Approaching God’s Holiness with Atonement

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Leviticus is a book focused on holiness and worship, detailing how God’s people are to live and serve Him. Chapter 16 comes after the tragic deaths of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, who died for offering unauthorized fire before the Lord. This event sets a serious tone, emphasizing God’s holiness and the need for careful obedience in approaching Him. The chapter introduces the annual Day of Atonement, a unique ritual designed to cleanse the sanctuary and the people from sin, highlighting God's provision for forgiveness and the importance of the priestly role in mediating between God and Israel.

What You'll Learn

• The significance of the high priest’s unique role and garments in entering God’s presence safely.
• How the two goats symbolize sin’s removal and God’s mercy through the scapegoat ritual.
• The detailed blood sprinkling rituals that atone for the sanctuary, priests, and people.
• Why the Day of Atonement was established as a lasting statute for Israel’s purification.
• The connection between these sacrifices and the ultimate atonement fulfilled in Christ.
• The solemn call to afflict the soul and rest, emphasizing repentance and dependence on God’s grace.

God’s holiness demands a sacred atonement process that cleanses sin and restores fellowship between Him and His people.

Bible Translation Note: All Scripture on this page is quoted from the King James Version (KJV) and presented in full without alteration.

Leviticus 16:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

Leviticus 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Leviticus 16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

Leviticus 16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

Leviticus 16:5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Leviticus 16:6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

Leviticus 16:7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus 16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

Leviticus 16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.

Leviticus 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

Leviticus 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

Leviticus 16:13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

Leviticus 16:14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

Leviticus 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

Leviticus 16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Leviticus 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

Leviticus 16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

Leviticus 16:19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

Leviticus 16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

Leviticus 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Leviticus 16:22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:

Leviticus 16:24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.

Leviticus 16:25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.

Leviticus 16:26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.

Leviticus 16:28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

Leviticus 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Leviticus 16:31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

Leviticus 16:32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:

Leviticus 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

Leviticus 16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Leviticus 16:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

Study: This verse sets the solemn backdrop by referencing the death of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, who died for offering unauthorized fire before God. It highlights the seriousness of approaching God’s holiness improperly and introduces the need for a divinely appointed ritual to safely enter His presence.

Leviticus 16:2

And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Study: God commands Moses to instruct Aaron not to enter the holy place at will, emphasizing that access to God's presence is restricted and must follow divine timing and procedure. The mention of God appearing in a cloud over the mercy seat shows His glory and presence, underscoring the danger of unauthorized entry.

Leviticus 16:3

Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

Study: The prescribed offerings—a young bullock for sin and a ram for burnt offering—show the necessity of sacrifice to approach God. The sin offering addresses uncleanness, while the burnt offering signifies consecration, reflecting the dual need for cleansing and dedication in worship.

Leviticus 16:4

He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

Study: Aaron’s holy linen garments symbolize purity and separation from common attire, reinforcing the sacredness of his role. Washing his flesh before donning these clothes points to the importance of external and internal cleansing before entering God’s presence.

Leviticus 16:5

And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Study: The selection of two goats and one ram from the congregation highlights the communal nature of atonement. These animals represent Israel’s sins and the need for a collective cleansing, not just individual forgiveness.

Leviticus 16:6

And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

Study: Aaron first offers a sin offering for himself and his household, demonstrating that the priest must be purified before mediating for others. This order reflects God’s holiness and the necessity of personal cleansing in ministry.

Leviticus 16:7

And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Study: Presenting the two goats before the LORD at the tabernacle’s entrance sets the stage for the ritual of casting lots, emphasizing God’s sovereign choice in determining the fate of the goats and symbolizing divine judgment and mercy.

Leviticus 16:8

And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

Study: Casting lots between the two goats reveals God’s sovereign will in designating one for sacrifice and the other as the scapegoat. This act removes human bias and highlights God’s control over the atonement process.

Leviticus 16:9

And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.

Study: The goat chosen for the LORD is offered as a sin offering, symbolizing the bearing of Israel’s guilt and the necessity of substitutionary sacrifice to atone for sin.

Leviticus 16:10

But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Study: The scapegoat, presented alive before the LORD, carries the people's sins away into the wilderness, symbolizing the complete removal of sin from the community. This ritual illustrates God’s mercy in forgiving and removing sin’s burden.

Leviticus 16:11

And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

Study: Aaron’s offering of the bullock for himself again stresses the priest’s need for atonement before serving the people, underscoring the holiness required to mediate between God and Israel.

Leviticus 16:12

And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

Study: Taking burning coals and sweet incense into the holy place creates a cloud that covers the mercy seat, symbolizing God's presence and protecting the priest from direct exposure to divine glory, which could be deadly.

Leviticus 16:13

And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

Study: The incense cloud covering the mercy seat represents God’s glory and presence, providing a protective veil for the priest and emphasizing the sacredness and danger of approaching God’s throne.

Leviticus 16:14

And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

Study: Sprinkling the bullock’s blood seven times on and before the mercy seat signifies complete and perfect atonement, as seven represents fullness in Scripture, highlighting the thorough cleansing of sin’s defilement.

Leviticus 16:15

Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

Study: Killing the goat for the people and sprinkling its blood like the bullock’s extends the atonement to the entire nation, demonstrating the communal nature of sin and the need for collective cleansing.

