My Journey to Life, Step 4—The Sanctuary

8. How does the ancient Day of Atonement correlate to Jesus’ High Priestly ministry on our behalf today?

The work of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement was to symbolically cleanse the Most Holy Place from the congregation’s accumulated sins of the previous year. The people prepared carefully for this event by an outward cleansing of their clothes and dwellings, and by an inward cleansing from their sins through confession, repentance, and seeking forgiveness from God. JTL4 5.1

Today, there is no need for an earthly priest because the new Covenant work of Christ depicting two aspects of His mediation in salvation history does away with the old Aaronic priesthood. Today Jesus is the only priestly mediator between God and us. In this atypical Day of Atonement, Christ invites us also to prepare for judgment through confessing and forsaking our sins and seeking the covering of Christ’s righteousness (see the story of the wedding garment in Matthew 22:1-14). The idea of a judgment or investigation to determine guilt or innocence prior to determining judicial sentence can be found throughout Scripture. In heaven’s judgment taking place now, Christ is all at once our Advocate, Redeemer, Priest and Friend! Nothing can take us out of His hand except our own choice. JTL4 5.2