The Day of Atonement
Cleansing the place where God dwells - Leviticus 16
“But Christ having come as a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands… ” (Hebrews 9:11)*
Some of the events in end-times prophesy were foreshadowed in the Law of Moses. Christ is revealed as fulfilling some of these types and shadows at various times in John’s Revelation. An overview of the rituals performed on the Day of Atonement will help provide context for the symbolism associated with the Mosaic Law as it is revealed in the book of Revelation.
[1] The LORD spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD, and died; [2] and the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron your brother, not to come at all times into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die: for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat. (Leviticus 16:1-2)
The atonement is a reconciliation between God and mankind. Sin and transgression disrupt the relationship and create a barrier, but the atonement provides a way of reconciliation and restores communion. Leviticus chapter 16 provides a description of the sacred rituals performed on the Day of Atonement. This ceremony was to be performed once each year to provide atonement for the priests, the sanctuary and the children of Israel because of sin and transgression.
[33] Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. [34] "This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all their sins." It was done as the LORD commanded Moses. (Leviticus 16:33-34)*1
The Day of Atonement Ceremony
The Day of Atonement begins with the selection of a bull and a ram to sacrifice for the high priest and his house. The high priest must first make atonement for himself and the other priests, then he will make atonement for the congregation of the people. Once the atonement with blood is finished, the sins of the people are symbolically transferred onto a goat who is led into the wilderness and released. The final step is to make burnt offerings, one for the priests and one for the people. Along with the ram for the burnt offering, the fat of the sin offering is also burnt on the brazen altar. The rest of the carcass of the sin offering is taken outside the camp and burned with fire.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the steps in the ceremony.
Make atonement with blood for the priesthood
A bull and ram are selected for a sin offering and a burnt offering
The high priest will bathe in water and put on the holy garments
He will kill the bull for the sin offering
He will put fire and incense in the censer at the golden altar
He will bring the censer within the veil so the cloud covers the mercy seat
He will sprinkle the bull’s blood on the mercy seat 7 times with his finger
Make atonement with blood for the people
Take from the congregation two goats for a sin offering and a ram for the burnt offering
Cast lots between the goats for the scapegoat and the sin offering
The high priest will kill the goat for the sin offering
He will sprinkle the goat’s blood on the mercy seat 7 times with his finger
Make atonement on the golden altar
Put the blood from the bull and goat around the horns of the altar
Sprinkle blood from the bull and goat on the altar 7 times
The scapegoat carries away the sins of the people
Lay hands on the live goat’s head confessing the sins of the people
Someone shall lead the live goat into the wilderness (bearing their sins)
Let the goat go free in the wilderness
The person leading the goat shall wash his clothes and bathe in water
The high priest makes atonement with burnt offerings
He shall bathe in water and change garments in the sanctuary
He shall come out and offer the burnt offerings (2 rams)
He shall make atonement for himself and the people
He shall burn the fat of the bull and goat on the altar
The bull and goat shall be carried outside the camp
Their skin, flesh and dung shall be burned up with fire
No work. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to the people
This is a day of rest and celebration. The atonement has provided cleansing for the people and they are made clean before the Lord from all their sins. They were to observed this ceremony on the 10th day in the 7th month each year.
[30] for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before the LORD. [31] It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls; it is a statute forever. (Leviticus 16:30-31)*
There are a few additional details that are important to make note of. First, the blood of the sin offerings are sprinkled on the golden altar and some is put on the horns of the altar, but the rest of the blood is poured out at the base of the altar of burnt offering. This is explained in Leviticus chapter 4.
The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the Tent of Meeting; and he shall pour out all of rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. (Leviticus 4:7)*
The second thing to highlight is that nobody is allowed to be in the tabernacle/temple while the high priest is making the atonement with blood in the most holy place. This happens in Revelation during the last seven bowl plagues.
There shall be no one in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. (Leviticus 16:17)*
Finally, notice the prohibition on work. This is a solemn day of rest, an invitation to enter into rest with God. An opportunity to cease from their own efforts and rest in the provision of God.
Three Types of Cleansing
There are three types of cleansing pictured in these rituals. There is purification by water, blood and fire. The first is an outward washing of the physical body with water and the wearing of clean linen garments. The second is a cleansing with blood from the sin offering. The sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat was to provide atonement for the transgression of the priests and all the people.
