Leviticus 16:32, commentary and pictures

Leviticus 16:32 appoints the anointed and consecrated successor to the high priest to make atonement in holy linen garments on the yearly Day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month. That high priest alone entered the most holy place only once a year, after solemn preparation and apart from all contamination, to appear before God's glory at the mercy seat with blood while the people waited outside. By that ministration the sins carried into the sanctuary through the year were removed and borne away in figure by the scapegoat, while all Israel humbled their souls, confessed their sins and received pardon lest they be cut off. The attire and service was a type of Jesus as great High Priest entering the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844, on the antitypical tenth day of the seventh month at the end of the 2300 days, to perform the closing work of atonement and complete redemption by pleading His blood before the ark of God. That great day of final atonement and investigative judgment is now going on above over the professed people of God, blotting out the sins of the repentant, and we are living in its solemn time when each case comes under review and God's people must humble themselves, confess and forsake sin, and follow Christ by faith to receive the benefit of His mediation.

The Earthly Day of Atonement

Leviticus 16:29-34 places this verse in the yearly Day of Atonement, held on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month at the close of the year when the sanctuary service was completed. On that day the high priest made atonement for all Israel and removed sins from the sanctuary before coming out to bless the people. In 1844 that tenth day of the seventh month fell upon October 22.

The chapter describes the process of cleansing the sanctuary, the dwelling-place of God's glory upon the earth first made as the movable sanctuary in the desert of Sinai and afterward established with its holy and most holy place and its vessels in Solomon's temple in Canaan. The work was to be done by the priest anointed and consecrated to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, succeeding his predecessor as high priest. He was appointed to perform the atonement wearing the holy linen garments, even the holy garments.

That high priest alone entered the inner apartment or most holy place only once a year, forbidden on pain of death to enter at any other time. He entered after careful and solemn preparation and avoiding all contamination, wearing the holy linen garments. He came before God's visible glory at the mercy seat with the offering's blood, while the sound of the bells on his garments reassured the waiting people that he had survived.

Through that ministration the sins transferred to the sanctuary by the daily ministration of the priests in the holy place throughout the year were removed from the sanctuary. They were in figure transferred to the scapegoat, which carried them away. The high priest then came out and blessed the people, who waited anxiously in prayer for his return.

All Israel were required to gather about the sanctuary and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God, afflict themselves, and confess their sins while the high priest interceded. In this way they might receive pardon of their sins and be declared at peace with Heaven, which prepared them to rejoice at the feast that followed shortly after. Those who did not thus humble themselves were to be cut off from the congregation.

Christ's Heavenly Atonement Ministry

The linen holy garments put on by the anointed and consecrated successor to the high priesthood for making atonement are the type of the priestly attire worn by Jesus as the great High Priest in His priestly work. That atonement service in the sanctuary prefigured His work in the heavenly sanctuary, to enter the most holy place to cleanse the sanctuary and make the special atonement before returning in kingly power for those awaiting Him. When He stands up to reign as King of kings He lays aside that priestly attire and wears many crowns instead.

The antitypical work takes place in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, of which the earthly tabernacle with its second apartment opened only on the great day of atonement for cleansing the sanctuary was the example and shadow. The opening of the temple of God in heaven and the seeing of the ark of His testament is the opening of that second apartment in 1844, when Christ entered there to perform the closing work of atonement. There He completes the final division of His work for human redemption, officiating before the ark of God and pleading His blood in behalf of sinners, whom believers by faith follow in His change of ministration and behold. The sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the prophetic days is in heaven, where by virtue of His own blood He cleanses it from the sins of the people.

As the types relating to the first advent were fulfilled not only as to the event but as to the time, so the types relating to the second advent must be fulfilled at the time pointed out in the symbolic service. The cleansing of the sanctuary, the great day of atonement when the high priest made atonement for all Israel and removed sins from the sanctuary before coming out to bless the people, occurred on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month. That day, which in 1844 fell upon October 22 in harmony with the termination of the 2300 days in the autumn, was regarded as the time of the Lord's coming. On that very day Christ accomplished all that the type justified expecting, though those who expected Him to come to earth on that day were mistaken about the nature of the event.

