Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.

I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.

Whereas Aaron was to make atonement for the people of God, the gospel tells us that we have been provided purification of sins. The general picture of a high priest dealing with the sin problem of the people he represents is the point in this post, yet the differences are worth pointing out in their effectiveness.

To make atonement is to cover over, to pacify. A great physical picture of this term is that the same word was used of the pitch covering the gopher wood in the ark.

Genesis 6:14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch.

A bit later in Genesis, this same term was used to describe Jacob’s hopes in meeting with his brother.

Genesis 32:20 And you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.'” For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”

Of course once the term was used in the sense of sacrifice before God, it took on a far greater importance, but it never lost the idea of covering over.

The sins in the Old Testament, through the sacrificial temple system, were covered over.

Consider the difference when Hebrews 1:3 states that the sins were purified! This term speaks of washing off, a cleansing. This is a totally different response to and result of His sacrifice in dealing with sin!

According to the book of Hebrews, our sins are no longer simply covered over, someday to be revealed again, (as the Hebrew nation expected every 365 days) but the sins Jesus dealt with have been purified!

I can hardly grasp this concept, that our sins have been washed away, and not simply covered over.

Consider the difference and thank the Lord who suffered for you and I, in order to clean and purify us!

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

Come join us at Considering the Bible