Leviticus 15-16

Leviticus 15-16

So as to not go into great detail about the different situations that are discussed in Leviticus 15, I will just say that this chapter stresses the importance of holiness. It continues on the theme of the Law in that someone is either considered to be clean or unclean. Uncleanliness means that someone has been involved in some type of sin. They must wait for a specific amount of time and go through some specific course of action to be considered clean again. Specifically, this chapter deals with a group of sexual sins. One major point that the chapter raises is the importance of holiness, which is one of the major themes of the book. Although our culture is drastically different than that of Leviticus, these laws can still apply to our lives. We no longer have to through these different customs and sacrifices, but we are still called to be holy. So it is important to understand what God had commanded of the Israelites, knowing that He expects the same kind of obedience from us as well.

Leviticus 16 begins with tragedy: Aaron’s two sons, who were also priests, had died. Apparently they had entered into the Most Holy Placed, where they had been commanded not to enter. The consequence God had given them for this action was death. So God reiterates this command to Aaron and the priests, reminding them to never enter behind the veil. Instead, He will make His presence known to them when He desires to. He then goes into a discussion about the Day of Atonement, and the significance that that day would have for the nation of Israel.

Living under the Old Covenant, there was not a once for all sacrifice for the Israelites. Therefore, they had to continuously sacrifice to the Lord in order to receive forgiveness for their sins. The Day of Atonement helped them in that it was an atoning sacrifice for all of their sins. On the tenth day of the seventh month each year, Aaron would enter in the Holy Place to meet with the Lord, offering to Him a sacrifice for his household as well as the nation of Israel. This served as a reminder to the Israelites that God was still in control of their lives, and that He was the one who had protected them in the past and would continue to protect them in the future. It also reminded them that He was taking care of their sins, and their sacrifice was a way of paying for what they had done.

Thankfully we no longer have to go through this process. Because of the New Covenant, which came through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we no longer have to make several sacrifices to cover all of our sins. His death was a once for all sacrifice. One way to think about it is this: Jesus fulfilled both Aaron’s role in offering a sacrifice to God and the sacrifice’s role in being that sacrifice. The Day of Atonement was completed with this sacrifice as well, for it only needed to be done one time. Now, 2000 years later, that one sacrifice is still covering our sins. It is so much easier for us today, but we must be careful not to lose sight of its importance. In some ways, it may be better if we still practiced some Old Covenant laws just so we would be reminded of their significance. Now do not get me wrong, for the New Covenant is so much better and was God’s plan all along, but we must never forget how much easier it is for us or lose sight of its importance in our lives. Yes God has made it easier for us, but it cost Him greatly, for it cost Him His son. This is why we celebrate Easter each year. In one sense, it is our Day of Atonement, where we can reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, not losing sight of its significance. It also reminds us of His resurrection, in how He conquered death, making it a onetime deal.

Matt