“AND THE LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died; and the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.”
As far as we can see, Aaron had had liberty to enter into the presence of God, within the veil. But now, after the failure of the priesthood, when his own sons had offered strange fire before the Lord and died in their sin — all was changed. Aaron could only come into the holy place within the veil upon a certain day, and only under certain conditions.
God would not allow Aaron now to come into His presence in his proper priestly dress, in those “robes for glory and beauty” suited to God’s glory, and which God had made for him; he must come now in a plain pure white linen dress.
Furthermore, instead of entering into God’s presence to enjoy counion with Him, he must come bringing with him the tokens of how terrible a thing sin is. His very dress now as he came in would show how great the difference there was between this time and that day when he had first put on those beautiful garments; and while to enter God’s presence without blood would now be certain death, yet even with the blood he did not now enter in order that he might remain there. He was to sprinkle the blood to make atonement in the holy place, and then he must come out again.
“He shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” Even the tabernacle, God’s house, was defiled. We see sin in its character of rebellion against God’s majesty in Nadab and Abihu; here it appears in all its uncleanness the vast gulf between it and the glory of God.
In Hebrews 9 and 10 we have this chapter of Leviticus put into New Testament language. Sin is revolt against God, it is also unclean; but the atoning work of Christ meets it both in its rebellion and in its uncleanness.
If we were to take every character of sin there is, we will find the atoning work of Christ has met each and all. There is nothing in the character and nature of God dishonored and violated by sin, which has not been glorified by Christ. Is man a sinner and vile? The Lord Jesus was the holy One of God. Was man selfish? Jesus Christ pleased not Himself. There is not a black spot which sin has brought in that is not blotted out by the glory of Christ. He is the One of whom we read in Hebrews in contrast with what we have in our chapter.
ML-04/23/1972