The big idea of the Day of Atonement is clear enough – we need Christ to shed His blood to atone for our sins. But so many parts of chapter 16 seem strange until we remember that Aaron the High Priest is representing Jesus’ person and work.

Notice, for example, that a bull, a very valuable offering, is offered up on behalf of the High Priest (Leviticus 16:6), while only a goat is offered on behalf of all the rest of the people (Leviticus 16:9). That’s because the blood of Christ is more precious than that of everyone else on earth put together. And it is the blood of the bull, which represents the blood of Christ, that must first be carried inside the veil and put on the mercy seat, the place where God was said to dwell with His people (Leviticus 16:14). Christ is the One Who, by His death, opens a way for us into the very presence of God.

Yes, that’s the good news we find in Leviticus 16:16 – because Christ died for us, God has promised to dwell with all who trust in Him, in spite of all our uncleanness, in spite of all our sins. It is not our holiness or perfection that matters in the sight of God, but the holiness of Christ.

But notice that the goat, which represents the people of God, must die as well. As a sin offering, its heart and other internal organs were burned up on the altar, along with all the fat (which was considered the best part of the animal). And the blood of the goat was brought inside the veil, into the very presence of God (Leviticus 16:15).

Just so, by faith in Christ, we are joined to Him. We thus die the death that He has died, a death to the power of sin, even as we are raised to newness of life (Romans 6:4). But this life must be given completely to God, so chapters 17 and 18 go on to explain some of the ways in which God wants us to live – being reverent with the blood of all living things and confining sexual activity to the marital union of one man and one woman for a lifetime. We must be holy, not acting in the unclean ways of people who do not know the Lord (Leviticus 18:24-28).

And so we see the truth of the gospel acted out before us: it is not our holy living that saves us or causes our sins to be forgiven – the sacrifice of Christ does that. But at the same time, since He has freed us from the power of sin, we are called to die to sin and give all that we are and all that we have to God. For does He deserve anything less?

Leviticus 16:11-19 (NASB)

11 “Then Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his household, and he shall slaughter the bull of the sin offering which is for himself.
12 “And he shall take a firepan full of coals of fire from upon the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil.
13 “And he shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, lest he die.
14 “Moreover, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; also in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
15 “Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat.
16 “And he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel, and because of their transgressions, in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities.
17 “When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel.
18 “Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides.
19 “And with his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times, and cleanse it, and from the impurities of the sons of Israel consecrate it.