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Dear Heavenly Father, Praise I praise you today for your Son, Jesus Christ. He is the final sacrifice for sins. When He “came into the world, He said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me. Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.’ And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb 10:5–10). Today in Your Word Today you told me about the Day of Atonement. Its purpose was to cleanse the Tabernacle of the ritual pollution caused by the sin and uncleanness of the people and to atone for the people’s sins: “You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins” (Lev 16:30). The Day of Atonement prefigured the crucifixion. Christ’s death on the cross accomplished what the blood of animals could not, and the effectiveness of His atonement was demonstrated by the veil of the temple being torn in two (Matt 27:51). Through Him, I now have the right to come into your presence at any time (Heb 10:19ff.). Christ’s supremacy to the Levitical high priests is seen in the ceremony of the Day of Atonement: (1) they entered an earthly tabernacle; He entered the heavenly “holy places,” (2) they entered by means of the blood of animals; He entered by means of His own blood, (3) their entrance into the Most Holy Place was repeated and brief; Christ entered once for all and remains seated at the right hand of the Father, (4) the result of their offering was temporary (it was repeated each year); His offering secured my eternal redemption, (5) the blood of their offerings only cleansed externally; Christ’s blood cleanses and perfects my conscience. I have a better covenant, a better sacrifice and a better hope! Hallelujah! Reflection How sobering to think that my sin cost the life of the precious Son of God. Am I living in a way that honors His sacrifice, or do my actions bring shame to His name? Request Father, help me to “show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end.” Keep me from being “sluggish,” and enable me to be an imitator “of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb 6:11–12). Thanksgiving Thank you for the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for my sins so that He might rescue me from this present evil age, according to your will (Gal 1:4). Praise the Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen. Suggested Hymn: “O that I had a Seraph’s Fire” by John Kent. Meditation Verse: Leviticus 16:30.