a poster said:
Yes, the individual sin offerings were atonement for specific acts, whether for the individual or even the whole camp.
The Day of Atonement was for all the sins throughout the year.
That however, does not change the fact that all the bloodwork was done at one point in history and is applied to us now as we come to Him in time of need.
We are not speaking about the one time sacrifice per se [though included], but really, the method of at-one-ment, in the Day of Atonement [Lev 16,23], which differs from those those which are made throughout the year [Lev 4]. Of course the sacrifice of Jesus is sufficient, and the blood covers, as needed, hence we may boldy come to the throne of Grace [Heb 4:16].
The question was not addressed in the reply, in that since there was such atonements made throughout the year [Lev 4], why the need for the Day of Atonement services [Lev 16,23].
The Day of Atonement [Lev 16,23] involves more than the individual [in Lev 4], as it requires that there be the "...reconciling the holy [place], and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar..." [Lev 16:20], which we also see "...the altar that [is] before the LORD, and make an atonement for it...cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel." [Lev 16:18-19]; and "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." [Lev 16:16]
Since the peoples Israel were atoned already from the Lev 4 services, why then the Lev 16,23 services? It is because much more had to be accomplished. Their sins throughout the year were covered by the blood, in faith, but their record of sin was carried into the Sanctuary itself, there 'stored'.
Christ Jesus is both the Bullock and the Lord's Goat, but not the Scapegoat, which is why there is the mentioning of the "lots":
And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. Lev 16:8
There would be no need for "lots" to be cast if both were to represent Christ Jesus. "Lots" in scripture were
always used
to choose between two [or more] things,
not one [Leviticus 16:8,9,10; Numbers 26:55,56, 33:54, 34:13, 36:2,3; Deuteronomy 32:9; Joshua 13:6, 14:2, 15:1, 16:1, 17:1,2,14,17, 18:6,8,10,11, 19:1,10,17,24,32,40,51, 21:4,5,6,8,10,20,40, 23:4; Judges 1:3, 20:9; 1 Samuel 14:41; 1 Chronicles 6:54,61,63,65, 16:18, 24:5,7,31, 25:8,9, 26:13,14,16; Esther 3:7, 9:24; Nehemiah 10:34, 11:1; Psalms 16:5, 22:18, 105:11, 125:3; Proverbs 1:14, 16:33, 18:18; Isaiah 17:14, 34:17, 57:6; Jeremiah 13:25; Ezekiel 24:6, 45:1, 47:22, 48:29; Daniel 12:13; JOel 3:3; Obadiah 1:11; Jonah 1:7; Micah 2:5; Nahum 3:10; Luke 1:9; Acts 1:26, 8:21, 13:19]. Notice, that both goats receive a designation,
"one lot for the LORD". How many for the LORD? Two or one? It is
only "one". The other
"lot" was
not then
"for the LORD",
but rather for someone else,
"the other lot for the scapegoat", notice
"for the scapegoat".
It is stated in the response that the 'bloodwork' was 'done' at 'one point in history', but this is not so, for scripture does not teach this, but rather that the
"sacrifice" was
"once" [Heb 7:27, 9:27].
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
Present tense, but in condition of "if we walk in the light as he is in the light", and if walking in the light, as he, then "the blood of Jesus cleanseth" [present tense, currently active V-PAI-3S] us "from all sin" [transgression of His Ten Commandment Law; 1 John 3:4]. The 'bloodwork'
continues. For it must of necessity not merely cover the sin, but come to blot it out entirely. Not only must we have Justification, but Sanctification.
Hebrews 9 is clear, in its conxtext, deals with the "sacrifice", even the "one" compared to the many types/shadow sacrifices:
"...which were
offered both gifts and
sacrifices..." [Heb 9:9]
"...by the
blood of goats and calves..." [Heb 9:12]
"...
by his own blood he entered in
once..." [Heb 9:12]
"...the
blood of bulls and of goats..." [Heb 9:13]
"...the
ashes of an heifer..." [Heb 9:13]
"...the
blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without spot to God..." [Heb 9:14]
"...that by
means of death..." [Heb 9:15]
"...must also of
necessity be the death of the testator..." [Heb 9:16]
"For a testament [is] of force after men are
dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth." [Heb 9:17]
"...dedicated without
blood..." [Heb 9:18]
"...the
blood of calves and of goats..." [Heb 9:19]
"...the
blood of the testament..." [Heb 9:20]
"...sprinkled with
blood..." [Heb 9:21]
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission." [Heb 9:22]
Notice that word "remission", is not "blotting out of sin".
"...the heavenly things themselves with better
sacrifices than these." [Heb 9:23]
"Nor yet that he should
offer himself often..." [Heb 9:25]
"...with
blood of others." [Heb 9:25]
"...must he often have
suffered since the foundation of the world..." [Heb 9:26]
"...now
once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by
the sacrifice of himself." [Heb 9:26]
"...unto men
once to die..." [Heb 9:27]
So Christ was
once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. [Heb 9:25]
Hebrews 10, continues this theme:
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with
those sacrifices which they
offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. [Heb 10:1]
What Law? Not the perfect Moral Law, the Ten Commandments of God, for no one will find anything in the Ten Commandments dealing with sacrifices at all.
"For then would they not have ceased to be
offered?..." [Heb 10:2]
But
in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year. [Heb 10:3]
For [it is] not possible that the
blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. [Heb 10:4]
Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: [Heb 10:5]
In
burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast had no pleasure. [Heb 10:6]
Above when he said,
Sacrifice and
offering and
burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein]; which are offered by the law; [Heb 10:8]
Where in the perfect Moral Law of God, the Ten Commandments is anything to be offered in sacrifice or burnt offering?
By the which will we are sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]. [Heb 10:10]
Notice, what is the context still, the True, Real and 'one offering' of Jesus. compared to all of the types given in the earthly sanctaury services. This is the focus of Paul. Yes, the Sacrifice portion, the Sacrifice part "...is finished", it is 'complete', but yet not all is yet "...done", not all yet 'completed'.
"...every priest standeth daily ministering and
offering oftentimes the
same sacrifices..." [Heb 10:11]
But
this man, after he had
offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; [Heb 10:12]
What is still the context?, the "sacrifice".
For
by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. [Heb 10:14]
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us,
through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; [Heb 10:20]
For
if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins, [Heb 10;26]
"...
the Son of God, and hath counted
the blood of the covenant..." [Heb 10:29]
Therefore, the blood is made available, that fountain opened [Zech 13:1].