Rejoicing in Restoration

May 27, 2018 Background Scripture: Leviticus 16; Psalm 34; Hebrews 2:5 – 18 Lesson Passage: Psalm 34:1 – 10; Hebrews 2:17, 18 Today’s lesson focuses on the most important offering of all, i.e., the sin offering on the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement was the holiest day of all on the Hebrew calendar. Once during the year, the Day of Atonement, the High Priest presented himself before the Lord and offered a sin offering for himself and all of Israel. In addition to the sacrifice of a bullock, a ram, and a lamb, there was also a scape goat. The scape goat was presented before God alive and all the sins of the people of Israel were confessed on the head of the scape goat. Following this confession by the priest, the scape goat was led far into the desert and released so that it (and the confessed sins of the people) could not find its way back to the people. The people waited patiently for the priest to emerge after his work was completed so that they could know that God had accepted the sin offering for their atonement. This once per year ritual required the High Priest to enter the Most Holy Place inside the tabernacle or temple—depending on the structure the people of Israel had available to them at the time. If the High Priest remained alive and emerged from the Most Holy Place, this was a sign to Israel that God had accepted the sin offering. A favorable outcome indicated that God had forgiven their sins for the past twelve months. They could once again expect the favor of God upon them during the upcoming year. The atonement ritual meant that the nation of Israel was once again “at one” with God. This spiritual status would be borne out in their everyday lives as they encountered obstacles. Psalm 34 is a recognition and celebration of such a status. Psalm 34 commemorates God’s deliverance of David from the hands of his enemies. David had become a wanted man by King Saul who sought to kill him. As a last resort, David escaped to the land of Israel’s enemy, the Philistines. David knew that Saul would not come there seeking him unless he was prepared to do battle with the warriors of the Philistines. King Saul did not go into the land of the Philistines; however, it was unfortunate for David that David’s reputation preceded him into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines knew the words of the song sang by the women of Israel that celebrated David’s defeat of Goliath. Goliath was the Philistines’ hero. He was a physical giant who led their army of warriors into battle. David killed Goliath and cut his head off. One of the Philistines recognized David and told the others of his presence. When King Abimelech sent for David to appear before him, David pretended to be insane and allowed spit to run out of his mouth and down his beard. King Abimelech was disgusted by it and ordered that David be taken away from him. But he spared his life because he thought David was insane. It was this deliverance from his enemies that prompted David to write Psalm 34 in celebration of his deliverance from the Philistines through God’s intervention. This is a psalm of rejoicing. In it, David extols the name of God. David recognized that his deliverance was a result of the favor of God over his life. Robert C. Hudson April 18, 2018