Leviticus Lesson 8

Leviticus

Lesson 8

Hi dear friends and welcome back to this study of Leviticus.

As you know, we have been looking at the Day of Atonement. In the previous lesson, we looked at many of the details of the events, offerings, and sacrifices observed during the annual Day of Atonement of the Jewish Nation. We learned that, as important and necessary as all these things were, they were only shadows and pictures of something else to come.

Now, in this lesson, we are going to discover Who and what those events, sacrifices, and offerings pictured (shadowed).

So, if you have NOT done Part 1 of this study of the Day of Atonement, don't even think about doing this lesson!!!

Why? Because, this lesson is intended to build upon and complete what we studied in Part 1. And, in case you are wondering why this is a 2 part lesson -- well, we originally intended that this just be one lesson. But, had it been one lesson, it would have been, as you can tell, verrrrrrrrry lonnnnnnng. How long would it have been? Well, it would have been soooooo long that you might have stopped doing it. And that would have been sooooo sad. So we are doing this lesson in 2 parts.

So, if you have not yet done part 1 (Lesson 7), PLEASE stop now, go back, and do it. Then return here and continue with part 2. Otherwise you will not really fully grasp the truly awesome truths that are presented and pictured as shadows in the various aspects of the Day of Atonement. And, after all, isn't that why you are studying God's Word?

So those of you who need to go back and do part 1, go now and do it. We will wait until you finish and return.

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OK, Great! I see you are back! And now that we all have the background lesson finished and in our minds and hearts, let's continue. Let's see Who and what is being pictured as shadows in the Old Testament Day of Atonement.

And, as always, we want to begin with an assignment. And, in this assignment, we will let the Holy Spirit of God teach us through His Word, what is pictured and shadowed in the Day of Atonement as we read what He tells us in the New Testament concerning the various events, offerings, and sacrifices

For this assignment, you may either use your own personal Bible and Translation, or you may use the Scriptures which will be printed here for you in the NIV translation. It is your choice. But, whichever you read, your own Bible or the text printed here, as you read, do the following 3 things:

1. Mark every occurrence of the word, Jesus or words used as synonyms in place of His name.

(Synonyms are "words that mean the same thing" and are used as a substitute or in place of the original word. In marking Jesus, then, the "Jesus synonym same thing words" would include Jesus, Christ, High Priest, Priest, God, He, Him, etc.).

Mark the "Jesus words" by putting a BLUE CROSS on each of the "Jesus Words"

2. Mark every reference to BLOOD by putting a red circle around every occurrence of the word, blood, (or words used as synonyms for BLOOD).

3. Mark every reference to the OLD COVENANT by putting a BLACK or BROWN BOX around the words Old Covenant (or words used as synonyms).

Also, Mark every reference to the NEW COVENANT by putting a GREEN BOX around all occurrences of New Covenant or words used as synonyms.

By the way, You noticed that I told you how to mark these words; For example, by putting a BLUE CROSS on each of the Jesus words. But you may, of course, use whatever color or symbol you prefer whenever you mark anything. This is only a suggestion. So, know that you can Always use whatever symbols or colors you prefer.

It is not HOW you mark but THAT YOU DO MARK that is important.

Also, since there are several things for you to mark in this assignment, it would be preferable if you read this passage 3 times, thinking about and marking only one aspect of the assignment on each reading. For example, the first time you red the passage, you would mark only the "Jesus words." The second time, look for and mark every reference to BLOOD. Then, read it again, a third time, this time looking for and marking OLD COVENANT and NEW COVENANT and their synonyms. You will find that if you read a passage of scripture over and over again, looking for only one thing at a time, you will gain a much better understanding of what the passage is teaching. So, please try this. You will find it is very rewarding. (And this is another reason why we divided this lesson into two parts, so you would have time to do this.)

