Leviticus

Leviticus 16: The Day of Atonement

Begin in prayer

Before we read Leviticus 16, where Aaron enters within the veil once a year with blood and sends the scapegoat into the wilderness, let us bow our heads. Ask the Lord to show us Jesus, who entered the true Most Holy Place by His own blood.

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

Isaiah 43:25

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us how the two goats and the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat point to Jesus, who carried our sins away and opened the way to You. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

After the death of Aaron's sons, the LORD warns Aaron not to enter the Most Holy Place at all times, lest he die. On the Day of Atonement, Aaron bathes, puts on plain holy linen garments, and brings a bull for himself and two goats for the people. He casts lots over the two goats, one for the LORD and one for the scapegoat. First, he brings incense within the veil to cover the mercy seat, and sprinkles the blood of the bull and the goat seven times. After cleansing the sanctuary, Tent and altar, he confesses all Israel's sins with both hands on the live goat and sends it into the wilderness. Finally, on the tenth day of the seventh month, Israel must humble their souls and rest as a statute forever.

As you read Leviticus 16, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God cleanses His people and carries their sins away through a substitute, fulfilled once for all in Christ.

Leviticus 16 stands at the heart of the whole book. After Nadab and Abihu died, God warned Aaron “not to come at all times into the Most Holy Place” (verses 1 and 2). Only once a year, dressed in plain linen, could the high priest enter with incense and blood (verses 4, 12 to 17 and 34). First Aaron killed the sin offering bull “which is for himself,” because he too was a sinner (verse 11, Hebrews 9 verse 7). Then two goats together pictured the two sides of atonement. One goat was killed and its blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat to cleanse the sanctuary from Israel's sins (verses 15 and 16). Over the live goat Aaron confessed “all the iniquities of the children of Israel” and sent it away (verses 21 and 22). Christ entered heaven by His blood, opened a living way through the veil, and put away sin (Hebrews 9 verse 12, 10 verse 20).

How does Leviticus 16 show us that God cleanses His people and carries their sins away through a substitute, fulfilled once for all in Christ?

Aaron enters within the veil in plain linen with blood for himself first.

God warned Aaron not to enter within the veil at all times before the mercy seat, lest he die (verse 2). Stripped of his golden robes, Aaron bathed and wore plain “holy linen” garments (verse 4). He killed the bull for himself, brought incense within the veil, and sprinkled the blood seven times (verses 11 to 14). Unlike Aaron, Jesus had no sin and entered heaven once for all by His own blood (Hebrews 9 verse 12).

One goat dies for the mercy seat, and the live goat carries sins away.

Aaron cast lots over two goats, killed the LORD's goat, and sprinkled its blood on the mercy seat (verses 8 and 15). Next he laid both hands on the live goat and confessed “all the iniquities of the children of Israel” (verse 21). Verse 22 says, “The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land.” On the cross Jesus fulfilled both goats, shedding His blood to satisfy God's justice and carrying His people's sins away forever.

The sin offerings are burned outside the camp, and the people humble their souls.

The bull and the goat whose blood went into the sanctuary were carried “outside the camp” and burned (verse 27). So Jesus also suffered outside the gate to sanctify His people through His own blood (Hebrews 13 verses 11 and 12). In the seventh month, native and foreigner alike had to “afflict your souls” and do no work (verses 29 to 31). Because Christ finished the work of atonement, those who repent and trust Him rest from trying to earn salvation.

Memorise

for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before Yahweh.

Leviticus 16:30

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, am I resting in Jesus, who carried His people's sins away forever?

In Leviticus 16, only the high priest could enter within the veil, and only “once in the year” with blood. First Aaron offered a bull for his own sins. Then one goat was killed and its blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat. Over the second goat Aaron confessed all Israel's sins, so “The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land.”

Why did that day have to be repeated every single year? As Hebrews 9 and 10 teach, the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins, and the way in was not yet open. Left in our sins, we would die before a holy God. So Jesus Christ came as our sinless High Priest and our true Sacrifice. Outside the gate on the cross, He died in His people's place, shed His blood to satisfy God's justice, and carried their sins away forever. When He died, the temple veil was torn in two, and on the third day He rose and entered heaven itself. He entered once for all, and nothing more is needed.

Stop working to pay for your own sins. Humble your heart today, turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus. Everyone who trusts Him is forgiven and washed clean from all sin.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the two goats picture how Jesus shed His blood and carried His people's sins away forever. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that Jesus entered the true Most Holy Place by His own blood and carried His people's sins away forever, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

Hebrews 10:1

Holy Father, thank You that while the priests under the law offered the same sacrifices year after year, Jesus offered Himself once for all on the cross. Thank You that He shed His blood and carried His people's sins away forever. Please humble our hearts, forgive all our sins through faith in Jesus, and help us draw near to You with confidence this week. Amen.