The book of Leviticus has ended many attempts to read the Bible. Frankly it's pretty boring. On the surface. If we dig in a bit, that changes. We did this recently in my Bible study group, and they were a bit reluctant to tackle a passage in Leviticus, but "oh no" changed to "oh wow" by the end.
I encourage you to take a few minutes to read Leviticus 16. I'm going to proceed as if you did. There are a lot of cool details we can't go into here, but a series of questions will help us get to the real meat of the passage.
What does this teach us about God?
This passage begins with a reference to events recorded in chapter 10. God had given the priests very explicit instructions on what to offer the Lord in the tabernacle. Two of Aaron's sons perhaps got a little tipsy and decided to get creative. God struck them down. Here God says the priests cannot just come before him any time they want or they will die. God had chosen to appear over the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle, and God is holy. His glory cannot be casually viewed (Ex 33:20), and his holiness must be respected. If not, his wrath will break out against them. Wrath is the natural reaction of holiness to sin. God had made his dwelling among them, but he is still high above them.
And yet this passage is about giving them a way so their sin can be forgiven and they can safely live with this holy God. So God's grace shines out in the midst of this passage about his holiness.
What does this teach us about humans?
"This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place: He must first bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. ... From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering" (v3, 5).
This passage assumes you know what a burnt offering and a sin offering are as explained in chapters 1 and 4. Normally each is one animal, but this time the sin offering for the community requires two goats, and each sin offering must be accompanied by a burnt offering. Today three animals die instead of one.
The burnt offerings and sin offerings will have been offered many times throughout the year. And now they've got to do it again. The message here is that they've sinned much more than they realize. And that it takes a lot of blood to cover all their sins.
What does this teach us about sin?
"Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household" (v6). The English word "atonement" speaks of reconciliation. People like to break it down as "at-one-ment", and that's not a terrible way to look at it. The Hebrew word we translate "atonement", though, literally means to "cover". They were reconciled to God by having their sins covered by blood.
This passage gets interesting when we focus on what gets covered and why:
"He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and ... shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites..." (v15-16).
Aaron must make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the entire tent, and the altar. Sin is so corrupting it even contaminates inanimate objects. Chapter 18 says their sin can even defile the entire land. It's only after the sin that has contaminated the Most Holy Place, tabernacle, and altar is covered that the sins of the people can be atoned for.
What does this teach us about Jesus?
Jesus said all the Law and the Prophets speak of him. The New Testament tells us "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood" (Rom 3:25, see also Heb 2:17, 1Jn 2:2, 4:10).
On the Day of Atonement, one goat covered their sin's effect on the world, one goat took away their guilt, and the ram covered their sins. Jesus fulfilled all of those roles.
How does Christ change this?
No need to scratch our heads and pontificate; Hebrews 9-10 answers this directly. I recommend reading the whole thing, but let's look at some highlights.
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. ... But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ...
But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Heb 10:1-4, 11-14)
These sacrifices are no longer necessary because Christ, our great high priest, was also our perfect sacrifice, dying once and for all so that our sins could be forgiven. He is the mediator of a new covenant, and after he made atonement for us he went into the perfect temple in heaven where he reigns until he returns to bring salvation to his people and put his enemies under his feet.
How should we respond?
Hebrews answers that, too. The passage offers us three succinct application points.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,...
1. "let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."
Take full advantage of what Christ did for us. The veil is torn! "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16).
2. "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."
Live like the matter is settled. Life is hard, but our victory in Christ is assured.
3. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb 10:19-25)."
Encourage one another to live lives that honor Christ and make the gospel attractive. While there's still time.
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