I can’t believe it’s been nearly ten years—but it was back in the fall of 2007 when construction on the Inter County Connector began. Sue and I noticed this almost immediately because a portion of the Inter-County Connector runs through our neighborhood. As I said last week, it’s literally right across the street.
Well—in the beginning, the construction through our little community of Winters Run looked more and more like a small version of the Grand Canyon. I was tempted to get a helicopter and charge for tours! I mean, it got deeper and deeper because the plan was for that section of the highway to be a tunnel—and I have to say, it was interesting to see how they built it.
First the four houses that straddled that portion of the ICC were demolished. By the way—here’s a little Redland trivia. Long-time members Frank and Virginia Coffman used to own one of those homes. Virginia told me that the real estate agent who sold them the home said the open land next to it was for a nature preserve and hiking trail!
Once the homes were gone they began digging that Grand Canyon on either side of Old Mill Run—the only road in and out of our neighborhood. Next they destroyed Old Mill Run—partially—tearing down one side of the road—and building a temporary way around that part of the construction area on the other side. Next they built the columns or pillars of the tunnel on the “destructed side” and put a steel/concrete ceiling or roof across these pillars—making a bridge. Then they put a temporary road across that bridge—after which they destroyed the other side of Old Mill and then repeated the process. Then they expanded the tunnel on either side with more columns topped by bridges, dirt, grass and finally trees and landscaping ending in a wall about 100 yards on either side.
Well, in spite of how interesting it was during all this construction driving was quite a pain. I mean the temporary roads across what would become the ICC were often congested. I had to allow extra time in and out of the neighborhood because I’d often have to wait for oncoming traffic to pass over the narrow road. And—it was dangerous to drive over that deepening chasm. I mean, it was long way down!
But the more they worked on those temporary roads the more I could get a GLIMPSE of what the completed road/tunnel would look like. And a couple years later it was no longer a glimpse—it was a reality. Today a NEW, BETTER Old Mill Road is there in its original location and unless you look very carefully, you don’t even see the ICC. In place of that great chasm are two huge fields—parks where you could go on a picnic. If it weren’t for the sound of all the cars speeding by you’d never know you were eating your hot dogs on top of an interstate highway.
I share this highway story because in my mind the construction in our neighborhood back in ‘07 illustrates—to a limited extent—the Old Covenant—and its purpose. Here’s why I say that. Mankind was separated from God. Our sin made a huge chasm between us and our Creator. The Old Covenant was a temporary way for this chasm to be crossed—but it was not sufficient because it was just the “construction” stage for the New Covenant. In fact, by looking back at the Old we get GLIMPSES of the New because the Old was the prep work for the New and Living Way for this great chasm to be crossed. I mean, today, because of Jesus, people no longer have to obey a rigid system of laws accompanied by endless sacrifices. To come to God—to cross this chasm—all we need do is confess our sin and our belief that Jesus died on the cross in our place. Once we ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior the way is open. We can then come boldly—directly—into God’s loving presence—no “theological stoplights” — no complex laws—-no congestion—nothing to block our way.
With that in mind, take your Bibles and turn to Hebrews 9. Follow along as I read verses 1-15 and 24-26.
1 – Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.
2 – A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lamp stand and the table with its consecrated bread;this was called the Holy Place.
3 – Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,
4 – which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.This ark contained the gold jar of manna,Aaron’s staff that had budded,and the stone tablets of the covenant.
5 – Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
6 – When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry.
7 – But only the high priest entered the inner room,and that only once a year,and never without blood,which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
8 – The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning.
9 – This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
10 – They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
11 – But when Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are now already here, –He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands,that is to say, is not a part of this creation.
12 – He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood,thus obtaining eternal redemption.
13 – The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.
14 – How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 – For this reason Christ is the Mediator of a new covenant,that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
24 – For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;He entered Heaven itself,now to appear for us in God’s presence.
25 – Nor did He enter Heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
26 – Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Okay—I want to make sure you understood what I just read—so I am beginning our study with a “Cliff Notes” description of the worship in the Tabernacle. And if anyone doesn’t think the Tabernacle is important enough to understand, consider this: God used three chapters of the Bible to describe the creation of the world—and 50 chapters to describe the Tabernacle. The reason behind all this Scriptural real estate is that the Tabernacle was indeed meant to provide a picture—a GLIMPSE—of what Jesus came to do on the cross. You’ll see that in our study because the Old Covenant really was the “construction phase” of the new. Understanding all that went on in the Tabernacle helps us better understand why Jesus had to die on that first Good Friday.