The third is a purification by fire represented by the burnt offering. It is part of the ongoing sanctification of the people who have been cleansed by the blood of atonement. The sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat only happened once per year on the Day of Atonement, but the burnt offerings were a routine part of daily worship as the people needed to be cleansed of sin and defilement regularly.
Jesus illustrated this concept with the disciples as he washed their feet. He told Peter that those who were made clean, did not need to bathe again, they only needed to have their feet washed2. However, without clean feet, they could not participate in the fellowship of Christ or in building God’s kingdom. This is an essential part of fruitful service in the everlasting kingdom of God.
The concept of purification by fire is a common theme of the prophets. God is sometimes compared to a metal worker who refines gold and silver in a furnace. God will refine his people using trials, persecution and suffering in order to purge them of impurities, just like refining gold. This will be true in the last days as God refines His people in the great tribulation.
[2] "But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like launderer's soap; [3] and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to the LORD offerings in righteousness. (Malachi 3:2-3)*
[6] Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, [7] that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (I Peter 1:6-7)*
The Sin Offering
There are some differences between whole burnt offerings and the sin offering. The priest is allowed to eat the meat from most burnt offerings. However, he may not eat of a sacrifice that is an atonement for his own sins and he may not eat of the sin offering if its blood has been brought into the tabernacle to make atonement.
No sin offering, of which any of the blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be eaten: it shall be burned with fire. (Leviticus 6:30)*
Another distinction is that the burnt offering is entirely devoted to God so that the whole animal is burned on the altar. This is generally for an offering of peace or thanksgiving. In contrast, for the sin offering, only the fat and the kidneys are presented to God on the altar. The rest of the carcass must be taken outside the camp and burned with fire where the ashes from the altar are disposed of.
The bull for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried forth outside the camp; and they shall burn their skins, their flesh, and their dung with fire. (Leviticus 16:27)*
This language is similar to the vision of Daniel chapter 7 where the fourth beast is killed and the body given to be burned with fire. The final end of the beast and the false prophet described in Revelation chapter 19 is also following a similar theme. The beast and false prophet are taken and cast into the lake of fire.
I saw at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke. I was watching until the animal was killed and its body destroyed and was given to be burned with fire. (Daniel 7:11)*
And the court shall sit in judgment, and they shall take away his dominion, consumed and completely destroyed forever. (Daniel 7:26)*
The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. (Revelation 19:20)*
Is the beast of Babylon a type of sin offering foreshadowed by the sacrificial system in the Law of Moses? When Christ cleanses the earth with fire, the saints will be purified and offered to God, while the beast is consumed and completely destroyed.
Temple Rituals in Revelation
There are a number of references to these ceremonial cleansing rituals in the book of Revelation. Christ is pictured at various points as the high priest performing these same rituals. In chapter 5, the Lamb who was slain is presented with bowls full of incense by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. When the seventh seal is opened, the great high priest is standing at the golden altar with a golden censer and the smoke of the incense goes up before God with the prayers of the saints. With the sounding of the sixth trumpet, John hears a voice from the horns of the golden altar.
The Law foreshadowed the events of the Apocalypse and it provides meaning to the symbolism. It is as if Christ is cleansing the earth following the pattern provided in the Law of Moses for cleansing the temple.
The Law was given to Moses in the context of the Exodus from Egypt. Many parallels can be drawn between the Exodus and the Apocalypse. In both cases God’s people are delivered from slavery and brought to a land of promise. Israel was delivered from slavery in Egypt and in the Apocalypse, God’s people are delivered from Babylon. Christ delivered us from death at Calvary on the day of Passover when Israel celebrated being delivered from the death angel in Egypt.
Between the deliverance from slavery and taking possession of the land there was a time of wandering in the wilderness. A battle is fought just prior to entering and taking possession of the land. For Israel, this was at Jericho, for the Apocalypse it is Armageddon. God’s people's are on a journey from slavery in Babylon to the promised everlasting kingdom. The milestones in that journey have been foreshadowed in the Law and revealed to us in the prophets.
Up Next… Appendix 3
Return to the Table of Contents: Battle for the Everlasting Kingdom
Biblical Reverences
*All Scripture quotations are from the New Heart English Bible unless specifically designated otherwise. The New Heart English Bible [NHEB] is in the public domain. https://nheb.net/
Gospel of John 13:1-11