blood of the sacrifice met the law that the sinners had broken. All was complete. Then the High Priest moved back through the veil and sprinkled this special blood on the place where the blood had been sprinkled all year before the veil in the Holy Place in a way removing the records. From there he went out into the courtyard and sprinkled blood where the sacrifice had been slain. 

The people could hear the bells on the bottom of his robe and know how far the service had progressed.  It was a very solemn time for them.

Q16 What was the purpose of this service?