So—close your eyes and imagine as I describe the place. Let my voice lead you through a virtual tour. Ready? No dozing off! Okay—here goes.
Israel’s tabernacle was a portable tent-shrine that was always situated at the geographical center of all these wandering Hebrews—with the twelve tribes camped around it in a designated order. In fact, when Israel broke camp and headed out—from a bird’s eye view—it looked like a huge moving CROSS made up of over a million marching people. There’s “GLIMPSE #1!” And this glimpse continued because when they camped, the Tabernacle was always at the intersection of these perpendicular columns made up of Israel’s twelve tribes.
Okay with that encampment in mind—if you were to approach the Tabernacle, you would first see the white linen walls of the Court of the Tabernacle—which formed an enclosure 150 feet long and 75 feet wide. The uniform whiteness of the enclosure’s walls symbolized the holiness of the Tabernacle’s function.
There was only one gate—only one way in to this enclosure—a foretelling of Jesus Who is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE—the only Way into God’s presence—GLIMPSE #2! As you enter through that one gate into the courtyard, immediately in front of you would be the Altar of Burnt Offering—a large bronze altar with a horn at each of its four corners to which the offering someone was bringing—a goat or bull—could be tied. This bronze altar was as far as the layman could come, and it is the place where he laid his hands on the head of the sin offering he had brought—symbolically transferring his sin to the animal.
Behind the altar and a little to the right stood the bronze LAVER, a washbasin for the exclusive use of the priests. Directly behind the laver was the Tabernacle itself, a flat-roofed, oblong tent fifteen feet in height and width and forty-five feet long. It was covered with three layers. The first consisted of gorgeous woven tapestries of blue, purple and scarlet yarns and linen, which was then overlaid with two layers of animal skins. Inside, the Tabernacle was divided into two rooms by an ornate veil woven of the same colors along with gold and embroidered with angels called cherubim. The veil was supported by four golden columns set on silver bases. Have you got the picture?
Okay, the first outer room was called the HOLY PLACE and the second inner compartment, hidden behind a thick curtain, the MOST HOLY PLACE or the HOLY OF HOLIES. In the first room there was the lamp stand, the table and the consecrated bread. The lamp stand was made of solid gold with three branches springing from either side and each of its seven branches supporting a flower-shaped lamp-holder. The table, sometimes called “The table of Presence” contained twelve loaves of bread—one for each tribe.
Understand, these furnishings were all profoundly prophetic of Christ. They provided very clear GLIMPSES of His future coming. For example, the seven-branched candlestick of pure gold represented Jesus Himself, Who would leave Heaven’s glory to become the Light of the World—and make His people shine as such. The consecrated bread anticipated Christ’s words in John 13 where He said, “I am the Bread of Life.” (John 16:35)
The next room—was called THE HOLY OF HOLIES. Verses 3-5 describe it: “Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tables of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover.”
This incense altar prophesied the ultimate prayers—the prayers now offered by Jesus—our High Priest in the presence of God as He intercedes on our behalf. But the cover of the Ark of the Covenant is even more prophetic. It was the mercy-seat—and I’m referring to the gold plate covering the Ark upon which the blood of the atonement was sprinkled—where that the sins of Israel were propitiated. Romans 3:25 tells us that Christ was “displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood.” 1st John 2:2 proclaims “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins.” So, the mercy-seat symbolized Christ’s work. But we also glimpse Jesus fleshed out in the CONTENTS of the Ark. I mean, He perfectly fulfilled the law written on those stone tablets. And—Aaron’s staff that budded when it confirmed him as high priest—foretold Jesus’ priesthood. Of course the manna again speaks of Him Who is the Bread of life.
Okay—you can open your eyes! Now—I shared all this because to fully understand the worship that went on in the Tabernacle you need to envision its layout. You also need to know that activity in the Tabernacle wasn’t just a one-day-a-week deal. No—it was a continual daily ritual. Worshipers brought their sacrifices to the great bronze altar in the outer courtyard one after another.
And—when it came to the Tabernacle itself—week by week priests were chosen by lot for the high honor of their career to serve in that first room, the Holy Place. There they tended the seven lamps morning and evening, keeping them full-flamed and stoking the coals on the altar of incense, upon which they dropped handfuls of incense—filling the room with a delicious cloud. Weekly the exchanged the bread with fresh and then were privileged to partake of the sacred loaves. But none of them even dared to GLANCE into the Most Holy Place on pain of death. You see, they had no access to this room whatsoever. No—ministry in the Holy of Holies was the domain of the High priest once a year—and what a day that was—the Day of Atonement when the High Priest would enter.
