SEVENTH REASON: THE ATONING BLOOD LIES AT THE HEART OF HEAVEN'S GLORY
In the last book of the New Testament we have the Revelation, the Unveiling, of Jesus Christ. As the curtain is drawn aside in the prologue of chapter one, there is a doxology which sums up the reason for our inheriting heaven. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen," Revelation 1:5, 6.
We come to heaven through the Blood of the Redeemer.
Revelation places a new and unique emphasis on Christ as the Lamb. Christ crucified is called "the Lamb that was slain," Revelation 5:12. Christ's indignation is called "the wrath of the Lamb," Revelation 6:16. Christ's union with the Church is called "the bride, the Lamb's wife," Revelation 21:9. Christ's apostles are called "the apostles of the Lamb," Revelation 21:14. Christ's record is called "the Lamb's book of life," Revelation 21:27. Christ's Blood is called "the blood of the Lamb," Revelation 7:14.
Well might Rutherford say:
Revelation places a new and unique emphasis on Christ as the Lamb. Christ crucified is called "the Lamb that was slain," Revelation 5:12. Christ's indignation is called "the wrath of the Lamb," Revelation 6:16. Christ's union with the Church is called "the bride, the Lamb's wife," Revelation 21:9. Christ's apostles are called "the apostles of the Lamb," Revelation 21:14. Christ's record is called "the Lamb's book of life," Revelation 21:27. Christ's Blood is called "the blood of the Lamb," Revelation 7:14.
Well might Rutherford say:
The King there in His beauty,
Without a veil, is seen:
It were a well-spent journey,
Though seven deaths lay between;
The Lamb, with His fair army,
Doth on Mount Zion stand;
And glory --- glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze on glory,
But on my King of Grace ---
Not at the crown He gifteth,
But on his pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Immanuel's land.
Without a veil, is seen:
It were a well-spent journey,
Though seven deaths lay between;
The Lamb, with His fair army,
Doth on Mount Zion stand;
And glory --- glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze on glory,
But on my King of Grace ---
Not at the crown He gifteth,
But on his pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Immanuel's land.
Now four things are revealed about the Blood in heaven.
1. The Blood is the centre of heaven's throne.
"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain (or a newly-slain Lamb), having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." Revelation 5:6.
At the centre of the Throne in the eternal heavens is the Blood of our redemption. The Blood is central in the plan of salvation. The Blood is central in the work of redemption. The Blood is central in the Word of God. The Blood is central in the Church of God. The Blood is central in the Mind of God and the Blood is central in the Throne of God in heaven. Around this redemptive and regal centre all God's purposes revolve. By the blood of Christ in the Throne we are lifted up onto the throne. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne," Revelation 3:21. "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death," Revelation 12:11.
2. The Blood is the characteristic of heaven's dress.
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean," Revelation 19:11-14. "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb," Revelation 7:13, 14.
Christ's garments are white, dipped in Blood and the saints' garments are white being washed in the Blood.
Here is taught the great truth that we enter heaven in the garments of our Substitute and Saviour. Clad in the righteousness wrought out by the obedience and Blood of Christ we are acceptable, and not only acceptable but well pleasing to the eye of God. In this wedding garment our hearts shall be as pure as the unstained wool, as spotless as the dew of the morning; no wrinkles upon the brow; no sin upon the soul.
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
This spotless robe the same appears
When ruin'd nature sinks in years;
No age can change its glorious hue,
The robe of Christ is ever new.
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
This spotless robe the same appears
When ruin'd nature sinks in years;
No age can change its glorious hue,
The robe of Christ is ever new.
3. The Blood is the theme of heaven's song.
"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation," Revelation 5:9. The Blood provides an inexhaustible subject for the eternal praise of the redeemed in glory. The Blood throughout all eternity has power to awaken in the whole host of heaven an overflowing of joy and thanksgiving. It remains forever the source of heavenly bliss.
