Christ and the Atonement

[Esaias]

During today's bible discussion a point was brought up. Our Lord fulfilled not only the Christological typology of Passover, but of Atonement as well. But here's the thing:

Hebrews says the old covenant ceremonies were types of heavenly realities. On the day of Atonement the high priest went into the most holy place and made an atonement, not only for the people, but for the sanctuary itself. Hebrews says the earthly tabernacle and furniture were patterns of the heavenly things. The patterns were purified with animal blood, but the heavenly things with Christ's blood.

So... does this not say that the heavens themselves were purified? It seems strange to think of heaven requiring purification and sanctification, but that is plainly what is said, is it not?

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

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:

Thoughts?

[mfblume]

I believe it's saying heaven had to be prepared for our presence, so to speak. So we could be there. Heaven is pristine. Our presence there is much different than what has occurred there before. So the purification was for us. Nothing can be left in heaven that would prevent us from entering. Our records.... our sins rise like clouds into heaven, and these must be cleared. Any thought of our sins in heaven must be removed.

[votivesoul]

There was a great falling away in heaven with satan's rebellion and sinful sowing of discord among the angels. Perhaps Christ's atonement purified heaven of this?

[mfblume]

The kicker is that Hebrews compared the cleanings of heaven with the cleansing of the tabernacle that the service was accomplished in for Israel. So I think it has to do with people involved in the atonement.

Andrew Murray wrote one of the best books I ever read when he wrote on the Book of Hebrews. THE HOLIEST OF ALL. He has some great thoughts on this. Will get some more.

[mfblume]

By Andrew Murray.

LXXIII.

HEAVEN ITSELF CLEANSED BY THE BLOOD.

IX.—23. It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things In the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24. For Christ entered not Into a holy place made with hands, like In pattern to the true; but Into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us.

In the previous verses we saw how, at the dedication of the first covenant with blood, both the book and the people and, later on, the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry, were sprinkled with blood. Even so, the writer tells us, the bloodshedding on earth was not enough, but there was a needs-be that the heavenly things themselves be cleansed with the blood of the better sacrifice, ere heaven could be opened to us, and we obtain access to a life in the presence of God. There must not a vestige or sign of sin be left there, to rise up against us. Such is the power of this better sacrifice and its blood, that the heavenly things themselves were cleansed by it, and that Christ our surety with His own blood, entered into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us. The heavenly things themselves cleansed, and Christ entered into heaven itself for us,—these are the two aspects of the eternal redemption here put before us.

The heavenly things themselves cleansed. What can this mean? We speak of the heavens being dark, black with clouds. The light of the sun is there, but clouded. When the clouds are gone the heavens are bright and clear. God's word speaks of our sins rising up as a cloud, as a smoke before Him. Our sins are come up before Him, are in His presence, written in His book of remembrance, calling for vengeance. God says to lsrael: I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins. Just as the tabernacle had to be sprinkled and cleansed and hallowed from all the uncleanness of the children of Israel, so the heavenly things themselves by the blood of Christ. As the blood was brought in, every vestige of a thought of sin was removed out of God's presence; the heavens were cleansed; the heavens are now clear and bright, and the love of God can shine out in noonday glory.

And this because Christ is not entered into the Holiest, made with hands, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us. This is the great consummation to which all the teaching of the heavenly priesthood of Christ, and the true sanctuary, and the blood of the covenant leads up. Heaven itself is now opened up to us. Christ has entered, not simply on His own behalf, but entirely to appear before the face of God for us. Yes, for us, His entering in has obtained for us boldness to enter in. His entering in was through the rent veil; there is no veil now between God and us. We are called to draw nigh in the fulness of faith. We are taught, Ye are come to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to God. Before the face of God, in the presence of God, is now the home of the soul. Heaven is not only a locality, with its limitations, but a state of life, that condition of spiritual existence in the full enjoyment of God's love and fellowship, into which Christ entered. Christ passed through the heavens, was made higher than the heavens. He ascended far above all tlie heavens, that He might fill all things. Heaven itself, the Holiest of All, into which He entered, the presence of God, is now the sphere in which He exercises His heavenly ministry, into which He brings us in as an actual life and experience, in which we alone can truly serve the living God.

