Two Special Days Verses One Special Day

O. T. #283  "Two Special Days Versus One Special Day"
May 6, 2014
Leviticus 16
And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.  Leviticus 16:2

LET IT GLOW

As Christians, we celebrate Christmas and Easter as the two most important days of our year. We celebrate Christmas in recognition and honoring the birth of our Savior. Easter commemorates the death, and resurrection of our Savior as He purchased our salvation, taking our place as substitution for payment of our sins. Glory to the name of Jesus! We serve a Risen Savior!

The Day of Atonement was the most important day in the life of a Jew. They celebrate it as Yom Kippur. It was the day in which this Jewish nation was once again reconciled to God for another year. God dealt with Israel's sins which had not been covered during the year. It was the giving of the sin offering for the entire nation. We read in this chapter about such the sacrifice made. (It was within a 30-day period that the laws in Leviticus were given.)

According to Warren W.Wiersbe, in his book Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament, God gave these specific instructions to Moses for Aaron, the high priest:

• He had to be alone. (verses 1-2, 17)
• He laid aside his glorious garments. (verse 4)
• He washed. (verse 4)
• He offered a sin offering, a bull's blood, for himself and his family's sins. (verses 6-11)
• Aaron took the blood with him, placed hot coals from the brazen altar into the small portable golden censer, filled his hands with incense, and entered into the sacred presence of God behind the veil, where he stood before the Ark of the covenant with its Mercy Seat. There he filled the room with incense, which speaks of prayer, and sprinkled the bull's blood on the Mercy Seat seven times. (verses 11-14)  (Falwell)
• He entered the holy of holies. (verses 12-13) He entered three times-with incense, which pictures the glory of God; a blood sacrifice for himself; and blood shed for the people.

Two goats were considered one sin offering. (verse 5) Let me explain.
After the high priest had made the offering for himself and his family, it was time to do so for the entire nation of Israel. He took one goat, which met the requirements for acceptance, killed it, entered the Holy of Holies through the veil, with its blood, and sprinkled it upon the Mercy Seat. The blood of the sin offering reconciled the people and the tabernacle to God. (verse 20 and Heb. 9:23-24)

Then, upon the head of the second goat, the high priest laid his hands, and confessed the sins of the people, symbolizing a transfer of their guilt of sin to the innocent animal. This goat was sent away into the wilderness, never seen again. It was called the scapegoat, (azazel in Hebrew/ pronounced az-aw-zale') refers to goat of departure. This illustrated the removal of the nation's sins. (Ps. 103:12) However, these rituals did not actually remove sin, so it had to be repeated year after year.

Do we blame others for our sinning?

LET IT GROW

We realize that it is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins, only cover them up.
In Hebrews 10, Jesus said that He came to do the Father's will.
By doing that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (verse 10)
Jesus, our high priest offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, and now He sits at the right hand of God. His sacrificial work was complete.

Wiersbe makes a comparison of the high priest and Jesus Christ:

• Jesus, alone, paid the price for sin. Although His nation rejected Him, His disciples forsook Him and fled, and the Father turned from Him when He died on the cross, He settled the sin question once and for all.
• We see the picture of our Lord's coming to earth as a human being. He laid aside the garments of His glory and took upon Him the form of a servant. (Phil. 2:1-11)
• Christ sanctified Himself for our sake (John 17:19). He willingly dedicated Himself to the task of giving His life a ransom for many.
• Our Lord did not have to offer any sacrifices for Himself as the priest did. (Christ was the perfect sacrifice.)
• Jesus died not simply to save lost sinners and give them life, but that God might be glorified (John 17:1-5)
• The believing Israelite was saved by his faith, just the way people have always been saved.
• The resurrection and ascension of Christ is pictured when the priest laid aside his linen garments and put on his garments of glory. Jesus finished His work on the cross, then went back to His Father.
• Salvation is by faith, not by works. (Eph. 2:8-9)

If we have accepted this free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, what are we to do?
Ephesians 2:10 tells us: For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Let's bring to Him the sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15).
Praise the name of God and magnify Him with thanksgiving (Ps. 69:30)
Offer our body as a living, holy sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2)
Serve and obey Christ. (Rom. 14:17-18)
Share salvation in Christ. (1 Cor. 1:21)
Live a life of love. (Eph. 5:2)
Show mercy. (Matt. 9:13)
Do good and share with others (Heb. 13:16)
Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)
Pray. (Rev. 8:3)


LET IT GO

                                of  our sinful ways/lifestyle.
                                of things in our life which displease God.
                                of our will and let God have His will be done through and in us.
                                of our ways and let God have His way.