**Sip Saturday is written by our Saturday morning contributor, M.H. Elrich. A beautifully gifted Christian author who seeks to honor the Trinity in her writing. She hopes that her words will encourage women to draw closer to God, whether that is through her fantasy series or her weekly devotionals.
Cornerstone Scripture:
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
-Hebrews 2:17 ESV
You take a bath in freezing cold waters. Once you pat yourself dry, shivering, your servant helps you put on the special linen garments of a priest. Wrapped in white, you breathe deeply as the sash is tied around your waist and a turban is placed on your head.
A bull moos loudly next to you. Taking a knife, you slit its throat and drain the blood. The body is then placed on a burning altar. You offer prayers and confessions for you and your family. Your hands tremble, hoping you’ve told God every sin. If you haven’t, the consequences could be fatal.
Taking the blood, you sprinkle it on the ark of the covenant. The gold angels stare at you, their eyes boring down upon you like judges. Two goats butt against your legs, bleating as you kneel before one. Putting your hands on its head, you confess the sins of the Israelites and beg for forgiveness. The servant who came with you takes this goat, intent on releasing it in the wilderness.
The second goat is sacrificed in the same manner as the bull. Your heart pounds as blood is sprinkled on the altar. When the fire burns and all seems well, you breathe a sigh of relief. Your previously white garments are soaked with blood, but the sacrifices are done on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year (Leviticus 16:1-34 and Leviticus 23:27-28).
This ceremony was one that the Jewish people had to perform every year as a propitiation or payment for their sins. If done incorrectly, the high priest and possibly his family would be killed. This is demonstrated when Uzzah tried to steady the ark while moving it and was struck dead (found in 2 Samuel 6:1-7 and 1 Chronicles 13:9-12). God took how his dwelling place was treated very seriously.
The ceremony of the high priest symbolically shows the seriousness of the sacrifice that Jesus made. He became the high priest that makes atonement for the sins of all people. Instead of going through the arduous ritual every year, Christians can approach God’s throne with confidence (Hebrews 4:16). This is because of what Jesus did when he died for our sins on the cross.
Our response should be one of thankfulness. We no longer have to fear being struck down by God. Jesus himself became the high priest on our behalf. This is a wonderful blessing that we shouldn’t take for granted. Blood no longer stains our clothes or hands because of Jesus. As the old hymn says: what a gift we have in Jesus!
Let’s pray.
Dear Lord, let me never forget what you’ve done for me as the high priest. You put an end to the blood sacrifices by offering the one true sacrifice of your son. How grateful I am, oh Lord, and thankful! Let me live my life never taking that for granted. In your Son’s name I pray, Amen.