道

  The Garden and the Fire: A Story of Holiness, Justice, and Love Long ago, in a quiet valley surrounded by mountains and flowing rivers, there was a village called Shelem — a name meaning peace, completeness. The people of Shelem lived simply and joyfully, for in the center of their village stood a garden enclosed by a fence of cedarwood. In the heart of this garden burned a small but brilliant fire . The villagers called it the Presence Flame , for they believed it was a sign that the Holy One — the Creator of heaven and earth— was with them. From childhood, every villager learned that the garden was sacred . Its paths were not to be entered casually, and the fire was not to be touched. But its warmth gave life to the village. When crops failed, its light gave hope. When enemies threatened, its glow reminded them that the Holy One watched over them. The Law of the Garden Every year, the village elders would read aloud from the Book of the Garden , which contained the commands...

  Rethinking Atonement: From Leviticus to the Heavenly High Priest Introduction “Atonement” lies at the heart of both Jewish and Christian theology. In the Hebrew Scriptures, especially Leviticus, atonement is not merely a ritual but a divine process of restoring relationship between God and humanity. The New Testament takes this foundation and expands it through the person and work of Jesus Christ. David M. Moffitt, in his influential work Rethinking the Atonement , challenges the traditional Western reduction of atonement to Jesus’ death alone, calling us to consider the full arc of death, resurrection, ascension, and heavenly priesthood. This article explores the theology of atonement as it unfolds: From Levitical sacrifice, To New Testament fulfillment, To Moffitt’s theological insights, And concludes with a comparison of both sacrificial flows and key Greek terms that support this heavenly perspective. I. Atonement in Leviticus: The Work of the Priest 1. The Hebrew Root – כָּפ...