Leviticus 16 - Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
v1-14: Sin and Atonement Offering for the Priests
(v1-2) After the death of the sons of Aaron (Lev 10:1-2), God told Moses to tell Aaron not to come at any time he choses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain (known as the "veil") in front of the atonement cover (known as the "mercy seat") on the ark, else he will die. God added that He will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
Chapter 16 is in the middle of Leviticus, and Leviticus is in the middle of the 5 books of Moses. This paints that's this is the most important chapter of the Torah or Panteteuch.
The atonement cover, or "mercy seat", serves as the golden lid covering the ark, with two cherubim positioned at each end, Priest can enter into the Holy of Holies. "Atonement" in Hebrew is "kippur" meaning "to cover". In this case to cover the priests and the people. No one can simply walks into the Holy of Holies, where God dwells. Atonement offering was performed once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) (Lev 16:29-24).
(v3-5) The first thing Aaron must do is to bathe himself in water and put on the holy garments, which are sacred. The holy garments include the holy linen coat and undergarment, linen sash around the waist, and the linen turban. These are the garments to be worn during the day of Atonement.
Aaron shall come into the Holy Place with a bull for sin offering and make atonement for himself and his family. (v3,6). He shall take from the Israelite community two male goats for sin offering, and a ram for burnt offering. (v5)
(v6-14) In verse 6 to 14, it described Aaron's procedure to clean himself:
a) One bull. He shall kill it as a sin offering for himself and make atonement for himself and his household. (v6, 11)
b) Two goats. Aaron brings the two goats to the entrance to the tent of meeting. He will cast lots and presents the goat casted for the Lord for sin offering; the other one is to be used as the scapegoat (v8,9)
c) The scapegoat shall be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness. ESV uses "Azazel" as the name of the wilderness. The meaning of Azazel is still being debated - some say it symbolize the scapegoat, others say it is a demonic entity to whom it was sent, and others say it is a name of a place in the wilderness. (v10)
d) Aaron shall take a censer full of burning coals from the altar and two handfuls of sweet incense behind the veil. He put the incense of fire before the Lord, and the cloud of the incense will cover the mercy seat above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he does not die. (v12,13)
e) The blood of the sacrificed bull is to be sprinkle with his finger on the front of mercy seat, on the east side of the mercy seat, and seven times before the mercy seat. (v14). Some people interpret that "on the mercy seat" means the blood is directly sprinkled on top of the mercy seat. Whilst, the "before the mercy seat" is sprinkled on the ground.
The act of sprinkling blood on the east side was not random. The East represents several important things:
- When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, he was approaching the mercy seat from the east.
- The east often represents new beginnings and renewal. The sun rises in the east, signifying light, hope, and restoration. (Lamentations 3:22-23) This aligns with the purpose of the Day of Atonement, which was to cleanse Israel from sin and restore their relationship with God.
- In Genesis, after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God placed cherubim at the east of the garden to guard the way to the Tree of Life. The mercy seat itself had cherubim on it, possibly reflecting this connection between atonement and returning to God’s presence.
- In Ezekiel 43:2, the glory of the Lord is described as coming from the east, and in Matthew 24:27, Jesus speaks of His return being like lightning coming from the east.
v15-17: Sin and Atonement Offering for the People
These describes Aaron's offering for the people.
a) Aaron kills the goat for the people as their sin offering, and brings the blood inside the veil and did what he did with the bull's blood. He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. (But it did not say on the east of the mercy seat.) This completes the atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness, transgression and sins of the people. (v15,16a)
b) Aaron has to do the same of the tent of meeting (i.e. the sanctuary) (v16b). No one can enter the tent of meeting until Aaron comes out after he made atonement for himself, for his house and for the people.
v18-22: Atonement for the Altar, and the Scapegoat
Aaron shall make atonement for the Altar:
a) Atonement for the altar - the blood of the bull and the goats are put on the horns of the altar, and sprinkle the blood seven times to cleanse the altar from the uncleanness of the people. (18-19)
b) The Live Goat - Aaron shall present the live goat, and lay both his hands on it's head, and confess the iniquities, transgression and sin of the people of Israel. He puts them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by another man who have been prepared. The goat shall bear all their iniquities (or carry their sins) on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness. (v20-22)
This represents Jesus, who put on himself our iniquities and sin on the cross. His cross was outside the city, representing the wilderness. This mirrors how Jesus bore the sins of humanity on the cross, taking our guilt upon Himself (Isaiah 53:6 – "The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all"). This was a transfer of sin.
