The Cathedral Close

On the day of atonement the high priest of Israel received two young goats, and having slain one of them in the outer count, passed with its blood and with incense into the Holy of Holies, there to sprinkle the blood upon the mercy-seat.  Having done this, he returned, and laying his hands upon the other goat confessed over it, “the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins;” and this goat was then sent away into the wilderness “to bear their sins into a land not inhabited.”

The first goat was a type of the Lord Jesus, offering Himself in death for our sins.  The other was a figure of Him as the Lamb of God bearing and taking away the sins of the world; while as the high priest passed into the Holy of Holies there to sprinkle the blood before the mercy-seat. So we are taught He has passed with His own Blood into Heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of God for us.

For in the Epistle for this week, we are taught that He is the High Priest of good things to come, whom the high priests of Israel in all their ministrations typified and prefigured.

While the high priest was thus ministering within the Holy of Holies, the people were mourning and praying without, and in like manner the acceptance of all our prayers and thanksgivings depends on the intercession of the eternal High Priest appearing for us in the presence of God in Heaven.

As He intercedes for me, so should I learn from His example to intercede in His name for others also. If previously I have not remembered this, let me learn in this Passion Week.  In this week when the Church turns our thoughts towards Him, that I, too, am called as a member of His Body, the Church, to have a little share with Him in His work of intercession.

In church we can scarcely help recognizing this, because many of the prayers which are offered there are of this intercessory character; but I ought to make my private prayers to some extent intercessory also.

Prayer

O Lord Jesu Christ, grant me grace that in union with Thee I may in this also follow Thine example. Amen.