Leviticus 16:33, commentary and pictures

The verse describes the special once-a-year cleansing of the earthly sanctuary on the tenth day of the seventh month, when the high priest alone entered the most holy place apart from the daily ministration to make atonement for the sanctuary, the tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and all Israel, cleansing it from the sins that had in figure been transferred into it and removing them. He carried the slain goat's blood within to satisfy the claims of the law and then confessed the sins over the live goat which bore them away forever, while all the people set aside common work and humbled their souls with prayer, fasting, searching of heart, and confession lest they be cut off. That yearly service was the shadow and type of Christ's work as great High Priest, fulfilled when the 2300 days ended in 1844 as He entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing atonement before the ark, pleading His blood for sinners. The sanctuary to be cleansed is the heavenly sanctuary cleansed from the sins of the people by Christ's own blood with their record blotted out, not the earth to be purified by fire at the second coming. That great antitypical day of atonement and investigative judgment is now in progress and concerns only professed believers, so sins must be confessed, repented of, and forsaken to go beforehand to judgment, and its benefits are received only by those who by faith follow Christ in His work and understand its present duties.

Ancient Day of Atonement

The cleansing of the sanctuary was the special once-a-year work of the great day of atonement, appointed for the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month. On that day the high priest alone entered the second apartment, the most holy place, a ministration distinct from the daily ministration of the priests in the holy place. Having made an atonement for all Israel and thus removed their sins from the sanctuary, he came forth and blessed the people. On that very day all that the type called for was to be accomplished.

The sanctuary so cleansed was the earthly sanctuary built for God to dwell among His people and to manifest His glory on earth. It was first the movable tabernacle made in the desert of Sinai, minutely described, erected and approved, and afterward Solomon's temple in Canaan, with a holy and a most holy place into which the vessels of the movable sanctuary were transferred. Its holy places are patterns of things in the heavens. It is not the earth, not Canaan or Palestine or Mount Moriah, and not the church, though the church is elsewhere called the temple of God.

Atonement was made for the holy sanctuary, for the tabernacle of the congregation, for the altar, for the priests, and for all the people of Israel. Day by day the sins of repentant sinners had in figure been transferred into the sanctuary by blood or by flesh, and this continual transfer made the further yearly work necessary for their removal. This yearly round of service was completed and the sanctuary cleansed with blood, which is a cleansing from sin, from the uncleanness and sins of the people. The blood brought into the most holy place satisfied the claims of the law.

The high priest then bore the sins away from the sanctuary by confessing them over the live scapegoat, which carried them away as sins forever separated from the people. He brought the slain goat's blood into the most holy place to cleanse the sanctuary, and the live goat bore the confessed sins away. Only after it was sent away did the people regard themselves as freed from their burden.

The attire of the Jewish high priest serves as the pattern for the attire of Christ as the great High Priest. The high priest entered the most holy place only once a year, after careful and solemn preparation and purity, approaching God's presence before the mercy seat. The waiting people stood in silence and prayer, fearing that sin might bring the priest's death, and listened for the bells on his garments as assurance that he lived. He came out and blessed them, and after confession of sin they were declared to be at peace with Heaven. The day of atonement came shortly before the Feast of Tabernacles, preparing the people to rejoice at the feast.

All Israel were required to gather about the sanctuary, set aside ordinary work, and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God with prayer, fasting, searching of heart, and confession of sin while the high priest interceded for them before the ark in the most holy place. God heard his petition and granted pardon, that they might receive pardon of their sins and not be cut off from the congregation. The people waited humbly for the high priest to come out after atonement had been made for the sanctuary, tabernacle, altar, priests, and people, their sins having been borne into the sanctuary as atonement was made for them. The service belonged to the sanctuary and its sacred objects, including the ark, the law of God, the mercy seat, and the angels at the ark. Its connection with the heavenly sanctuary involves mysteries that are not described.

Christ's Heavenly Cleansing Work

The yearly service was the example, shadow, and type of the work of Christ as the great High Priest, fulfilled when the 2300 days terminated in 1844 as He entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement. There He officiates before the ark of God and pleads His blood in behalf of sinners, and the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary by His precious blood is understood by the cleansing accomplished with blood on the great day of atonement. That annual atonement for the holy sanctuary, the tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and all the people removed their sins from the sanctuary, and its counterpart is Christ's final work removing recorded sin from the heavenly sanctuary. After completing that work in the most holy place He will come to earth in kingly power and take to Himself those who have patiently waited for His return.

