2. Instructions concerning the ritual 16:11-28More detail follows in this section that helped Aaron know exactly how to conduct the cultic ritual and that helps the reader appreciate the implications of atonement. read more
The cleansing of the participants 16:23-28The rituals for cleansing those who had had contact with the sacrifices conclude this section.This entire ceremony pointed out very clearly the holiness of God and, in contrast, the sinfulness of man. Those involved in procuring atonement had to follow scrupulously the directions God gave for approaching Him in worship. read more
Ritual of the Day of Atonement(See also Leviticus 23:26-32; Numbers 29:7-11; Exodus 30:10.)This solemn ceremonial took place once a year on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri = September). It was enacted by the high priest alone, but the whole nation indicated its interest and participation in it, by resting from all manner of work, by keeping a very strict fast, and by assembling for an ’holy convocation.’ The ritual of the Day of Atonement marked the culminating point of the Levitical... read more
(25) And the fat of the sin offering.—That is, the fat of the inwards of both the bullock (see Leviticus 16:6) and the goat (see Leviticus 16:15), which constituted the sin offering, as well as the fat of the other goat, which was the priest’s sin offering, was to be burnt upon the brazen altar of burnt offering in the courtyard. (See Leviticus 4:8-10.) read more
The Scapegoat Leviticus 16:8-22 Among a primitive people who seemed to have more moral troubles than any other and to feel greater need of dismissing them by artificial means, there grew up the custom of using a curious expedient. They chose a beast of the field, and upon its head symbolically piled all the moral hard-headedness of the several tribes; after which the unoffending brute was banished to the wilderness and the guilty multitude felt relieved. However crude that ancient method of... read more
THE GREAT DAY OF ATONEMENTLeviticus 16:1-34IN the first verse of chapter 16, which ordains the ceremonial for the great annual day of atonement, we are told that this ordinance was delivered by the Lord to Moses "after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord, and died." Because of the close historical connection thus declared between this chapter and chapter 10, and also because in this ordinance the Mosaic sacrificial worship, which has been the subject of the... read more
AZAZELLeviticus 16:20-28"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: 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: and the goat shall... read more
IV. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT: IN THE HOLIEST 1. The Day of Atonement CHAPTER 16 1. The command how Aaron was to enter (Leviticus 16:1-5 ) 2. The presentation of the offerings (Leviticus 16:6-10 ) 3. The blood carried into the Holiest (Leviticus 16:11-19 ) 4. The scapegoat (Leviticus 16:20-22 ) 5. Aaron’s burnt offering and that for the people (Leviticus 16:23-25 ) 6. The ceremony outside of the camp (Leviticus 16:26-28 ) 7. Cleansed and resting (Leviticus 16:29-34 ) A brief... read more
THE GREAT DAY OF ATONEMENT (vv. 1-34) This is a chapter of central importance in the book of Leviticus. It forms a basis for, and is explained in, the epistle to the Hebrews. Aaron's two sons had died for offering “strange fire to the Lord” (Leviticus 10:1-2). We are reminded of this in verse 1 of chapter 16 in order to be impressed with the seriousness of any approach into the holy presence of God. The priests, and even the high priest were forbidden to come at all times into the holiest of... read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Leviticus 16:1-34
D. The Day of Atonement ch. 16The sacrifices and offerings that Moses described thus far in the Law were not sufficient to cleanse all the defilements of the people. Much sinfulness and uncleanness still needed removing. Therefore God appointed a yearly sacrifice that cleansed all the sins and impurities not covered by other means that the Israelites committed ignorantly (Hebrews 9:7). The sacrifice of the Day of Atonement was in this sense the most comprehensive of the Mosaic sacrifices.This... read more