Our sins are removed from us, and died with Him. Just as the scapegoat was innocent yet carried the sins of Israel, Jesus was sinless yet took the punishment for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21 – "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God").
The scapegoat was banished from the camp, symbolizing separation from the people. Similarly, Jesus was forsaken on the cross not from the people but with God as well (Matthew 27:46 – "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"), experiencing separation with God so that we could be reconciled to God.
However, Jesus was resurrected without our sin on Him. He has the victory over sin and death, and ascended to the right hand side of God.
v23-28: Burnt Offering
(23-25) Aaron will go into the tent of the meeting and take off his (holy) linen garments and leave them there. He bathe his body with water in a holy place and came out in his regular garments, and offer his burnt offering for himself and for the people to make atonement for everyone. The fat of the sin offering is burned on the altar. The person who releases the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, before he comes into the camp.
When Jesus resurrected, he left his body linen in the tomb. This is parallel to Aaron living his priests clothes in the temple. Jesus is the Chief High Priest.
The earlier sacrifices focused on sin offerings, which dealt with cleansing and forgiveness. The burnt offering, however, symbolized complete dedication to God. Even though Aaron had already made atonement, this burnt offering reaffirmed his commitment to God and represented the people's renewed devotion.
In Christianity, this represent justification and sanctification.
Atonement offering was performed once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). while burnt offering is done everyday. It seems to me that, the "sin offering" represent when we go to church to worship God. However, the "burnt offering" is similar to our day to day life. The first one is to remember our atonement by Jesus; the second one is re-commit ourselves to God each day.
Defilement is like weeds choking up the plants. It needs to be cleaned. Weeds grow quickly, and they generate new weeds. We need to be cleaned constantly. Today, we need to be cleansed by repenting, otherwise, God may not hear you.
(26-28) The bull and goat for sin offering will be carried outside the camp and their skin, flesh, and dung (intestines) shall be burned up with fire. The person burning them shall wash his clothes and bathe, before he can go back to the camp.
v29-34: Atonement to be done Annually
The atonement shall be done in the seventh month, on the tenth day. They are to "afflict" themselves (or and do no work, including Jews and foreigners. (v29) To afflict yourself means to deny yourself and express repentance and humility before God, fasting and acknowledge one's sin.
That day is made to cleanse them before the Lord, and the Lord will considered them cleansed from their sins. It is a day of sabbath rest and they must deny themselves as a lasting ordinance. (30-31)
(To 'deny themselves' probably refers to fasting)
The tasks of cleansing shall be placed on the high priest and whoever succeeds him. He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, the Altar, and the priests and people of the assembly. This is a lasting ordinance for the Jews and to be done every year for all their sins (v32-34)
Even then, the concept of "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" had already been understood. (Romans 3:23)
Conclusion
Sin Offering is for the purpose of atonement for unintentional sins, ritual impurity, and unintentional defilement of sacred spaces. Both the priests and congregation must offer sin offerings.
A bull or a male goat was chosen. Its blood was sprinkled on the altar. Some portions were burned, while others were eaten by the priests. It symbolized cleansing, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God.
The burnt offering was an act of worship and devotion. It expressed complete surrender to God. Usually, a male bull, ram, or turtledove/pigeon. The entire animal was burned on the altar, signifying total dedication to God. No part was eaten by humans. The burnt offering symbolized commitment, consecration, and a pleasing aroma to God.
These procedures represent what Jesus will do when he comes as a lamb. The procedure is so detailed and repetitious to both the priests and people, and done every year. It tells us that we are more sinful than we think, and that God is more holy than we can imagine. If you read the chapter, there is so much blood poured out, and it is everywhere - the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting and the Altar. This represent the blood of Christ, that makes forgiveness possible.
In the end, these sacrifices and blood is still not enough. As Hebrews 1:4 said: "It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." and also " “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he (Jesus) said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Heb 8-10)
In the Old testament, no one can come to God without a sacrifice. This is still a requirement for us today. Are we surrendering what we own and our lives to God? Are we willing to obey the Holy Spirit's calling and serve God? Is Jesus our master? If yes, then I'm a slave to the one who died for me due to his love for me.
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