Leviticus 16:3-10 great escape

The Great Escape: Understanding Our Atonement

Bible Passage: Leviticus 16:3-10

Summary: Leviticus 16:3-10 describes the process of the Day of Atonement, when the high priest offers sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people of Israel, emphasizing the significance of the scapegoat in symbolizing the complete removal of sin.

Application: This sermon can help Christians understand the depth of their forgiveness and how Jesus fulfills the function of the scapegoat in their lives, providing a way to escape the consequences of sin and giving them hope for redemption.

Teaching: The teaching will focus on how the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement illustrate the long-standing requirement for atonement and how they point to Christ's ultimate sacrifice, demonstrating God's desire to restore humanity to a relationship with Him.

How this passage could point to Christ: The passage foreshadows Christ's atoning sacrifice, where Jesus ultimately becomes the perfect scapegoat, bearing our sins and providing a means for our deliverance and reconciliation with God.

Big Idea: God has provided the greatest escape from sin and its consequences through the sacrificial system that foreshadows Christ's perfect atonement on the cross.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider exploring the historical and cultural context of the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16 using your Logos library. Look into the typology of the scapegoat and its implications for Christ's sacrifice, paying attention to any text-critical issues regarding the translation of key Hebrew terms. It may also be beneficial to examine rabbinical interpretations of the Day of Atonement that can enrich your understanding of its significance.

1. Preparing for Atonement

Leviticus 16:3-5

You could explore how Aaron must prepare and present offerings, highlighting how this mirrors the preparation Christ undertook for His sacrifice. Show that like Aaron, we must acknowledge our need for holiness and readiness to approach God. This preparation sets the stage for understanding Christ's ultimate role as our mediator, bringing hope through His perfected priesthood.

2. Priestly Purity

Leviticus 16:6-7

Perhaps discuss the importance of the bull sacrifice for Aaron's atonement, drawing a parallel with how Christ atoned for our sins—unlike Aaron, without needing atonement for Himself. Emphasize how this underlines Christ's unique sinlessness and His complete fulfillment of the sacrificial system, giving confidence in His completeness as our Savior.

3. Perfect Scapegoat

Leviticus 16:8-10

Maybe focus on the casting of lots for the goats, illuminating how Christ is both our sacrificial lamb and our scapegoat. Stress the significance of the scapegoat carrying away sin literally and symbolically, reminding us of Jesus' role in bearing our sins, offering ultimate freedom from guilt, and the immense grace God offers through Him.