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Sermon #1999[i] Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: The Day Of Atonement
Text: Leviticus 16:1-34 Introduction:
(Leviticus 16:17) “And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.”
Proposition
The most important and most instructive of all the typical ceremonies of the Old Testament was The Day Of Atonement. — The Day of Atonement pictured, foreshadowed, and typified the sin-atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our great High Priest, our substitutionary Sacrifice for sin, our Scapegoat, our Altar, and our Mercy-Seat, through whom alone sinners have access to and find acceptance with the Holy Lord God.
Mercy and Truth
In order for the holy Lord God to deal with sinful men in mercy, grace, and peace, without compromising His character and violating His justice, there had to be a Day of Atonement. A holy, just, and true God could never allow fallen, sinful man to live before Him, unless a suitable atonement is made for man’s sin. Justice must be vindicated. Sin must be punished. Else, God and man can never come together in peace. Therefore, God ordained that a Day of Atonement be observed in Israel once a year, as a picture and pledge of the great Day of Atonement to be accomplished at Calvary by the slaying of the Lamb of God for the redemption of God’s elect.
The Lord God gave Moses meticulous, detailed instructions about how the Day of Atonement was to be observed in this 16th chapter of Leviticus.
1. The day of atonement was ordained and initiated by God Himself – No human invention (Job 33:24).
(Job 33:24) “Then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.”
2. The Day of Atonement was set for a specific time each year (v. 29) — “The seventh month, on the tenth day of the month.” God’s great Day of Atonement was set, fixed, appointed, and determined by God Himself – “Mine hour.” — “When the fullness of time was come.” — “Father, the hour is come.” — Nothing was left to chance!
3. There was only one Day of Atonement each year. — Christ was to make only one offering for sin. — “Now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself…Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:26, 28).
4. The sacrifices offered on the Day of Atonement were only typical. They could never put away sin. Hebrews 10:1-4.
“1 ¶ For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:1-4)
5. All these typical, ceremonial sacrifices were fulfilled by Christ and have ceased because Christ fulfilled them. Hebrews 10:11-14, 18 – “No more offering for sin.”
“9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:9-14)
“Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:18)
6. All that was done on the Day of Atonement was done for a specific, chosen people and resulted in God’s blessing upon those people.
Divisions: As we take a brief survey at this chapter and try to picture the events of this, the greatest of all days on the Jewish calendar during the Old Testament era, I want to draw your attention to five specific things about that great day. 1. The High Priest 2. The Slain Victim 3. The Lost Scapegoat 4. The People’s Response 5. The Act of Faith.
1. The High Priest
The atonement was made by a specifically appointed man, Aaron, the great high priest of Israel — The great high priest (v. 3).
(Leviticus 16:3) “Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.”
A. He was a chosen man.
(Psalms 89:19) “Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.”
(Isaiah 42:1-4) “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. (2) He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. (3) A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. (4) He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.”
B. He was robed in garments of humility (v. 4).
(Leviticus 16:4) “He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.”
On this great day Aaron laid aside his gorgeous, glorious garments and put on the garments of humility. — No Bells and Pomegranates!
(2 Corinthians 8:9) “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
(Philippians 2:5-11) “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (9) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
C. Israel’s great high priest was a ceremonially holy man (vv. 3, 4, 6, 11, 12).
(Leviticus 16:3-4) “Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. (4) He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.”
(Leviticus 16:6) “And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.”
(Leviticus 16:11-12) “And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: (12) And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil.”
Though Aaron was a sinner like us, he had to be a ceremonially holy man to act as God’s high priest, picturing the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to approach God as the high priest of his people, Aaron had to have in type, and Christ had to have in reality, these four things…
1. Personal cleanness – Aaron bathed his flesh in water. Christ had no sin.
2. Holy garments – Linen garments, garments woven by the hands of a man. Christ’s righteous obedience to God as our Representative (John 17:4).
3. Divine approval – The incense smoke pictures Christ is a sweet-smelling savor to God — Meritorious! — This incense also portrays Christ’s intercession for us (Romans 8:34).1 We are accepted because of God’s approval of our Substitute!
4. Blood atonement – Aaron could not come into the Holy of Holies without blood. — Christ could not obtain eternal redemption for us without his own blood (Hebrews 9:12).
D. In all his work on the day of atonement Aaron acted alone (v. 17).
(Leviticus 16:17) “And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.”
No one else was present. No one was allowed into the holy of holies but Aaron. Aaron was alone with God to make atonement for the people. The whole nation was entrusted to one representative man. The whole nation rested upon the shoulders of one man. If that man succeeds, the nation shall live. If he fails, the nation must die!
