Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place with a young bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering as part of the cleansing of the sanctuary, the earthly dwelling-place of God's glory made in the desert and afterward housed in Solomon's temple. The entry was made only once a year, by the high priest alone, into the inner apartment containing the ark to make atonement before the mercy-seat for Israel, with trembling after solemn washing and putting on pure linen garments under penalty of death. The earthly service was unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, in which Aaron acting for Israel typifies Christ's actual ministry as great High Priest in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where He blots out the sins of the faithful and cleanses it by His own blood before the ark of God. The opening of the earthly second apartment points to the opening of the heavenly most holy place in 1844, when Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement to be followed by faith. That antitypical Day of Atonement is now in progress as a solemn time of judgment concerning every person, calling for purification, repentance, humility and deep heart-searching by confessing sins so they go beforehand to judgment and seeking cleansing from all defilement through the blood of Jesus.
The Earthly Day of Atonement
Leviticus 16 describes the cleansing of the sanctuary, the earthly dwelling-place of God's glory upon the earth that was made in the desert of Sinai and afterward housed in Solomon's temple with a holy and a most holy place. It prescribes that Aaron come into the holy place with a young bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering as part of the Day of Atonement service.
That coming was the solemn entry into the inner apartment, the most holy place or second apartment containing the ark of the testament. It was made by the high priest alone, and only once a year on the one day appointed for that service, the great day of atonement. There before the mercy-seat he made atonement for Israel and cleansed the sanctuary. The yearly service was entered upon only after careful and solemn preparation.
He entered with trembling, while incense veiled the glory of God's presence from his sight. That preparation included washing with water from the brazen laver standing between the altar of burnt-offering and the tabernacle, and putting on pure linen garments before ministering before God, under penalty of death for neglect. While he was inside, the people waited in reverent prayer for him to return and bless them. If he delayed they feared he had been struck down by the glory of the Lord.
Christ's Heavenly Atonement Ministry
The earthly service was unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, in which Aaron acting on behalf of the children of Israel typifies Christ's actual ministry for His people as their Redeemer and Sin-bearer. The verse shows the attire of Christ in His present work as great High Priest in the Holy of Holies, attired as the Jewish high priest was in priestly garments for the work of atonement. This priestly attire is distinct from what He will wear when Michael stands up to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with many crowns in one crown.
Its antitypical work takes place in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ as High Priest blots out the sins of the faithful and cleanses it from the people's sins by His own blood. There He officiates before the ark of God and pleads His blood in behalf of sinners. The opening of the earthly second apartment, the holy of holies containing the ark of the testament and opened only upon the great day of atonement for the cleansing of the sanctuary with Aaron entering with prescribed offerings, points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844. Then Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement, to be followed by faith by those who understand His change of ministration. This heavenly cleansing, rather than the earth's cleansing by fire, was the event associated with the end of the prophetic time in 1844.
As Satan then pointed to the defilement of God's people and triumphed in their discomfiture, so he accuses them now. The human high priest could be accused as a sinner defiled with his people, but Jesus, to whom all the types point, cannot be thus accused. For He is the sinless Sin-bearer and Substitute who takes away the sin of the repentant, believing transgressor.
Preparation for the Judgment
The instructions for the great day of atonement required Aaron to bring offerings as he entered the holy place, and this sanctuary service points to a solemn work in the heavenly sanctuary connected with the judgment and concerning every person. The offerings were a young bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, and the Day of Atonement is applied to a final day of confession and judgment, before the books are opened and every deed is reviewed.
The service belongs to the Day of Atonement that serves as the pattern for the antitypical Day of Atonement, a solemn time calling for purification, repentance, humility, and deep heart-searching. That antitypical Day of Atonement is now in progress, a time to consider how each person's case will stand in the judgment and to seek cleansing from all defilement through the blood of Jesus.
This points to Christ's work in the great antitypical Day of Atonement, which calls for special preparation by confessing sins so they go beforehand to judgment, turning from sin, and drawing near to God in humility. Christ can cleanse from all unrighteousness, wash away every stain of sin, and have pardon written against the repentant person's name.
The brazen laver stood between the altar of burnt-offering and the tabernacle and held water in which the Jewish priests washed themselves before putting on pure linen garments preparatory to entering the sanctuary to minister before God, under penalty of death for neglect. God is pure and particular, and cleanliness is closely connected with acceptable worship.
Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place with a young bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering as part of the cleansing of the sanctuary, the earthly dwelling-place of God's glory made in the desert and afterward housed in Solomon's temple. The entry was made only once a year, by the high priest alone, into the inner apartment containing the ark to make atonement before the mercy-seat for Israel, with trembling after solemn washing and putting on pure linen garments under penalty of death. The earthly service was unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, in which Aaron acting for Israel typifies Christ's actual ministry as great High Priest in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where He blots out the sins of the faithful and cleanses it by His own blood before the ark of God. The opening of the earthly second apartment points to the opening of the heavenly most holy place in 1844, when Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement to be followed by faith. That antitypical Day of Atonement is now in progress as a solemn time of judgment concerning every person, calling for purification, repentance, humility and deep heart-searching by confessing sins so they go beforehand to judgment and seeking cleansing from all defilement through the blood of Jesus.
The Earthly Day of Atonement
Leviticus 16 describes the cleansing of the sanctuary, the earthly dwelling-place of God's glory upon the earth that was made in the desert of Sinai and afterward housed in Solomon's temple with a holy and a most holy place. It prescribes that Aaron come into the holy place with a young bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering as part of the Day of Atonement service.
That coming was the solemn entry into the inner apartment, the most holy place or second apartment containing the ark of the testament. It was made by the high priest alone, and only once a year on the one day appointed for that service, the great day of atonement. There before the mercy-seat he made atonement for Israel and cleansed the sanctuary. The yearly service was entered upon only after careful and solemn preparation.
He entered with trembling, while incense veiled the glory of God's presence from his sight. That preparation included washing with water from the brazen laver standing between the altar of burnt-offering and the tabernacle, and putting on pure linen garments before ministering before God, under penalty of death for neglect. While he was inside, the people waited in reverent prayer for him to return and bless them. If he delayed they feared he had been struck down by the glory of the Lord.
Christ's Heavenly Atonement Ministry
The earthly service was unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, in which Aaron acting on behalf of the children of Israel typifies Christ's actual ministry for His people as their Redeemer and Sin-bearer. The verse shows the attire of Christ in His present work as great High Priest in the Holy of Holies, attired as the Jewish high priest was in priestly garments for the work of atonement. This priestly attire is distinct from what He will wear when Michael stands up to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with many crowns in one crown.
Its antitypical work takes place in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ as High Priest blots out the sins of the faithful and cleanses it from the people's sins by His own blood. There He officiates before the ark of God and pleads His blood in behalf of sinners. The opening of the earthly second apartment, the holy of holies containing the ark of the testament and opened only upon the great day of atonement for the cleansing of the sanctuary with Aaron entering with prescribed offerings, points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844. Then Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement, to be followed by faith by those who understand His change of ministration. This heavenly cleansing, rather than the earth's cleansing by fire, was the event associated with the end of the prophetic time in 1844.
As Satan then pointed to the defilement of God's people and triumphed in their discomfiture, so he accuses them now. The human high priest could be accused as a sinner defiled with his people, but Jesus, to whom all the types point, cannot be thus accused. For He is the sinless Sin-bearer and Substitute who takes away the sin of the repentant, believing transgressor.
Preparation for the Judgment
The instructions for the great day of atonement required Aaron to bring offerings as he entered the holy place, and this sanctuary service points to a solemn work in the heavenly sanctuary connected with the judgment and concerning every person. The offerings were a young bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, and the Day of Atonement is applied to a final day of confession and judgment, before the books are opened and every deed is reviewed.
The service belongs to the Day of Atonement that serves as the pattern for the antitypical Day of Atonement, a solemn time calling for purification, repentance, humility, and deep heart-searching. That antitypical Day of Atonement is now in progress, a time to consider how each person's case will stand in the judgment and to seek cleansing from all defilement through the blood of Jesus.
This points to Christ's work in the great antitypical Day of Atonement, which calls for special preparation by confessing sins so they go beforehand to judgment, turning from sin, and drawing near to God in humility. Christ can cleanse from all unrighteousness, wash away every stain of sin, and have pardon written against the repentant person's name.
The brazen laver stood between the altar of burnt-offering and the tabernacle and held water in which the Jewish priests washed themselves before putting on pure linen garments preparatory to entering the sanctuary to minister before God, under penalty of death for neglect. God is pure and particular, and cleanliness is closely connected with acceptable worship.