# Critical Exegesis of ### [Leviticus 16](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+16&version=AMP) **Cross Reference**: #atonement, #holy_of_holies, #sacrifice, #covenant_faithfulness, #forgiveness ## Introduction to Leviticus 16: The Day of Atonement as Israel's Holiest Day Leviticus 16 introduces the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, the most sacred day in Israel’s religious calendar. This chapter provides specific instructions for achieving corporate atonement through sacrificial and ritual acts that cleanse the people of their sins and purify the tabernacle. This observance serves as the annual act by which Israel, through the high priest, acknowledges its sins and seeks forgiveness. Each detail underscores the gravity of [[Sin]], the requirement of blood for [[Atonement]], and the essential role of [[Holiness]] in maintaining the covenantal relationship between God and His people. ## Verses 1-2: The Warning after Nadab and Abihu's Death > “The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, 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.’” **Context of Nadab and Abihu’s Death**: The chapter begins with a solemn reminder of the deaths of Nadab and Abihu in [Leviticus 10:1-2](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+10.1-2&version=AMP), who were killed for offering “unauthorized fire” in God’s presence. This introduction emphasizes the necessity of strict obedience in worship, especially within the [[Holy of Holies]]. Their deaths underscore God’s holiness and the consequences of irreverence, setting the tone for the detailed instructions that follow. **Limiting Access to the Holy of Holies**: Aaron, the high priest, is warned not to enter the Holy Place “at any time,” highlighting the extreme reverence required when approaching God’s presence. The Holy of Holies, where God “appears in the cloud” over the mercy seat, is accessible only on the Day of Atonement. This limited access signifies both God’s intimate yet inaccessible holiness and the need for structured ritual to mediate His relationship with His people. ## Verses 3-5: Preparation and Purification of the High Priest > “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…” **Offerings for the High Priest’s Sin**: Aaron is instructed to bring a bull and a ram for his own purification before ministering on behalf of the people. The bull, as a sin offering, covers Aaron’s personal sins, while the ram, as a burnt offering, represents total consecration to God. This distinction emphasizes that even the high priest must be cleansed before entering God’s presence, reflecting the high standards of [[Holiness]] and [[Atonement]]. **Simplicity of Priestly Garments**: Unlike the ornate attire typically worn by the high priest, Aaron is to wear a plain linen garment on this day. The humble linen symbolizes purity and humility, reminding both Aaron and the community that he is approaching the Lord in humility rather than with grandeur. This symbolic attire stresses the humbling act of seeking atonement and foreshadows the pure and humble ministry of [[Christ]], the ultimate High Priest. ## Verses 6-10: The Selection and Symbolism of the Two Goats > “And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel.” **The Purpose of Two Goats**: Two goats are chosen for distinct purposes: one is “for the Lord” as a sin offering, and the other, known as the scapegoat, is for Azazel. By casting lots, Aaron ensures that the selection is directed by God, not human choice. These two goats represent both the payment for sin through death and the symbolic removal of sin from the community. Together, they convey the dual aspects of atonement: [[propitiation]] and [[expiation]]. **The Goat for the Lord as a Sin Offering**: The first goat, designated as the Lord’s, is sacrificed as a sin offering. This blood sacrifice highlights the cost of atonement, fulfilling the requirement of bloodshed to cover the sins of the people. This sacrifice serves as a foreshadowing of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, where His blood would fulfill and surpass the annual sacrifices ([Hebrews 9:12](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+9.12&version=AMP)). **The Scapegoat for Azazel**: The term “Azazel” has been interpreted variously as a demon, a wilderness location, or as representing a concept of banishment. The scapegoat, released into the wilderness bearing the people’s sins, symbolizes the removal of sin from Israel’s camp. This imagery conveys that, while sin is atoned for through sacrifice, it is also removed from the community, thus restoring Israel to a state of ritual purity. ## Verses 11-14: Aaron’s Sin Offering and Entrance into the Holy of Holies > “Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house.” **Personal Atonement and Sanctification of the High Priest**: Before Aaron can act on behalf of the people, he must be cleansed through a sin offering for himself and his household. This requirement reiterates that even those set apart for ministry are not free from sin. By atoning first for his own sins, Aaron models the necessary humility and purity that Christ, the perfect High Priest, would fulfill perfectly ([Hebrews 4:15](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+4.15&version=AMP)). **Protective Veil of Incense**: Aaron enters the Holy of Holies with burning incense to create a cloud before the mercy seat, shielding himself from God’s presence. The incense symbolizes reverence and underscores the distance between God’s holiness and human sinfulness. This cloud serves as a protective