Journal Through the Bible: Week 19 Tuesday

courtesy of Christian Clip Art

Leviticus 16:1-17:9

Does God make any promises?

• God said that He would appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant within the most holy place.
• God said that He would consider clean those who offered their sacrifices through the high priest on the Day of Atonement.
• God said He would destroy anyone who offered the blood of an animal to an idol or devil.

Are there any references to Jesus?

• The bullock of the sin offering was a picture of Jesus, the acceptable atonement for sin.
• The goats were both pictures of Jesus. The one upon which the LORD's lot fell was to be a burnt offering for sins. The second, the scapegoat, was to be presented alive to God and then let go into the wilderness. Not only was Jesus a scapegoat for us because He had no sins of His own for which He had to atone, but He died but was then alive. These goats picture the death and resurrection of Jesus.
• Unlike Aaron, Jesus did not need to atone for His own sins so Aaron was an imperfect high priest but Jesus is our perfect High Priest. (The book of Hebrews makes this clear.)
• Even the tabernacle and its equipment were not without fault since they were made by men so they had to be atoned for by the priest. Since our bodies are called tabernacles and temples of God (the place where God dwells) in the New Testament, the atoning sacrifice for the tabernacle itself was a picture of Jesus' atonement for our earthly bodies.
• There are several places designated for certain functions during the Day of Atonement ceremonies. On the day of Jesus' crucifixion He ministered in all those places as our high priest: within the most holy place, within the tabernacle of His body, outside the camp.
• The Day of Atonement was a picture of the Day of Crucifixion. It was a day of mourning, suffering, and sorrow. Such was that day for Jesus.
• There was only ONE WAY of sacrifice that was acceptable to God. (17:1-9) There is only ONE WAY to God now and that is Jesus Christ! (John 14:6)

Are there any references to future events?

• The imagery of the priest making an atonement for the physical tabernacle is one that depicts Jesus atoning for our physical bodies. Paul discusses in First Corinthians 15 (see particularly verses 35-58) that Jesus paid the atonement even for our corrupt physical bodies in order to make them incorruptible in the resurrection.
• The yearly Day of Atonement was meant as a day of grief for the people to help them realize that they were sinners who needed a savior. After their day of acknowledging they needed blood to be shed to atone for them they were to go about the rest of their days with joy knowing that their Redeemer was coming! As Christians, our sins cause grief and we need a Savior. We acknowledge our sins, repent of them, thank God for the atoning blood of Jesus given for them, and then look forward with rejoicing to the return of our Redeemer!

Does God issue any commands?

• God gave commandment to Aaron, the high priest, not to come into the most holy place within the vail except once a year, the Day of Atonement.
• God commanded that the high priest first make sacrifices to atone for his own sins before making the atonement for the people.
• God commanded Aaron to bring coals from off the altar and handfuls of sweet incense within the vail of the most holy place. The cloud of smoke was to cover the mercy seat. Then the blood of the bullock was to be sprinkled toward the east and then seven times in front of the mercy seat.
• God commanded Aaron to offer the atonement for the tabernacle itself after he had offered the atonement for his own sins.
• God commanded that Aaron offer an atonement for the sins of the people after he had offered one for the tabernacle.
• God commanded that Aaron remove his linen garments after putting his hands upon the head of the people's scapegoat and sending someone with it out into the wilderness. He was to wash before putting on his clothing. The man who took the goat out to the wilderness was also to wash himself and his clothes outside the camp before returning.
• God commanded that someone should carry out of the camp the bullock and the goat that were offered as the sin offering and whose blood made the atonement and burn them. Then that person was to wash himself and his clothing before returning to the camp.
• God commanded that the Day of Atonement be a day of serious introspection for the people. It was to be a day of grief when they examined themselves to remember their sins.
• God commanded that sacrifices be properly offered to God by the high priest and not privately offered to idols or devils by individuals. Just as there were certain standards for the offering of incense (as Nadab and Abihu discovered) there were standards for shedding the blood of an animal as a sacrifice.