Leviticus 16:6:  And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

A Star Ruby is used to represent this Bible Gem.  This dramatic Gem draws attention to possibly the most dramatic illustration of the Miracle of Forgiveness contained in scripture.  Our sin makes us unclean; our guilt makes us unfit to come into the presence of God.  Only a person with every sin forgiven, every sin washed away, all guilt removed can come into the presence of God!  That is the illustration in this Gem: a person who is unclean because of his sin and guilt being transformed.  This transformation is complete; with every sin forgiven and all guilt removed.  We know it is complete because this person immediately comes into the presence of the LORD and is not destroyed!  This is the "star" illustration of the Miracle of Forgiveness.  Understanding forgiveness starts with understanding the illustration in this Gem.

This Gem represents a great power.  This great power resided in an ordinance given to the ancient Israelites by Heavenly Father.   This ordinance was so powerful that it could transform the High Priest Aaron in such a way that he could come into the presence of the Lord, something no unclean thing could do.  This had been demonstrated in a dramatic fashion when two of Aaron’s sons were consumed by fire that came out from the presence of the Lord.  (See Leviticus 10:1-2)  The presence of the LORD appeared as a cloud above the cover of the Ark of the Covenant (called the Mercy Seat).  The Ark was located behind the veil in the temple that separated the main area of the temple from what was called the “Holy of Holies” or the “Most Holy Place”.  No one who retained the guilt of even one sin could enter the Holy of Holies and live.

Leviticus 16:1-2: And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; ²And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

The ordinance that Heavenly Father gave his children was one of atonement.  Atonement comes from the Hebrew word “kaphar” which means literally ‘to cover’ or ‘to cancel’.  The Greek word used for atonement is “katallage” meaning ‘exchange’ or ‘reconciliation’.  But what was this atonement to cover?  The answer is: “that thing which prevents us from coming into the presence of God”.  The answer is: “that thing which makes us unclean, condemned to Eternal Death”.  The answer is: sin.  Aaron’s sin had to be covered, his debt to that sin cancelled.  He needed to have his guilt exchanged for righteousness, his broken relationship with the LORD reconciled.  This had to happen before he could come into the presence of the LORD.  The transformation had to be immediate and it had to be complete for Aaron to survive coming into the LORD's presence.

The atonement ordinance the LORD provided was a sin offering.  A sin offering had three important components, a substitute, perfection, and blood.  (See Leviticus 4:3)  In this case the substitute for Aaron was to be a perfect young bull.  Its life blood would be used to cover Aaron’s sin.

Leviticus 16:14: And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

When Aaron followed God’s instructions he demonstrated his faith in God’s plan to send his Son as the true atoning sacrifice sometime in the future.  This sacrifice, like the bull, would act as Aaron’s substitute.  This sacrifice would also have to be perfect.  And it would be the life blood of this perfect substitute that would really cover Aaron’s sin.  Aaron’s faith (demonstrated by his obedience to God’s will) and Christ’s Atonement (symbolized by the perfect bull acting as Aaron’s substitute) immediately transformed Aaron such that he could literally come into the presence of the LORD!

This transformation was immediate.  And this transformation was complete.  All of Aaron’s sins were immediately covered, immediately canceled.  Even one remaining sin would leave Aaron unclean.  The proof of this principle of atonement (immediate and complete removal of sin) was demonstrated when Aaron came into the presence of the LORD and was not destroyed!

This is our first illustration of forgiveness.  Forgiveness granted through atonement (the covering of sin by the life blood of a perfect substitute).  Forgiveness defined as being made immediately and completely clean of every sin.  Forgiveness defined as being able to come into the presence of God.