barrier, illustrating that approaching God’s presence is possible only under specific conditions. **Sprinkling of Blood**: The sprinkling of the bull’s blood on and before the mercy seat signifies the act of cleansing. This blood symbolizes the atoning life given to purify Aaron and prepare him for further duties. Through this blood application, the mercy seat becomes a place of reconciliation, foreshadowing Christ’s sacrificial blood applied to cleanse and purify believers. ## Verses 15-19: The Sin Offering for the People and Cleansing of the Tabernacle > “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil…” **Corporate Atonement through Blood Sacrifice**: The goat for the people, killed as a sin offering, represents the accumulated sins of the entire nation. This sacrificial blood purifies the Holy Place, signifying that sin defiles even the holiest sites, affecting both the people and the physical space dedicated to God’s worship. The blood of this goat emphasizes the communal need for forgiveness, underscoring the importance of intercession on behalf of the entire community. **Purification of Sacred Spaces**: Aaron applies the goat’s blood to the tabernacle to cleanse it from the defilement caused by Israel’s sin. This ritual demonstrates the profound effect of sin on the covenant community, polluting not only individuals but also the spaces they inhabit. This act of cleansing emphasizes that God’s dwelling place must be maintained in purity and holiness, pointing to the reality that [[Bible Study/Topics/Sanctification/Sanctification]] is both an individual and communal necessity. ## Verses 20-22: The Scapegoat and the Removal of Sin > “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 he shall send it away into the wilderness.” **Confession and Transfer of Sins**: By laying his hands on the scapegoat, Aaron symbolically transfers Israel’s sins onto the goat. This act of [[confession]] acknowledges Israel’s collective guilt and enacts a form of substitution. The laying on of hands visually represents the scapegoat bearing the sins of the people, embodying the concept of substitutionary atonement. **The Wilderness as Symbolic Banishment of Sin**: The scapegoat is led into the wilderness, a realm associated with chaos, desolation, and separation from God’s presence. This act of sending the goat away signifies that Israel’s sins are not only forgiven but removed, restoring the community to a state of ritual purity. This removal prefigures Christ’s work on the cross, where He “bore our sins in His body” ([1 Peter 2:24](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+2.24&version=AMP)) and took away the sins of humanity. ## Verses 23-28: Conclusion and Cleansing Rituals > “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…” **Changing of Garments**: Aaron removes his sacred garments and washes, marking the end of his holy duties for the day. This change signifies the transition from sacred ritual back to the daily life of the priest. By cleansing himself, Aaron returns to a state of ordinary purity, illustrating that ritual acts have specific boundaries and serve a temporary function. **Community-Wide Cleansing**: Those involved in the scapegoat ritual must wash before re-entering the camp, symbolizing the purification of all who participated. This communal cleansing reinforces that God’s holiness extends beyond the ritual to encompass everyone touched by the scapegoat’s sin-bearing journey. ## Verses 29-34: Institutionalization of the Day of Atonement > “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 and shall do no work…” **Annual Observance and Perpetual Significance**: The Day of Atonement is established as an annual observance, reinforcing Israel’s need for regular corporate atonement. This statute ensures that each generation will humble itself before God, acknowledging sin and seeking reconciliation. The command to “afflict” oneself, typically understood as fasting, signifies humility, repentance, and dependence on God’s mercy. **The Day of Rest as Holy Celebration**: The Day of Atonement is set apart as a Sabbath of solemn rest, emphasizing the peace that comes with divine forgiveness. By ceasing work, Israel acknowledges God’s role as the ultimate provider of forgiveness and restoration. This rest celebrates the reconciliation achieved, foreshadowing the eternal peace brought by Christ’s final sacrifice. ## The Day of Atonement Fulfilled in Christ The Day of Atonement serves as a powerful typology of Christ’s redemptive work. In [Hebrews 9:11-14](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+9.11-14&version=AMP), Christ is described as the High Priest who entered “once for all” into the true Holy Place, offering His blood as the ultimate atonement. Where the high priest’s annual sacrifice had to be repeated, Christ’s sacrifice is complete and final. He fulfills both the sin offering and the scapegoat, taking away the sins of humanity and removing them entirely. **The Perfect Sacrifice of Christ**: Unlike the blood of bulls and goats, Christ’s offering brings eternal redemption, purifying the conscience from dead works. His blood does not merely cover sin but removes it, achieving what the annual sacrifices of the Day of Atonement could only foreshadow. Through His atoning work, believers are made holy and acceptable before God, realizing the full meaning of Yom Kippur. ## Related Concepts - [[Atonement]] - [[High Priest]] - [[Sacrifice]] - [[Holiness]] - [[Forgiveness]] - [[Substitutionary Atonement]] - [[Covenant Relationship]] - [[Bible Study/Topics/Sanctification/Sanctification]]