The Atonement Ceremony of Leviticus 16
The High Priest is not to enter the most holy place any time he likes… only at the time God has appointed. Also, when the High Priest enters he has to prepare himself according to God’s specific instructions… or else he will be
struck down and die.
struck down and die.
The High Priests Prepares To Enter God’s Presence
First the High Priest washes himself then puts on a simple white tunic, linen pants, and a linen head covering. Normally the High Priest wears a much more elaborate, colorful, and decorative uniform. But on this day he presents himself as a humble servant before God. The clothes not only fit the more solemn feel of the day but they looked forward to Christ the greater and permanent High Priest who would give up His glorious status, taking, upon himself the form of a servant born in the flesh, who humbled himself even to the point of experiencing death…
The High Priest also brings with him 4 animals. One to cover his own sins before entering the presence of God and three others to deal with the sins of the nation as a whole… the people. He brings:
- 1 bull as a sin offering – to purify and cleanse himself for the sake of his own personal sins and cover them through blood before entering the most holy place
- 1 ram as a burnt offering – to seek God’s favor and appease his righteous anger toward their sins (this offering takes place at the very end of the ceremony)
- 2 goats – to bring before God for His decision on how they should be used. God’s answer is decided by costing lots… a modern equivalent would be drawing straws.
- One goat would be designated for a sin offering to purify, cleanse and cover the sins of the entire nation that were committed in ignorance
- The other goat would be designated as the Azazel. Through him God would provided atonement and send the goat away into the wilderness.
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Before The Judgment Seat of God
The High Priest first kills the bull (this would take place in the large common area near the altar). He then drains some of its blood into a bowl and takes it with him into the most holy place.
Before going behind the veil he takes a small bucket of hot coals from the altar before the veil. He brings the container of coals behind the veil throws a handful of fine incense upon which make a cloud of smoke in the most holy place. This conceals the mercy seat and protects him from death.
He then sprinkles blood on the lid that sits on top of the ark of the covenant (the mercy seat of God)… then He sprinkles blood before the mercy seat. He does this seven times as a sin/purification offering for himself.
Next He does the same with the first goat. Killing it and taking its blood behind the veil where he sprinkles it on the lid of ark of the covenant (the mercy seat) seven times. This is done as a sin offering for the all the sins of the nation which were committed in ignorance (see Lev 4:13, 27 describing the sin offering)
Finally, the high priest comes out into the court area to sprinkle blood from both the bull and the goat on the altar. The bull’s blood for himself and the goat’s for the people.
All these items of the tabernacle are cleansed. They are contaminated simply because they are in the same place as all the people. The people were to confess their sins and offer sacrifice all year long… but over the course of the year multiple sins were committed that were overlooked, unnoticed, perhaps not properly understood etc. These sins of ignorance also had to be covered over with the blood of sacrifice.
The Second Goat
After the sprinkling of the blood that covers over sins committed in ignorance of the priest and of the people something rather unique happens. Sin is addressed in a very different manner from what we just walked through and what we see elsewhere in the books of the law.
The priest brings forth the second goat. He lays his hands upon the goat’s head. Then he admits to God all the many ways Israel had rebelled against God, disobeyed Him and sinned against Him in ignorance. These sins are now considered to be transferred from the people of Israel on to the goat.
He then turns the goat over to a man “fit for the task” who takes the goat to the desert wasteland and set it loose. In this way the goat carries the sins of people away from the camp.
Final Clean-up Duties
The Priest now returns to the tent of meeting, undresses, bathes and puts on his normal attire. He offers the ram as a burnt offering for himself and the people. This type of offering… a burnt offering… is not an offering for sin… the purpose of the burnt offering is to divert the righteous wrath of God (seeking mercy) and to seek his favor (so that blessing could be received).
The man who took the goat out into the wilderness comes back. Before entering the camp he washes his clothes and his body.
The remains of the bull and first goat are taken outside the camp and burned. The man who took the carcasses out also change can bathe before re-entering the camp.
… and that’s the ceremony of the Day of Atonement.
Spiritual and Prophetic Significance of The Two Goats
Both goats were sin bearers. The first goat is a prophetic picture of Christ taking upon himself the whole world’s responsibility for their sins committed in ignorance. The second goat depicts Satan taking his responsibility for the sins of the world upon himself.
1 John 2:1-2 Christ’s sacrificial death took place at Passover 31 A.D. Since then its power to make atonement for sin has been available to individuals who are called and accept it. It will be made available to the whole world at a point prophesied for the future. That future event is pictured by the Day of Atonement… after He has returned as king of kings… and before (or in preparation for) His 1,000 year rule on earth. A forgiveness for sins committed because they were deceived.
The deceiver is Satan. Deception must be banished from the earth for the 1,000 year period of Christ’s administration of the Kingdom of God on earth. Satan is responsible for the deception that leads to sin and will bear the guilt for that deception… and the punishment for that deception.
Revelation 20:1-3 the man fit for the task = the angel Kippur is a covering
The Spiritual and Prophetic Significance of the Veil
The veil in the tabernacle was a visible reminder of the separation between humanity and God. The separation was caused by their disobedience that began in the garden of Eden. They were deceived into disobedience by Satan’s lie. God had to cast them out. He also set two angels with flaming swords to guard the way back in. These are the two angels embroidered onto the veil that separated the most holy place.
Mark 15:37-38 When Christ died at Passover 31 A.D. the veil hanging in the temple was torn itself in two… now a way to approach God and no longer remain separate from Him was available through Christ… for those who are called and accept it. But for many the veil remains…
2 Cor 3:14 – veil of separation remains except for those in Christ
2 Cor 4:3-4 – this is why their sins are to be considered sins committed in ignorance (yours are not)
Eph 4:18
When Christ returns and Satan is bound there will be no more deception… there will be no more veil. People will know and be able to understand God’s word… they will have access to the holy spirit not the spirit that is now at work in the children of disobedience… plus, they will see God through Christ’s appearing in all His glory.
God’s Spirit will be the spirit at work so that the 1,000 year rule of Christ will be a demonstration of God’s way at work… a witness to all the people who live through it and experience it… and a witness to those who rise to life in the second resurrection.
Isaiah 25:7
Ezekiel 36:24-36
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