Leviticus 16:16, commentary and pictures

On the yearly Day of Atonement atonement was made for the holy place and tabernacle because they remained among Israel in the midst of their uncleanness and had become defiled by their uncleanness, transgressions and sins. Through the year sins were transferred in figure into the sanctuary by blood brought into the holy place or by the priest bearing iniquity, and on that day they were removed and the sanctuary cleansed, with the Lord's goat slain and its blood sprinkled within the veil and upon the altar, and all iniquities confessed upon the live goat and borne away to a land not inhabited forever separated from the people. This earthly cleansing was a shadow pointing to the opening of the most holy place in heaven in 1844, when Christ entered to perform the closing work of atonement and plead His blood for sinners. There He blots out from heaven's records by His own blood the sins of His faithful penitent people, while Satan accuses them as defiled. That solemn judgment now going on calls every person to afflict the soul, confess and put away transgression of God's law, and draw near to God while pardon may be written against his name.

Earthly Sanctuary Cleansing

The holy place and the tabernacle of the congregation required atonement because they remained among Israel in the midst of their uncleanness and had become defiled and polluted by their uncleanness and transgressions in all their sins. The sacred apartments were cleansed as part of a special yearly work that removed the sins transferred there through the daily ministration. The blood of the sin offering provided a substitute acknowledging the claims and authority of the law and the sinner's guilt, but it did not itself cancel sin, only transferred it in figure to the sanctuary. On the Day of Atonement the blood sprinkled on and before the mercy seat above the law made satisfaction for its claims, then the sins were borne away from the sanctuary and in figure transferred to the scapegoat as forever separated from the people.

Throughout the year the daily ministration transferred the sins of Israel into the sanctuary in figure, either by the priest carrying blood representing the forfeited life of the sinner into the holy place and sprinkling it before the veil or by the priest eating the flesh to bear the iniquity of the congregation, so the sins were regarded as recorded there. A like atonement was also commanded to cleanse and hallow the altar from the uncleanness of Israel. The special yearly work in the most holy place removed the sins symbolically carried there and cleansed the sanctuary, completing the yearly round of services.

The great Day of Atonement was held once a year, when two kids of the goats were brought to the door of the tabernacle and lots were cast upon them, one for the Lord and one for the scapegoat. The Lord's goat was slain as a sin offering for the people, and its blood in white-robed priestly service was brought behind the veil within the most holy place and sprinkled seven times, expressing perfection, on and before the mercy seat and also upon the altar of incense before the veil. Then all the iniquities, transgressions, and sins were confessed over the live goat and put upon its head, and it bore them to a land not inhabited to come no more into the camp, so sins were regarded as forever separated from the people. The man who led it away had to wash himself and his clothing with water before returning to the camp.

The whole ceremony teaches the holiness of God and His abhorrence of sin and that no one can come in contact with sin without becoming polluted. While the atonement went forward every man was required to afflict his soul, all business was laid aside, and the whole congregation spent the day in solemn humiliation with prayer, fasting, and deep searching of heart. The high priest entered the Most Holy Place only once a year after careful and solemn preparation and stood before God's visible glory at the mercy seat. While he ministered within, the people waited outside in reverent prayer for his return, fearing the glory might have slain him because of their sins or his sin, and were relieved when they heard his bells and saw him come out to bless them.

The sanctuary to be cleansed is God's dwelling-place of glory upon the earth, first the movable sanctuary made in the desert of Sinai and afterward Solomon's temple to which its holy and most holy place and vessels were transferred. Its holy places were patterns of things in the heavens, not the earth itself and not a symbol of the church. The Jewish high priest's attire is the pattern for the attire of Christ as great High Priest.

Heavenly Atonement Fulfilled

The earthly cleansing was an example and shadow of heavenly things, pointing to the opening of the most holy place in heaven in 1844, when Christ entered to perform the closing work of the atonement and plead His blood for sinners. The sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the prophetic days is in heaven, not the earth to be purified by fire at Christ's second coming to punish its inhabitants for iniquity. That great antitypical day of atonement takes place in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ as High Priest blots out the sins of His faithful people from Abel onward.

There by virtue of His own blood He removes from heaven's records the sins of the truly penitent, even every truly penitent believer, as the blood of the sin offering removed in figure what was represented as recorded in the earthly sanctuary from its pollution by uncleanness and sins. The invitation to enter that work by faith continues until probation closes and the gospel ministry ends. The offering's blood acknowledged the law's authority and the sinner's guilt and provided a substitute acknowledging the law's claims, but it did not itself cancel sin, only transferred it in figure to the sanctuary.

On the Day of Atonement the high priest brought the Lord's goat's blood behind the veil and sprinkled it on and before the mercy seat above the law, thereby making satisfaction for its claims and completing the atonement service. Then the sins were borne away from the sanctuary and in figure transferred to the scapegoat as separated from the people, to come no more among them. Christ fulfilled this type as both High Priest and sacrificial victim, clothed in spotless righteousness, giving His life and presenting the virtue of His offering toward the Holy Place to reconcile humanity to God through the blood of the cross.

As Sin-bearer and Substitute for the offender He now carries on an actual ministry in heaven for His people, bearing sin and taking away the sin of the repentant, believing transgressor. That ministry was represented both by the high priest ministering in behalf of Israel while Satan pointed to the defilement of God's people and triumphed in their discomfiture, and by Joshua's ministry on the Day of Atonement while Satan accused God's defiled people. His death as the Lamb slain for the sins of the world met the type and made the perfect and only atonement of value for salvation.

In His intercession as Advocate in the most holy place, where He has entered once for all, He needs no man's virtue or intercession, and no propitiatory sacrifices are to be offered apart from Him, but prayer and confession are to be offered only to Him. The verse concerns the sanctuary as connected with the heavenly sanctuary, part of sacred matters whose mysteries are not described.

Solemn Call to Readiness

The great day of atonement is now going on as a solemn work in the sanctuary above in heaven. It describes the solemn scenes of the Judgment in this great day of preparation for this time, concerns every individual, and gives correct views of the importance of the work for this time. God's people are now like the Israelites on that day, standing in the outer court waiting and looking for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, with every heart bowed in contrition pleading for pardon of transgression. Each person must consider how his case will stand in the judgment, for this is a solemn work with eternal consequences.

Its antitypical fulfillment calls for special preparation, with affliction of soul, repentance, humility, searching of heart, and drawing near to God. Sins are to be confessed so they may go beforehand to judgment, sin understood as transgression of God's law is to be put away, and wrongs confessed, with cleansing sought from defilement through the blood of Jesus. Christ can cleanse every stain of sin, and pardon can be written against the names of those who confess their sins and cling to Him.

The subject must be kept constantly before the mind and urged upon the conscience with earnestness and power, not lightly regarded or crowded out by business cares. A proper appreciation of it leads to greater energy and zeal to make the work a success, keeps from becoming careless and blinded to the wants of the cause and the perils that attend every soul, and makes each a channel of light. It is the final day of atonement before the books are opened and every person is judged, when every deed is reviewed before the heavenly universe.