Propitiation And Peace

Intro: The concept of propitiation is the providing of a sacrifice or payment to appease God for having violated His law – to satisfy the Divine sense of justice and God’s wrath. A propitiation then is what enables sinful humans to have peace with God (and each other). Since man could not provide such a sacrifice, God provided it Himself as an expression of His grace and love. Synonyms of propitiation are to provide “atonement” or to “expiate.”

I) The Old Testament Roots of Propitiation and Atonement

A) The primary Hebrew word translated as "atonement" in the Old Testament is kapha, a verb meaning to cover, purge, reconcile, or make atonement.

1) It is found 102 times in the Old Testament

2) It is used to describe sacrifices offered to cover sin or defilement.

B) The noun form is kippur is used in Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), which is the fullest expression of Atonement in the OT Law.

1) The rituals and sacrifices of bulls and goats for the Day of Atonement are detailed in Leviticus 16. Leviticus 16:14-15 He 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. 15 "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.

2) In these Sacrifices, the priest “shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly” (Leviticus 16:33).

3) Kaphar refers to these actions that appease, forgive, or cleanse, by a blood sacrifice: Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'

C) The Hebrew concept of Kaphar (atonement) was translated into Greek in the Septuagint (LXX) which primarily translates the Hebrew verb kaphar (to atone, cover, or purge) using the Greek verb (hilaskomai) in sacrificial contexts, which means to make atonement or propitiation.

1)(hilaskomai) Thayer Definition: 1) to render one’s self, to appease, conciliate to one’s self. 1a) to become propitious, be placated or appeased 1b) to be propitious, be gracious, be merciful 2) to expiate, make propitiation for

2) The noun form (hilasterion) is used to refer to the place where the blood was offered and atonement was made. Hebrews 9:5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

(a) 1) relating to an appeasing or expiating, having placating or expiating force, expiatory; a means of appeasing or expiating, a propitiation

(b) used of the cover of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies, which was sprinkled with the blood of the expiatory victim on the annual day of atonement, hence the lid of expiation, the propitiatory 1b) an expiatory sacrifice

II) God provides the Propitiation for Us

A) ILLUS: We cannot provide the payment that would atone for our sins against God. Consider Tom and Sally. They meet at work and date. Tom is a bit wild. He takes Sally to a party where there is drinking and Tom gets himself plastered. He insists on driving Sally home. On the way, he veers off the road into a ditch, the car rolls several times, and Sally is paralyzed from the waist down. She is rightfully angry with Tom. She retains a lawyer. Tom does too. The lawyers get together to decide one question: What would it take to satisfy Sally? Paralyzing Tom? 10 million dollars? Making Tom be Sally’s slave? Actually, there is NOTHING Tom can do to satisfy Sally. No amount of money or pain or prison or humiliation he endures will suffice to make up for what he has done to her.

B) The Old Testament atonement was not sufficient to assuage God’s wrath. Hebrews 10:3-4 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

C) God provides the true propitiation in Christ.

1) Romans 3:25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

2) “In Christ Alone” the wrath of God is satisfied! (Not “the Love of God is Magnified” as one Presbyterian Hymnal committee wanted it to be.)