There’s a verse in the New Testament Book of Hebrews where the blessed truth of “God’s Great Exchange” (Jesus giving Himself for us on the cross that we might be His forever in heaven) is beautifully presented. The author of Hebrews writes: “The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his blood” (Hebrews 13:11-12).

 

The author of Hebrews was explaining the meaning of several “shadow-pictures” of the Old Testament: the priesthood, animal offerings, and blood sprinklings. Just as priests like Aaron would take the blood of a sacrificial lamb into the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle as an offering for the sins of the people, sprinkle it there, and then take the body of the dead animal outside the camp and burn it, even so Jesus permitted His enemies to shed His blood on the cross outside the walls of Jerusalem as an offering for our sin, and upon completion of His sacrifice, entered the Most Holy Place of heaven, sprinkling His blood there (as it were), so we might have the blessing of forgiveness and a home reserved in our name in Paradise to live in forever.

 

All praise to our Redeemer for His great love that moved Him to let His enemies take hold of Him and haul Him like refuse is transported outside the city and dumped in a landfill, so that we might be brought into a close, loving fellowship with God and live with Him in the New Jerusalem!