Leviticus 16:26, commentary and pictures

The man who led the goat away was to wash his clothing and bathe his body in water before coming back into the camp, because touching sin brought defilement, while the goat itself never returned. This washing belonged to the yearly Day of Atonement, when the high priest entered the innermost apartment after solemn preparation while the people waited in prayer until the bells on his garments announced his safe return to bless them. The service was the cleansing of the sanctuary God commanded to dwell among His people, first the movable tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai and afterward Solomon's temple with its holy and most holy place as His earthly dwelling of glory. Its true fulfillment is the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary in the most holy place, where Christ as great High Priest blots out the sins of His faithful people by His own blood, a work begun when He entered there in 1844 to finish the atonement before the ark. As Sin-bearer and Substitute He takes away the sin of every repentant, believing transgressor, and through His blood every stain can be washed away. This is the solemn work now going on above in the time of judgment, calling every person to special preparation by confessing and putting away sin, drawing near to God for pardon, and seeking purification with repentance, humility, and deep heart-searching while keeping the scenes of the Judgment constantly before the mind.

Ritual Setting and Meaning

The man chosen to lead the scapegoat away was required to wash himself and his clothing with water before he could return afterward into the camp, while the goat itself did not return to the camp of Israel. That washing was required because contact with sin brings pollution. This requirement belongs to the yearly Day of Atonement service, in which the high priest entered the innermost apartment only after solemn preparation. While he was before God the people waited in prayer, and the bells upon his garments announced that he had come out safely, after which he blessed them.

Leviticus 16 describes the process of cleansing the sanctuary that God commanded Israel to make that He might dwell among them. That sanctuary was first the movable sanctuary made in the desert of Sinai and afterward Solomon's temple in Canaan. With its holy and most holy place it was the dwelling-place of God's glory upon the earth, not the earth itself nor the church.

Heavenly Cleansing Through Christ

The Day of Atonement service finds its antitypical work in the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary in the most holy place, which is the blotting out of the sins of God's faithful people by Christ as their great High Priest. The sanctuary to be cleansed is not the earth to be purified by fire at Christ's second coming, but the sanctuary in heaven, which Christ entered upon the great antitypical day of atonement to cleanse it from the sins of the people by virtue of His own blood. That antitype began after 1844.

The earthly ministration for the cleansing of the sanctuary came when the second apartment of the earthly tabernacle, the holy of holies containing the ark of God's testament, was opened. This earthly service served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. It points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844, as Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement, officiating before the ark and pleading His blood in behalf of sinners.

On that Day of Atonement the high priest ministered in behalf of the children of Israel, presented as Joshua's service for Israel, while Satan pointed to the defilement of God's people and triumphed in their discomfiture. That earthly ministry is a type of Christ's actual ministry for His people in heaven as Sin-bearer and Substitute. Unlike Joshua, who was accused as a sinner, Christ cannot be so accused, and He takes away the sin of the repentant, believing transgressor.

The ritual setting points to the need for cleansing from defilement, for the soul must be cleansed through the blood of Jesus. It belongs to the pattern of the great antitypical Day of Atonement, when sins are to be taken away. This calls for special preparation by confessing sins so they may go beforehand to judgment, putting away sin, and drawing near to God for pardon. Cleansing from sin is possible through Christ, who can wash away every stain of sin.

Present Call to Preparation

The ordinance belongs to the great day of atonement and to the solemn work now going on in the sanctuary above, which has its antitypical application in the present time of judgment. That work concerns every individual and marks this time as the great day of preparation. Its ritual setting points to the need for cleansing from defilement, and the soul must be cleansed through the blood of Jesus.

It points to the need for special preparation in the antitypical Day of Atonement when sins are to be taken away. That preparation is to confess sins so they may go beforehand to judgment, to put away sin, and to draw near to God for pardon. It is a solemn time for purification through repentance, humility, and deep heart-searching, and cleansing from sin is possible through Christ, who can wash away every stain. The Day of Atonement is connected with a final day of confession before the books are opened and every person's deeds are judged.

Its solemn scenes of the Judgment must be kept constantly before the mind and urged upon the conscience with earnestness and power. Business cares must not be allowed to absorb the mind so that this heavenly work is lightly regarded. A correct view of this sanctuary subject shows the importance of the work for this time, calling for greater energy and zeal for its success. There is to be no carelessness or blindness to the wants of the cause and the perils attending every soul, but each person is to seek to be a channel of light.