1. Corporate Atonement (Leviticus 16)
The Day of Atonement formed the heart of the sacrificial aspect of the Mosaic covenant. The Israelites were instructed on the proper corporate approach to God through the Day of Atonement. This day was the most important in the Mosaic sacrificial system for on this day God removed the sins of the nation (Feinberg 1958:320). On this day they also sought God’s forgiveness and reconciliation to Him. The three important elements in corporate atonement are atonement, reconciliation and dedication. 1.1 Atonement
The Day of Atonement “symbolize for Israel the substitutionary atonement God provided for their sins and the total removal of their guilt” (Harris 1990:588-589). Thus, it was an opportunity for the …show more content…
On this day the debt of the nation was due. The Day of Atonement provided an occasion in which all the sins of Israel were removed and the priests and people were purified (Kiuchi 2007:309). The blood was put on the mercy seat and provision was made for the holy and righteous God to relate with a sinful nation, so that they could stand righteous before Him (Goldberg 1980:84).
1.3 Dedication
The conclusion of the ritual was the consecration and dedication of the people before God. After the atonement, the high priest, the priests and the people could enter into the ceremony of dedication to God. The high priest entered into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and took off his linen garments, leaving them there (Lev 16:23). He would then bathe in a specially prepared area. This was necessary as the act of laying the sins on the goat had rendered him unclean (Keil and Delitzsch 1980:405). Aaron would then put on his full priestly garments and come out to offer the ram of burnt offering for himself and the ram of burnt offering for the people (Lev 16:24-25). Then he would present himself and the congregation before God in consecration for a new year (Goldberg 1980:88). With that, the dedication ceremony was
The Day of Atonement formed the heart of the sacrificial aspect of the Mosaic covenant. The Israelites were instructed on the proper corporate approach to God through the Day of Atonement. This day was the most important in the Mosaic sacrificial system for on this day God removed the sins of the nation (Feinberg 1958:320). On this day they also sought God’s forgiveness and reconciliation to Him. The three important elements in corporate atonement are atonement, reconciliation and dedication. 1.1 Atonement
The Day of Atonement “symbolize for Israel the substitutionary atonement God provided for their sins and the total removal of their guilt” (Harris 1990:588-589). Thus, it was an opportunity for the …show more content…
On this day the debt of the nation was due. The Day of Atonement provided an occasion in which all the sins of Israel were removed and the priests and people were purified (Kiuchi 2007:309). The blood was put on the mercy seat and provision was made for the holy and righteous God to relate with a sinful nation, so that they could stand righteous before Him (Goldberg 1980:84).
1.3 Dedication
The conclusion of the ritual was the consecration and dedication of the people before God. After the atonement, the high priest, the priests and the people could enter into the ceremony of dedication to God. The high priest entered into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and took off his linen garments, leaving them there (Lev 16:23). He would then bathe in a specially prepared area. This was necessary as the act of laying the sins on the goat had rendered him unclean (Keil and Delitzsch 1980:405). Aaron would then put on his full priestly garments and come out to offer the ram of burnt offering for himself and the ram of burnt offering for the people (Lev 16:24-25). Then he would present himself and the congregation before God in consecration for a new year (Goldberg 1980:88). With that, the dedication ceremony was