Leviticus 16

The day of atonement, on the tenth day of the seventh month, was the most serious and holy day of the year for Israelites (see Leviticus 16:29; 23:27; Numbers 29:7). It was the only required fast and a Sabbath of rest for all the people (Leviticus 23:32). The Feast of Trumpets came before it and announced its arrival (Numbers 29:1, 7–11). On this day, God forgave the sins of the community. Only the high priest, Aaron, could lead the ceremony because he represented all the people. This included Aaron’s sons, the other priests. Today, the Jews call the day of atonement Yom Kippur.

A veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. The sanctuary was like God's palace. The Most Holy Place was his throne room, and the ark was his throne (see Leviticus 1:1). In the ancient Near East, entering a king's presence without an invitation could mean death (Esther 4:11).

So, Aaron could not enter the Most Holy Place informally. Even the high priest could not enter. The only exception was when God required his presence for the Day of Atonement ceremony.

During the Day of Atonement ceremony, the high priest wore simple linen clothes instead of his usual robes. This probably symbolized the humility everyone should have on this solemn day. The high priest stood in front of God as the representative of the people. But he had nothing to boast about for himself or them. But when he stood in front of the people for God, his official robes showed God's glory and splendor (Leviticus 16:23).

The New Testament writer of the Letter to the Hebrews compares Aaron's work for Israel to Christ's work for believers. Both provided atonement for their people. Aaron had to offer a sacrifice for himself before he could offer a sin offering for the people to ensure God forgave his own sins (Hebrews 5:1–3). But Christ did not sin, though tempted (Hebrews 4:15). So, as the high priest for all Christians, he did not need to make a similar sacrifice (Hebrews 7:26–28).

scapegoat: The Hebrew term 'aza'zel (Azazel) appears only in Leviticus 16:8, 10, 26. The word has four general interpretations:

1. a term meaning "the goat of going away";

2. a demon that lived in the wilderness;

3. a stronger form of the Hebrew word for "go, leave," meaning "complete loss"; and

4. a rocky cliff over which someone pushed the goat.

Since this goat represented the removal of Israel's sins from the camp, the first interpretation is probably the simplest explanation (16:22).

The high priest had to purify the Most Holy Place and the rest of the Tent of Meeting. Throughout the year, the sins of the Israelites made the whole sanctuary ceremonially unclean. To keep the Tent of Meeting as a place to encounter God in the coming year, it needed purification. The same was true for the altar (Leviticus 16:18).

For this ceremony, the high priest had to wear special clothing used only for this purpose (Leviticus 16:4). When the ceremony ended, he had to leave the garments in the Most Holy Place. Many scholars believe that bathing and changing clothes were necessary because handling the sin offering caused ceremonial uncleanness.

On the day of atonement, the high priest brought the blood of the sin offerings into the Most Holy Place. Because of this, they burned the offerings completely instead of eating them (Leviticus 4:3–21).

• you shall humble yourselves: The Hebrew word is ‘anah, which means "to humble" or "to afflict yourselves." In practice, this word is closely connected with fasting (Isaiah 58:3, 5).

• foreigner: The Hebrew word is gēr. It refers to people who were not Israelites but lived among them. Foreigners sometimes joined in Israel’s worship (see Numbers 9:14). They probably did not own land but worked as day laborers, share-croppers, or tenant farmers. But if they lived among the Israelites, they had to follow Israelite laws and customs (see, for example, Leviticus 24:16).

The Israelites considered the day of atonement to be a Sabbath day. No one in the camp, whether Israelite or foreigner, could work (see Leviticus 19:30).