A Complete Sacrifice

The most important day in the religious year of the Jewish people was the Day of Atonement, known today as Yom Kippur. On that day alone, the high priest went into the Holy of Holies with the blood of the sacrifices that covered the sins of Israel for one more year.

“He [the high priest] shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.” (Leviticus 16:14)

The blood alone could offer propitiation for the sins of God’s people, and it had to be brought into the presence of Almighty God in the Holy of Holies. I want you to notice in particular that the blood was sprinkled seven times. This frequency was no coincidence, for in the Bible, seven is the number that indicates the work of the Holy Spirit. Seven is also the number of completeness, or perfection. This regulation was exactly fulfilled in the way that Jesus shed His blood. His blood was shed precisely seven times before the sacrifice was complete.