| Laying of hands: If we see the text as it stands then no light seems to be given us as to what the symbolism of the laying of hands means. We therefore need to appeal to texts that do give more light. We see when Moses laid hands on Joshua, authority to lead Israel was imparted. Usually something is imparted when one lays hands. However in this context we shall appeal to Leviticus 16:21,22: for here it is explained in the context of sacrifice. The only difference being that in Lev16: sacrifice is offered for the nation, not just for the individual. In Lev 16: 21,22 we see the priest lays hands on the sacrifice and confesses the sin and iniquity of the nation over the goat. It says then that the sins are put upon the goat. The goat bears all their sin, transgressions and iniquities and is let go to take their sins in the wilderness. So here we have clear light as to the meaning of the laying of hands on the sacrifice. The clear meaning is that sin, transgression and iniquity are transferred from the offender to the innocent victim. So when they laid hands on the goat their sin was taken from them. Even so we who have faith to believe that Jesus Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sin, when we confess our sins over his sacrifice we can know that our sins are taken away from us and laid upon him. So the 1st meaning of laying of hands is transference of our sins to the innocent victim. The 2nd meaning is that an innocent victim dies in the place of the guilty offender. This is commonly known as substitutionary atonement. For the law teaches that the soul who sins must die even as it was first promised to Adam. Again the New Testament teaches us that the wages of sin is death. Sin always results in death. But now the death that we should die is transferred to the innocent victim who symbolizes Christ Jesus. Jesus died the sinners death that we may go free and live. Isaiah 53:5,6 gives us again this Levitical imagery of the Lord Jesus been wounded for our transgression, bruised for our iniquities, and upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole. By His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, everyone has turned to his own way. Here is the Levitical imagery when it says the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. Could it be clearer. The imagery of the laying of hands on the sacrifice and transferring the iniquities upon the sacrifice and the sacrifice receiving our chastisement which is death. So the application for the one who trusts in the sacrifice is that the innocent victims death brings the guilty sinner life. Oh how ancient light becomes brighter. So far we have seen the transference of sin and death from us to the lamb without blemish who in its fullness is Jesus. Now we will discover the last and third meaning of laying of hands in this context. The meaning of the Hebrew means "to lean upon." The meaning is clear that people couldn't approach God without faith in the sacrifice to do what it was meant to do. To lean upon means "to trust in" to "rely upon". So there was no question that one could buy God off by offering him animals. There is no such thing as a mechanical ritual by which one could obtain forgiveness of sins. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith in Jesus our sacrifice to deal with our sins we can never approach God. This is why the apostles call for a response of trust in Christ for his cross to be effective for you. God doesn't ask you to respond by decision but by Faith and trust in his Son. This is the framework of the gospel. Many people are called to decision but not to Faith in Jesus . I am afraid that we have bought into formulas for salvation. We tell people if they the sinners prayer they will be saved. If that were the case all that say it every Sunday in nominal churches would be saved. Yes if it is said with faith in Jesus and his message, they will be saved. But alas many are not called to trust in Christ to save them, but rather prayer. The issue is vital if we are to birth people properly into the faith. We must make it our duty to present the gospel in such a way that people are challenged as to where and in whom they trust for salvation. Next in vs5 we find the worshipper must kill the animal from the flock without blemish. Not the Priest but the worshipper must kill the innocent victim before handing it over to the Priest. The symbolism in this is great. Here is the offender of Gods commands causing the death of an innocent victim that he may live. For the wages of sin is death and the offender of Gods commandments is worthy of death and under the sentence of death. How we need to discern the holiness of God,yes that transgression whether great or small carries the sentence of death. We think that only such crimes as murder warrant such a severe sentence and even then in this western liberal age many see death as been inhuman and too severe claiming to know better than God. The symbloism is all too clear that we caused our saviour to die for us who are as guilty as sin,even though He was without sin. Even so in the case of national and public offerings the Priests represented the offenders of the nation of Israel. Even so the nation of Israel became the executioners of the innocent victim,Jesus the Christ. So every individual sinner must see themselves as the cause of Jesus our saviours death. It is true our many grievious sins nailed Jesus to the cross. As soon as the offerer by laying hands on the victim transferred the obligation to die for his sins,then it quickly followed that, that sentence was exacted upon the innocent victim. The victim suffered the sentence of death which sin carries, instead of the offender who should instead have died. The point that the woshipper was to do this before the Lord,shows that this killing had everything to do with Yhwh whom the worshipper had failed in perfect consecration to honour and serve. Next we find that the Priest stepped in to offer the blood and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting.(vs5) The offenders part has now been completed and now the Priestly function commences. We find he was to sprinkle the blood only on the sides of the altar The altar was appointed as the point of Yhwh's special presence. This is where God would come to man to bless him. The blood represents life and that blood the life of an innocent victim atoning for a guilty sinner rendered up in the sinners place. The sprinkling of blood for the remission of sins was the duty of the Priest even our heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ.
We come now to When a person approaches God presenting Jesus our spotless sacrifice. Trusting in Jesus sacrifice to take our sins away and to take the death that we must die for our sins. Then we have a great promise from God. He says the sacrifice will be accepted to make atonement for you. The promise is certain, that if you come God's way trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus He will be accepted for you. The promise is certain, there is no maybe. You can know that your sins are forgiven. To make atonement means to cover over your sins. It is very much like a charge sheet been brought before the Judge. As long as the charges are there you can be prosecuted. But the imagery of atonement is this. It is as if a pot of ink has been spilled over the charges that condemn us. When the Judge receives the charge sheet he only sees spilled ink and can't read the charges. He says then there is no charge against so and so as There are no charges on the charge sheet. |