1. Setting up the Story
    1. Last week: Leprosy – they represent us all being lepers in need of cleansing
    2. Leviticus 16 tells about the holiness of God
    3. Event: death of Aaron’s two sons
      1. Moses came out of the temple holding the hands of Aaron and his four sons.
        1. This represented Jesus holding our hands as we stand before the Father.
      2. They offered the first offering and fire fell from heaven and consumed the offering.
      3. fire consumes nada and Abihu as they bring wrong fire before the Lord.
      4. “I will display My holiness through those who come near Me.  I will display My glory before all the people.”
  2. Yom Kippur Lev. 16: 2
    1. The holiest day of the year (Holy – set apart for the divine)
  1. All the other feasts and Sabbaths are celebrations, but this one demands fasting and humbling themselves. Leviticus 23: 29
  2. Atonement is more than just forgiveness of sins.
    1. Purging ourselves of everything that offends the Almighty.  Anything that repels the presence of God.
    2. It also means a blood ransom.
    3. Nothing we can do to purge ourselves of the things that offend God.

3. Holy Requirements.

  1. You shall be holy for I am holy 19: 2
    1. Holy set apart for the divine,
    2. Unholy is something common, ordinary, or mundane.
  2. You shall be holy is a striving daily process, not a one time thing.
    1. There is no limit to how far we can attain.
  3. Incredible commands with horrible results for disobedience.
    1. Honor parents 19: 3
    2. Leave corners for the poor.19: 9
    3. Don’t steal or lie Vs 11Don’t oppress neighbor Vs 13
    4. Justice Vs 15
  4. You will observe all of these Vs 37
    1. Only Jesus did this
    2. We are members of his body so we can be a part of the body and share the blessings of our head. Ephesians 5: 30, 1 Corinthians 6: 15 – 17

4. Aaron and the presence of God 16: 4

  1. Aaron wears a white linen. Vs 4
    1. Notice no bells as tradition states.
  2. ritual of putting blood on different items in the Holy of Holies.
    1. this is the ritual that Jesus did when he died and presented himself in the Holy of Holies in heaven.  Hebrews8: 2 9: 11, 12
  3. Scapegoat Vs 8  Goat that carries the sins away
    1. They did not want the scape goat to come back into their flocks, and they could not kill it because it was the scare goat.  So they released it over a cliff.
    2. Lots chosen for the scape goat Vs10
      1. Scarlet thread put on it to differentiate it from the sacrifice goat.
      2. When goat died, the thread turned white.
      3. They would hang a thread on the doorpost and it would turn white.
        1. If it didn’t, the people would get depressed.
        2. They hung it inside the door and told people.
        3. Moses did this with the fading glory on his face.
    3. the last 40 years before the temple was destroyed.
      1. 40 years before the temple was destroyed, the miracle of the cloth turning white ceased.
      2. Goat that was picked by lot was always the goat on the right hand of the priest.  this stopped 40 years before the temple was destroyed.
      3. Westernmost lamp of the menorah would not stay lit.
      4. Door of temple would swing open on its own.
        1. Took twenty men to close it.
        2. Rabbis took this as the gates were open to the enemies of God.
  4. On this day, God will bring forgiveness of our sins. Vs 30
    1. A trial for the day of judgement that is coming upon the earth.