Levítico 16

Levítico 16

Wiersbe - On that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. LEVITICUS 16:30 The book of Leviticus was given to the Jewish priests and their people so that they might “distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean” (Lev. 10:10; see 11:47); for God’s command is, “You should therefore be holy, for I am holy” (11:45). That order was given not only to the Israelites, but also to the church (1 Pet. 1:13–16). In Scripture, sin is compared to dirt, and God’s people today are probably more in danger of being defiled by the world, the flesh, and the devil than were the ancient Jews (Eph. 2:1–3; 5:1–14). God taught his people spiritual discernment by giving them rules related to diet, personal health, and hygiene. Cleansed by water. Defilement is a picture of sin, but washing is a picture of forgiveness (Ps. 51:2, 7). In the Bible, water for drinking is a symbol of the Spirit of God (John 7:37–39), but water for washing pictures the Word of God. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you,” said Jesus (John 15:3), and Paul wrote about “the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25–27). In the Old Testament sanctuaries, there was a large basin full of clean water called the laver. There the priests washed their hands and feet regularly during their daily ministry, for if they did not, they were in danger of being judged by God (Exod. 30:17–21). Note that the priests were defiled while they served the Lord in the sanctuary. Cleansed by blood. In the previous meditation, we touched upon the power of sacrificial blood to deliver God’s people from bondage and judgment, as the blood of the lamb did for each Jewish household in Egypt. “According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). It was Jesus on the cross who “loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Rev. 1:5). We are justified (declared righteous) by his blood (Rom. 5:9) and also sanctified (made righteous) by his blood (Heb. 13:12). When we confess our sins to the Lord, he forgives us and cleanses us through the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:5–10). Cleansed by fire. This applied primarily to the metal spoils of battle (Num. 31:21–24), “everything that can endure fire.” But it also reminds us that God sometimes puts us in the fires of tribulation so that we might be purified. “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Ps. 119:67, 71, 75; see Heb. 12:11; 1 Pet. 1:6–7). When we go through the fire, God is with us and will use us to glorify him (Isa. 43:2; Dan. 3:16–26). Are we distinguishing between the clean and the unclean and choosing only the very best for our lives (Ezek. 22:23–31; 44:23)? If not, we may find ourselves in the furnace of affliction experiencing the chastening of the Lord (Heb. 12:1–11). This doesn’t mean being condemned by a stern judge, but being “spanked” by a loving Father whose goal is “that we may be partakers of His holiness” (Heb. 12:10), knowing the difference between clean and unclean. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11 Leviticus 16:31 "It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute. Lev 23:32 25:4 Ex 31:15 35:2 Leviticus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Numbers 29:7+ ‘Then on the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall humble yourselves; you shall not do any work. A SABBATH OF SOLEMN REST CALL TO AFFLICT THE SOUL It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble (anah; Lxx - tapeinoo) your souls (nephesh); it is a permanent statute (chuqqah): Literally a "Sabbath of Sabbaths" = more sacred and more strictly observed than the normal weekly Sabbath. It called for total cessation of work (cf Lev 23:27-32; Nu 29:7). The fact that the people weren’t to do any work reminds us that we are saved wholly by God’s grace, through faith, and not because of our character or our good works (see Eph 2:8–9 which precedes our "good work" in Eph 2:10). Humble your souls is the Hebrew verb (anah - עָנָה) which means to afflict, humble, oppress, deny. The noun “soul” (nephesh) often refers to the whole person—the inner life, appetite, and self. Together, the phrase conveys the idea of self-denial and humbling oneself before God. Jewish tradition (and the Mishnah, m. Yoma 8:1) interprets this as abstaining from food, drink, and other comforts. The Day of Atonement was not merely another holy day; it was set apart as a sabbath of solemn rest. On this day, Israel was commanded to humble themselves before the Lord in repentance and dependence. Unlike other ceremonies that might fade with time, this command was declared a permanent statute, emphasizing the enduring seriousness of sin and the continual need for God’s atonement. David