Leviticus 16

SERMON PASSAGE: Leviticus 16

REVIEW THE SERMON

1. Briefly review the sermon outline:

a. Introduction i. Our biggest problem: God is holy – and we are sinful. ii. Leviticus 19:2, 20:7, 20:26, 21:8 iii. Ch 16 is the keystone of the book of Leviticus iv. Structure 1. vs. 1-10 – Introduction and preparation for the ritual 2. vs. 11-28 – Ritual Procedure 3. vs. 29-34 – Instruction for the day as annual memorial

b. Atonement for Aaron i. 1 bull ii. Aaron is sinful and incapable of atoning for the sin of others. Before he can go into these areas for the people, he must make atonement for himself. iii. If Aaron is not prepared Death (see vs. 1, 2, 13) iv. Hebrews 7:26

c. Atonement for the people i. 2 goats for people: One for covering atonement, one for cleansing removal. ii. 1 goat for atonement 1. This atonement allowed for them to live among a holy God. There is no other way to be with a holy God except for substitutionary atonement. 2. Hebrews 9:13-14, 22 3. Hebrews 10:19-22 iii. 1 scape goat 1. Azazel=scape goat 2. The goat had ‘all’ the sins of Israel transferred to it as it was sent away to be cut off from the people 3. Isaiah 53:6 4. Hebrews 13:11-12

d. Annual memorial and instruction i. Annual occurrence: the need to have an annual day shows sacrifices are incomplete ii. Hebrews 10:11-14 iii. Atonement is a very big deal to God iv. Luke 24:25-27 v. The only holy day and sabbath centered around mourning and self- affliction (idea of fasting) vi. 1 John 1:8 vii. Leviticus 16:30

DIGGING DEEPER

1. Leviticus 16 and Jesus

The Day of Atonement (or Yom Kippur) is described for the first time in Leviticus 16. Hebrews 9-10 is perhaps the best commentary on the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement by Jesus.

Read and reflect on Hebrews 9-10.

Write down all the parallels you see between Leviticus 16 and Hebrews 9-10. A few have been given to you to help get you started.

2 Leviticus Hebrews 9-10

Aaron, high priest Jesus, high priest

Scape goat bearing sins of Israel Jesus bearing our sins was taken released outside of the camp to outside of Jerusalem at Golgotha to die in the wilderness. die.

2. All Means All

It may be surprising for you to learn that there is no punctuation in biblical Hebrew. This has ramifications. For instance, they did not have an exclamation mark to show emphasis or excitement. Rather, if something was particularly important, the writers of the Old Testament either (a) switched to poetry in the middle of prose or (b) mentioned a phrase or word three times in a row.

We see an example of the first type of Hebrew emphasis as early as in Genesis 1 and 2. Take for example, the prose of Genesis 2:18-22, 24-25. God is describing the making of

3 Eve and He brings her to Adam. Adam is excited, so much so, that he speaks poetry in verse 23! This is how the Hebrew writers tell us that Adam is excited without the use of “Wow!”.

In Leviticus 16, at THE key point of the Day of Atonement, we see that Moses uses the second form of emphasis. He writes a key phrase three times in a row in a single verse.

Read and reflect on Leviticus 16:21.

Did you see the repeated phrase?

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 all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.

God is making a point here. He is atoning for the sins of Israel (sin, iniquity, transgression) for the past year. Not just some of their sins each year, but ALL of their sins.

Psalm 32:1, 5 mentions the same sin terms - sin, iniquity, transgression – and reminds us that God forgives us of them all. Why? Because Isaiah 53:6 tells us that God has laid the iniquity of us all on Jesus and Isaiah 43:25, 44:22 and Psalm 103:25-26 tells us He will never remember them again because of Jesus’ atoning work (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:13- 14)!

Think of that. The omniscient (all knowing) God chooses not to remember our sin because we’ve been redeemed by Jesus. The penalty of our sin has been paid in full.

PRAYER

1. Praise God for the atoning work of Jesus! What He did allows us to stand before Holy God!

2. Read and reflect on Psalm 51. Do you need to confess sin to God so He can create a clean heart in you?

3. Continue to pray for Living Hope Bryan’s transition to a new time of worship. Continue to pray for unity between Living Hope Bryan and Grace Midtown.