Leviticus 16:34, commentary and pictures

Leviticus 16:34 ordains an everlasting statute to make atonement for all the sins of Israel once a year, at the close of the year on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month. The earthly ministration had two divisions, with priests ministering daily in the holy place while only the high priest entered the most holy place once a year on the great day of atonement to cleanse the sanctuary, which completed the yearly round. Day by day sins were in figure transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of the sin offering, and on the day of atonement the high priest bore the sins out, confessed them over the live scapegoat, and sent them away to cleanse the sanctuary. That yearly service typified the work of Christ as the great High Priest, who on October 22, 1844 entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement and cleanse the sanctuary by His own blood. The antitypical day of atonement is now going on as the investigative judgment of the professed people of God, requiring sincere repentance, confession and forsaking of sin while mercy remains.

Annual Statute Observed

This shall be an everlasting statute to make atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year, at the close of the year, on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month. The once-a-year cleansing of the earthly sanctuary is the pattern for the final atonement in the heavenly sanctuary, teaching Israel to lay hold of the merits of the coming Saviour. The time pointed out in the symbolic service governs the fulfillment of the types, placing that fulfillment in the autumn.

The sanctuary to be cleansed is not the earth and not the church, but God's earthly dwelling-place of glory upon the earth. At first it was the movable sanctuary made in the desert of Sinai, and afterward it was Solomon's temple in Canaan with its holy and most holy place, into which the vessels of the movable sanctuary were transferred.

The ministration of the earthly sanctuary consisted of two divisions, with the priests ministering daily in the holy place and the high priest performing a special work of atonement once a year in the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary, which completed the yearly round of service. The second apartment, the holy of holies containing the ark, was opened only upon the great day of atonement for the cleansing of the sanctuary. The high priest was forbidden on pain of death to enter that inner apartment at any other time. The rite belongs to the sanctuary service, which includes the ark containing God's law, its mercy seat, and the angels at its ends.

The high priest entered the most holy place, where God's glory dwelt above the mercy seat, only after solemn and careful preparation, guarding himself against contamination. No one but the high priest ever lifted the veil separating the most holy place from the rest of the tabernacle. There before the ark he stood to inquire of God, who answered audibly or showed approval by light resting on the cherub to the right, while a cloud resting on the cherub to the left meant refusal.

All Israel were required to gather about the sanctuary and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before God, afflict themselves, confess their sins, and wait in silent prayer while atonement was made, that they might receive pardon for their sins and not be cut off from the congregation. They feared that sin in the priest or in the people would bring death if he tarried long within. When his bells were heard and he came out alive to bless them, their confessed sins had been borne in, pardon had been received, they were declared at peace with Heaven and prepared to rejoice at the feast that followed.

How Atonement Worked

Day by day through the year sins were in figure transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of the sin offering. The blood of the sacrificial victim did not itself cancel sin but provided for its transfer into the sanctuary. That transfer made a further work necessary for the removal of sin, which was accomplished in the special yearly work of atonement and cleansing.

On the day of atonement the high priest brought the offering's blood into the most holy place and sprinkled it over the law to satisfy its claims. As mediator he then bore the sins out of the sanctuary. He confessed them over the live goat and sent the confessed sins of the people away with the goat. That sending away symbolized their lasting separation from the people and accomplished the cleansing of the sanctuary.

The yearly service and its sacrifices taught Israel to lay hold of the merits of the coming Saviour. Its atonement is connected with Christ's death. That death exalts and honors God's law.

Christ the Great Antitype

The yearly statute required atonement for all the sins of Israel on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month, when the high priest removed the people's sins from the sanctuary and then came out and blessed them. That annual service typified the work of Christ as the great High Priest, including His appearance to cleanse the earth by ending sin and sinners and to bless His waiting people with immortality. He is pictured as dressed as the Jewish high priest was, yet when Michael stands up to reign He appears instead as King of kings wearing many crowns. For this reason the date of the Day of Atonement in 1844, October 22, in keeping with the autumn end of the 2300 days, was regarded as the time of the Lord's coming.

On that typical day the people humbled themselves and confessed their sins while the high priest interceded for them before God in the most holy place, after which they received pardon. This illustrates the work now taking place in the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ ministers in the most holy place as Sin-bearer and Substitute for the offender, to whom all the types point. There He intercedes before the mercy seat, presenting the prayers of contrite hearts with the incense of His righteousness, officiating before the ark of God and pleading His blood in behalf of sinners. He takes away the sin of the repentant, believing transgressor, while He Himself cannot be accused as a sinner. The earthly ministration was the example and shadow of heavenly things, so the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844 for the closing work of atonement is its fulfillment, and that atonement is connected with Christ's death, which exalts and honors God's law.

As Joshua stood in the day of atonement with Satan at his side as adversary accusing him as a transgressor of the law while the angel, who is the Saviour, stood to defend him, so it is now. Satan points to the defilement of God's people and triumphs in their discomfiture, while Christ defends them.