He did not come to this earth in 1844 to purify the earth by fire and destroy the wicked at the second coming, but in mercy and loving-kindness entered the heavenly work to give still time to repent of sins and prepare for His coming.

The service foreshadows the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment now going on above. Only the cases of the professed people of God are considered, because only those who had come before God with confession and repentance had a part in the day of atonement service, their sins having been transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of the sin offering. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work at a later period, pointing to a final day of confession and atonement before the books are opened and every person is judged by the record of deeds. Each person's case comes under review before God, calling for consideration of how one's case will stand in the judgment. That investigative judgment is now upon the living, already commenced or soon to begin, when sins not confessed cause names to be blotted from the book of life.

In that ministry Christ stands in the heavenly sanctuary before the mercy seat making atonement for His people. He intercedes at the mercy seat, presents the prayers of contrite people with the incense of His righteousness, and pardon is recorded for those who repent. There as great High Priest He blots out the sins of His faithful people and cleanses the repentant person from unrighteousness, whose sins confessed and put away go beforehand to judgment. He is the Sin-bearer and Substitute for the offender, to whom all the types point, who takes away the sin of the repentant believing transgressor. The earthly priest stood exposed to Satan as adversary pointing to the defilement of God's people and accusing him as a sinner and transgressor of the law, triumphing in their discomfiture, but Christ cannot be thus accused as Joshua was.

The open door into the most holy place remains open while this cleansing work continues, and the invitation to enter by faith continues until probation closes and the gospel ministry ends. On the antitypical day of atonement Christ, the great High Priest, will appear to purify the earth by the destruction of sin and sinners and to bless His waiting people with immortality.

Call to Humble Preparation

We are living in the great antitypical Day of Atonement, the solemn work now going on in the sanctuary above. It is the solemn scenes of the Judgment and the great day of preparation concerning every individual, a solemn time with eternal consequences. In it each person's case comes under review before God. The investigative judgment is now upon the living, already commenced or soon to begin, when the cases of all are brought up and sins not confessed cause names to be blotted from the book of life.

That typical service makes it even more essential now to understand the work of Christ as merciful High Priest and to know what duties are required. As Israel was required to gather about the sanctuary and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God that they might receive pardon and not be cut off from the congregation, so now men must follow Jesus by faith into the great work of atonement to receive the benefits of His mediation. Those who reject the light bringing this ministration to view and remain willingly ignorant of it are not benefited thereby.

God's people are therefore to humble themselves before God as Israel did on that day. They are to confess and forsake sin, put sins away so they may go beforehand to judgment, search their hearts, diligently repent, face judgment by not covering wrongs, and consider how their case will stand. While Christ ministers for the cleansing of sin and intercedes at the mercy seat, presenting the prayers of contrite people with the incense of His righteousness so that pardon is recorded for those who repent, they are to wait with humble hearts as the people waited for the high priest to come out of the Most Holy Place after atonement had been made for them. They must keep heart and thoughts pure, endure and overcome temptation, and hold fast what they received, lest their lot be with adulterers and fornicators and deceivers; only those who do not defile their garments will overcome, walk in white, and have their names confessed before the Father and His angels. In that time the church is to seek purification before God through repentance, humility, and deep heart-searching, and Christ can cleanse the repentant person from unrighteousness.

Those ministering in sacred things must in this time be holy and pure in life and speech, serving as examples to the flock. As the high priest had to prepare with utmost care and avoid all contamination before making atonement in the holy linen garments, so those who bear the vessels of the Lord, especially leaders and ministers, must be clean and watchful. The subject of the sanctuary gives correct views of the importance of the work for this time. It must be kept constantly before the mind and urged upon consciences with earnestness and power, and must not be lightly regarded through business cares absorbing the mind. Held thus before the mind it leads to greater energy and zeal, guards against becoming careless and blinded to the wants of the cause and the perils attending every soul, and calls each to be a channel of light and to help others know God and Jesus Christ.