Leviticus 16

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Review

Leviticus 1-7 told us about the sacrifices Yahweh God required from his covenant people for forgiveness, cleansing, and worship

Leviticus 8-10 was the institution of the priesthood that was to administer the sacrifices

Leviticus 11-15 we learned of all that could make the people and priest unclean and the prescription and directions the priests were to follow on a regular basis (sometimes daily)

In the process of setting up the priesthood and sacrifices, we learned of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu. We’re not told exactly how or when or what, but they failed to head the Word of the Lord and tried to perform a sacrifice in a way not specifically set out by Yahweh God and were killed instantly.

Introduction

Leviticus 16:1–2 KJV

And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; And 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.

God the Father told Moses to tell Aaron that there was only a specific time he was to enter the holiest of holies And not to go in there any other time or he would die too. We learn in verses 29 and 34 that on that one day, God was going to appear On the mercy seat on the tenth day of the seventh month and atonement would be made for all the sins of Israel

According to the New Oxford Dictionary the English word “atonement” traces its origin to the sixteenth century, when it appeared as two separate words (“at onement”) in translating eis eirēnēn in Acts 7:26 (“And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?” ) . In William Tyndale’s 1526 translation the word was used to render the Greek word katallagē in 2 Corinthians 5:18 (“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” ) . The term addresses the need for reconciliation in the relationship between God and man, which is disturbed by human sin. The need for atonement is necessitated by the universality of sin, the seriousness of sin, and man’s inability to remove or deal with his sin. The term is closely related to and frequently occurs in context with the prominent theological themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. It specifically addresses the need for removal of sin (expiation) to effect reconciliation with God.

Animals and dress for the ceremonies

Leviticus 16:3–5 KJV

Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on. And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Aaron needed a young bull, a ram, and the holy linens for the ceremony

He was to dress completely different for this one. Normally he was dressed in holy robes adorned with jewels and gold and silver. Normally, he looked like a king. Today he dressed like a slave. The most holy man in Israel was nothing in front of the Most High God!

He had to bathe in the laver and make himself as clean as he could by water.

Imagine Aaron, especially the first time but really every time!

Outline of the ceremonies

Leviticus 16:6–10 KJV

And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

This is the outline Of the complete ceremony.

Cast lots for the LORD and the scapegoat

Details of the ceremonies

The blood sprinkling rites

Leviticus 16:11–19 KJV

And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: 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. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

Aaron kills the bull

Taking the censer of burning coals was the sweet incense and smoke that had two purposes

Kept God from seeing Aaron and his sin and destroying him for his sin

Kept him from seeing God because no man has seen God and lived

Takes the blood and sprinkles the mercy seat and in front of it

Aaron then kills the goat of sacrifice to the LORD

Takes that blood in and doesn’t the same with it as the blood of the bull

Using the blood of both animals symbolized the fact that the altar had to be cleansed from the defilements of priests and people.

Aaron was to sprinkle the blood seven times on the mercy seat, then sprinkle the holiest of holies, then the horns of the altar

from holiest outward

The scapegoat

Leviticus 16:20–22 KJV

And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:20–21 (NAC Le): According to the Mishnah, the high priest said the following prayer as he placed his hands upon the scapegoat:

O God, thy people, the House of Israel, have committed iniquity, transgressed, and sinned before thee. O God, forgive, I pray, the iniquities and transgressions and sins which thy people, the House of Israel, have committed and transgressed and sinned before thee; as it is written in the law of thy servant Moses, For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you: from all your sins shall ye be clean before the Lord (Lev 16:30; Yoma 6:2).

Cleansing of Aaron and the priests

Leviticus 16:23–28 KJV

And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people. And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp. And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:26–28 (NAC Le): 16:26–28 The man who released the scapegoat could only enter the camp after he washed his clothes and bathed in water (16:26). The blood of the bull and goat sin offerings were taken outside the camp, and their hides, flesh, and offal were burned (16:27; see 4:11–12, 21). Before the person responsible for this burning was allowed to return to the camp, he had to wash his clothes and bathe in water (16:28), just as did the man who took the goat out of the camp

The people’s duty

Leviticus 16:29–34 KJV

And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Conclusion

In Genesis 3 the fall of man happened. From that time all of mankind is born under Adam’s curse and separated from God.

At the end of Exodus God instructs and directs the building of the Tabernacle where He will meet on earth and fellowship with His people again.

Before that fellowship can happen though, the tabernacle must be made pure and holy and the sins of His people forgiven. Leviticus 16 tells us how that will happen one time a year.

Getting to heaven means getting back to the 100% fellowship with God Adam and Eve had in the garden.

kicked out, entrance guarded by cherubim with flaming swords

Poythress, looking at the overall New Testament teaching, comes to the same perspective:

All these aspects are combined fully in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Christ bore the punishment for our sins (1 Pet 2:24; Isa 53:5). Thus He is the final sin offering. Christ was wholly consecrated to God. He suffered death and destruction for sin, and also brings about our death to sin (Rom 6:2–7). Thus He is the final burnt offering. Christ in His perfect obedience gave to God the honor and thanks that are due to Him. Thus He is the final grain offering. Christ now offers us His flesh to eat (John 6:54–58). By partaking of His flesh and blood we have eternal life, we have communion with the Father, and we are transformed into Christ’s image (2 Cor 3:18). Thus Christ is the final fellowship offering.