We are going to be reading from the New Testament Book of Hebrews. And, by way of background, so you can perhaps better understand the book of Hebrews, you need to know that it was written sometime shortly before the destruction of the Temple and before the cessation of the sacrifices. No one knows for sure who wrote Hebrews or when, but it is generally agreed that it was written before 70 AD.

So, at the time these words in the Book of Hebrews were penned, the temple still stood, the daily offerings sacrifices (about which we have studied previously) were still occurring, and the Day of Atonement was still observed in the way that is described in chapter 16 of Leviticus.

BUT, even more importantly, at the time that the book of Hebrews was written, Christ had been born, lived, died, had been resurrected to live again, and had gone back to Heaven where He was and still is sitting at the Right Hand of God after having presented His precious blood of atonement in the Holy of Holies in Heaven. !!!

Therefore, the Book of Hebrews was written to inform Jews and Gentiles, who had become Christians, about the Old Testament shadows and pictures that Jesus Christ had fulfilled. It reveals important facts and details about Christ, His life, death, and resurrection. And, among other things, it clearly explains Christ's fulfillment's of the shadows and pictures presented and portrayed in the Old Testament Sacrifies, Offerings, High Priesthood, priestly garments, and the events and sacrifices of the Day of Atonement.

Well, with that said, and with your assignment in mind. Here, printed below for you is the passage from Hebrews for you to read and mark (or, you may use your own Bible.) When you have finished, we will draw some conclusions and you will be thrilled at what you will learn.

So, without further ado, read Hebrews 7:24 - 10:23 and as you read, look for and mark the assigned words.

Hebrews 7:24 - 10:23 NIV

Hebrews 7

24. but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26. Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Hebrews 8

1. The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2. and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. 3. Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." 6. But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. 7. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8. But God found fault with the people and said : "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 9. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." 13. By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

Hebrews 9

1. Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4. which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5. Above the ark were the cherubim of the glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. 6. When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9.This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings--external regulations applying until the time of the new order. 11. When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation.

12. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15. For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16. In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17. because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18. This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19. When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20. He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." 21. In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23. It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28. so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Hebrews 10

1. The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4. because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6. with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7. Then I said, `Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.'" 8. First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9. Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14. because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16. "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." 17. Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." 18. And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20. by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21. and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22. let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He Who promised is faithful.

Wow! Isn't that awesome! The New Testament Book of Hebrews is a commentary as it explains the Old Testament Book of Leviticus. WOW!.

So, having read that commentary, it is time to put the pieces together and summarize some of what The Day of Atonement, as described in the book of Levitius, actually was pointing to (prophesying, predicting, picturing as a shadow).

Just as the Tabernacle and its furnishings, the Priests and their garments, and the sacrifices and offerings, though important, were not complete in themselves, but were pictures, shadows, of things to come, similarly, the events and activities of the Day of Atonement were also important but incomplete. They, too, pictured and shadowed something that would be fulfilled in amazing and beautiful precision and detail in the future. The book of Hebrews was written AFTER those fulfillments had been fulfilled and thus is able to clearly and unequivocally explain what had been pictured and how the shadows were fulfilled.

So, let's consider a few of the things we studied in part 1 of this lesson as we consider what we learned as we read about their fulfilments as recorded in the New Testament Book of Hebrews. We will see what they pictured and how they have since been fulfilled. And, as before, remember, this is only the tip of the iceberg of the truths in this chapter. But, by looking at the few details which we did have time to study, you will surely understand that God had and has a wonderful plan for His people and for all who will come to Him. He desires that there be at-one-ment between Him, The Holy God, and sinful man. And the activities and sacrifices of The Day of Atonement picture, as a shadow, how and by Whom that atonement was and is attained.

So, with that said, let's look at what some of these shadows and pictures prophesied and previewed.

The Old Testament Day of Atonement -- When is it observed (how often and on what day?) (Write your answer in the space below. Hint, look back in part one of this lesson.)

What is another name for Day of Atonement (the other name used by the Jews today) ? (Write your answer in the space below. Hint, look back in part one of this lesson.)