We talked about it a couple weeks back but let me give you more detail. We know that during NT times the high priest underwent rigorous preparation for that day—and I’m sure it was like that in the days of the Tabernacle. Seven days before the day of Atonement, the High Priest left home and stayed all and night in the Temple. During that week he practiced what he would do on that great day so he would make no mistake. He was especially cautious not to come close to anything that would make him ceremonially unclean—like a dead body. This was a challenge for Aaron in the wilderness with 90 people dying every day.
Well, on the morning of the Day of Atonement, the high priest offered a burnt offering. Following this he ritually bathed his entire body and then instead of putting on his traditional robes—the ones we talked about two weeks ago—he donned a sacred white linen tunic along with white undergarments—and a white sash and white turban—thus symbolizing that he was free from defilement. This would be a reminder of Jesus, Who laid aside HIS robes of glory when He came to earth.
Next the high priest placed his hands on the head of a bull, selected as a sacrifice for his sins and the sins of his family. After a prayer of confession, he left the bull for a few moments and turned to two goats nearby and cast lots over them. In this way one was designated for Jehovah and the other as the scapegoat. A piece of crimson wool was tied to the horns of the scapegoat and a thread was bound around the goat to be slaughtered. Then the goats were left standing there. The high priest now turned to the bull and sacrificed it.
Next he filled a censer with burning coals form the altar of burn offerings and entered the Holy of Holies, where he poured two handfuls of incense on the coals—so that a cloud of incense covered the mercy-seat. This done, he exited, and obtained some of the bull’s blood which he then sprinkled on the mercy-seat the then seven times on the ground before the cover. After this he sacrificed the goat designated for Jehovah and performed the same ritual of blood in the Holy of Holies.
When he emerged he mixed the blood of the bull and the goat, put it on the horns of the altar, and sprinkled the alter seven times to consecrate if from the uncleanness of the Israelites. Then the priest laid both hands on the head of the live goat and confessed all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put then on the goat’s head. The goat was then led away in to the desert amidst the jeering of the people who exclaimed, “Bear our sins and be gone!” This was to give a glimpse of Jesus, Who would take our sins on Himself and be taken outside the city walls where most of His followers abandoned Him—and where He was crucified.
After this the high priest took off his white garments—which were surely splattered with blood, bathed again, arrayed himself in his priestly robes—and completed the burn offerings of the bull and goat plus other offerings. The remains were carried outside the camp and burned. When all this was done the relief of the people was so great that they accompanied the high priest to his home here he entertained them at a feast.
Well, in spite of all of this tradition—all this incense and careful practice and bathing—and special garments—not to mention all these sacrifices—it was all still inadequate. It didn’t do the job—at best it gave a glimpse of the real deal—and to show you why I say that, let’s go deeper in our comparison of the OLD and NEW Covenant.
(1) First, the Old Covenant made possible only a limited ACCESS to God.
Remember, only the priests got into the Holy Place when it came their turn—and only the High Priest got into the Holy of Holies—so He was the only one able to enter God’s presence—and that only one day a year. Even then he had to be very careful to prepare himself properly or suffer death. A normal Israelite—a “regular Joe”—could only get into the front of the courtyard. He could go no farther than the bronze altar. A NON-Israelite had no access whatsoever.
Plus, the Tabernacle was a portable thing. Man could only access God there—and it was always moving with those wandering Hebrews. So—the fact is under the Old Covenant there was almost ZERO access to God—only one group—the Levites had access and it was VERY limited at best.
(2) Here’s a second problem with the Old Covenant. All its sacrifices only had a limited EFFECT on sin.
Understand, the Tabernacle—and later the Temple was a place of CONSTANT sacrifice. Bulls, goats, sheep, doves—animals were always being sacrificed there. This is why many have called Biblical Judaism “slaughterhouse religion.” And—that’s not too far from the truth because during the thousand-plus years of the Old Covenant there were more than a million animal sacrifices. Now—if you consider that each bull sacrificed would spill a gallon or two of blood and each goat a quart, the Old Covenant truly rested on a sea of blood. In fact, during the Passover when blood sacrifices were at a high, a trough was constructed from the Temple down into the Kidron Valley for the disposal of blood—sort of a sacrificial plumbing system.
Well, why–why this perpetual flow of blood? It was for one main reason—to teach that sin both demands and brings death. It destroys everything it touches. It destroys beauty—gradually distorting God’s image in us. Scientist say that blood is the most effective cleansing agent in the world because of the way it removes impurities from the body—but all that animal blood didn’t do the job of cleansing man’s sin. As the writer says, these animal sacrifices provided just an OUTWARD cleansing. It could not cleanse the conscience. There could be no deep, abiding sense of God’s forgiveness.
