One of the most significant keys to understanding the extent or the intent of the atonement of Christ (who Christ died for), are the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament, which pointed to Christ and the sacrifice He made on behalf of those who would benefit from it (“those who are called” – He 9:15). In regard to those animal sacrifices, primarily in view is the Day of Atonement, which occurred only “once a year” (He 9:7). Thus, this is also what the book of Hebrews is primarily focused on.
In this study we’re going to talk about the types and shadows of the OT sacrifices, and how the ransom that was paid for God’s chosen people of Israel, points to the ransom that Christ paid for all of His chosen people.
The Ransom Paid by Christ is a Major Key to Understanding Election
By way of introduction, the temporary and outward forgiveness of the chosen people of Israel that pertained only to this life, was a picture of the eternal and inward (spiritual) forgiveness of the chosen people of Christ in the next life. Accordingly, the ransom that was paid for all the chosen people of Israel, was a picture of the ransom that was paid for all the chosen people of Christ.
Therefore, Jesus could not have paid the ransom for every person who comes into the world. That is not what the OT animal sacrifices reveal.
What also needs to be understood is that God chose Israel unconditionally. Likewise, to be an accurate type, God also had to choose the people of Christ unconditionally.
Major Points of the Atonement:
1. Israel was an imperfect type or picture of the true Israel, which is Christ and His Church. Jesus is Himself true Israel, and we are spiritual Israel or spiritual offspring in Him (Gal 3:16,19,28-29; Ro 9:6-8).
All the people of Israel were called the people of God. They were the chosen of God as His people—chosen unconditionally (De 7:6-8; De 14:2). This included both true believers and unbelievers. This is why Israel is an imperfect type of true Israel, which is perfect and is made up of all true believers.
2. Likewise, the atonement (ransome paid) for the children of Israel was an imperfect type or picture of the atonement of Christ, which is perfect. The blood from the animals that was shed for the atonement of Israel, was for every single person, whether they were believers in the God of Israel or not:
(Leviticus 16:29-34 – BSB) – [29] This is to be a permanent statute for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you shall humble yourselves and not do any work — whether the native or the foreigner who resides among you — [30] because on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD. [31] It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, that you may humble yourselves; it is a permanent statute. [32] The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments [33] and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the assembly. [34] This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.
What makes this an imperfect type of the atonement of Christ is that it provided only outward and temporary forgiveness of sins, and it was for all the people of Israel, whether they were believers in the God of Israel or not. The atonement of Christ, which is perfect, provided spiritual and eternal forgiveness for everyone He shed His blood for.
3. In addition, the atonement that provided forgiveness of sins for the people, was only a temporary and outward covering, “because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (He 10:4). It brought the people into favor with God in this life, but it did not provide “eternal redemption” for any of them:
(Hebrews 9:12-13 – NIV) – [12] He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. [13] The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.
(Hebrews 10:1-4 – BSB) – [1] For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. [2] If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins. [3] Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, [4] because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
(Also Hebrews 10:11-14)
So we see that the blood that was shed on behalf of the people of Israel, merely provided a covering, or an outward cleansing that in no way provided everlasting spiritual cleansing of sin, which is what the atonement of Christ does for us. That’s what the OT sacrifices pointed to, which had to be done continuously “year after year” (He 10:1-3).
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest went into the Holy of Holies (or the Most Holy Place) and made temporary atonement for the sins of the people once a year (He 10:1). On the other hand, the atonement of Christ was done “once for all time” (He 7:27; He 9:12; He 10:10) and provided spiritual, eternal forgiveness of sins (redemption), where sinners are brought into an eternal right relationship with Him through faith in His Son.
4. The ransom that was paid with the blood of animals for all the people of Israel under the Old Covenant, is a picture of the ransom that was paid with the blood of Christ for all “those who are called” by God (He 9:15). These are the “chosen” redemptive people of God (Eph 1:4), just as the people of Israel were the “chosen” people of God. However, under the Old Covenant, only those who were “called” obtained true and everlasting forgiveness. This is true for everyone before and after the cross. The gift of faith always accompanies our call to Christ (Eph 2:8-9).
5. The ransom that was paid under both Old and New Covenants is revealed to be for everyone it was intended for. Under the OC, the ransom was paid for all the people of Israel, but was only temporary and outward in nature. Likewise, since the ransom that was paid under the OC points to Christ and the ransom He paid, we know that the ransom He paid had to be for everyone He died for. Since we know that not everyone receives forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Christ, we know that the ransom He paid to set sinners free from the slavery and penalty of sin, had to be only for those whom the Bible refers to as “the elect” or those who are “chosen” (for salvation).
This is what’s known as particular atonement for the particular elect. Those are the elect of God, who are “called” and “drawn” to His Son (He 9:15; Jn 6:44), which is always accompanied by faith, which God Himself gives to them as a gift of His grace (Eph 2:8-9) — because no one just happens to be in the right place at the right time when they hear (or read) the gospel of Christ. No one just happens to believe in Christ. No one wills themselves to believe. Making it more personal, we as the redeemed didn’t choose to believe in Christ. We believed because it was simply in our hearts to believe. Faith is something we have or don’t have. None of this is anything we could make happen for ourselves. It’s all by the providence of God. Our salvation is all God’s grace, from start to finish.
6. What about the idea that since the atonement (animal sacrifices) was applied to all the people of Israel, that it points to unlimited atonement, that Christ shed His blood for all sinners? The answer is in the question. It doesn’t work, because we know that the blood of Christ is not applied to all sinners, but only to those who receive Christ as their Savior. Accordingly, such an idea doesn’t fit the picture provided by those OT sacrifices. Accordingly, the chosen all of OT Israel has to point to the chosen all of the people of Christ—“chosen in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4). This applies to both NT believers, as well as OT believers.
Summary
Jesus could not have paid the ransom (with His blood) for every person who comes into the world. Because if that were true, everyone would be forgiven of their sins and redeemed (set free); everyone would be saved from the penalty of their sins. However, we know that is not the case. Most will die in their sins to spend eternity apart from God. Since Jesus didn’t pay for their sins, they themselves will pay for their sins. It can’t be both.
Therefore, we know that Jesus could only have paid the ransom for a particular group of people, and that would have to be the elect people of God, chosen for salvation “before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4), which is typified by the chosen people of God in the OT.
In a nutshell, everyone for whom a ransom is paid, is always set free. Therefore, we know that the ransom paid by Christ could only have been for certain people. The Bible refers to them as “the elect,” known and chosen by God before He even created us. Jesus came into the world specifically for them, to set them free (redeem) from the penalty of their sins.
So much more that can be said about this subject, but I will reserve that for later studies.
