The idea that we can equally view Jesus' death and resurrection from the vantage-point of Leviticus, as well as Leviticus from the Vantage-point of Jesus' death and resurrection is instructive, and bears a lot of fruit. Leviticus depicts the Day of Atonement, and the sacrifice in the Central Sanctuary as not only a place of forgiveness of the nation of Israel's sins, but also as a purification of the sanctuary (See Lev. 16). Scholars who reflect on this, chief among them being Jacob Milgrom and Jon Levenson (most others simply draw on them), write that the Central Sanctuary, first the mobile tabernacle, and then the Jerusalem Temple is a microcosm of the world. The purification of the tabernacle, then, restores balance to a creation that has been put into disharmony with its Creator, so that the LORD's blessing may flow into that creation, and the creation is upheld. Granted, this is done on a small scale in the purification of the tabernacle, but it is done on behalf of the whole world, and stands in for the reconciliation of the whole world to its Creator.
Likewise, through Christ's death and resurrection, Christ has entered into the heavenly sanctuary and made purification for sin. This not only allows for the believer to enter into right relationship with his or her Creator, but also reconciles all of creation to God. Christ upholds the world by the word of his power by virtue of the purification that he made in his death and resurrection (Hebrews 1). what was done on behalf of Israel in the Central Sanctuary and Jerusalem Temple has been done on behalf of the whole world through Jesus Christ. As Paul writes in Romans 8:19-22,
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Every thing has been placed under Christ's feet due to his victorious, purifying work on the Cross. As Creation is made subject to him rather than to futility, creation is restored.
What does this mean concerning the comprehensive scope of the Gospel? Tell me what you think, and we will continue this discussion tomorrow.
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