Consequence of sins (not as you thought)
This is a series of reflections that I sent to my fiancee from my own Bible readings. I have posted them in this blog so that it is easier to keep track for future reflections.
Atonement is a bloody affair. The regulations for the sin offering as stipulated in Leviticus pretty much illustrates the bloodiness of the whole thing. Imagine slaughtering a bull or a lamb and needing to take its blood and sprinkle everywhere. Somemore with the strict regulations, it is unlikely that someone with a strong OCD for cleanliness will be able to just go into the Tabernacle and clean up the blood after the sacrifices.
Considering that, on top of the sacrifice made on the Day of Atonement, there will be sacrifices made everyday, this means the whole altar area isn't exactly a very clean place to begin with. It is likely that the area would be drenched in blood stench. This is perhaps the smell of the consequences of sins in our lives, perhaps a physical reminder to the Israelites on the sins of their lives. In fact, this is perhaps the reason why Jesus has to be crucified and not beheaded. The blood has to flow.
Thinking here in our context today, we no longer need to offer sacrifice for our sins. But what can we do, on top of sprinkling blood in our houses next time, to remind ourselves of the consequences of our sins and what it has done to Christ on the cross? Maybe next time in our family, when anyone sins, we should have a sin box where we drop a dollar or two into the box. Then at the end of the month, we will open the box and bring ourselves for a good meal.
14 He is to take some of the bull’s blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover. Le 16:14
Atonement is a bloody affair. The regulations for the sin offering as stipulated in Leviticus pretty much illustrates the bloodiness of the whole thing. Imagine slaughtering a bull or a lamb and needing to take its blood and sprinkle everywhere. Somemore with the strict regulations, it is unlikely that someone with a strong OCD for cleanliness will be able to just go into the Tabernacle and clean up the blood after the sacrifices.
Considering that, on top of the sacrifice made on the Day of Atonement, there will be sacrifices made everyday, this means the whole altar area isn't exactly a very clean place to begin with. It is likely that the area would be drenched in blood stench. This is perhaps the smell of the consequences of sins in our lives, perhaps a physical reminder to the Israelites on the sins of their lives. In fact, this is perhaps the reason why Jesus has to be crucified and not beheaded. The blood has to flow.
Thinking here in our context today, we no longer need to offer sacrifice for our sins. But what can we do, on top of sprinkling blood in our houses next time, to remind ourselves of the consequences of our sins and what it has done to Christ on the cross? Maybe next time in our family, when anyone sins, we should have a sin box where we drop a dollar or two into the box. Then at the end of the month, we will open the box and bring ourselves for a good meal.
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