Leviticus 16:29-31 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

The great anniversary-sacred seasons.

The Jews had other special days beside the Day of Atonement. They had their weekly sabbath, the new moon sacrifices, their festivals or "holy convocations" ( Leviticus 23:1-44 ), etc. But this was the "grand climacteric;" there were "high days" during the year, but this was the day of the year to every devout Israelite. No other was comparable to it in solemnity and sacred importance. Several features of peculiar interest combined to raise it above all other occasions.

1 . It was the one annual solemnity prescribed by the Law.

2 . It was a day of perfect rest from labour ( Leviticus 16:29 , Leviticus 16:31 ).

3 . It was the one day of universal fasting enjoined or encouraged in the Law ( Leviticus 16:29 , Leviticus 16:31 ).

4 . It was a day of self-examination and spiritual humiliation ( Leviticus 16:29 ).

5 . On that day the high priest went perilously near to the manifested presence of God—then, and then only, entering within the vail, and standing in presence of the mercy-seat and the mysterious, awful Shechinah ( Leviticus 16:12 ).

6 . On that day unusual sacrifices were offered unto the Lord, and a striking spectacle witnessed by the whole camp, the live goat being led away into the wilderness ( Leviticus 16:21 ).

7 . Then, also, the people felt themselves in an unusually blessed relation to Jehovah—free, as at no other time, from all their sin; they were "clean from all their sins before the Lord" ( Leviticus 16:30 ). We may, therefore, well pronounce this the great anniversary of the Hebrew Church. It must have had hallowing influences in both directions of time: it must have been anticipated with interest and awe; it must have left behind it sacred shadows of holy feeling—of unity, reverence, joy in God. The holding of this anniversary "by statute for ever" suggests to us—

I. THAT IN CHRIST JESUS THE OBSERVANCE OF DAYS IS AN OPTIONAL THING . There are valid grounds for believing that it is the will of Christ we should observe the Lord's day as the disciples of him who is "the Resurrection and the Life." But the enforcement of the observance of sacred days by statute binding on the Christian conscience is expressly disallowed ( Galatians 4:10 , Galatians 4:11 ; Romans 14:5 , Romans 14:6 ; Colossians 2:16 ).

II. THAT IT IS WISE , AS A MATTER OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY , TO OBSERVE SOME ANNIVERSARIES . God has, in his providential arrangements, made certain points to be regularly recurring. Time is so measured that we must be periodically reminded of interesting events. God put the lights in the firmament in order that they might not only "give light upon the earth," but that they might be "for signs and for seasons, and for days and for years " ( Genesis 1:14 ).

1 . A Church should observe:

2 . Individual Christian men may observe

III. THAT THERE IS A TWOFOLD USE WE MAY MAKE OF SUCH ANNIVERSARIES .

1 . Solemn retrospect; with careful retreading of past experiences, free and full acknowledgment of God's goodness and our own manifold shortcomings, simple faith in the Divine promise of forgiveness through Christ.

2 . Thoughtful forecast; with studious consideration of what may yet be done for the Master and mankind, devout reconsecration of self to the service of the Saviour, believing prayer for Divine guidance and guardianship through future years.—C.