"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation," Revelation 5:9. The Blood provides an inexhaustible subject for the eternal praise of the redeemed in glory. The Blood throughout all eternity has power to awaken in the whole host of heaven an overflowing of joy and thanksgiving. It remains forever the source of heavenly bliss.
The blood has always precious been
'Tis precious now to me;
Through it alone my soul has rest,
From fear and doubt set free.
O wondrous is the crimson tide,
Which from my Saviour flowed!
And still in heaven my song shall be
'The precious, precious blood!'
'Tis precious now to me;
Through it alone my soul has rest,
From fear and doubt set free.
O wondrous is the crimson tide,
Which from my Saviour flowed!
And still in heaven my song shall be
'The precious, precious blood!'
4. The Blood is the apex of heaven's glory.
"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel," Hebrews 12:22-24.
On the great day of atonement under the Mosaic economy there were seven sprinklings of the blood. At the end of the day there was a bloodmarked way straight from the door of the tabernacle through the two veils into the Holiest of All, and right on to the mercy seat.
"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel," Hebrews 12:22-24.
On the great day of atonement under the Mosaic economy there were seven sprinklings of the blood. At the end of the day there was a bloodmarked way straight from the door of the tabernacle through the two veils into the Holiest of All, and right on to the mercy seat.
1. At the foot of the brazen altar. ["And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation."] Leviticus 4:18.
2. Round about upon the altar. ["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."] Leviticus 16:19. 3. On the horns of the brazen altar. ["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."] Leviticus 16:18. 4. On the horns of the golden altar. ["And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD."] Exodus 30:10. 5. Before the veil. ["And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail."] Leviticus 4:17. 6. Before the mercy seat. ["And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times."] Leviticus 16:14. 7. On the mercy seat. ["And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times."] Leviticus 16:14. |
Now the furniture of the Tabernacle were patterns of the things in the heavens, and the writer to Hebrews reveals what this sprinkling signified. "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us," Hebrews 9:11, 12; 22-24.
The Blood opens the door of heaven and leads the way to the throne of heaven, and the Blood is the highest revelation in heaven of the glory of the Lord. The glories of heaven are listed and the final glory is the blood of sprinkling. Finality in the tabernacle on earth was the blood on the mercy seat and finality in the tabernacle in heaven is the Blood. As the glory which overshadowed the camp of Israel arose from the blood-sprinkled mercy seat, so the glory of heaven radiates from the Blood of the Lamb. The Blood is the foundation and finish of heaven's glory.
Therefore I believe in the Atoning Blood of Christ because that Blood lies at the heart of heaven's glory.
The Blood opens the door of heaven and leads the way to the throne of heaven, and the Blood is the highest revelation in heaven of the glory of the Lord. The glories of heaven are listed and the final glory is the blood of sprinkling. Finality in the tabernacle on earth was the blood on the mercy seat and finality in the tabernacle in heaven is the Blood. As the glory which overshadowed the camp of Israel arose from the blood-sprinkled mercy seat, so the glory of heaven radiates from the Blood of the Lamb. The Blood is the foundation and finish of heaven's glory.
Therefore I believe in the Atoning Blood of Christ because that Blood lies at the heart of heaven's glory.
Sing, O ye sinners bought with blood,
Hail the great Three in One!
Tell how secure the covenant stood
Ere time its race begun.
Ne'er had ye felt the guilt of sin,
Nor sweets of pardoning love,
Unless your worthless names had been
Enroll'd to life above.
O what a sweet exalted song
Shall rend the vaulted skies,
When shouting grace, the blood-wash'd throng
Shall see the Top Stone rise.
Hail the great Three in One!
Tell how secure the covenant stood
Ere time its race begun.
Ne'er had ye felt the guilt of sin,
Nor sweets of pardoning love,
Unless your worthless names had been
Enroll'd to life above.
O what a sweet exalted song
Shall rend the vaulted skies,
When shouting grace, the blood-wash'd throng
Shall see the Top Stone rise.
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