Good Friday - LEviticus 16

Leviticus 16 Good Friday

Leviticus is a book of Laws, Laws given so people would know and understand God’s Holy Character and the standard he expects from his people. Its also a book about sacrifices, because God knew that people could not keep the required standard set out in the laws.

Leviticus is a book that answers a problem, how can Israel a rebellious people live in the presence of a Holy God. There were warnings if you approach God on your own terms it would result in death. This is what happened with Aaron's two sons. They broke the rules, tried to approach God how they wanted and were struck down… dead. But we also saw that Aaron and Moses who did follow the correct protocols, offer the sacrifices in the right way were able to approach God.

Leviticus 16 that we are looking at today is later that day that Aarons sons are killed. Moses tells Aaron even though you know the right way to approach God, you must follow the right procedures and you can’t do it every day. Its once a year on The day of atonement or Yom Kippur is a Jewish feast day held once a year around October. This ceremony is again at the Tabernacle

The Tabernacle where these sacrifices take place is decorated with images of plants and fruits like pomegranates. It’s a garden, a reminder of what has been lost… The Garden of Eden. At one end of the tabernacle is the holy of Holies, its separated from the rest of the tabernacle by a heavy curtain, the veil. Embroidered On that Veil, guarding it, are two Cherubim, warrior angels. IN Genesis God placed Cherubim with flaming swords at the entrance to Eden to stop people getting back in. Banishing them from his presence.

AS well as the rituals and sacrifices we read earlier in Leviticus the day of Atonement has an additional one involving the two goats. One is sacrificed the other has all the sin laid upon it and is sent out into the desert. The Goat is taken to a place where it can never return to the Israelites.

This ceremony begins with Aaron making atonement for himself and family sacrificing the bull. He also burns incense. He then makes atonement for the tabernacle the atonement cover and the Most Holy place. He did this because we are told it is in the middle of the Israelites who are unclean and rebellious. Unclean here doesn’t mean that they haven’t had a bath but rather they are ritually or spiritual impure, they have all done things that God said pollutes them. [1]

Then the two goats one for the sacrifice and one the scapegoat. You may have in your bible the word Azazel there. The word Azazel only appears here in Leviticus 16 in our Bibles. Roughly translated it means entire removal or cast out. Some note that it may be linked with a demon who dwells in the desert. If you like to think of Azazel as the demon, be sure that when you think through this passage you do not see this goat as any type of sacrifice to Azazel but as the casting out of the sin from Israel. Removing the sin so far from them that it cannot return. A lot of the rituals happen inside the tabernacle and remain unseen by Israel but as a nation they see the goat that all their sins were placed on led from the camp, Their Sins being sent far from them, cast out never to return.

As I have already said Aaron as high Priest in V24 makes a sacrifice for himself and a sacrifice for the People to make atonement for himself and them. He has to do this because he doesn’t meet the Holy standard that God expects.

I have used the word Atonement a few times but let’s define it before we continue. It’s a word that has been made up, it’s At One Ment its being reconciled and reunited with. In this case its to be made right with God to be reconciled with him and to be brought back into right relationship with him.

This day, these sacrifices, the right rituals brought peace between Israel and God. A little more correctly brought peace between Those in Israel who were truly repentant and wanted a relationship with God. But only for a short time.

These sacrifices The Day of Atonement was a once-a-year ritual to cleanse Israel from its sin. Most Israelites would however make regular sacrifices for their sins. but the day of atonement even wipes out the ones that they didn’t even realise they had committed.

Aaron through proper adherence to these rituals made it possible for him alone to enter the Most Holy place once a year The place on earth where God most closely dwells with his people. Once a year he was able to access the physical temple and clear the debt of sin for the Israelites for that past year.

But all of Israel knew that the same time the next year and the next and the next they would be doing the same thing. The day of atonement was not a once and for all it was always temporary. If an Israelite rebelled against God the very next day, the needed another sacrifice to be made right with God.

But today isn’t the day of atonement when Israel was cleansed from their sins, going by the Jewish Calendar its Passover the day they remember God’s great rescue of them from Egypt. But what is it for us?

WE aren’t celebrating our rescue from Egypt. Its not that one day a year where we go through the motions to be cleansed from our sins. We don’t come together to perform a ceremony that will grant access into the Most holy places for only one Priest

Today we reflect on what Jesus has done. He made atonement possible for us. Jesus through his death has made a way for us to be in that right relationship with God and be able to draw near to him. Last Sunday I said that we still must approach God the right way. Jesus is that way, he removes all trace of our rebellion against God the sins we know about and the ones we are unaware of. All gone, wiped from the records.

While Israel was celebrating the Passover meal Jesus celebrated the last supper with his disciples. Jesus knew his death was coming he had predicted it multiple times already.[2]It was that night that Judas Betrayed him and Jesus was arrested. Jesus is disowned by Peter mocked and beaten by the Guards. He is put on trial and wrongly convicted. Despite having done nothing wrong he is labelled guilty, and the crowds are calling crucify him. It was considered the most extreme form of punishment, reserved for the worst criminals.

Jesus is crucified, nails driven into his hands and feet. Raised up on a cross with two of these criminals. One of them as he is dying on the cross, comes to faith. This man who would be one of the worst criminals of the day comes to faith. He hasn’t read a tract of flyer, he doesn’t say a sinner’s prayer, he doesn’t attend a short course on Christianity, he isn’t baptised, there is no ceremony. He simply believes in Jesus and asks him to remember him. Jesus rewards him with these words Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Shortly after this Jeus dies upon the cross!

The events of the day are recorded in the Gospels, Jesus body is pierced through the side into his heart. Darkness falls across the land. One of the soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross said that Surely this man was the Son of God!” [3]

The Temple curtain torn in two the veil guarding the Most Holy Place that Aaron had to sacrifice and take incense with to enter is torn from top to bottom!

Today we are celebrating Good Friday and the death of Jesus upon the cross

It is neither the day of atonement nor Passover but a combination of the two

Today is the day where at the cross God Rescued us from slavery to sin, it is the day where Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law perfectly as perfect Priest and perfect sacrifice.

Today we celebrate that we have been saved by a God who ha chosen us from before the world began. A god who loves us so much he has died upon the cross for us and shed his blood to cleanse us. Today is Good Friday where we too can cry out to God as father and like the thief on the cross our sins and rebellion against God is Forgiven.

No Longer do we rely on the sacrifice of animals once a year. Jesus as the perfect Priest and sacrifice has fulfilled the requirements of the Law. We need no more sacrifices or scapegoats. The Veil is Gone the Most Holy place is open for us and through Jesus we can approach God on his heavenly throne with confidence.

Today is a day for us to remember our own sinfulness and reflect on that but also remember our rescuer our perfect priest and sacrifice Jesus. Today is a good day for us to reflect on what he has done for us. We are like the criminal on the cross guilty of our rebellion against God but granted Mercy. For those who believe and Trust in Jesus will see him in Paradise!

Shortly We will conclude with the song Jerusalem. Can I encourage you to sit and listen quietly, to sit reflect and pray? there will be morning tea after the service but if you want to take some time to sit quietly and pray please do so take as long as you need.

[1]People and things are made impure by the things around them in everyday life, things like death and disease certain animals. Once something is considered impure as people would come into contact with it they would become impure or unclean. Being unclean in itself s not sinful but doing things while you are unclean could be considered sinful. And you most certainly couldn’t approach God if you were unclean. [2] Mk 8:31; 9:31; 10:33, 34 [3] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mk 15:39.