Hebrews 9:7

Hebrews 9:7

Intentional or unintentional?

As we have previously noted, the only man allowed into the Most Holy Place within the Tabernacle, was the High Priest, and he could only enter once per year, on the Day of Atonement or “Yom Kippur.” For a full description of events on that day, and the order in which they unfolded, it is helpful to read Leviticus 16 carefully. It is not hard to imagine the tension and anticipation that hung over the camp of the Israelites on those holy days.  The verse before us draws our attention to the significance of the blood which underlines the importance of v22, later in this chapter, which states, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” However, the author draws our attention to one misunderstood fact, that the blood offering was made for the High Priest himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.”

The Day of Atonement was given to allow sins that the people had unintentionally committed or “committed in ignorance”. It was also a communal offering, in other words the covering would provide reparation for all sins committed throughout the previous year where the people had not realised their error or had not intended to break God’s Laws. This is set out clearly in Numbers 15:29. 

We might well ask, “what happened to those who openly defied the Lord and knowingly sinned?” Numbers 15:30-31 gives us the answer! “But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the Lord and must be cut off from the people of Israel. Because they have despised the Lord’s word and broken His commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.”  This was a subject that we dealt with when looking at Hebrews 6:4-8. The matter will arise once again later in the epistle. (See Hebrews 10:26-31.) This is a thought-provoking matter and underlines how seriously we should view our sin. In a culture that has completely rejected God’s laws, it is hard for us, as believers, to live in such a way that will completely honour and glorify Him. Thankfully the blood of Jesus Christ covers all our sinfulness, Be it intentional or not. Forever! Hallelujah!  

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