The Atonement of the Hebrew Scriptures.
WE have repeatedly said that we have great respect for the Jews and for their religion. The Hebrew Scriptures are the basis of all true religion; the very foundation of the truths of the gospel. In them we learn how man fell; and that the woman's seed shall bruise the head of the serpent. In them we find the promise that in the seed of Abraham all nations receive a blessing. In them we find the promise of the redemption of man and his dominion or inheritance, and the development of the plan whereby it shall be accomplished. The miracles wrought in behalf of God's chosen people, the descendants of Abraham, in Egypt, at the Red Sea, in the desert of Arabia, at the Jordan, and in Palestine, are authenticated by the most incontestable proofs. They are attested by memorials and wrought into the very life of the nation. It was not without good reason that the Jews exclaimed: "We know that God spake unto Moses." John 9:29. We now state a fact which ought to enlist the earnest attention of all thoughtful Hebrew people. It is this: The Christians, at the present time, are the only people who have a firm and reverential faith in the Hebrew Scriptures. Our intercourse with the Jewish people for years has strongly confirmed this truth in our mind. And on no point is this more manifest than in regard to their teachings concerning the day of atonement and the object of sacrifices. The Hebrews of Oakland, Cal., are favored with the ministration of an able teacher. Rabbi Levy is a man of both ability and culture. In a sermon on the last day of atonement he used the following language:— "How can man atone? What constitutes atonement? If you imagine that mere fasting is atonement, you are mistaken. Repentance is more necessary. If you imagine that repentance is all, undeceive yourself. Restitution is necessary. If you have injured any person, ask their pardon. If you have been injured, forgive. It does not follow because fasting may weaken the body, that it will have a like effect upon the soul. Neither will your fast be acceptable to God, unless accompanied by sincere repentance and the practice of righteousness. Would you know what sort of fast or atonement is approved by God, then listen to the words of his prophets." He then quoted from Isaiah 58, to show what kind of a fast the Lord accepts. An article published in a Jewish paper, about the same time, was still more plain in its statements that repentance, etc., makes atonement. It said directly that the Jews had outlived the old idea of using blood to make atonement. Now, in view of such teachings among the Hebrews, we would ask, Did God speak to Moses? Are the Hebrew Scriptures of divine authority, or are they of human origin? Was Moses deceived—was he a deceiver—or did God speak to him the words he should tell the children of Israel? According to the Scriptures, the views noticed above are not correct; the word of God teaches that blood is necessary to make atonement. The Jewish customs of the present day are in conformity to their circumstances, not according to the Scriptures. We say, conformity to their circumstances, for, under their present circumstances, they cannot offer blood—they cannot carry out the instructions of Moses in regard to the atonement. See the following commandment:— "Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest; but in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee." Deut. 12:13, 14. In verse 5 it is said: "But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come; and thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices," &c. The Lord chose Jerusalem as the place to put his name; there a kodesh was built; there his testimony was kept; and there only the priests ministered. And it was declared that if any man offered an offering and did not bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation, where the Lord placed his name, "that man shall be cut off from among the people." Lev. 17:1-9. Now inasmuch as Jerusalem is in the hands of strangers, and the dwelling-place of the name of God has been destroyed, it is not possible for the Jews to offer their appointed sacrifices. Their offerings ceased, not by their choice, but of necessity. Now they are adopting the necessity and declaring that it is their choice. But we are compelled by the direct instructions of the Scriptures to say that it cannot be the choice of any intelligent Hebrew who has a high respect for the teachings of the Pentateuch. And what do the Scriptures say about the use of blood in making atonement? We affirm that these two things are uniformly taught in the Pentateuch: 1. That only the priest made an atonement. 2. That he made it only with blood. On the day of atonement all were commanded to afflict their souls before the Lord, but it is never intimated in any place that this made atonement. The contrary is directly taught. Read the following texts: Lev. 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 16; 6:7, etc. In each of these verses it is said: "And the priest shall make an atonement for him" that had sinned. And it will also be seen by the context that the blood was taken by the priest wherewith to make an atonement. But these texts do not refer to yom kippur, or the day of atonement. Of that we find instruction in Lev. 16. On this we shall be excused for quoting at some length. "Then shall he [the high priest] kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat; and he shall make an atonement for the sanctuary, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins; and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the sanctuary, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel." Lev. 16:15-19. This is in full the process of making the atonement on yom kippur. The people were to afflict their souls, not that this affliction made any atonement, but to so relate them to God by penitence and humiliation, that the work of the priest might avail in their behalf. But the direct testimony is not exhausted. The following is still more emphatic:— "For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11.713Now we ask again, Did God indeed speak to Moses? Is it truth that the Lord told Moses that "it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul"? If it is not true, then the Scriptures are not reliable. If it is true, then the present customs of the Jews are not correct, not according to their own principles of faith, but, as we said, are an accommodation to their circumstances. But let us go back to an earlier period for instruction on this subject. When Noah came out of the ark, and built an altar and worshiped God there, then God enlarged his privilege as to food, giving him liberty to eat flesh, but with this important restriction:— "But flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man." Gen. 9:4-6. Here again the fact is stated, that "the life of the flesh is in the blood," and the blood of the shedder of blood is required; that is, life is required for life. And this is the reason why blood is required to make atonement. The sinner forfeits his life, for the Lord said: "The soul that sinneth it shall die." Eze. 18:4. As life is the only equivalent for life, the blood, which represents the life, for in it is the life, is required to make atonement. This, and this only, is the Scripture doctrine of atonement. Herein is shown the value and necessity of sacrifices. The life of the victim was taken for the life of the confessing sinner. But Paul wrote: "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Heb. 10:4. This is reasonable and just; it is also based on the law of equivalents. A goat is not worth as much as a man. The blood of a goat could not redeem man, or make an atonement for him as fact. It could in figure; it could illustrate the principle and teach the desert of sin. Hence the Scriptures teach the coming of a more dignified offering—a more perfect sacrifice. Isaiah spoke of one who was to be highly exalted, and "divide the spoil with the strong," and says: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. . . . For the transgression of my people was he stricken. . . . Because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isa. 53. And Daniel the prophet tells us directly who this is who is wounded for the transgressions of the people. "And after threescore and two weeks shall the Anointed [Messiah] be cut off, but not for himself." Dan. 9:26. Christians believe "all that the prophets have spoken." They believe that God spoke to Moses and the prophets, and in his word there is no uncertainty; of it there can be no failure. And if the Hebrews would see the full blaze of the light and glory of their Scriptures, they must seek it in the offering of the Anointed of the Father; they must find their atonement in the blood and intercession of that righteous servant who shall justify many, and who has borne their iniquities. Isa. 53:11. And if we are not correct in this, then the question remains to be answered, Did God speak to Moses?