#leviticus 16

by Kenneth A. Matthews | I am the General Editor of The Gospel Project, and this spring The Gospel Project is focusing its study on the matter of the atonement throughout the Scriptures. A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about a new, free eBook from The Gospel Project...

The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD and died, 2 and the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. 3 But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

6 “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel.[a] 9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD and use it as a sin offering, 10 but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.

11 “Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. 12 And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil 13 and put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die. 14 And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat on the east side, and in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16 Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. 17 No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. 19 And he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.

20 “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. 22 The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.

23 “Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and shall take off the linen garments that he put on when he went into the Holy Place and shall leave them there. 24 And he shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his garments and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 And the fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar. 26 And he who lets the goat go to Azazel shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. 27 And the bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. Their skin and their flesh and their dung shall be burned up with fire. 28 And he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

29 “And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves[b] and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. 30 For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins. 31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever. 32 And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father's place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. 33 He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” And Aaron[c] did as the LORD commanded Moses.

DID YOU KNOW Did You Know the Day of Atonement Was a Graphic Reminder That Sin Is a Life-and-Death Matter? When we read Leviticus 16, we are confronted with imagery that feels foreign and even unsettling. On the Day of Atonement, three innocent animals were involved in addressing the sin of the nation. One purified the high priest and his household. Another was offered to cleanse the holy place…

The Day of Atonement

1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before Jehovah, and died; 2 and Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. 3 Herewith shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with the linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: they are the holy garments; and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and put them on. 5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two he-goats for a sin-offering, and one ram for a burnt-offering.

6 And Aaron shall present the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself, and for his house. 7 And he shall take the two goats, and set them before Jehovah at the door of the tent of meeting. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for Jehovah, and the other lot for Azazel. 9 And Aaron shall present the goat upon which the lot fell for Jehovah, and offer him for a sin-offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell for Azazel, shall be set alive before Jehovah, to make atonement for him, to send him away for Azazel into the wilderness.

11 And Aaron shall present the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself. 12 And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Jehovah, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: 13 and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: 14 and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat on the east; and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat: 16 and he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins: and so shall he do for the tent of meeting, that dwelleth with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. 17 And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goeth in to make atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before Jehovah, and make atonement for it, and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. 19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel.

20 And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat: 21 and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readiness into the wilderness: 22 and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a solitary land: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

23 And Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: 24 and he shall bathe his flesh in water in a holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 And the fat of the sin-offering shall he burn upon the altar. 26 And he that letteth go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp. 27 And the bullock of the sin-offering, and the goat of the sin-offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be carried forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. 28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

29 And it shall be a statute for ever unto you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the home-born, or the stranger that sojourneth among you: 30 for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins shall ye be clean before Jehovah. 31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; it is a statute for ever. 32 And the priest, who shall be anointed and who shall be consecrated to be priest in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments: 33 and he shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make atonement for the children of Israel because of all their sins once in the year. And he did as Jehovah commanded Moses. — Leviticus 16 | American Standard Version (ASV) The American Standard Version Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Exodus 25:21; Exodus 28:40; Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 5:5; Leviticus 4:13; Leviticus 10:1; Leviticus 11:25; Leviticus 13:11; Leviticus 23:31-32; Numbers 19:7-8; Ezekiel 4:4; Ezekiel 42:14; Ezekiel 43:20; Ezekiel 45:18; Ezekiel 45:20; Luke 1:10; Acts 1:26; Acts 27:9; Romans 3:25; Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:3; Hebrews 6:19; Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:7; Hebrews 9:12-13; Hebrews 9:21; Hebrews 10:22; Revelation 8:5

Daniel 8 Compared to Leviticus 16 (Daily unto Yearly, and the Day of Atonement) - Psa. 77:13 KJB

In the book of Daniel, there is mentioned the phrase “the daily” (Dan. 8:11,12,13, 11:31, 12:11) in association with the Sanctuary of God which is the ongoing day by day ministration of the High Priest, which ended in the yearly service of the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:1-34, 23:26-32).