So—the Old Covenant—was much like the construction phase of that bridge/tunnel in our neighborhood. It was not good enough—it wasn’t sufficient—it didn’t do the job—but then again it was never supposed to for it was temporary. Its purpose was to give us a glimpse of Jesus—because only Jesus’ death—only His sacrifice on the cross COULD cleanse—COULD make us pure in God’s eyes.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City was just renovated. Here’s how a New York magazine summarized the $177 million restoration project: “The original construction lasted 20 years from cornerstone to the dedication in 1878. The current restoration took another nine. More than 150 workers, directed by the architecture firm Murphy Burnham & Buttrick, made 30,000 separate interventions, planned and tracked with advanced software—but executed by hand. Workers filled the interior with a city of scaffolding. Specialists climbed it to heal cracks in stained glass, fix shattered bits of tracery with invisible puzzle pieces of steel, scour soot off blackened marble, rebuild eroded filigree—replace crumbling stones, re-plaster ribbed vaults, and revivify wooden screens. The most impressive tasks aren’t even visible: replacing the entire cooling and heating system and hooking them up to geothermal wells—that have been sunk up to 2,200 feet below Manhattan’s asphalt crust.”
The artistry, the expertise, the craftsmanship—were all top-notch. Was it worth all the effort? Look at these before and after shots.
The article noted: “Before the restoration, sunlight struggled through darkened windows and got sucked into gray-green vaults. Now the stained glass glows, and the ceiling, restored to its original patterns of pale ocher on plaster, painted to resemble stone, spreads light on the nave below.”
I share this because through His death and resurrection, Jesus has made possible the greatest restoration of all time. We can be completely cleansed of all our sin—our God-given beauty can be restored! So—Jesus had to die because, as the old covenant illustrated—forgiveness—this inner cleansing we all need—is costly. There is a penalty to pay for our sin and that penalty had to be equal to the offense. That’s why animals couldn’t do the job. No—since our sin is against an infinite God, we need a sacrifice of infinite value. It follows then that only our infinite God could supply the sacrifice that He Himself demands—-and that is exactly what He has done in sending Jesus. Instead of demanding blood—He provided it through the sacrifice of His Son.
And to help us all better understand this—better comprehend why the New Covenant—the Covenant in Jesus’ blood—is better—let’s look at the New Covenant in comparison to what I just said about the Old.
(1) First, Jesus’ sacrifice provides not limited but UNLIMITED access.
Look at verses 11 and 12: But when Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are now already here, –He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands,that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood,thus obtaining ETERNAL redemption.
So understand—Jesus did not slip into the Holy of Holies amidst a protective cloud of incense and then exit until the next year. No—He sat down at the right hand of the Father never more to leave. He intercedes on our behalf to this day. When He died on the cross that thick curtain at the entrance to God’s presence in the Holy of Holies was torn in two—
—so that all people who put their faith in Jesus’ sacrifice have unlimited access to God. We can ALL enter BOLDLY with confidence—knowing we will be welcomed and given the help we need. And we aren’t limited to following some moving tabernacle. We don’t even have to come to church. We can be in God’s presence ANYWHERE—ANY TIME.
I remember my first trans-Atlantic flight. It was a long flight and I decided to watch Pixar’s Monsters Inc. which is about how monsters can come out of any closet to scare little children. And—then when these monsters are done they can re-enter “monster world” through any closet door. I mean, any closet leads right back to their monster world home. Well, half-way through the movie we hit some severe turbulence and the moment I got afraid it hit me, God is here with me in this plane over the Atlantic. If we crash I still enter Heaven from here—just as easily as I would back home. The “door” to God’s presence is with me wherever I go because as a Christian—as someone covered by Jesus’ blood—I have UNLIMITED access to God. Wherever I am I can enter through the DOOR—Jesus.
(2) And then Jesus’ sacrifice has not limited but unlimited EFFECT.
Look at verse 13 and 14 again: “The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God—cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death—so that we may serve the living God!
Jesus’ blood isn’t just some ceremonial deal—it’s not just an external symbol—no it’s power is such that it cleanses even our consciences. It makes us as if we’ve never sinned—and removes our guilt.