No one but the high priest ever lifted the veil separating the most holy place from the rest of the tabernacle, where God manifested His glory above the mercy seat, and he entered there once a year to make atonement for the sin of the people. At the death of Christ type met antitype, for the veil was rent from top to bottom by an unseen hand, showing the sacrificial system had reached its fulfillment. God no longer revealed His presence in the earthly most holy place, and all secrecy there ended. The way into the Holiest is laid open by a new and living way with no veil between, so sinful humanity no longer needs to await the yearly coming of the earthly high priest. There is now an end to all sacrifices and offerings, because the Lamb of God has come to take away the sin of the world and has opened the way into God's presence for all.

Cleansing Sanctuary in 1844

The yearly atonement is the pattern by which the ministration of the heavenly sanctuary is learned. Day by day sins were in figure transferred to the sanctuary, making a further work necessary for their removal, and at the close of the year atonement was made for Israel's sins to complete the yearly round of service. That service prefigured a final work of atonement before the work of redemption is complete, when Christ as High Priest enters the most holy place to cleanse the sanctuary and remove sin. Its services and sacrifices taught Israel to lay hold of the merits of the coming Saviour and provided the example and shadow for understanding Jesus' ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.

The cleansing of the sanctuary at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844 is the heavenly sanctuary and is a cleansing from sin. It is accomplished by virtue of Christ's own blood, as He entered the heavenly sanctuary to cleanse it from the sins of the people. The earth is not the sanctuary to be cleansed. Christ did not then come to this earth to purify the world by fire and punish its inhabitants for iniquity.

The time pointed out in the symbolic service must govern the fulfillment of the types relating to the second advent, placing that fulfillment in the autumn in harmony with the termination of the 2300 days. The great day of atonement occurred once a year on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month, when the high priest made atonement for all Israel and thus removed their sins from the sanctuary and then came forth and blessed the people. The date of the Day of Atonement in 1844 — October 22 — was therefore right. On that very day Christ as great High Priest accomplished all that the yearly earthly atonement pointed to and entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement.

The expectation that Christ would on October 22, 1844 appear to cleanse the earth by ending sin and sinners and to bless His waiting people with immortality was mistaken about the nature of the event. The time preached for 1844 was not in error; only the event was mistaken, which God hid to test and prove those who heard the warning. After completing that cleansing work in the most holy place, He will descend in kingly power and take to Himself those who have patiently waited for His return. Those who by faith followed their great High Priest in His change of ministration in 1844 saw Him officiating before the ark of God, pleading His blood in behalf of sinners. There Christ ministers to make a final atonement for those who can benefit from His mediation and to blot out the sins of all His faithful people from Abel onward, and the open door into this work remains open until the ministry is finished and probation closes.

Judgment of Professed People

The Day of Atonement service was only for those who had already come before God with confession and repentance and whose sins had been transferred to the sanctuary through the blood of the sin offering. Therefore the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment considers only the cases of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work that takes place at a later period.

The antitypical Day of Atonement is the time when people's cases are reviewed before God and decided. It points to a final day of atonement before the books are opened and every person's deeds are judged. In view of that judgment each person must consider how his case will stand, for conduct and influence matter as they face that review. The investigative judgment has begun and will soon come to the living.

Sins are to be confessed and put away so they may go beforehand to judgment. People must confess rather than cover their wrongs. Cleansing of the soul temple is required now by sincere repentance and forsaking of every sin, purity of heart and thoughts, overcoming, watchfulness, holding fast, and strengthening what remains. Then pardon is written against their names, and confessed sins do not cause names to be blotted from the book of life, for God can cleanse from unrighteousness, wash away sin, and pardon the repentant.

Living in Antitypical Day

The once-a-year atonement points to a solemn work now going on in the sanctuary above, for the present time is the great day of atonement and the great day of preparation. Its solemn scenes of judgment concern every individual, and each person must consider how his case will stand in the judgment. That antitypical day is a solemn time with eternal consequences, calling God's people to repentance, humility, deep heart-searching, and purification from sin.

It is even more essential in the antitypical day to understand the work of Jesus as merciful High Priest and to know the duties required. Only those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of atonement receive the benefits of His mediation. Those among professed Christians who are careless and willingly ignorant of that work lose its benefits and are not benefited by it, just as unbelieving Jews did.

God's people must confess and forsake sin while mercy remains, for their cases are being decided. Sins are to be confessed and put away so they may go beforehand to judgment, and no sin should remain unconfessed or be cherished and practiced. God can cleanse from unrighteousness, wash away sin, and pardon the repentant who diligently repent, humble the heart before God, and confess sins. In that solemn time the church is to begin purification before God through repentance, humility, and deep heart-searching, while its members resist sin and depart from iniquity. This requires purity of heart and thoughts, overcoming, watchfulness, holding fast, and strengthening what remains, with cleansing of the soul temple.

This solemn message is to be kept constantly before the mind, kept before the people, and urged upon consciences with earnestness and power, giving correct views of its importance. Business cares must not absorb the mind so that the work in heaven is lightly regarded, and none are to become careless and blinded to the wants of the cause and the perils attending every soul. Conduct and influence matter under review, since the antitypical Day of Atonement is the time when people's cases are reviewed before God. Those employed in institutions are to be led to greater energy and zeal to make the work a success and to be a channel of light, and those who minister in sacred things must be holy and diligent. Every educating talent is to be used to instruct children and youth by precept and example to know God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.

The day also models humbling oneself before God and confessing one's own sins, and doing so together would bring spiritual victory. In this way the church is called to begin purification before God.