What is the Day of Atonement? How would you describe it to someone who has no idea what it is or what it is for? (Write your answer in the space below.)

Correct! The Day of Atonement is also known as Yom Kippur (from Day = Yom + Kippurm (Kippur)) and it is observed annually on the 10th day of Tishri, which is the 7 th Month on the Jewish calendar. The month of Tishri corresponds roughly to part of Sept-Oct on our calendar. In fact, this year, in 2000 AD, Yom Kippur (Tishri 10) will be on our October 9. You might want to mark this on your calendar, now that you know how important this day is. And, as an aside, those of you who are history buffs, will probably recall that Oct 9 is also the day that Christopher Columbus Discovered the New World. Now, I don't know, and I seriously doubt, that there is any shadow or significance to this, but, it is interesting.

And, you are also correct if, when describing to your friend who has "no clue" as to what this day is, you said something to the effect that this was the one day of each year when all the sins of the entire nation were confessed and atoned for by the blood of an innocent animal that died as a substitute sacrifice to pay the ransom penalty for their sins. As a result, the people were restored to fellowship with their Holy God and could worship and serve Him for another year.

But, alas, as you and they (and not to mention all the bulls and goats and other animals) have all too painfully observed, this cycle had to be repeated again, year after year, because during the subsequent year, everyone, including the High Priest himself, would sin again and this would require a repeat of the confessions of sin and more blood sacrifices of more innocent animals to pay the atonement penalty for their sins. Sigh! A seemingly endless cycle of sin and death, sin and death, sin and death, loomed before them.

So, what to do? Would this annual sin and death cycle on the Day of Atonment continue forever? Should it continue for ever?

No! It can not and would not, for, embedded within these sacrifices and offerings on the Day of Atonement, were pictures (shadows) of a final once and for all perfect and complete sacrifice which in ONE FINAL SACRIFICE of Atonement, would make all future temporary Days of Atonement unnecessary.

So, Based on what you read in Hebrews, what does the Day of Atonement picture (shadow)? (Write your answer in the spaces below.)

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) pictures the coming substitutionary death of ___________ on the ___________ as a substitute sacrifice to atone for all of the __________ of all mankind, Jew and Gentile.

Yes, you are absolutely correct! The Day of Atonement pictures the coming substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross as a substitute sacrifice to atone for all of the sins of all mankind, Jew and Gentile.

And, Who did the High Priest picture (shadow) ? = ___________________________

Yes, the High Priest pictured Jesus Christ, the GREAT High Priest. And, this is clearly pictured in several ways, but a very interesting picture of this is in what the High Priest wore and did not wear at the time he offered his sacrifices. You noticed that normally the High Priest wore all of his garments when functioning as the High Priest. But, on this one day, the Day of Atonement, he laid aside all of his beautiful garments of glory (specifically, he did not wear the robe with its golden bells and pomegranates, the ephod, the waistband of the ephod, the breastpiece, the Urim and the Thummin, and the Gold plate inscribed with the words Holy to the Lord). He laid all of these aside and wore only the same basic garments which were worn by all the other priests, so that on that one day, he looked just like all the others.

What did this mean? Why did the High priest not wear his beautiful garments of glory which set him apart from every other priest and every other person? (Think about this and write your answer in the space below. Hint, remember that Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest who is being pictured here.)

Yes, Just as the High Priest laid aside all his garments of glory when he went in to offer the blood sacrifice for atonement, The Lord GOD Jesus Christ, the GREAT HIGH PRIEST, also laid aside all of His garments of Glory when He, God, left His throne in heaven, came to earth, and took the appearance (wore the humble human robe, so to speak) of a lowly human just like you and I.

Jesus, God Himself, left heaven and His position of Authority and, humbling Himself, became an ordinary man in order to offer Himself and His blood as the once and for all final perfect sinless innocent sacrifice for atonement for all sin! Astounding!

Inwardly, Jesus was God but outwardly He, in the form of a human, a Jew Himself, was an acceptable sinless sacrifice who could and did offer His body as atonement for our sins!

And, this is pictured in the Day of Atonement ritual when the High Priest removed all of his garments of splendor and became in outward appearance like the other priests. Internally, Aaron was still the High Priest, just as inwardly Jesus was still God. But, outwardly, Aaron and the other High priests after him, were no different in appearance from the other priests when he was performing his sacrificial duties on the Day of Atonement, just as Jesus was no different in appearance from other humans when He was dying on the cross as the perfect sinless substitute BLOOD sacrifice of atonement.

WOW! Astounding! Awesome!

And, more could be said, but we must continue on. So....

Let's look at another shadow that was pictured in Leviticus 16, the curtain (veil) between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies (Most Holy Place). In Leviticus we are told of its location and purpose. And its purpose was: (Think about this and write your answer in the space below.)

Yes, the Purpose of the curtain (veil) was to keep The Holy God separated from any and all UNholy persons or things. Only a sinless (atoned for) person or thing could pass through the veil and enter into the Most Holy Place.

In a previous lesson we saw what happens when anyone attempts to pass through the veil with an unauthorized offering. (We saw what happens when a person who is UNholy -- (unredeemed, unatoned for, not at at-one-ment with God, has not been ransomed from their sin debt penalty by the blood of a perfect substitute sacrifice) -- attempts to pass through the veil and approach God with offerings that they have selected, with works of their own doing, instead of approaching in the correct and only way, that of being atoned for by the blood sacrifice of a sinless substitute atoning sacrifice.) I am referring, of course to the attempt by Nadab and Abihu to approach God with their censers filled with unholy fire. They were priests. And Nadab was to be the next High Priest after Aaron. Yet, when Nadab and Abihu, in an UNatoned (sinful) condition, attempted to pass through the veil and enter the Holy of Holies, what happened to them and why? (If you don't remember, reread Lev. 10:1-2 and write your answer in the space below.)

Yes, they died! God killed them because no one, but NO one, can pass through the veil (curtain) and live UNLESS they have been atoned for by the required blood sacrifice.

It doesn't matter how important they are or think they might be. It doesn't matter how wonderful they think the gift they bring is. IF a person is a sinner, and IF that person has not been properly atoned for (by the blood of a sinless sacrifice), -- IF that person attempts to pass through the veil to come into the presence of a HOLY GOD, they will die.

So, what then, does the veil (curtain) picture (shadow)? (Think about what you read in Hebrews, especially in 10:19-22 and write your answer here)

Yes, the curtain between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies (Most Holy Place) is a shadow (picture) of the body of Christ! But, what does that mean, you ask? Well, to answer that, let's again let the Bible be its own commentary and explain this for us. So, read this passage from Mark 15 (printed here for you) and underline or highlight what it tells you about the curtain (veil) which might help you to understand what is pictured, shadowed, represented

Mark 15:33-39 niv

At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" -- which means, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" When some of those standing near hear this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God."

Hmmmmmm.

Now, ask that question again, but this time you can answer it. What does it mean, that the curtain is the body of Christ? And, what did the tearing of the curtain (body of Christ) do or accomplish? (Think about this and write your answer in the space below.)

Wow! Now that is really awesome. The tearing of the Curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place actually occurred in the Temple at the exact precise moment of Christ's death on the cross. This is an historical fact. So, what did this mean? Well, the curtain pictured the body of Christ and when He died, His body, like the curtain was torn to open the way into the Holy of Holies.

The tearing of the curtain indicated that Christ's death and blood sacrifice was acceptable to God and opened the way into the Holy of Holies (the Most Holy Place) in Heaven itself.

This meant, therefore, that now we (anyone who has accepted the free gift of Jesus' atoning substitute death sacrifice) can pass directly into the presence of God at any time.

Wow! Do you understand what that means for us?