More on "the daily" may be read here - https://archive.org/details/the-daily-daily_202301/mode/1up

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Ram -

Lev. 16:3,5

Dan. 8:1,4,6,7,20

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(Lord’s Goat) He Goat -

Lev. 16:5,7,8,15,24

Dan. 8:5,8,21

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8 Horns (4+4), (2+1+4+1)

Lev. 16:12,13,18 (Dan. 8:13-14,26, Rev. 9:13-15, 10:6, 14:6-12; Oct. 22, 1844; 2,300 begun in 457 BC; Dan. 9:24-27; Ezr. 6:14, 7:1-28)

Dan. 8:3,5,6,7,8,9,20,21 (8; 4 outside [altar sacrifice; [Exo. 27:2, 38:2]], 4 inside [altar incense; [Exo. 30:2, 37:25,26]] -- 2 on ram, 1 on he-goat, 4 on he-goat, 1 from winds)

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High priest (Ministration) -

Lev. 16:2-9,11-21,23-34

Dan. 8:11,13,14,25 (“‘certain’ saint” [laPal'môniy], wonderful numberer; Gen. 32:29; Judg. 13:18; Isa. 9:6; Mat. 10:30; Luk. 12:7; Act. 17:26)

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Mercy Seat (Two Cherubim) -

Lev. 16:2,13,14,15

Dan. 8:13,15-17 (one saint [holy one, angel] speaking, and another saint [holy one, angel] said - covering cherubims/angels [Gabriel & 'Herald’])

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People of God (congregation, camp) -

Lev. 16:5,6,7,15,16,17,19,20,21,22, 23,24,26,27,28,29,30,31,33,34

Dan. 8:10,13,24,25

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Transgression (Sin) -

Lev. 16:5,9,10,15,16,21,27,30,34

Dan. 8:12,13,14,24,25

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Washing, Cleansing, Burning -

Lev. 16:4,16,19,24,26,27,28,30,33

Dan. 8:14 (“then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”)

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End of Daily (Yearly), the Daily -

Lev. 16:34

Dan. 8:11,12,13-14,26, 9:24-27; Rev. 9:13-15, 10:6, 14:6-12

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Atonement -

Lev. 16:6,17,20

more in Dan. 9-12 KJB (expansion of Dan. 8. ) on the atonement

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Daniel 8:14 KJB - And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Side note:

The word “cleansed” [Daniel 8:14 KJB] is found tied to the following words, in relationship to the sanctuary and of judgment:

Consider that in Job 25:4 KJB, utilizing the same word found in Daniel 8:14 KJB, for “cleansed”, is given as “justified”, but in parallel [Isaiah 28:10 KJB, the ways of the Lord being “equal” [Ezekiel 18:25,29 KJB]] in vs 4, as meaning, “be clean”, and even vs 5, refers to “pure”, referring to a case to be judged, as Job's.

Consider that in Job 15:14 KJB, utilizing the same word found in Daniel 8:14 KJB, for “cleansed”, is given as “righteous”, but in parallel [Isaiah 28:10 KJB, the ways of the Lord being “equal” [Ezekiel 18:25,29 KJB]] in vs 14, as meaning, “be clean”, and even in vs 15, refers to “saints” [holy], and “clean” again.

Consider also that Psalms 51:4 KJB, utilizing the same word in Daniel 8:14 KJB, for “cleansed”, is given as “justified”, but in parallel [Isaiah 28:10 KJB, the ways of the Lord being “equal” [Ezekiel 18:25,29 KJB]] in vs 4, as meaning, “be clear when thou judgest” [ie. day of atonement, Leviticus 16 & 23:27-32 KJB, see also Revelation 9:13-15, 14:6-7 KJB], then read further in vs 7, of “clean” and “wash”.

Consider that in Job 22:3 KJB, utilizing the same word found in Daniel 8:14 KJB, for “cleansed”, is given as “righteous”, but in parallel [Isaiah 28:10 KJB, the ways of the Lord being “equal” [Ezekiel 18:25,29 KJB]] in vs 3, as meaning, “perfect”, and even in vs 4, refers to “judgment”.

Consider that in Psalms 19:7-9 KJB, utilizing the same word found in Daniel 8:14 KJB, for “cleansed”, is given as “righteous”, but in parallel [Isaiah 28:10 KJB, the ways of the Lord being “equal” [Ezekiel 18:25,29 KJB]] in [vs7]: “perfect”, [vs 8]: “right”, “pure”, [vs 9]: “clean”, “judgments”, “righteous”.