blood of animals ]; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these " ( Hebrews 9:22 , 23 ), even the precious blood of Christ .
The cleansing , both in the typical and in the real service , must be accomplished with blood : in the former , with the blood of animals ; in the latter , with the blood of Christ . Paul states , as the reason why this cleansing must be performed with blood , that without shedding of blood is no remission . Remission , or putting away of sin , is the work to be accomplished . But how could there be sin connected with the sanctuary , either in heaven or upon the earth ? This may be learned by reference to the symbolic service ; for the priests who officiated on earth , served " unto the example and shadow of heavenly things ." Hebrews 8:5 .
The ministration of the earthly sanctuary consisted of two divisions ; the priests ministered daily in the holy place , while once a year the high priest performed a special work of atonement in the most holy , for the cleansing of the sanctuary . Day by day the repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle and , placing his hand upon the victim ' s head , confessed his sins , thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice . The animal was then slain . " Without shedding of blood ," says the apostle , there is no remission of sin . " The life of the flesh is in the blood ." Leviticus 17:11 . The broken law of God demanded the life of the transgressor . The blood , representing the forfeited life of the sinner , whose guilt the victim bore , was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil , behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed . By this ceremony the sin was , through the blood , transferred in figure to the sanctuary . In some cases the blood was not taken into the holy place ; but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest , as Moses directed the sons of Aaron , saying : " God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation ." Leviticus 10:17 . Both ceremonies alike symbolized the transfer of the sin from the penitent to the sanctuary .
Such was the work that went on , day by day , throughout the year . The sins of Israel were thus transferred to the sanctuary , and a special work became necessary for their removal . God commanded that an atonement be made for each of the sacred apartments . " He shall make an atonement for the holy place , because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel , and because of their transgressions in all their sins : and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation , that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness ." An atonement was also to be made for the altar , to " cleanse it , and hallow if from the uncleanness of the children of Israel ." Leviticus 16:16 , 19 .
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