What connections exist between Exodus 29:36 and Christ's ultimate sacrifice for sin? Setting the Scene Exodus 29 describes the consecration of Aaron and his sons for priestly service. Verse 36 focuses on a daily bull offered as a sin offering, cleansing both priests and altar so that ministry to God could proceed unhindered. “Each day you are to offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement; and you are to purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it.” (Exodus 29:36) The Daily Bull: A Shadow of Greater Things • Daily repetition signaled that sin was an ongoing problem needing constant atonement. • Blood was necessary; guilt could not be ignored or explained away. • The altar itself had to be purified—sin defiles everything it touches. How This Scene Foreshadows Christ • Hebrews 10:1 calls these sacrifices “a shadow of the good things to come.” • Every bull pointed ahead to a better, final sacrifice that would not need repeating (Hebrews 10:14). • By ordaining a sin offering before any priestly work began, God taught that access to Him always starts with shed blood—fulfilled ultimately in Christ (Romans 5:9). Jesus: The Once-for-All Sin Offering • “Unlike the other high priests, He has no need to offer sacrifices day after day… He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered Himself.” (Hebrews 7:27) • John the Baptist recognized Him as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) • At the cross Jesus cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30), ending the endless cycle Exodus 29 initiated. Purifying the Altar vs. Purifying Our Hearts • Exodus: the altar had to be cleansed to make offerings acceptable. • Gospels: Jesus purified the true “altar” of heavenly worship by His own blood (Hebrews 9:12). • Believers now become living temples, cleansed “from an evil conscience” (Hebrews 10:22). Consecration that Lasts • The bull’s blood consecrated Aaron temporarily; Christ’s blood consecrates believers eternally (Hebrews 10:10). • Old priests still battled personal sin; Jesus, “holy, innocent, undefiled” (Hebrews 7:26), imparts His righteousness to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). • Because the sacrifice is complete, we are invited to “draw near with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16). Key Takeaways • Exodus 29:36 displays God’s unwavering demand for atonement through blood. • The daily bull prefigured Jesus’ unique, once-for-all offering. • Christ fulfills and surpasses the ritual by cleansing the worshiper, the “altar,” and the entire approach to God. • Where Israel needed constant sacrifice, believers now rest in the finished work of the cross (1 Peter 3:18). |
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