This is a Big Deal!
Propitiation for our sins…I John 2:2 and 4:10
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins, 1 John 4:10. Propitiation is an interesting word. It is used in the LXX to describe what the High Priest did on the Day of Atonement behind the veil in the tabernacle, the Holy of Holies. On that day, the priest sprinkled blood on the Ark of the Covenant as propitiation of the sins of Israel. Both Paul, Romans 3:25 and John, 1 John 2:2 and 4:10 use this word to describe Jesus, the Son of God.
Unfortunately, this act had to be repeated, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins, Hebrews 10:4. Therefore, God sent His Son: to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past…Romans 3:25.
Herein is divine love: He Himself is the propitiation for our sins—and not for ours only—but also for the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. By grace through faith you have been redeemed; you have been justified; you have been sanctified. You are His.
But there is more…And His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 2 Peter 1:3.
And even more…by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2 Peter 1:4
What Aaron did on the Day of Atonement as High Priest pointed to what Jesus would do as our High Priest. One big difference. The blood sprinkled would be His blood and not that of bulls and goats. What Aaron did had to be repeated. Not for Jesus, for the death that He died, He died to sin once for all (Romans 6:10) not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).
What Jesus did was no small thing!