In the year 1844 the tenth day of the seventh month fell upon October 22, and because types relating to the second advent must be fulfilled at the time pointed out in the symbolic service, that date was regarded as the time of the Lord's coming in harmony with the termination of the 2300 days in the autumn. On that very day Christ as the great High Priest accomplished all that the type called for on the tenth day of the seventh month, even though the nature of the expected event was mistaken and He did not come to earth. He was expected to fulfill the type by appearing to purify the earth by the destruction of sin and sinners and to bless His waiting people with immortality, as the high priest having made atonement for all Israel and removed their sins from the sanctuary came forth and blessed the people.

The sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the prophetic days is the heavenly sanctuary, cleansed from the sins of the people by virtue of Christ's own precious blood. There recorded sin is removed and the sins of His faithful people throughout history are blotted out. It is not the earth to be purified by fire at Christ's second coming to punish its inhabitants for iniquity. Only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins through the blood of the sin offering were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the Day of Atonement. So the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment considers only the cases of the professed people of God, while the judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work at a later period when the books are opened and every deed is reviewed before the heavenly universe.

Christ now stands before the mercy seat making atonement, presenting the prayers of contrite hearts to the Father with the incense of His righteousness, and pardon is recorded against the names of those who pray in repentance. His death exalts and honors God's law, so the atonement does not permit altering the commandments for convenience or disregarding the Sabbath. As Satan then stood as adversary pointing to the defilement of Israel, accusing them as criminals and transgressors of the law and triumphing in the discomfiture of Joshua the high priest, so he does now. But all the types point to Jesus as the Sin-bearer and Substitute who takes away the sin of the repentant, believing transgressor and cannot be accused as a transgressor. The cleansing work in the most holy place is the work announced by the third message, and sinners are urged to enter by faith through the open door into the most holy place while Christ's ministry continues until probation closes and the gospel ministry ends.

Living in the Antitype

The great antitypical day of atonement is now in progress as a solemn work going on in the sanctuary above. It is the great day of preparation and the solemn scenes of the judgment, and it concerns every individual with perils attending every soul. The setting of the instructions for the Day of Atonement identifies the present time as that great day and gives it antitypical application in the present solemn hour. The humbling and confessing of sin belonging to that day is now required, with humbling of hearts before God and confession of sins.

In this time of judgment sins must be confessed so they can be taken away and go beforehand to judgment. People must humbly draw near to God, put away sin which is transgression of the law, and trust Christ to cleanse from all unrighteousness and wash away every stain of sin, so pardon can be written against their names. As the people humbled themselves and confessed their sins while the high priest interceded before the ark in the most holy place and God heard and granted pardon, so now Christ the great High Priest intercedes before the mercy seat, presenting the prayers of contrite hearts to the Father with the incense of His righteousness, and pardon is recorded against the names of those who pray in repentance. God's people must confess and forsake sin, search their hearts earnestly, and leave no sin unconfessed or cherished while their cases are being decided. This is a solemn time for the church to seek purification and to be purified before God through repentance, humility, and deep heart-searching, with eternal consequences at stake, calling for diligent repentance, deliverance from evil, and turning back to God.

The benefits of that mediation are received only by those who by faith follow in the great work of the atonement, while those who reject the light that brings this ministration to view are not benefited thereby. As all Israel were required to gather about the sanctuary and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God so they might receive pardon of their sins and not be cut off from the congregation, so in the antitypical day of atonement it is much more essential to understand the work of the merciful High Priest in heaven and to know what duties are required. The condition of the unbelieving Jews illustrates the condition of careless and unbelieving professed Christians who are willingly ignorant of that work.

Each person's case will soon come under review before God, making this a time to consider how conduct and influence will stand in the judgment. It is a time to consider how each case will stand and to be cleansed from defilement by the blood of Jesus. The lesson of humbling hearts before God applies to confessing one's own sins rather than being anxious about the confessions or faults of others. The cleansing of the soul temple must happen now in this life by sincere repentance and forsaking of every sin before the investigative judgment of the living, which will soon begin if it has not already commenced, so that pardon is written against the name; corruption must be cleansed by the blood of Christ and a pure heart will make pure thoughts. Every case will be brought up and every deed reviewed before the heavenly universe when the books are opened on the last great day of atonement, calling for confession and serious preparation, lest sins unconfessed cause the name to be blotted from the book of life.

The subject of the sanctuary and its solemn work should be kept constantly before the minds of those employed in institutions and kept before the people and urged upon their consciences with earnestness and power. Business cares must not be allowed to absorb the mind so that this work in heaven is lightly regarded, and correct views of its importance for this time lead workers to manifest greater energy and zeal to make the work a success, to avoid becoming careless and blinded to the wants of the cause, and to seek to be a channel of light. All educating talent by precept and example is to be used to instruct children and youth and all others to know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. As that day required humility and affliction of soul, reverent care in every part of the service, and careful preparation and purity from the high priest, so the atonement service underscores the holiness required of those ministering in sacred things during the antitypical atonement in heaven.