Day 48 Leviticus 16-18

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2016-18&version=NIV


The Day of Atonement. As we are nearing Easter, it is appropriate that we discuss this.

Leviticus chapter 16’s focus is on the Day of the Atonement. The Day of the Atonement was the one day of the year in which the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and provide offerings and sacrifices, which God allowed to be substitutionary atonement for the people of Israel's sins and the total removal of their guilt on a yearly basis.

The Day of Atonement is clearly a foreshadowing of the ultimate Day of Atonement, the day Christ died on the Cross for us at Calvary. So, let’s compare the two days and sacrifices.

On the Day of the Atonement, the High Priest first had to offer a sin offering to be followed by a burnt offering, both of which were for himself, that he might be cleansed and consecrated before acting as priest for the people.

Jesus Christ did not have to cleanse himself as he was already in a pure state.

Hebrews 7:27 states,

“Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.”

Then the High Priest would offer two goats to the Lord. One, he would slay as a sin offering for the people, the other he would lay his hand on the goat and then let the got go free. This is known as the scape goat.

Two important theological concepts are in play here. Propitiation and expiation. Propitiation is the satisfaction of God’s wrath. His wrath has to be satisfied because we have broken His law. His wrath must be satisfied and justice must be meted out. The goat’s sacrifice for the people of Israel’s sins acted as a substitutionary atonement for the people’s sins.

Expiation is the removal of sins. When the High Priest placed his hand on the scape goat and then allowed the goat to go free outside of the city, this represented the taking away of the people’s sins.

One important fact to note was that this happened once every year. These sacrifices were not sufficient to satisfy God’s wrath and take away sins from the people for all time. In fact, the High Priest, as stated earlier, had to offer sacrifices for himself as he was a sinner as well.

In Jesus Christ, at the Cross, we have the ultimate propitiation and expiation of our sins. When Christ died for us on the Cross, He satisfied the wrath of God and He also took away our sins once and for all. Not only was this sacrifice for us, but it was for the Old Testament saints who came before us.

Hebrews 9:11-15 says,

“When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. “

So we see here that Christ’s death covers the sins of the first covenant.

Hebrews 9:24-28 says,

“ For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

We see in these verses, in contrast to the Day of the Atonement, that Christ sacrificed Himself once to take away the sins of His people. It is one a onetime offering. As Christ said on the Cross, “It is finished.” Praise be to God for Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

Paul writes eloquently of what Jesus did for us on the Cross. I would note these verses in your Bible. Ponder them and reflect on them as we near Easter.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Romans 3:23-26

The NASB, ESV, and KJV use the word propitiation instead of sacrifice of atonement as used in the NIV. I much prefer the former, but the NIV does convey what Christ did for us.

There is so much more that could be discussed about the Day of the Atonement. The wearing of the garments, the Cloud, the other offerings I did not discuss. Study chapter 16. As you understand more of what the Day of Atonement is and represented, you will gain a better understanding, thankfulness, and gratitude for what Christ did on the ultimate Day of Atonement.

Below is a link to a study on this at Bible.org if you are interested further in studying the Day of Atonement:

http://bible.org/seriespage/day-atonement-leviticus-16

Soli Deo Gloria

Today’s post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer