Leviticus 23:28, commentary and pictures

Leviticus 23:28 commands complete rest from all work on the tenth day of the seventh month as the Day of Atonement for making atonement before the Lord, to be kept in solemn humility with prayer, fasting, and deep searching of heart. In its type Israel was to gather at the sanctuary to afflict their souls, remember and repent of sins, confess them and seek pardon individually in order to be atoned for and blotted out, learning God's holiness and abhorrence of sin, while those who would not humble themselves were to be cut off and all was to be done with reverence and care. It foreshadows the antitypical Day of Atonement now present, when Christ ministers as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary and judgment decides each person's case finally, which began in 1844 with the righteous dead and will pass to the living to be judged each according to deeds done in the body. It therefore calls for afflicting the soul, humbling the heart, examining self, confessing and forsaking sins, and depending on Christ's sacrifice to receive justifying grace and the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work unto a new nature clothed in Christ's righteousness and renewed in holiness after His image. It forbids contention over opinions, striving for prominence, and stirring discord, requiring anything between brethren to be removed and confession of one's own sins rather than demanding it of others, while those who minister in sacred things must like the high priest guard against all contamination and be holy and pure ensamples, and all must with contrition, watchfulness and prayer come off conquerors and get ready for the great conflict.

The Type's Solemn Service

The command belongs to the Day of Atonement, whose solemn services were appointed for the tenth day of the seventh month. It forbids all work on that same day and sets it apart as a day of rest for making atonement before the Lord. The day was to be spent in solemn humility before God, with prayer, fasting, and deep searching of heart, while the work of atonement went forward.

Its typical service required Israel to gather at the sanctuary and afflict their souls. There they were to humble themselves, remember their sins and repent of them, confess them, and seek pardon individually with heart-searching. That humiliation and confession was the appointed means to be atoned for, to receive pardon, and to have sins blotted out before God. This observance impressed upon Israel God's holiness and His abhorrence of sin, and the pollution that comes from contact with sin.

Those who failed on that day to humble and afflict the soul were to be cut off from the people. Every part of the service was to be attended to with reverence and with the greatest care, lest the anger of the Lord be displayed.

The Antitype's Present Call

The command foreshadows the antitypical Day of Atonement, when Christ ministers as High Priest for His people in the heavenly sanctuary and each person's case is decided in judgment. In that antitype men must understand the work of their High Priest and the duties required of them. Forgiveness of sins, iniquities, and transgressions has special importance in this present application.

The present time is that solemn antitypical day, when judgment is hastening. The heavenly judgment began in 1844 with the cases of the righteous dead, and when that work is completed the living will be judged. Each is judged according to deeds done in the body, and the decision in each case is final. This present great day of atonement is a day of rest from work, when atonement is made before the Lord.

It calls for afflicting the soul, humbling the heart before God, confessing and forsaking sins, examining oneself, and depending on the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice. Each person is to humble himself before God and seek pardon, accepting Christ's justifying grace and the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work to receive a new nature. In this way he puts on Christ's righteousness, and the carnal nature is renewed in holiness after Christ's image. Confession of one's own sins and humility before God open the way for the Lord to work and bring spiritual victory, rather than fixing attention on the acknowledgments or confessions others ought to make.

It is too late in the day for contention and disputations over differences of opinion, so divisive speculative ideas must be kept in the background. Confusion that distracts from a living experience with God must be set aside. The day is not for contending for prominence or stirring up discord, for humility before God brings His merciful lifting up. It is a time to remove anything that remains between brothers.

As the high priest was required to make careful and solemn preparation and guard himself with utmost diligence from all contamination, so now those who minister in sacred things while the atonement goes on in heaven must be holy, pure in life and conversation, and ensamples to the flock. God's people must with real contrition confess sins and through watchfulness and prayer come off conquerors. They are to look beyond earthly gain and worldly advantage to the great beyond, hesitating at no sacrifice for Christ who paid the penalty of the transgressed law. It is a time to afflict the soul, confess sins, humble the heart before God, and get ready for the great conflict.