THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
Keywords 16:30
because on this day atonement will be made
for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your
sins.
1.
In contrast to chapter 15, which seeks very personal forgiveness, chapter 16
deals with national forgiveness. The Lord gives commands to Moses regarding the
Day of Atonement, a day in which the whole nation should stop their work,
repent and ask God’s
forgiveness upon their wickedness. Most of this chapter deals with Aaron the
high priest and what he is required to do. He must put on his priestly robes,
he appears once a year in the Most Holy Place, and he represents the nation,
seeking God’s
forgiveness. The spiritual leader is critical to the nation’s
repentance. His personal attitude and reverence for God, his house, and his
mission, and his diligence in doing these things directly affect the nation’s
atonement. We must pray for our spiritual leaders to be equipped with God’s
spirit of prayer to do so.
2. These offerings involve a
sacrificed goat and a scapegoat. The priest sacrifices the first goat who takes
all the punishment the nation’s sins deserves. Then he confesses all the sins of the
nation on the scapegoat and releases it outside the camp symbolically carrying
away the nation’s sins. We as a nation need to place
our faith in Jesus and ask for his forgiveness from our wickedness.
Prayer Father, we confess our sins as a
nation. Save us from your judgment and restore us.
One Word Honoring God through a national day
of repentance to be
restored
in his grace
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