Moses Did as The Lord Commanded
December 14, 2021
Commentary
After Aaron had purified the Most Holy Place, the tabernacle, and the altar, he had to bring the live goat forward. He placed both hands on its head and confessed all the sins of the Israelites, placing their guilt on the goat. Then he appointed someone to lead it into the wilderness, carrying the people’s sins away. Afterward, Aaron returned to the tabernacle, removed his sacred linen garments, bathed, and put on his regular priestly clothes. He then offered burnt offerings for them, while the fat of the sin offerings was burned on the altar (vv. 20-25).
The man who led the goat into the wilderness had to wash his clothes, bathe, and then return to the camp (v. 26). The bull and goat whose blood had been brought into the Most Holy Place were taken outside the camp and burned. Anyone who burned their remains had to wash their clothes and bathe before returning to the camp (vv. 27-28). These instructions reminded the Israelites that sin was serious and that cleansing required following God’s commands.
The Lord told Moses that the Israelites must observe the Day of Atonement every year on the 10th day of the seventh month. They had to deny themselves and do no work, including foreigners living among them (v. 29). On this day, atonement would be made for their sins, cleansing them before the Lord. It was to be a Sabbath of complete rest, a lasting ordinance for them. The high priest, wearing the sacred linen garments, would make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and all the people (vv. 30-33). This ceremony was to be observed annually to make atonement for all the Israelites’ sins (v. 34). Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded.
Application
The Day of Atonement reminds me that sin is serious and that I need God's cleansing. Am I willing to confess my sins honestly and turn away from them? Do I take time to reflect on my life and seek God's forgiveness? Today, how can I show my gratitude for the grace that He gave and live in a way that pleases Him?
Leviticus 16:20–34 (NET)
20 “When Aaron has finished purifying the Holy Place, the Meeting Tent, and the altar, he is to present the live goat. 21 Aaron is to lay his two hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins, and thus he is to put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the desert by the hand of a man standing ready. 22 The goat is to bear on itself all their iniquities into an inaccessible land, so he is to send the goat away into the desert.
23 “Aaron must then enter the Meeting Tent and take off the linen garments which he had put on when he entered the sanctuary, and leave them there. 24 Then he must bathe his body in water in the Holy Place, put on his clothes, and go out and make his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering. So he is to make atonement on behalf of himself and the people.
25 “Then he is to offer up the fat of the sin offering in smoke on the altar, 26 and the one who sent the goat away to Azazel must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and afterward he may reenter the camp. 27 The bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought to make atonement in the Holy Place, must be brought outside the camp and their hide, their flesh, and their dung must be burned up, 28 and the one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may reenter the camp.
29 “This is to be a perpetual statute for you. In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you must humble yourselves and do no work of any kind, both the native citizen and the resident foreigner who lives in your midst, 30 for on this day atonement is to be made for you to cleanse you from all your sins; you must be clean before the Lord. 31 It is to be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you must humble yourselves. It is a perpetual statute.
32 “The priest who is anointed and ordained to act as high priest in place of his father is to make atonement. He is to put on the linen garments, the holy garments, 33 and he is to purify the Most Holy Place, he is to purify the Meeting Tent and the altar, and he is to make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 This is to be a perpetual statute for you to make atonement for the Israelites for all their sins once a year.” So he did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
William Booth – Jesus is Our Only Power
William Booth once said, “If there is anything of power in the Salvation Army today, it is because God has all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life.” (Source Unknown)