It means that anyone, rich or poor, young or old, Jew or Gentile -- anyone who has "accepted Jesus" (ie. has been saved, atoned for by the substitute blood sacrifice provided by Jesus' death) is now atoned for, is at-one-ment with God! And, as such, he or she, you or I, can boldly walk right into the very throne room of Heaven!

It means that we can approach God and we will not die.

It means that we can approach God and He stops everything He is doing and welcomes and greets us with open arms! We can come to Him and worship Him without fear! We can come to Him for advice, wisdom, and guidance in our daily problems and concerns. We can do all of that now by prayer. And, when the time comes for us to die and leave this earth, we will actually pass through that torn curtain and enter into His awesome and Holy presence without fear and with joyful acceptance!

Now we can really understand what the writer of Hebrews meant when he said in 10:19- 22.

19. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20. by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21. and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22. let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Before Christ died as the atoning sacrifice, no one, not even Aaron or the High Priests after him could go into the Holy of Holies at just any time they wanted to. No, God could only be approached by the High Priest and only after the death of a perfect animal in order to provide the blood atonement and even then only once a year, on the Day of Atonement.

But now, and for the past almost 2000 years, since the final and perfect and acceptable sacrifice of Christ's body was made, presented, and accepted, anyone who has been saved (atoned for) by Jesus can approach the throne of God at any time and for any reason, whether it is just to visit and fellowship with Him, or to worship Him, to serve Him, or to ask Him for help and guidance.

The curtain has been torn. The way of access to God has been opened!

And that door (curtain, veil) will never be closed to us ever again. Anyone can have access to God IF they have accepted the gift of salvation through the atonement provided by Jesus Christ !

WOW! Thank you Jesus !!!!!!

Well, again, much more could be said about this and many of the other aspects of the Day of Atonement. But, again, in this short lesson, we can't go into every detail or even most of the details, so, we will reluctantly leave this wonderful understanding and continue on in our study.

So, moving on, but still thinking about what Our Great High Priest Jesus Christ did, we noticed that there is another important shadow or picture of our Great High Priest revealed in Leviticus 16:17. Here we learn that the High Priest performed his duties on the Day of Atonement __________ with ____ other priests or people around.

Yes, Aaron performed his duties ALONE and with NO other priests or people around Think now of when Christ died on the cross. What was shadowed by the High Priest performing his duties alone and with no other priests around when compared with the fulfillment in Christ dying on the cross. (Think about this and write your answer in the space below.)

Yes, the alone-ness of Aaron as he went through the curtain into the Holy of Holies carrying the blood of sacrifice, pictures as a shadow what Jesus would do. For, Jesus walked the path of His sacrificial death alone and died on the cross alone and paid the atoning blood ransom penalty for sin alone. Even God the Father had to forsake Jesus when all of the sins of the world were placed upon Him for atonement by His death. That is why Jesus cried out, in His final moments, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" ... "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

And, why had God the Father forsaken Jesus? (Think about this and write your answer in the space below.)

Yes, God the Father had to forsake Jesus because, at the time that God forsake Jesus, Jesus WAS SIN, Jesus, like the scapegoat and like the goat for the Lord, had laid upon Him, ALL of the sin of ALL of the world -- past, present, and future -- including ALL of your sins and mine! And, we have seen repeatedly in Leviticus that God is a Holy God and that no person or thing that is sinful (unclean, unatoned for, unransomed) can approach Him, fellowship with Him, worship Him or serve Him.

Jesus, being the sin bearer was, therefore, unable to approach or be with His Father God. God His Father, because of His Holiness, HAD to forsake His only Son. And all because of SIN! But not Jesus' sin, for He was sinless. No, the sin that separated Him from His Father and which broke their relationship so that His Father had to forsake Him, that sin was my sin and your sin, which had been placed on Him and for which He (Jesus) died to pay the atonement ransom penalty!

!!!!!

Think of it -- God the Father and Jesus our Savior, both loved us so much that they were willing to be separated and estranged in order that sinful mankind (ie. you and I) would be able to be ATONED for, so that Holy God and sinful man (you and I) could once again be AT-ONE-MENT with God!

