Your comment concerning the cross is central, as much as it distresses me and makes me flinch. The heavenly city is always founded on blood, on a rough cut altar stone like Jacob’s pillow. It is a rock anointed with oil and blood and fire, a miniature Sinai. It smashed the political kingdoms of the Gentiles to pieces and is now filling the earth. The Land is always purified with blood. The kingdom is always bought with blood. That is how we fill up that which is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.

I think that is what the writer of Hebrews meant when he said the first century Jews should enter the Holy Place boldly. The Ark and its two angels were the tomb of Jesus. The rest of Canaan is always entered by death, over blood, no less now that it is a heavenly country.

The High Priest entered with blood for Himself and the priests. Then he entered again with blood for the people. The suffering of those bold first century saints, including Peter, as this second entry, completed the foundation of a New Jerusalem, and brought down God’s vengeance and an end to the rebels continuing the Old Covenant rites. Christians are never taught this history, so much of the New Testament is read out of context.

The same is required today. We are to enter the Tomb boldly with our own blood for the next generation, not atoning, but demonstrating. We do this liturgically as we pass the cup to each other. We enter into death together, and leave church each week as resurrected saints to conquer the world as living sacrifices. When the blood is displayed (as at the Ascension), the Spirit descends (as at Pentecost) and the city is built—on blood.

Aussies won’t be manipulated, but they will be bought. Not with money but with love. The foundation of any church is a blood covered rock, an altar stone with our heads on it.