Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - SCARLET CORD

 SCARLET CORD*

When we think of purity, we often think of that  in reference to something as being white and something sinful as red or scarlet. Even Christ, who Himself was not Caucasian but of Middle Eastern nature, is described in Revelation as:

 

His head and hair were white as wool, as white as snow… 

(Revelation 1:14) 

In contrast, Satan (or sin) is often represented as being of a red colour, and although nothing is Scripture states this, this is how man has come to think of him. Perhaps this stems in part from the book of Isaiah where it states:

“Come now, and let us reason together,” 

Says the Lord,

Though your sins are like scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they are as red as crimson, 

They shall be as wool. 

(Isaiah 1:18)

There is apparently, in part of the Talmud, a writing which tells of a scarlet cord that was, in time past, tied to the doors of the Temple. On the Day of Atonement, when that Atonement had been accepted and completed, this cord would evidently turn from red to white. Now this apparently occurred every year from the time of the second temple to a point of time in the midst of the first century when the change no longer took place.

This, of course, corresponds to the time of the death of Jesus and apparently was meant to be a confirmation that Jesus’ death was the final sacrifice and that animal sacrifices were no longer required. Rabbis apparently point to this change as a sign that the final atonement has taken place, that the sins of many have been cleansed, and that the guilty have been made innocent.

Sins which were scarlet have been made white as snow. 

…Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

But a body you have prepared for Me.

…Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and 

offerings for sin You did not desire, 

nor had pleasure in them.

…Behold, I have come to do your will, O God.

…we have been sanctified through the offering of the 

body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

…He adds, “Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

(Hebrews 10:5, 8-10,14,17)

So, in the middle of the first century, the cord no longer changed colour, an indication that sacrifices were no longer required. The death of Christ satisfied everything. But it goes on to say:

…if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,

there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 

but a certain fearful expectation of judgement…

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

(Hebrews 10:26-27, 31))

Just something else to think about.

*concept from The Book of Mysteries day 209 by Jonathan Cahn