What an awesome wonderful God! How could anyone not love a God such as this? How could anyone want to do their own thing and go their own way when the God of the Universe, the very Creator of the Universe cares for and loves us (you and me) enough to DIE in our place (in my place, in your place) so that we can be with them forever and be able to escape eternity in hell!

Astounding!

THANK YOU JESUS!

But, there is more! There is still something else that is pictured in the aloneness of Aaron and the other High Priests when they offered the Day of Atonement Blood sacrifice. And this is a very important concept to grasp. And it is that, ONLY the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, is able to pay the atonement price. No one assisted in any way. There were no other people or priests around when Aaron prepared and presented the blood sacrifice of atonement. And, there were no other people around when Jesus paid the death penalty and presented His own blood as atonement sacrifice for all of the sins of all mankind.

This means that there is NOTHING that you or I or anyone can or must do in order to gain salvation. It is ALL done ALONE by Jesus, our Great High Priest. He did it ALL!

There is NO work, NO deed, NO action, NO payment, or any other thing that must be done or that can be done by us to add to what Jesus did. Jesus did it all. Jesus paid it ALL.

This is pictured in the aloneness of Aaron, the High Priest of the Jewish Nation, as he did all of the work of killing the sacrificial animals and of taking the blood and presenting it before God behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies while no one was around and while no one helped and no one participated or contributed to the offering in ANY way. While Aaron did everything for the people, the people stood at a distance -- humbly, quietly, expectantly, and hopefully praying that the blood sacrifice prepared and offered by Aaron would be accepted by God and their sins would be atoned for.

In the same way, we the people, sinners all, can only look to Jesus, our GREAT High Priest as He died alone in our place and as He presented alone His own blood as the atonement sacrifice for us.

Jesus did EVERYTHING. We do nothing. We can do nothing. We must do nothing.

Just as there was nothing the Israelites could do or did on the day of Atonement because their High Priest did it all, there is nothing we can do, except let our Great High Priest, Jesus, do everything for us.

And, at the conclusion of the Blood sacrifice atonement on the Day of Atonement, the people waited expectantly for Aaron to come out of the Holy of Holies, and announce to all the people, "You are clean from all your sins."

In the same way, as Jesus completed His offering of sacrifice on the cross, He said, "It is finished!"

WOW!

And, again, there is more that we can learn, but we must continue on. A few more questions and then we will be finished.

1. What was the OLD Covenant which was referred to in the Book of Hebrews? (Circle the correct answer from the choices below.)

A. a musty old book in a museum or library

B. the 10 Commandments and all of the Laws of the Jewish nation which were originally written on stone and handed down at Mt. Sinai and which pictured as shadows the future, perfect, and complete New Covenant.

2. Who was the OLD Covenant primarily for? (Circle the correct answer from the choices below.)

A. The Jewish people, the Israelites, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel)

B. ALL the people in the world, Jews and Gentiles.

3. How was forgiveness for sin obtained under the rules of the OLD Covenant? (Circle the correct answer from the choices below. More than one answer may be correct.)

A. by daily sacrifices and offerings

B. by an Annual Day of Atonement

C. by the blood sacrifice of a substitute animal which was perfect

D. by doing good deeds and attempting to worship God in ways they thought would be good ideas and hoping to thereby become good enough to enter the Holy of Holies (Nadab and Abihu thought this was a good idea.)

4. What is the NEW Covenant which was referred to in the Book of Hebrews? (Circle the correct answer from the choices below.)

A. A brand new book in a museum or library

B. the 10 Commandments and all of the Laws of the Jewish nation which were originally written on stone and handed down at Mt. Sinai and which were updated as times changed so you could do most anything you wanted whether you had confessed and repented of your sins or not.

C. the Law of God that is put by the Holy Spirit into the hearts and minds of all those who choose to accept Jesus' substitute atoning blood sacrifice as the ransom payment for their sins.

