The concept of atonement under the Mosaic Law serves as a profound typology of the ultimate atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, the sacrificial system established by God through Moses was central to the Israelites' relationship with God, providing a means for the atonement of sins and the restoration of fellowship with the Divine.

The Sacrificial System

The sacrificial system, as outlined in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, was a divinely instituted method for dealing with sin. Leviticus 17:11 states, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life." This verse underscores the necessity of bloodshed for the remission of sins, a principle that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament.

The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, was the pinnacle of the sacrificial system. On this day, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16). The ritual involved the sacrifice of a bull and a goat, with the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat to atone for the sins of Israel. This annual event highlighted the seriousness of sin and the need for a mediator between God and humanity.

Typology of Christ's Atonement

The sacrificial system under the Law was a shadow of the good things to come, pointing to the perfect and final atonement made by Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:1 states, "The law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves." The sacrifices, though necessary, were insufficient to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper permanently. They were a temporary measure, anticipating the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ.

Jesus is identified as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). His atoning work is prefigured in the Passover lamb, whose blood spared the Israelites from the angel of death (Exodus 12). Just as the blood of the lamb provided deliverance, so does the blood of Christ provide eternal redemption for believers.

The book of Hebrews elaborates on this typology, emphasizing that Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). This act fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law and established a new covenant between God and humanity.

The Role of the High Priest

Under the Law, the high priest served as the mediator between God and the people, a role that finds its ultimate expression in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:14 declares, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess." Christ's priesthood is superior to that of the Levitical priests, as He is both the priest and the sacrifice, offering Himself willingly for the sins of the world.

The Efficacy of Christ's Atonement

The atonement under the Law was limited in scope and duration, requiring repeated sacrifices. In contrast, Christ's atonement is perfect and complete, as He declared on the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30). His sacrifice is sufficient to cleanse from all unrighteousness, providing believers with direct access to God and the assurance of eternal life.

In summary, the atonement under the Law serves as a vital typology of Christ's atoning work. It illustrates the necessity of a sacrificial system, the role of a mediator, and the ultimate fulfillment of these in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God and the Great High Priest.Romans 5:6-11
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Christ's Priestly Office
... in a worse condition under the gospel than the Jews were under the law? When they
had sinned they had their high priest to make atonement; and shall not we ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/4 christs priestly office.htm

Index.
... Merivale, Dean, Romans under the Empire, 96, 196. ... Satan, atonement not given to,
43; destruction of, 42; as tempter, 72. ... Shadow, the law had only a, 173. ...
/.../edwards/the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/index 2.htm

The New Covenant.
... His power of an indissoluble life belongs to His atonement. ... as ratifying the covenant
and as offered in sacrifice, there was under the Law no remission of ...
/.../chapter viii the new covenant.htm

Sundry Exhortations.
... the sacrificial system" of the Mosaic law and "substituted ... however, by the priests
and worshippers under the old ... place on the day of atonement, were carried ...
/.../chapter xvi sundry exhortations.htm

The Only Atoning Priest
... must they present their sacrifices; but our Lord sits down because there is no more
sacrificial work to do; atonement is complete ... Under the law, when the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/the only atoning priest.htm

Scriptural Types.
... that there can be true mediating priests under the New ... by his almighty power and
efficacious atonement, and on ... in a passage of the Mosaic law, which clearly ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

The Covenant of Grace
... The priests under the law were not only to wash ... Christ's blood is the blood of atonement;
believe in this blood, and you are safely arked in God's mercy. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 the covenant of grace.htm

The Lamb of God in Scripture
... God gave to His chosen people under the law, and expect ... is in heaven, and on the
earth, and under the earth ... God, the bleeding Lamb, the full atonement paid, and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 39 1893/the lamb of god in.htm

The Gentile Christian Theology. Paul and the Gospel of Faith.
... This rich doctrine of the atonement which pervades the Pauline Epistles ... III.,
17-220) very fully under these heads: righteousness; sin; the law; the gospel ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 71 the gentile christian.htm

The Epistle to the Hebrews
... So again when we read, the law made nothing perfect (7:19); the meaning is, that
under the ancient ... Priestly ministry of the day of atonement, the way ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/denney/the death of christ/chapter 4 the epistle to.htm

What is the recapitulation theory of the atonement? | GotQuestions.org

What is the substitutionary atonement? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)? | GotQuestions.org

Atonement: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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