And what, we may well ask, what is the reason that so few of God's children can testify to the joy of entering in and having their abode here in the very presence of God? There can be but one answer, There is such a difference between being the heir of a promise and actually inheriting it. Each of the great words of our Epistle, as God's gift to each one of His children, has an infinitude of meaning and blessing and power in it. Christ a Priest for ever; the power of an endless life; He is able to sympathise, able to succour, able to save completely; the true sanctuary, the new covenant, the blood cleansing the heavens, cleansing the conscience,—all these are divine realities, with a power and a glory that the heart of man cannot conceive. lt is only by faith and longsuffering that we inherit the promises. It is as we give up our whole heart and life to be just one act of faith, looking up and longing, praising and expecting, believing and receiving what God gives and works in Christ, that this life in the Holiest will be ours. lt is as our faith sees the divine unity of the once for all and the for ever, that we shall be bold to believe that the for ever, the abiding continually, has in Christ been made ours once for all, and can be made ours in an entering within the veil as clear as that of Christ's. This faith will prove itself in longsuffering. First, as we diligently, perseveringly hold fast, and gaze and draw nigh and wait on God to take us within the veil; and then, as within the veil, in deepest humility and meekness and patience

and resignation to God, we wait upon Him in service, to perfect us in the work for which we were admitted into His very presence.

But remember where all this begins, and wherein it all consists. Not without blood! With His own blood! How much more shall the blood of Christ! These words are the key to

this blessed chapter of the opening of the Holiest to us. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, the Eternal Spirit, to testify to us how the way into the Holiest has been made manifest, and what the blood is by which it was done, and what the cleansing of our conscience in that blood to enter in and serve the living God, we shall in fulness of faith be bold to draw nigh and enter in and abide.

1. Think not that lt will be too difficult for thee to dwell always with thy heart up yonder in heaven. When the sun shines on thee, thou dost not think of its distance; thou rejoicest in lts warmth. lt is so near to thee; thou enterest into lt, and lt enters into thee. Even so with Jesus and the heavenly life. Heaven comes down. The kingdom of heaven is come with power; the Holy Spirit goes and maintains it in thee. The veil is rent, and the light and life of heaven is come down here where we serve in the Holy Place.

2. To open the way to heaven and to God, Jesus died to sin. We that hates and loses his life will find the way to the life of God.

3. Just as the cleansing of the tabernacle was part of the dedicating of the first covenant, so the sprinkling the heavenly sanctuary, the cleansing of the heavens with the blood of the new covenant, is our assurance that the sanctuary is open to us, and that the covenant is sure and will be fulfilled to us.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

There was a great falling away in heaven with satan's rebellion and sinful sowing of discord among the angels. Perhaps Christ's atonement purified heaven of this?

Very few understand the huge ramifications this must have had.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by mfblume

The kicker is that Hebrews compared the cleanings of heaven with the cleansing of the tabernacle that the service was accomplished in for Israel. So I think it has to do with people involved in the atonement.

Andrew Murray wrote one of the best books I ever read when he wrote on the Book of Hebrews. THE HOLIEST OF ALL. He has some great thoughts on this. Will get some more.

Thank you Brother Blume.

[mfblume]

Leviticus 16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.


Type of the picture for the antitype issue.

The explanation is right there.

[Esaias]

So, he had to not only fit us for entrance into the most holy place, but he had to get the most holy place fitted for us to enter in.

Now the question is when did this happen - during his time in the grave, or after his resurrection, or after his ascension?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

There was a great falling away in heaven with satan's rebellion and sinful sowing of discord among the angels. Perhaps Christ's atonement purified heaven of this?

Where is this taught in scripture?