5. Who is the NEW Covenant for? (Circle the correct answer from the choices below. ONLY one answer is correct.)

A. The Jewish people, the Israelites, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel)

B. ALL the people in the world, Jews and Gentiles.

C. Anyone, Jew or Gentile, young or old, male or female, who chooses to accept Jesus' substitute atoning blood sacrifice as the ransom payment for their sins.

6. How is forgiveness for sin obtained under the plan of the NEW Covenant? (Circle the correct answer from the choices below. Only one answer is correct.)

A. by daily sacrifices and offerings of grain, animal blood sacrifices, etc.

B. by an Annual Day of Atonement

C. by the blood sacrifice of a substitute animal (bull, goat, lamb, bird, etc.) which was perfect

D. by doing good deeds and attempting to worship God in ways that seem to be good and which should make God "happy" and hoping to thereby become good enough to enter the Holy of Holies (Nadab and Abihu thought this was a good idea.)

E. by giving money to good causes, living a good life, not getting into tooo much trouble, trying to be good, not being mean to others, ... in other words, by doing lots and lots of good works and deeds and hoping that in the end, when God tallies up the score on the scale, that the good works will "outweigh" or be better than the bad ones were.

F. by realizing that there is NOTHING that a person can do except to acknowledge that Jesus is God and the Great High Priest who died to pay the ONLY acceptable ransom penalty for sin -- and then to confess and place all their sins on Christ (as their substitute sacrifice and as their scapegoat for sins) -- and then to accept the gift of the substitute blood sacrifice that Jesus gave through His death as atonement for all my sins (past present and future).

Well, we could go on an on, for there is much much more in Leviticus 16, and, this could easily become a study which would last until the Lord returns, so let's just wait and ask Him about the rest of these things when we are with Him for eternity in Heaven. And, at the rate things seem to be happening these days, that time of Q & A may be closer than we think.

But we do now clearly understand that The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) in the Old Testament was an important day and necessary. And, it pictured as shadows many many things that were fulfilled in Christ and His substitute blood atoning sacrifice. And, it pictured many more things including the New Covenant and much more that we have not had time to consider.

But, we know enough. We have seen enough. We know that there IS a God and that He loves us beyond our wildest dreams. In fact, God loved us so much that He didn't just wish that we were not sinners. He loved us so much that He provided a way for us to be redeemed from our sins.

The Old Covenant is no longer in effect.

The New Covenant is now the way to obtain salvation and restoration to fellowship with God.

The Old Covenant and the Day of Atonement and all the other sacrifices and offerings were mere shadows of the real thing. And the real thing is Jesus Christ, our Lord, God, Savior, and Redeemer. He is the substance. Everything else is but a shadow.

Jesus Christ is our Great and Permanent High Priest and His one time for all sacrificial offering is sufficient to atone for all of the sins of the world, including yours and mine. Jesus' sinless innocent blood provided the final complete and eternally effective atoning ransom sacrifice to redeem all mankind.

Whoever will admit and confess their sins to Him and accept His gift of salvation atonement on the basis of His blood will be redeemed from their sins and restored to at-one-met with God!

Hebrews 9:11. When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15. For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! We can be redeemed!

I have been redeemed!

Have you been redeemed? He died for you, too! Have you accepted Christ's gift of redemption? I pray that you have or that you will!

And, for all of us who have been redeemed, let's take what we have been learning and begin to share this wonderful news with others.

For, this is REALLY GOOD NEWS and it needs to be shared with everyone!

Think on these things!

Praise and Thank the Lord!

And tell others about Jesus and what He has done for you and will do for them.

Oh, and by the way, are you still wondering about the answers to those last few questions? Well, I am sure you got them all correct. But, just so you can check, they were: 1 b; 2 b; 3 abc; 4 c; 5 c; 6 f.

See you in the next lesson.

Scriptures unless otherwise marked are taken from

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Used by permission of Zondervan Publishers.

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