Resurrection Day
April 24, 2011
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9:1-28
Text: Leviticus 16
Title: Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
Today, “Easter” is not what we celebrate. Today we celebrate the miraculous resurrection of our Lord, which is rooted in our understanding of His sacrificial death.
Leviticus 16 was written nearly 1400 years before Jesus’ birth.
Yom Kippur is also known as the Day of Atonement (meaning of Yom Kippur), which is the climax of the Old Testament sacrificial system and is the most solemn day on the Jewish calendar. It was a day of great bloodshed and a day on which the gravity of humanity’s sin could be seen visibly. The purpose of this day is stated at the conclusion of Leviticus 16, “And this shall be a statue forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins” (Leviticus 16:16, 19, 34).
Leviticus 16:1-5 (time and way in vv. 2-3)
1) We are to approach God in His appointed TIME and in His prescribed WAY
a) Lev. 16:1 is referencing Leviticus 10:1-2
b) Lev. 16:2-3a - You approach the LORD at the specific time and in the specific way He requires, not casually or as you wish.
c) Lev. 16:4 - For all other occasions, the priest was only required to bathe his hands and feet. Also, Exodus 28 and Leviticus 8 show that Leviticus 16 required specific and very unique garments to be worn on behalf of the priest
Leviticus 16:6-28
2) The specific instructions for sacrifice and the abundance of bloodshed were to teach Israel that sin (Lev. 16:19) makes life COMPLICATED, always has great COSTS, and brings great CONDEMNATION to the sinner.
3) Sin is a PERSONAL offense against God and for God to be a good God, He must take sin PERSONALLY.
a) Leviticus 16:6 – As Leviticus 16:16, 19, 34 reiterate, the purpose for this Day, was “atonement” (Heb. Kafeir) – to make reconciliation, to make payment
b) Leviticus 16:7
· “LORD” personal name for God signifies the personal nature of the sin and sacrifice
c) Leviticus 16:8-10 The Two Goats
· Leviticus 16:8, 10 “Azazel” is the combination of two Hebrew words:
Az – goat
Azel – go away
We have chosen to translate this word into English as scapegoat or Escape Goat
· “For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through His own blood” (Hebrews 13:11-12).
d) Leviticus 16:12 – Aaron was to go inside the veil (common area; Holy place; Holy of Holies). The veil represented the unapproachability of God due to our sinfulness and His holiness (Hebrews 9:8).
· “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:50-51a).
e) Leviticus 16:13-15 - Atonement
· The mercy seat was a slab of pure gold that served as a lid for the ark. The ark contained the two stone tablets of the law (Deuteronomy 10:1-5). We know the stories of the Israelites and Uzzah who looked inside the ark of the Lord when there was no lid (1 Samuel 6; 2 Samuel 6).
· Blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat (propitiation). The Word in the New Testament for “mercy seat” is “propitiation.” “For there is no distinction: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation (mercy seat) by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:22b-26) – parenthesis after “propitiation” is my clarification.
f) Leviticus 16:16-19 – Restate points 2-3 above
g) Leviticus 16:20-22 brings us to point of Expiation
4) The atonement was not made without the second goat. If you are not moving progressively and consistently away from the PRACTICE of SIN, you have not been atoned for.
· “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, IN ORDER THAT, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him IN ORDER THAT the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin” (Romans 6:1-6).
· Turn and Read Luke 24:1-5 – Why do you seek the living among the dead?
h) Further instructions in Leviticus 16:23-28
Leviticus 16:29-34
5) The two goats of atonement and expiation are appropriated by a moment by moment HUMBLE DEPENDENCE on the work and power of Christ that always bears the fruit of freedom from guilt and sin.
a) Leviticus 16:29-31
· “You shall afflict yourselves.” “Afflict” is translated from the Hebrew word “anah” meaning: to be occupied, be busied with to afflict, oppress, humble, be afflicted, and be bowed down.
Today is about Christ. The Scripture is about Christ. Jesus is the Temple, High Priest, Blood, Mercy Seat, Ten Commandments, Bull, Linen Garments, both goats – and He came out. Today is about “it is finished.”
Transition into the Lord’s Supper in Matthew 26:26-28
Notice that in the midst of the disciples celebrating this time with their LORD, those far from Him are plotting to betray Him (Matthew 26:1-5); those who seem to be closest to Him are plotting to betray Him (Matthew 26:14-16).
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