February 3 / Leviticus 15-18

Leviticus 15-18

Today we are once again confronted by God’s holiness — and His grace. Remember the structure of the Tabernacle’s Tent of Meeting. It is divided into two sections, the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place (or the “Holy of Holies”). The Most Holy Place lies behind a thick veil and contains the Ark of the Covenant. Atop the Ark is the Mercy Seat, where God figuratively “sits”. Only the priests are allowed inside the Tent of Meeting, and they have daily duties within the Holy Place. But no one is to enter the Most Holy Place except the High Priest (Aaron) on one single day of each year, the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur.

I think we modern Westerners tend to see all this as overly harsh and restrictive on God’s part. Only the High Priest? And only one day a year? Surely Moses got it wrong! But that is the voice of arrogance, not humility. If we think about it honestly, what is truly remarkable here is that the LORD allows any access whatsoever, and furthermore, in that access, He makes provision for atonement, for cleansing. But the atonement of Yom Kippur is merely a foreshadowing of the full Atonement that Christ makes with His own blood on the Cross, at which point the veil in the Temple is torn from top to bottom. (Mt. 27:51; Mk. 15:38; Lk. 23:45)

So when you think to approach God, remember that it is not your right to do so. It is His gift to you, bought at the price of the Cross.