There’s blood everywhere! Why? It seems so barbaric to us, so primitive and backwards. For the author of Hebrews, however, the bloodiness of the OT form of worship speaks volumes. It tells us something about ourselves that we don’t like to think about. Our world is constantly trying to convince us that “Baby, you’re a firework,” but the message of the Bible is “I am evil, born in sin” (see Ps. 51), and that message is vividly and perpetually on display in Israel’s sanctuary.

Modern readers can feel a little bit of reasonable queasiness when reading through the Torah–particularly the bits about the sacrificial system. It’s all so bloody! The NT book of Hebrews seems to sympathize a bit:

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Heb. 9:22).

There’s blood everywhere! Why? It seems so barbaric to us, so primitive and backwards. For the author of Hebrews, however, the bloodiness of the OT form of worship speaks volumes. It tells us something about ourselves that we don’t like to think about. Our world is constantly trying to convince us that “Baby, you’re a firework,” but the message of the Bible is “I am evil, born in sin” (see Ps. 51), and that message is vividly and perpetually on display in Israel’s sanctuary.

That’s actually a hard message to remember. I am too quick to forget that I am broken, sinful, and an abomination before a Holy God. What is more, human beings are constantly telling themselves that such cannot be the case; the kids are alright. It’ll all work out in the end. If we fool ourselves into believing hese things, we will inevitably approach God wrongly. That’s where all the blood comes in. The OT sacrificial system is a constant reminder that we are not, in fact, “all right.” In fact, as an OT saint approaches the tabernacle, the ceremonial law repeatedly and consistently  proclaims “you’re not welcome here.” Or, more accurately, “come, but not to close.”

Not Too Close

To see the logic of this, we need to take a closer look at the Tabernacle, particularly it’s structure and function. Why the tabernacle? What does it do? What is it’s purpose? I argued in a previous post that the whole point of the tabernacle is to provide Israel with access to the presence of God. We need God to come with us in our wilderness wandering, and because God is gracious and forgiving, he provides a system by which his presence is guaranteed. He will come, and he secures his presence by providing a sacrifice to atone for our guilt.

So the sacrificial system guarantees God’s presence, but at the same time it also quarantine’s God’s presence–or, rather, quarantines Israel from unencumbered access to God. It’s like an airlock on a spaceship, or a cleanroom at a pharmaceutical factory; certain people are allowed in if they follow certain procedures, but the place itself is guarded, protected, and not for the masses. As such, the tabernacle reminds them (us) that they (we) are guilty and polluted. It keeps them at a distance. Here’s Hebrews again:

The priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (Heb. 9:6-8).

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