It is impossible that men should be given a complete understanding of the things pictured in the Old Testament except that the LORD was pleased to unfold the substance of those things illustrated there by the revelation of JESUS CHRIST. Well did John write, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:14-17) We can say that the revelation of CHRIST in the New Testament is the unlocking of all of the mysteries contained in the Old Testament. (see Heb.1:1,2)
Those who fail to see JESUS CHRIST as the complete fulfillment of all that was written in the law given to Moses, miss the whole purpose of the giving of that law and still seek perfection by that which was never meant for that purpose. “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.” (Heb 7:19)
Countless barrels of blood were shed on the altar of the tabernacle and later the temple, but there was never one sin that was cancelled thereby. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Heb 10:4) GOD has no regard to the offerings and ministrations of men, nor can any sacrifice made by sinners ever be acceptable in HIS sight. In fact we read that the law required that Aaron not only make sacrifice for his own sins but that he had to make an offering to cleanse the holy place and the altar itself. (see Lev. 16:16-18) This was required by the law, in order, to demonstrate to men the utter impossibility of them being able to approach unto the True and Living GOD because of their uncleanness. It also demonstrated that all of those things touched by the hands of sinful men are tainted and not fit for service to GOD. “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” (Heb 10:3)
What sheer folly is it when men in any age, (but most especially in the present one), would declare that men can bring their faith to the LORD and HE will have respect unto it. All that comes from man is unclean, everything we touch and are, by nature, is unfit to enter into HIS presence. Yet many present what they call the “gospel” as a means whereby a man can make a deal with GOD by filling in the missing piece of the puzzle, which they define as “faith”. Isaiah wrote, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.” (Isa 64:6-7) It is not merely our sin which is unclean before the LORD but our acts of “righteousness” as well.
“Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” (Psa 127:1) Saving faith is not that which men bring to the LORD but is rather that which the LORD in mercy is pleased to give to men according to HIS sovereign purpose. Faith is the manifestation of the SPIRIT’s work in those who believe. “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48)
The law made Aaron, and his sons after him, priests, but could never in any wise give them the right to enter into the presence of GOD. In fact the LORD forbade them to even enter the holy of holies except as HE specifically visited that place and allowed them in with a sacrifice for their own sin. (see Lev.16:1-30) Nor could any one of them continue his priesthood because each one of them was subject unto death and for this reason demonstrated the temporary nature of the Aaronic priesthood and the relative impotence of it.
It is quite clear that the ONE who is our GREAT HIGH PRIEST did not spring from the tribe of Levi but was rather the LION of the tribe of JUDAH, of which no priestly office was ordained by the law. This demonstrates that by the deeds of the law no man can be justified. Yet that ONE who is appointed and ordained the GREAT HIGH PRIEST over the household of GOD is “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek:” (Heb 7:21) HE was not made a priest by the law but was rather ordained with an oath as the HIGH PRIEST of HIS people, having an unchangeable priesthood. Just like Melchizedek had no recorded beginning of days nor end of life, so JESUS CHRIST is of that “order”, because of the power of HIS endless life. “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” (John 5:26-27)
Sin cannot be abrogated or canceled by the blood of bulls and goats and any priest appointed by the Law, cannot minister in the LORD’s presence because of sin; which demonstrates the weakness of the law. That law was a schoolmaster to bring us to CHRIST who is consecrated forevermore and exactly suited to the needs of those for whom HE has entered in once into the Holy of holies with HIS own blood. HE is that one of whom Moses wrote, “a fit man”, who would take the scapegoat into the uninhabited wilderness. The writer of Hebrews describes this “fit man”, “For such a high priest became us, (i.e.; was exactly suited to our needs) who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated forevermore.” (Heb 7:26-28)
The LORD instructed Aaron to lay his hands upon the head of this scapegoat, thus “imputing” the sins of the children of Israel to the goat. By reason of this imputation the goat “became” their sin. This was done to illustrate the fact that ONE would come, as the great HIGH PRIEST of HIS people, and would by HIS own hand impute the sins of HIS elect bride to HIMSELF as their SIN-BEARER. Then this goat (which is representative of the sins of Israel) was to be taken into the uninhabited wilderness and abandoned there. Thus, we see illustrated the fact that JESUS CHRIST did indeed go outside the camp and into the pit of darkness as HE cried out “My GOD, My GOD, why has thou forsaken me?” It was needful that HE be banished from the very presence of GOD as that ONE upon whom the sins of HIS people were imputed in order to put away their sins forever as far as the east is from the west and be remembered no more.
The sin which was imputed to the goat was taken away by the “fit man” who led the goat into the wilderness, and this “fit man” returned as proof that the deed was done. In like fashion this “FIT MAN” of whom we now speak has arisen from the dead and HE has triumphed over that sin which HE bore and sits now in royal state, ever living to make intercession for those who come unto GOD by HIM.
mam