Our High Priest Before God
Leviticus 16 is the climatic moment - the day of Atonement. This would be the day Israel's national sins would be remitted, cleansed, and taken away through a long and arduous process performed MOSTLY by one man - the High Priest of Israel.
The first facet of the procedure we should note is the high priests change of clothes.
Leviticus 16:3–4 (ESV) But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on.
The High Priest had two outfits. One of glory as he bore the names of Israel on his heart and the holiness of God in front of the nation. These garments made the Priest look glorious and powerful, a representation of God to man. The second set of garments were a humble outfit just slightly more than what a typical slave would have warn in those days.
Of course we know this points to Christ, our Great and final High Priest. He is one person in two natures. He is the Lord of Glory. He is also the humble servant of the Lord. He is Son of God and Son of Man. He is the everlasting Son and the Son of Mary and Joseph. He indeed fills all things with His presence for He exists forever at the right hand of the Most High AND He bears the sins of the people as a servant on our behalf.
After the procedure was over in the tent of meeting, God tells Aaron to leave his clothes there.
Leviticus 16:23 (ESV) “Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and shall take off the linen garments that he put on when he went into the Holy Place and shall leave them there.
This procedure foreshadows two important realities concerning Christ who is our true High Priest.
First, He was with God in the beginning. He already enjoyed the glory of God in heaven before becoming a man. Christ did not ascend to become God. Christ descended to become a man for the work of our salvation.
Secondly, He came to atone for sins. Christ did not primarily come to be an example for us - although He is the truest example we can follow. Christ came to bear our sins on the cross and present to the Father a perfect sacrifice for sins. It can be no clearer than here as the High Priest under the Old Covenant was the only one who could enter the Holy place to make atonement for the sins of the people.
So when Christ exchanged His robes of glory with the Father for the garments of a humble servant, it was to accomplish our salvation work. He came to bring us back to God. THAT was His purpose in coming to Earth. As wonderful as it is to think of Christ as inspirational figure, let it never be left to that! He came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. He came to make peace between us and God. The word for atonement is "kaphar", it can be translated "reconciled" and "cover over." The blood Christ presented reconciles us with a Holy God and covers over our sins.
How great a salvation has been accomplished for us.
The first facet of the procedure we should note is the high priests change of clothes.
Leviticus 16:3–4 (ESV) But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on.
The High Priest had two outfits. One of glory as he bore the names of Israel on his heart and the holiness of God in front of the nation. These garments made the Priest look glorious and powerful, a representation of God to man. The second set of garments were a humble outfit just slightly more than what a typical slave would have warn in those days.
Of course we know this points to Christ, our Great and final High Priest. He is one person in two natures. He is the Lord of Glory. He is also the humble servant of the Lord. He is Son of God and Son of Man. He is the everlasting Son and the Son of Mary and Joseph. He indeed fills all things with His presence for He exists forever at the right hand of the Most High AND He bears the sins of the people as a servant on our behalf.
After the procedure was over in the tent of meeting, God tells Aaron to leave his clothes there.
Leviticus 16:23 (ESV) “Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and shall take off the linen garments that he put on when he went into the Holy Place and shall leave them there.
This procedure foreshadows two important realities concerning Christ who is our true High Priest.
First, He was with God in the beginning. He already enjoyed the glory of God in heaven before becoming a man. Christ did not ascend to become God. Christ descended to become a man for the work of our salvation.
Secondly, He came to atone for sins. Christ did not primarily come to be an example for us - although He is the truest example we can follow. Christ came to bear our sins on the cross and present to the Father a perfect sacrifice for sins. It can be no clearer than here as the High Priest under the Old Covenant was the only one who could enter the Holy place to make atonement for the sins of the people.
So when Christ exchanged His robes of glory with the Father for the garments of a humble servant, it was to accomplish our salvation work. He came to bring us back to God. THAT was His purpose in coming to Earth. As wonderful as it is to think of Christ as inspirational figure, let it never be left to that! He came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. He came to make peace between us and God. The word for atonement is "kaphar", it can be translated "reconciled" and "cover over." The blood Christ presented reconciles us with a Holy God and covers over our sins.
How great a salvation has been accomplished for us.
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