Today’s Reading: Leviticus 11-19; Psalm 116

Chapter 16 of Leviticus describes the Day of Atonement – a day in which the sins of God’s people were presented to the Lord in confession and payment for those sins was made in order to make right what was wrong. The blood and life of an animal was presented to God as a substitute for the life of the sinner. As the animal parts were ceremonially presented to God, His anger was appeased and the worship of His people was accepted.

For the life of a creature is in the blood and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. — Leviticus 17:11

The priests played an important role in this redemption process. Leviticus contains chapter after chapter of specific instructions for priests. They were fully equipped to do what God had chosen them to do, it simply required their obedience. It was an honor to be chosen to lead God’s people through each ritual and religious custom; it was a privilege to be used by God to cleanse His people from their unrighteousness.

“Then Aaron must slaughter the first goat as a sin offering for the people and carry its blood behind the inner curtain. There he will sprinkle the goat’s blood over the atonement cover and in front of it, just as he did with the bull’s blood. Through this process, he will purify the Most Holy Place, and he will do the same for the entire Tabernacle, because of the defiling sin and rebellion of the Israelites. No one else is allowed inside the Tabernacle when Aaron enters it for the purification ceremony in the Most Holy Place. No one may enter until he comes out again after purifying himself, his family, and all the congregation of Israel, making them right with the Lord.” – Leviticus 16:15-17

The role to which Aaron and the other Levites were assigned allowed the Israelites to experience purification. They mediated the covenant relationship between their holy God and a sinful people. As we study the role of the Levites in the book of Leviticus, we see a reflection of the role of Jesus Christ.

JESUS NOT ONLY BECAME THE SACRIFICE FOR US, HE ALSO BECAME THE PRIEST.

Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice and mediated a new covenant between God and His people. Because of this sacrifice, we have been adopted into God’s family and will receive an eternal inheritance. The writer of Hebrews does a beautiful job of explaining this role.

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood – not the blood of goats and calves – he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. – Hebrews 9:11-15

Precious Jesus, thank you so much for dying to set us free from our sin. Thank you for living in us through your Spirit, daily making it possible for us to experience a life of holiness. Cleanse our hearts and purify us from all efforts to be self-righteous and self-centered. Lord, we love you and long to worship you with pure hearts and clean hands. Amen.

“You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” – Leviticus 19:2b

What can I offer the Lord
for all he has done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.
I will keep my promises to the Lord
in the presence of all his people. – Psalm 116:12-14