Leviticus 16:4
He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
The verse gives the preparation for the yearly Day of Atonement, when the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary was entered for the cleansing of the sanctuary, requiring the high priest first to wash his body in water and then to put on holy linen garments of coat, breeches, girdle, and mitre. That washing before ministering before God was required under penalty of death, showing God's purity and that cleanliness belongs to acceptable worship. The sanctuary to be cleansed was God's earthly dwelling place, first the movable sanctuary made in the desert of Sinai and afterward Solomon's temple with its holy and most holy place. The linen garments are those Christ as the great High Priest now wears while making atonement, in contrast to the crowns He wears as King of kings when He stands up to reign. That great antitypical Day of Atonement in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary is now present, a solemn time calling for repentance, humility, deep heart-searching, confession and putting away of sin so that sins may go beforehand to judgment.
Day of Atonement Ritual
The cleansing set forth in Leviticus 16 is the cleansing of the sanctuary as God's dwelling-place of glory upon the earth. That sanctuary was first the movable sanctuary made in the desert of Sinai, and afterward the temple built by Solomon, with a holy and a most holy place to which the vessels of the movable sanctuary were transferred. It was not the earth itself, nor the land of Canaan, that was to be cleansed. The verse belongs to the instructions for the great Day of Atonement, the yearly solemn service for the cleansing of the sanctuary, when the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary was opened and entered.
For that preparation the high priest was to wash his body in water and then put on holy linen garments. Those garments consisted of a coat, breeches upon his flesh, a girdle, and a mitre. The washing before putting on the holy linen garments and entering the sanctuary to minister before God was required under penalty of death. That requirement shows God's purity and that cleanliness is closely connected with acceptable worship.
He entered once a year into God's presence before the mercy seat. He entered with trembling, with incense veiling the glory from his sight. While he ministered within, the worshipers waited in silent awe and prayed for mercy until he returned to bless them. The bells on his garments let the people hear that he was alive and coming out.
Christ's Ministry and Preparation
The linen coat, breeches, girdle, and mitre are what Christ as the great High Priest now wears while making atonement, matching the dress of the Jewish high priest on the Day of Atonement, in contrast to the many crowns in one crown He wears as King of kings and Lord of lords when Michael stands up to reign. The Day of Atonement setting in which Joshua served on behalf of Israel points to Christ's ministry for His people. The high priest's day of atonement ministry in behalf of the children of Israel, when Satan pointed to the defilement of God's people and triumphed in their discomfiture, was a type pointing to Jesus Christ in His actual ministry for His people as Sin-bearer and Substitute for the offender, who takes away the sin of the repentant believing transgressor and cannot be accused as a sinner.
The ceremony of washing and putting on holy linen garments for the Day of Atonement points to the antitypical Day of Atonement, whose work takes place in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. That service of the great day of atonement is a solemn sanctuary work connected with the judgment and with matters concerning every individual. The Day of Atonement ritual is identified with the antitypical Day of Atonement and connected with the judgment.
The antitype is a solemn period calling for special preparation, for repentance, humility, deep heart-searching, and purification before God. Sins are to be confessed so they may be taken away and go beforehand to judgment, with sin put away and Christ's cleansing sought in humility and trust that He will write pardon against the name. That last great day of atonement before judgment is now present as a day of confession in which salvation comes only to those who uncover their wrongs and do not cover them up. In this day believers must consider how they will stand in the judgment when the books are opened and every person is judged by what is written, with every deed tried and every act brought into review before the heavenly universe, living in rectitude and grace that convinces the world, rejecting trifling religion and believing that Christ died on Calvary to forgive sins and pardon transgressions.