前面我们谈到了祭司在进入会幕中的圣所之前,必须用水清洗自己,象征着洗去他们的罪(10月8日)。因为罪的工价乃是死,所以祭司要代替有罪的人献上象征罪被洗净的祭牲。然后,祭司将祭牲的血洒在人们身上,表示他们的罪已被赎清。然而,祭司用水清洗和洒血并不能真正除去人们的罪(来 10:11)。
藉着神的灵,以赛亚预言了一位牺牲受苦的仆人,尽管他是无罪的,却来代表神的子民,承担了他们的罪(赛 49-50; 52:13-53:12)。这位仆人就是耶稣,祂成为了至圣的、无罪的大祭司,为赦免我们所有的罪甘心献上了自己,并用自己的血为祭,在灵里遮盖了我们的罪(来 8-10章)。
旧约的祭司们期待着未来神以某种方式除去罪的那一天,而今天我们可以回顾瞻望基督耶稣的十字架。当人在洗礼的水中被洗净、被遮盖时,这一切仪式都成了基督救赎的象征物。如果下次有人问你:“你是什么时候得救的?”请你一定要回答:“大约两千年前”。
神啊,求你按你的慈爱怜恤我!求你将我的罪孽洗除净尽,并洁除我的罪!(诗 51:1-2)。阿们。
使徒行传 22:12-16; 希伯来书 9:11-14
12那里有一个人名叫亚拿尼亚,按着律法是虔诚人,为一切住在那里的犹太人所称赞。
13他来见我,站在旁边对我说:‘兄弟扫罗,你可以看见!’我当时往上一看,就看见了他。
14他又说:‘我们祖宗的神拣选了你,叫你明白他的旨意,又得见那义者,听他口中所出的声音。
15因为你要将所看见的、所听见的,对着万人为他作见证。
16现在你为什么耽延呢?起来,求告他的名受洗,洗去你的罪!’
11但现在基督已经来到,做了将来美事的大祭司,经过那更大、更全备的帐幕,不是人手所造,也不是属乎这世界的。
12并且不用山羊和牛犊的血,乃用自己的血,只一次进入圣所,成了永远赎罪的事。
13若山羊和公牛的血并母牛犊的灰洒在不洁的人身上,尚且叫人成圣,身体洁净,
14何况基督藉着永远的灵,将自己无瑕无疵献给神,他的血岂不更能洗净你们的心,除去你们的死行,使你们侍奉那永生神吗?
"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." - Acts 22:16
Earlier we talked about priests who had to wash with water, symbolically washing their sins away before they came into God's holy presence in the tabernacle (Oct. 8). Because the seriousness of sin resulted in death, the symbolically purified priest would sacrifice an animal in the place of the sinful people. The priest would then sprinkle the sacrificial blood on the people to show that their sins were atoned for. Yet the priest's washing with water and the sprinkling of blood did not actually take away the people's sin (Hebrews 10:11).
By the Spirit of God, Isaiah prophesied about a dedicated, suffering Servant who came to represent God's people and take their sins on himself, even though he was innocent of sin (Isaiah 49-50; 52:13-53:12). This Servant was Jesus, and he became the great, sinless High Priest who offered himself for the forgiveness of all of our sins, and spiritually covered us with his blood (Hebrews 8-10).
Old Testament priests looked forward to the day when God would somehow deal with sin, and today we can look back to the cross of Christ Jesus. And all of this is symbolized when someone is washed, covered in the waters of baptism. The next time someone asks you, "When were you saved?" be sure to answer, "About two thousand years ago."
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin" (Psalm 51:1-2). Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