(Psalms 69:20) “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”
(Isaiah 63:3-5) “I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. (4) For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. (5) And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.”
In all things, Aaron, the high priest, typified our great, sin-atoning High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. The Slain Goat
Next, let’s read verses 5, 7-10. We will consider the meaning of the scapegoat in a few minutes. Right now I want you to get a picture of the goat that was slain as a victim for a sin-offering to God. — This goat represents the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God. Christ is both our High Priest and our Sacrificial Lamb, the victim, not of man’s will, but of God’s justice!
(Leviticus 16:5) “And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.”
(Leviticus 16:7-10) “And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (8) And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. (9) And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. (10) But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.”
A. It was an innocent victim.
B. It was taken from among the people. — Divine justice must be avenged upon and compensation must be made by man, for man sinned.
C. It was chosen and ordained by God (vv. 7-9—Proverbs 16:33; Acts 2:23; 4:26-28; 13:29).
(Leviticus 16:7-9) “And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.”
(Proverbs 16:33) “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.”
(Acts 2:23) “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:”
(Acts 4:26-28) “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.”
(Acts 13:29) “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.”
D. It was slain by Divine order as a sacrifice for sin (v. 15; Zech. 13:7).
(Leviticus 16:15) “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:”
(Zechariah 13:7) “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”
Thus the Lord Jesus Christ our Substitute, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed for us…
(Galatians 3:13-14) “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
(Hebrews 10:11-14) “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
E. The blood of this slain goat was sprinkled upon the mercy seat seven times (vv. 14-15)
(Leviticus 16:14-15) “And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. 15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.”
· A Covering — To Hide · A Propitiation — To Cancel · A Reconciliation — To Unite
Having died in our place, the Lord Jesus Christ entered immediately into heaven itself and offered to God the merits of His own precious blood, obtaining eternal redemption for us!
(Hebrews 9:12) “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
(Hebrews 10:19-22) “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Illustration: The Rent Veil (Matthew 27:50-51).
(Matthew 27:50-51) “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.”
The sacrifice of our dear Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is a sacrifice is of infinite, perpetual merit and efficacy before God (Romans 8:32-35; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; 1 John 2:1-2).
“32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:32-35)
“17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
“1 ¶ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2)
Both the high priest and the slain victim represent the Lord Jesus, who is both our Savior Priest and our Sacrifice, the Lamb of God sacrificed for us. Next, look at…
3. The Lost Scapegoat (vv. 20-22).
(Leviticus 16:20-22) “And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 21 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 in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.”
The scapegoat is a picture of the complete removal of our sins by Christ. The first goat, the Lord’s goat, the slain victim gave us a picture of the atonement. The second goat, the scapegoat gives us a picture of the result of the atonement. — Look at these two great, instructive pictures.
A. The Transfer and Imputation of Our Sins to Christ (v. 21).
(Leviticus 16:21) “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 in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:”
(Isaiah 53:4-6) “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
(2 Corinthians 5:21) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
B. The Removal of Our Sins by Christ (v. 22).
(Leviticus 16:22) “And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.”
(Jeremiah 50:20) “In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.”
(Psalms 32:1-2) “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”
(Romans 4:8) “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
(Psalms 103:12) “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
(Micah 7:18-20) “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.”
(1 Peter 4:1-2) “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.”
I have to hurry and bring this message to its conclusion, so next take notice of…
4. The People’s Response.
At the close of the day, when the work of atonement was finished, Aaron took off his linen garments and put on his glorious, gorgeous garments again. Then, on the basis of atonement made, he lifted up his hands and blessed the people (Numbers 6:24-26).
(Numbers 6:24-27) “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.”
When the people saw what God did for them, they had a threefold response.
A. They repented — “Ye shall afflict your souls” (v. 29). · Psalm 51:1-5
B. They rested — “Ye shall do no work at all” (v. 29). Illustration: The Sabbath (Hebrews 4:9-10).
C. They rejoiced (Leviticus 25:9). — Jubilee proclaims…
(Leviticus 25:9) “Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the Day of Atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.”
· Liberty! · The Clearing of All Debt! · Restoration!
Now, let us each perform…
5. The Act of Faith symbolized in verses 21 and 22.
“21 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 in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.” (Leviticus 16:21-22)
I call upon each of you to join me in the act of faith symbolized on the Day of Atonement. — Lay your hands upon Christ the Scapegoat’s head, confess your sins. Now, watch them go away!
Illustration: Charlotte Elliot – “Just As I Am”
Amen.
Don Fortner
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1 (Romans 8:34) “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
[i] Covenant of Grace Baptist, N Wilkesboro, NC — (FRI- 08/10/12)
Todds Road Grace Church, Lexington, KY — (WED – 08/15/12)