每年遵守的贖罪日，是以色列敬拜儀式中最重要的。這天大祭司要帶著贖罪的血，在全國人的矚目下進入至聖所，大祭司所帶的血是用來遮蓋全國人民一年的罪，因為血在以色列全國百姓和個人赦免觀念裡是最重要的，除了獻給上帝，上帝不准人把血用在別的用途上，因為「血裡有生命，所以能贖罪」（17：11）。

        你可曾有過這樣的經歷？和一個性情乖戾暴躁的人住在一起？一種復發的疾病？一張到期的帳單？一個法律執行上的威脅？面對這些情況，總叫人產生劇烈的痛楚。
        舊約時代，這種情緒就緊緊的籠罩在每一個贖罪日，那氣氛常令人窒息難挨。當大祭司小心翼翼的進入至聖所為全國百姓獻上贖罪祭之時，每一個人心中最大的疑問是：「上帝會赦免我們的罪嗎？」
        事實上，贖罪日最可怕的真相是；罪絕對沒有完全潔淨，只不過是暫時遮蓋而已，人類的罪頂多移轉到贖罪公羊的身上罷了，罪債仍在，倒像是一張期票，一年又一年的拖延下去。
        難道你不欣喜耶穌基督結束了這種不穩定的局面嗎？藉著祂的代死，長久以來的罪債釘在十字架上，完全償清了（西2：14），當你付這個月罪的帳單時，提醒你：其實是另一個人──耶穌付出這些代價。

        一年的遮蓋與保護
        「贖罪」這個字在希伯來文的意義是「遮蓋」，它在舊約出現一百次以上，相同的字根也在創世紀六章十四節中出現，說到上帝命令挪亞要將方舟「裡外抹上松香」，正如同松香塗抹在方舟上保護方舟內的乘客一樣，祭物的血在有罪的人與上帝之間，為上帝被人破壞的律法作了挽回的功效。

十字架上的神蹟不是血，而是誰的血。

English

        The great Day of Atonement observed each year was Israel's most significant act of worship. On that day the nation gathered to watch expectantly as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of atonement to cover the sins of the nation for another year. Because blood was die central ingredient in Israel's national and personal forgiveness, God prohibited its use for any purpose except sacrifice to Him, for "it is the blood that maketh an atonement" (17:11).

        Have you ever had to live with a gnawing uncertainty? A recurring illness? An overdue bill? The emotions effacing situations like those are intensely painful.
        In Old Testament times (he emotions that charged the air on every Day of Atonement were just as intense. As the high priest cautiously entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the nation, one question was uppermost in everyone's mind: "Will God pass over our sins for another year?"
        The awful reality of the Day of Atonement was this: Sins were never fully cleansed. They were only temporarily covered and sent away on the head of the scapegoat. The debt of sin remained unpaid, like a promissory note deferred from year to year.
        Aren't you glad Jesus ended that uncertainty for all lime? The long-standing debt of sin was nailed lo His cross and paid in full (Colossians 2:14). When you pay your bills this month, remind yourself, and one other person, of the price Jesus paid.

        Covered and Protected for Another Year
        The words atonement, appease, and pacify all come from the Hebrew root meaning "to cover," which appears more than 100 times in the Old Testament. The same root occurs in Genesis 6:14, where Noah is commanded to cover the ark "within and without with pitch." Just as the pitch covered the ark and protected its passengers, so the shed blood of the sacrifice stood between sinful humanity and the holy God whose law had been violated.

The wonder of the cross is not the blood, but whose blood.