`Mine iniquity is greater than ... may be forgiven'.

This double meaning is seen in Genesis 19:15 :

`Lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city' (Margin punishment).

From Genesis, throughout the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms, and from Matthew, throughout the Gospels, Acts,

Epistles and the Revelation, the Scriptures testify with one voice that :

`Without shedding of blood is no remission' (Heb. 9:22).

In both Hebrews 9:14 and 22 the blood of Christ is linked with `purging'. The purging with hyssop does not refer to

the use of the herb as a medicine, but as a `sprinkler'. In Exodus 12:22 `a bunch of hyssop' was used to sprinkle the

lintel and the side of the door, at the time of the Passover. In Leviticus and Numbers, hyssop is used for the

cleansing of the Leper, and for uncleanness (Lev. 14; Num. 19).

`Whiter than snow' seems an anticipation of the description of the Transfiguration :

`His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them' (Mark 9:3).

`Create in me a clean heart, O God' (Psa. 51:10).

Here is no reform, no turning over a new leaf, but rather a new creation. The word `clean' looks back to the

`cleansing' of a leper (Lev. 14) which, be it remembered, restored the leper to his place as a worshipper; and also the

`pure' gold and the `pure' incense, that was demanded for the worship in the tabernacle. So David can pray for a

`clean heart' and a restoration to the `joy' of his salvation. A superficial criticism of Psalm 51:13 :

`Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee'

says, in effect, `Surely any one who had sinned as David had, is no fit person to teach or to think of the conversion

of others' - but this is untrue. The primary qualification for a Teacher and Preacher of God's Word and Gospel is

that he himself, the Teacher and the Preacher, should be able to say :

`ONCE I WAS BLIND BUT NOW I CAN SEE'.

`Blot out'. This looks to `Justification'. The Law Court.

`Wash me'. This looks to `Sanctification'. The Temple.

And both look to the blood of Christ :

`Being now justified by His blood' (Rom. 5:9).

`Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate' (Heb.

It is not our purpose to discuss the merits of any particular place of worship, nor to advocate the attendance, or

non-attendance at the meeting place of any one sect or denomination; we desire to `Preach Christ', and by so doing

we shall strike a more powerful blow at sectarianism than by all the denunciations that we might pour forth, and at

the same time feed the Lord's people with the True Bread which cometh down from Heaven.

The wonderful Meeting Place to which we wish to draw attention is found in Isaiah fifty three and symbolized in

Exodus 25:21 and 22. Let us turn to Exodus 25:16-22. The Ark of the Covenant had placed within it the unbroken

tables of stone. Let it be remembered that Israel in reality never received the ten commandments - they were

broken before they could be given them. God's answer was `Make an Ark', not `Give them another chance', or

`Give them an easier code'.

Upon this Ark is placed the Mercy Seat, the propitiatory, which exactly fitted the Ark beneath. Here we have

Romans 3:21-26, set before our very eyes. Atonement has a broad base of righteousness to rest upon. The blood

sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat covers the perfect and unbroken law within. `That He might be just, and the

justifier of him which believeth in Jesus'.