Thoughts and teaching on Leviticus chapter 16 (Day of Atonement)

I’ve dealt with the Day of Atonement on the ‘Old Doctrines, New Light’ section of the web site.

A more detailed explanation of the events describing the reason for the institution of this festival can be found under my comments on North’s chapter 8 and my subsequent teaching as I’ve only a precis of the incident of Nadab and Abihu’s deaths on the Yom Kippur page.

Additional Note

The first of the two goats offered on the Day of Atonement is sacrificed (Lev 16:16)

‘...because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel, and because of their transgressions, all their sins...’

We’ve already seen in our discussions of Part 2 of North’s book that God provided for a way for the Israelites to cleanse the ceremonial defilement (uncleanness) that they incurred in a number of different circumstances and situations and that, if their uncleannesses weren’t atoned for or cleansed, they’d bring judgment upon themselves which could result in physical death (as in the case of Nadab and Abihu).

In the Scripture quoted, though, the idea appears to be of a general uncleanness that had imparted itself to the Tabernacle because of its presence in the midst of the nation of Israel rather than any specific action that’s in mind.

This is further shown by the content of the confession over the second goat (Lev 16:21) which dealt with

‘...all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins...’

There’s no mention of uncleanness here but only occasions that would be known as needing dealing with are put upon the head of the goat. Therefore the sin offering that removed the nation’s uncleannesses may have functioned in a similar manner to the guilt offering of Lev 5:17-19 which was offered to ameliorate troubled consciences and to reassure the nation that nothing would go undealt with.

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