By Archie England, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at NOBTSQuestion: How did the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) show Israel the Messiah?Archie England, Old Testament Professor at NOBTS responds: The Book of Leviticus is filled with laws governing Israel’s worship of God. In the first 15 chapters, Moses stipulated the types of sacrifices allowed, the requirements for those bringing a sacrifice, the mediators (priests) of the sacrifice, and the place of sacrifice. From these sacrificial laws emerges an ultimate day of sacrifice: the Day of Atonement.“Yom Kippur,” the Day of Atonement, occurred during the last of three festival seasons (Passover; Pentecost; Trumpets – cf. Lev 23). After the harvest, all Israelites assembled to give thanks to the Lord of the Harvest and to bring commensurate offerings for the forgiveness of their sins. With the appropriate sacrifice in hand, each family would journey to Jerusalem – singing the Psalms and preparing their hearts for worship. Families could observe each other’s intended offerings (that’s humbling). As such, preparation for this event was both private and public. Accountability for sin was evident.Once their offerings were presented to the priests, the people awaited the final laying of hands on the scapegoat. During this wait, the High Priest would enter into the Holy Place (having made personal sacrifice) and present incense and the blood of his offering inside the Holy of Holies for himself first (16:13). Then, he would present the blood of the sacrificial goat (16:8-9, chosen by lot) for the people. Seeing the High Priest emerge from the Holy Place gave the assembly great joy because it meant that God had accepted their sacrifice! Moments later, they would watch their chief mediator place his hands on the head of the chosen scapegoat and transfer to it all the sins of Israel. This goat was driven outside the Temple and Jerusalem into the desert to be released (to certain death). Did this Day of Atonement show Israel the Messiah? Not exactly. It showed Israel that God does forgive sin by the shedding of blood. It further pressed upon them all the laws and requirements necessary for forgiveness. So, what Israel learned from this significant event was how a covenant relationship with God worked.God, having entered a covenant with Abraham and Moses, and later with David, would do so again. Jeremiah predicted such “a new covenant” (Jer 31:31). Ezekiel, too, saw this (36:24-26; 37:24f), prophesying that God’s servant “David” would rule again. Once John the Baptist declared Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), Leviticus 16 became regarded as a messianic passage.The writer of Hebrews shows us a better approach: Everything about Jesus (as the Christ) is superior to the Old Covenant! The New Covenant is clearly the superior covenant. Archie England, Ph.D., is director of the Baptist College Partnership and Professor of Old Testament and Hebrews, occupying the J. Wash Watts Chair of Old Testament and Hebrews at NOBTS.
By Archie England, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at NOBTS
Question: How did the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) show Israel the Messiah?
Archie England, Old Testament Professor at NOBTS responds: The Book of Leviticus is filled with laws governing Israel’s worship of God. In the first 15 chapters, Moses stipulated the types of sacrifices allowed, the requirements for those bringing a sacrifice, the mediators (priests) of the sacrifice, and the place of sacrifice. From these sacrificial laws emerges an ultimate day of sacrifice: the Day of Atonement.
“Yom Kippur,” the Day of Atonement, occurred during the last of three festival seasons (Passover; Pentecost; Trumpets – cf. Lev 23). After the harvest, all Israelites assembled to give thanks to the Lord of the Harvest and to bring commensurate offerings for the forgiveness of their sins. With the appropriate sacrifice in hand, each family would journey to Jerusalem – singing the Psalms and preparing their hearts for worship. Families could observe each other’s intended offerings (that’s humbling). As such, preparation for this event was both private and public. Accountability for sin was evident.
Once their offerings were presented to the priests, the people awaited the final laying of hands on the scapegoat. During this wait, the High Priest would enter into the Holy Place (having made personal sacrifice) and present incense and the blood of his offering inside the Holy of Holies for himself first (16:13). Then, he would present the blood of the sacrificial goat (16:8-9, chosen by lot) for the people. Seeing the High Priest emerge from the Holy Place gave the assembly great joy because it meant that God had accepted their sacrifice! Moments later, they would watch their chief mediator place his hands on the head of the chosen scapegoat and transfer to it all the sins of Israel. This goat was driven outside the Temple and Jerusalem into the desert to be released (to certain death). Did this Day of Atonement show Israel the Messiah? Not exactly. It showed Israel that God does forgive sin by the shedding of blood. It further pressed upon them all the laws and requirements necessary for forgiveness. So, what Israel learned from this significant event was how a covenant relationship with God worked.
God, having entered a covenant with Abraham and Moses, and later with David, would do so again. Jeremiah predicted such “a new covenant” (Jer 31:31). Ezekiel, too, saw this (36:24-26; 37:24f), prophesying that God’s servant “David” would rule again. Once John the Baptist declared Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), Leviticus 16 became regarded as a messianic passage.
The writer of Hebrews shows us a better approach: Everything about Jesus (as the Christ) is superior to the Old Covenant! The New Covenant is clearly the superior covenant.
Archie England, Ph.D., is director of the Baptist College Partnership and Professor of Old Testament and Hebrews, occupying the J. Wash Watts Chair of Old Testament and Hebrews at NOBTS.