Leviticus 16:16

And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Study: Atoning for the holy place, tabernacle, and congregation shows that sin’s defilement affects not only people but also the sacred space of worship, emphasizing God’s demand for holiness in all things.

Leviticus 16:17

And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

Study: No one is allowed in the tabernacle during the atonement ritual, underscoring the exclusivity and solemnity of the high priest’s work and the reverence due to God’s presence.

Leviticus 16:18

And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

Study: Applying blood to the altar’s horns symbolizes cleansing the altar itself, which represents God’s justice and presence, showing that sin affects even the place of sacrifice and must be purified.

Leviticus 16:19

And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

Study: Sprinkling blood seven times to cleanse and hallow the altar highlights the completeness of purification required to maintain God’s holiness in worship.

Leviticus 16:20

And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

Study: After reconciling the sanctuary, the high priest brings the live scapegoat, preparing to transfer Israel’s sins onto it, symbolizing the removal of sin from the community.

Leviticus 16:21

And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Study: Aaron laying hands on the scapegoat and confessing Israel’s sins transfers guilt symbolically onto the goat, demonstrating the principle of substitution and the removal of sin from the people.

Leviticus 16:22

And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

Study: Sending the scapegoat into an uninhabited wilderness signifies the complete and permanent removal of sin from Israel, illustrating God’s mercy in bearing away guilt.

Leviticus 16:23

And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:

Study: Aaron removing his linen garments and leaving them in the tabernacle symbolizes the end of the sacred atonement ritual and the separation between the holy and common.

Leviticus 16:24

And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.

Study: Washing and changing clothes before offering burnt offerings for himself and the people shows ongoing purification and dedication, reinforcing the need for continual cleansing in service to God.

Leviticus 16:25

And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.

Study: Burning the fat of the sin offering on the altar signifies the complete surrender of the best parts of the sacrifice to God, honoring His holiness and justice.

Leviticus 16:26

And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

Study: The man who releases the scapegoat must wash and bathe before reentering the camp, showing the importance of ritual purity even for those involved in the atonement process.

Leviticus 16:27

And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.

Study: Removing and burning the sin offerings outside the camp symbolizes the removal of sin’s defilement from the community, maintaining the camp’s holiness and foreshadowing Christ’s sacrifice outside Jerusalem.

Leviticus 16:28

And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Study: The one who burns the offerings must wash and bathe, emphasizing the need for purity after handling sin’s remains and maintaining the community’s holiness.

Leviticus 16:29

And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

Study: The command to afflict the soul and cease work on the tenth day of the seventh month establishes a solemn day of repentance and rest, inviting Israel to humble themselves before God.

Leviticus 16:30

For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Study: This key verse declares the Day of Atonement’s purpose: the priest’s atonement cleanses the people from all their sins, enabling them to stand clean before God, a profound promise of forgiveness.

Leviticus 16:31

It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

Study: Calling the day a sabbath of rest and a statute forever highlights its perpetual importance as a time for spiritual renewal and dependence on God’s mercy.

Leviticus 16:32

And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:

Study: The anointed priest who ministers in his father’s stead underscores the continuity of priestly service and the sacred responsibility to perform atonement according to God’s instructions.

Leviticus 16:33

And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

Study: The priest’s comprehensive atonement for the sanctuary, altar, priests, and people reveals the all-encompassing nature of sin’s defilement and God’s provision for cleansing every aspect of worship and community.

Leviticus 16:34

And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Study: The everlasting statute to make atonement once a year affirms the ongoing need for cleansing and foreshadows the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, fulfilling the covenant’s demands.

Leviticus 16 outlines the sacred Day of Atonement rituals, emphasizing God’s holiness and the necessity of proper mediation for sin’s removal. The high priest’s careful preparation, the dual goat sacrifice, and the detailed blood sprinkling illustrate God’s provision for cleansing the sanctuary and the people. This annual ceremony underscores the seriousness of sin, the need for repentance, and God’s mercy in restoring fellowship. It also points forward to Christ’s perfect atonement, fulfilling the covenant’s demands once and for all.

Lord, thank You for Your holiness and the perfect provision You made for our cleansing through the Day of Atonement. Help us to approach You with reverence, confess our sins honestly, and trust fully in the forgiveness You offer through Jesus Christ. Teach us to live in the freedom and purity You provide, honoring Your presence daily.

• Read Leviticus 16 slowly, noting the detailed rituals and their meanings.
• Memorize Leviticus 16:30 to remind yourself of God’s cleansing power.
• Reflect on areas in your life needing confession and repentance.
• Pray for a deeper reverence for God’s holiness and presence.
• Discuss the significance of the Day of Atonement with a friend or family member.
• Worship God for His mercy and the forgiveness found in Christ.
• Journal how Christ’s sacrifice fulfills the Old Testament atonement rituals.

Leviticus 16 reveals the solemn Day of Atonement rituals that maintain God’s holiness and cleanse Israel from sin. Through the high priest’s careful mediation and the symbolic scapegoat, God provides a way for His people to be forgiven and restored. This chapter points forward to Christ’s perfect sacrifice, inviting believers to approach God with reverence and trust in His mercy.

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