Today's Favorite Verse: Leviticus 4:25

Today's Favorite Verse: Leviticus 4:25

"And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering."

As I have been reading about all the items need for the tabernacle and now what they are being used for, I cannot help but think that they stand as symbols. Just like the sacrificial lamb is a type for the Savior. In this chapter I wondered what the horns of the altar could mean. I went back to previous chapters where they are mentioned and see that there are four of them.

The number four makes me think of the four corners of the earth. So this could mean all mankind. What then is a horn? I picture them on top of an animals head, as if it were their crown. Could it mean its power and authority as king? Blood is the life of the animal. Blood is also what the Lord shed for my sins. I've read in the scriptures were the earth cries when innocent blood is shed. Is that why its being poured out at the bottom of the altar? 

This is reminding me of a discussion we had during family scripture reading. We discussed how people say they feel bad for the pain they have caused the Savior for their sins. As if being perfect would have caused him less pain. Somehow that doesn't sit right with me. I don't think my not sinning would have caused him even one less moment of pain. I think he suffered everything I was ever capable of doing, regardless if I did them or not. His atonement covered everything. I think the one who suffers less for not sinning is me. So when I think of the priest placing a drop of blood on a horn I think of my actual sins, that are being atoned for. When he pours out all the blood I think of it as all the sins I was ever capable of doing. Regardless Christ carried it all and paid the ultimate price for me. He paid a debt that even if I was capable of being perfect I could never pay him back. It was greater than I could ever need. He loved me more than my sins. I just need to love Him back. 

Day 669