Toward the end of his life Albert Speer was interviewed about his last book on ABC’s GOOD MORNING AMERICA. You should remember that Speer was the Hitler confidant whose technological genius was credited with keeping Nazi factories humming throughout WW II. In another era he might have been one of the world’s industrial giants. Speer was the only one of twenty-four war criminals tried in Nuremburg—who admitted his guilt. He spent twenty years in Spandau prison for his war crimes. The interviewer referred to a passage in one of Speer’s earlier writings: “You have said the guilt can never be forgiven or shouldn’t be. Do you still feel that way?” The look of pathos on Speer’s face was wrenching as he responded, “I served a sentence of twenty years and I could say, ‘I’m a free man, my conscience has been cleared by serving the whole time as punishment.’ But I can’t do that. I still carry the burden of what happened to millions of people during Hitler’s lifetime. And I can’t get rid of it. This new book is part of my atoning, a clearing of my conscience.”
The interviewer pressed the point, “You really don’t think you’ll be able to clear it totally?” Speer shook his head. “I don’t think it will be possible.” For 35 years Speer had accepted complete responsibility for his crime. His writings were filled with contrition and warnings to others to avoid his moral sin. He desperately sought forgiveness—he wanted to be cleansed from his guilt. All to no avail.
If I had been able to talk to Speer. I would have told him that the blood of Christ cleanses us of ALL sin. I would have told him that—because through faith in Jesus God forgives our sins and remembers them no more—He removes them from us as far as the east is from the west!
You know I used Speer’s life as a sermon illustration several years ago and after the service a visitor was VERY angry with me. Instead of shaking my hand as he left he expressed his rage that I would even MENTION Speer because of the evil he and Hitler’s other cronies had done. But as shocking as it seems—the fact is Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient to cover ANY sin. If Hitler HIMSELF had confessed His sin and asked Jesus to forgive—our Lord would have done that because His sacrifice is UNLIMITED in power. As the old hymn text says, “There is WONDER-WORKING power in the precious blood of the lamb.”
Here’s another thing to further explain that wonder-working power. Jesus’ sacrifice is RETROACTIVE. It covers not just our present sins but our past sins as well. Look at verse 15: “He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” Paul talks about this in Romans 3 saying, “In the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.”
And Jesus didn’t have to be sacrificed over and over again—no as it says in verse 26. “He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Jesus’ sacrifice reached all the way back to the Garden of Eden and all the way to the end of time. On the cross He covered our sin, past, present, and future.
This is why billions of people down through the ages have come to faith in Jesus. We all instinctively know we are guilty—inside we know we are sinners in need of forgiveness—and experience has taught us that nothing else works. Good deeds—wealth, education—-religious ceremonies—like those in the Old Covenant—nothing and no one cleanses us and brings us into relationship with God—no one but Jesus.
Tim Keller tells the story of how, in 1955, Billy Graham was invited to speak at the University of Cambridge by a small group of Christians attending there. Almost immediately, letters to the editor of the Times of London began pouring in essentially saying: I’m sure that Graham is a nice man, but he’s a fundamentalist Christian—the sort that believes that the blood of Jesus is required for salvation. And we all know that sort of thing doesn’t go over here. Further, I can’t imagine what the fine young men and women from the University of Cambridge can learn from a man like this. Well, this kind of press worried Graham so he set about creating eight erudite, high-minded, scholarly lessons. They were totally different than he typically gave. He had one lesson for each night he was to preach at Great St. Mary’s church. There were about 8,000 students at the University of Cambridge at that time and each night, Graham packed the church with 2,000 students and faculty. On that first Monday and Tuesday night, Graham delivered his prepared remarks and something incredible happened. Nothing. And for Graham, even a young Graham at the beginning of his ministry, nothing was a big deal. So on that Wednesday night, Graham set aside his prepared remarks and said, “Let me tell you what I know about the Cross of Jesus Christ.” I’ll share Dick Lucas’ eyewitness account: “I’ll never forget that night. I was in the totally packed chancel sitting on the floor with the Regus Professor of Divinity sitting on one side-—and the Chaplain of a College who was a future bishop on the other.. Both of these were very good men, but completely against the idea that you needed salvation from sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. So dear Billy got up that night and he began at Genesis and he went right through the whole Bible and he talked about every single sacrifice you can imagine. The blood was just flowing all over the place-everywhere for 3/4 of an hour. And both my neighbors were terribly embarrassed by this crude proclamation of the blood of Christ. It was everything they disliked and everything they dreaded. But at the end of the sermon, Billy Graham dismissed the audience and invited anyone who wanted to say behind and make a commitment to Christ. And that night to everyone’s shock, 400 young women and men stayed. They stayed because they believed Jesus die for their sin—that His sacrifice of blood gave them access to God.
Sing with me:
“There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel’s veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains!
Lose all their guilty stains! Lose all their guilty stains!
And sinners plunged beneath that flood, Lose ALL their guilty stains!”