Series: Types of Christ
Title: Of and For
Text: Leviticus 16: 5; Hebrews 2: 11-18
Date: July 11, 2010
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
We are dealing with the day of atonement. Last time, we focused on the high priest, a type of Christ the High Priest. Today, we are focusing on the offerings. We will consider one verse and focus on two words: OF and FOR.
Leviticus 16: 5: And he shall take OF the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats FOR a sin offering, and one ram [also taken OF the congregation of the children of Israel] FOR a burnt offering.
Both these goats were FOR a sin offering. One goat was killed and his blood made atonement for the children. The other goat had the sin of the children laid upon him and bore their sin away--unto a land of separation. Both were but one offering, typical of the one offering made by Christ Jesus the Lord whereby his has perfected forever those who he sanctified. The burnt offering with its smoke rising up typified God's acceptance of Christ's well-pleasing sacrifice.
Here is our focus today: the two goats and the one ram were taken OF (from among) the congregation of the children of Israel. They were offered FOR the children of Israel to make atonement for their sin. The offering was taken OF that congregation only. The offering made atonement FOR that congregation only.
What is the point? The sin-offering, being taken only OF the children of Israel and offered only FOR the children of Israel declares the ONENESS made between God and his chosen children of promise IN Christ Jesus.
I. The congregation typified here is the household of God.
God is the Father. Christ Jesus is God the Son. All the elect of God make up the family of God--the congregation of the children of Israel--the church of God. The Lord Jesus is the Firstborn Son of God. The Elder Brother of all God's children. Among the sons of men, Abraham is called the father of all God's true children. God promised Abraham that the Messiah--THE SEED--was coming through Abraham.
Genesis 22:18: And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Galatians 3: 16: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
The promise God made to Abraham was that in Christ the Seed--THE son of Abraham--THE child of promise--God would bless the spiritual children of Abraham. And God promised Abraham that he would have a multitude of sons and daughtes, called "children of promise"--God's elect. God counts only his elect as his children and as the children of Abraham. Remember Abraham had two boys--Isaac was God's elect child of promise; Ishmael was not; Isaac had two boys--Jacob (Israel) was God's elect child of promise; Esau was not. Even among the Gentiles, the chosen of God, redeemed by Christ, born of the Spirit are the children of promise--the children of Abraham.
Romans 9: 8: That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Galatians 3: 7: Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham…28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29: And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
What we learn in our text is that God took THE One who would make satisfaction FOR the sins of his children of promise, FROM AMONG--OF--his children of promise.
Leviticus 16: 5: And he shall take OF the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats FOR a sin offering, and one ram FOR a burnt offering.
Hebrews 2: 11: For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12: Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;
Hebrews 10: 4: For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins…
God was not satisfied by the goats and the rams…but a body did God prepare and Christ came in that body and perfected the will of God in making satisfaction for the children of promise.
Romans 8: 3: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.]
Hebrews 2: 14: 14: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15: And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16: For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. [OF THE PROMISED CHILDREN FOR THE PROMISED CHILDREN--ALL OF ONE] 17: Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Christ was faithful--he accomplished the work of reconciling his people to God and finished the work given him to do. He is greater than Moses, who was faithful.
Hebrews 3: 6: But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
II. Where is our confidence and the rejoicing of our hope? IN CHRIST.
Turn to Eph 1. Notice here that all the blessings are OF God from eternity--through time--to eternity IN CHRIST.
Ephesians 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7: In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8: Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9: Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
In time, in Adam, in our flesh, our sin separated the children of promise from God yet before time, God put his children of promise in Christ. And because the children were flesh and blood Christ took part of the same--the sin offering was taken OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. He was willingly made the sin we are, offered himself to God FOR US, and made us the righteousness of God IN HIM--the sin offering was FOR THE CHILDREN OF PROMISE. When the Spirit of Christ enters into each child of promise he makes us to rejoice that we are AT ONE--with God--IN CHRIST. This our confidence and our hope of rejoicing which we hold firm unto the end.
APPLICATION: NO MATTER THE MEASURE OF GRACE GIVEN TO THE BELIEVER, EVERY BELIEVER HEARS ONE VOICE, FOLLOWS ONE VOICE AND A STRANGER WE WILL NOT FOLLOW. HIS VOICE TEACHES US THIS VERY HEART OF OUR GOSPEL:
AND BECAUSE EACH BORN AGAIN CHILD OF PROMISE KNOWS WE ARE FULLY ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED, AND THAT ONLY THROUGH CHRIST SHALL EACH CHILD OF PROMISE BE BORN OF THE SPIRIT AND GROWN IN GRACE, WE BEAR WITH THE UNREGENERATE AND WITH ONE ANOTHER'S GRAVE CLOTHES WHICH WE EACH STILL BEAR. BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR GOD IS ABLE!
The Pharisees and Sadducees were kinsmen according to the flesh with Paul, searched the same scriptures as Paul, used the same name of God as did Paul, but they would not walk with Paul for one reason because only God makes this mystic sweet communion through the truth of Christ.
Yet, every one in whom Christ dwelt joined themselves with Paul because through him they heard THE VOICE which never fails to unite our hearts in love! Until then the carnally religious man regards the minor as major and is ashamed of the gospel of Christ Jesus.
Illustration: Stranger from around the world unite when they hear the Voice of Christ!
Ro 12:5: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Ephesians 4: 1: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2: With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3: Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
All because of these two little words OF and FOR