The Ark of the Covenant Bible Study | Duties of the Priest

LEVITICUS 16

Atonement for Sin — The Day of Atonement

 

(Vs. 1–2) How Aaron Must Approach the Holy Place

 

The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, who died when they offered strange fire before the LORD (Leviticus 10). *See note.

 

The LORD said: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.”

 

Aaron could not enter God’s presence whenever he desired—only at the appointed time and in the prescribed way.

 

The same principle remains true today. We do not come to God on our own terms, but by His invitation:

 

“No man come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)         

 

*Note: What Was the “Strange Fire”? (Leviticus 10) 

 

That’s a very important question—and Scripture gives us strong clues even though it doesn’t spell out every detail.

 

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, “offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them” (Leviticus 10:1).

 

The key phrase is: “which He had not commanded them.”

 

Most Likely Meaning

 

“Strange fire” refers to unauthorized fire or incense offered in a way God did not prescribe.

 

 

From what we know in Scripture, this likely included one or more of the following:

 

1. Fire Not Taken from the Altar

God required that the fire used for incense come from the altar of sacrifice (Leviticus 16:12).
They may have used their own fire instead of God’s.

👉 This would mean they replaced what was God-ordained with something man-made.

 

2. Entering at the Wrong Time or Place

Leviticus 16 (which you’re studying) connects directly to this event.

God said Aaron could not come “at just any time” into the Holy Place.

👉 Nadab and Abihu may have:

• Entered where they were not permitted
• Approached God without instruction

 

3. Acting Presumptuously or Carelessly

Leviticus 10:9 (right after their death) warns priests not to drink wine when ministering.

👉 This suggests they may have:

• Been careless or irreverent
• Not fully aware of the seriousness of what they were doing

 

The Core Issue

 

The real problem was not just what they did—but how they approached God.

They:

• Ignored God’s instructions
• Took liberties in holy things
• Approached God on their own terms

 

Why It Was So Serious

 

God was establishing His holiness at the very beginning of the priesthood.

 

Leviticus 10:3— “Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘I must be treated as holy by those that come near Me, and I will be honored before all the people.’ And Aaron remained silent.”’

 

This moment set a standard: God is holy, and He must be approached His way—not ours.

 

 

Connection to this Study

 

This ties directly into:

 

• The tabernacle shows God’s prescribed way
• The altar shows atonement is required
• The Ark shows God’s presence is holy
• The Day of Atonement shows access is limited and intentional

 

Nadab and Abihu are a warning of what happens when:
👉 man tries to approach God outside of His design

 

(Vs. 3–5) What Aaron Must Bring

 

Aaron was required to come with:

• The blood of a young bull (for his own sin)
• A ram for a burnt offering
• Two goats for the people’s sin offering
• Holy linen garments

He was to:

• Wash himself
• Clothe himself in simple, humble linen garments

 

Teaching Insight

• He came with blood → recognizing sin
• He came washed → symbolizing cleansing
• He came in humility → not in glory

 

Before he could represent the people, he had to deal with his own sin.

 

(Vs. 6–10) The Two Goats

 

Lots were cast over two goats:

• One was chosen for the LORD → sacrificed
• One became the scapegoat → released

Both were necessary to complete the picture of atonement.

 

(Vs. 11–14) The Bull for the Priest

 

Aaron first offered the bull for his own sin.

 

He then:

• Took incense to create a cloud over the mercy seat
• Sprinkled the blood on and before the mercy seat

 

This was done so he would not die in God’s presence.

 

Teaching Insight

The mercy seat covered the Ark, which contained:

• The law that was broken
• The manna that was complained about
• Aaron’s rod tied to rebellion

 

When God looked down, He did not see sin—He saw the blood covering it. The Hebrew word for atonement, kippur, means “to cover.”

 

Christ Compared

 

Unlike Aaron, Jesus Christ:

• Had no sin of His own
• Did not need a sacrifice for Himself
• Offered Himself once and for all

 

(Hebrews 7:26–28) “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”

 

(Vs. 15–19) The Goat for the People

 

The goat chosen for the LORD was sacrificed for the people.

Its blood was:

• Brought inside the veil
• Sprinkled on the mercy seat
• Applied to cleanse the tabernacle and altar

 

Teaching Insight

Even the tabernacle needed cleansing because it existed among sinful people. This shows how deeply sin affects everything it touches.

 

(Vs. 20–22) The Scapegoat

 

Aaron laid both hands on the live goat and confessed all the sins of Israel over it.

The goat was then sent into the wilderness, carrying away the sins of the people.

 

Teaching Insight

Two powerful pictures:

• The sacrificed goat → sin paid for
• The scapegoat → sin carried away

 

Sin was not eliminated—only removed from sight.

 

(Vs. 23–28) Completion of the Sacrifice

 

After the atonement:

• Aaron removed the linen garments
• Washed himself again
• Offered burnt offerings

 

The sin offerings were taken outside the camp and burned.

 

Teaching Insight

When the work was finished, the priest came out again—symbolizing completion.

 

(Vs. 29–31) The People’s Response

 

The people were commanded to:

• Afflict their souls (fast and humble themselves)
• Do no work
• Observe a solemn Sabbath

 

A Day of Humbling the Soul

 

Unlike other national gatherings, the Day of Atonement was not a time of celebration—it was a day to afflict the soul. This meant fasting, humbling oneself, and resting completely before the LORD.

 

It was a Sabbath of solemn rest, where no work was to be done.

 

Identifying with the Sacrifice

 

God called His people to humble themselves so they could deeply recognize their sin and their need for atonement.

 

Afflicting the soul brought the people into a place of:

• Repentance
• Dependence on God
• Awareness of the cost of sin

 

In doing this, they identified with the sacrifice being made on their behalf. In the same way, we identify with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

 

A Picture of True Rest

 

Christians enter into that rest by faith when they accept Jesus Christ and trust fully in His finished work.

 

This day also pointed to something greater—a deeper kind of rest.

 

Hebrews 4:1–3 reminds us: “Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you be found to have fallen short of it… For we who have believed do enter that rest…”

 

From Ritual to Reality

 

Under the Old Covenant:

• The people rested one day
• Atonement was made once a year
• The work had to be repeated

Through Christ:

• We enter into a continual rest
• The work is finished
• Atonement is complete

 

(Vs. 32–34) Once a Year

 

Only one man—the high priest—could enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. This had to be repeated every year.

 

Teaching Insight

This shows:

• The work was never finished
• The sacrifice was never complete

 

But Christ changed everything:

 

(Hebrews 9:24–28) “He entered… into heaven itself… not to offer Himself repeatedly… but once… to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”

 

(Vs. 32–34) What the High Priest Does on the Day of Atonement

 

Only One Man, Once a Year

 

Only the high priest—and only once a year—could enter into the Most Holy Place and come near the presence of God.

 

This shows how restricted access to God was under the Old Covenant:

• One man
• One time
• One place

 

God’s presence was real, but access to it was limited.

 

A Repeated Work

 

This passage serves as a summary and reminder of what had already been described: This atonement had to be made once every year.

Year after year, the same process was repeated—showing that the work was never truly finished.

 

An Incomplete System

 

The continual need for sacrifice revealed:

• Sin was not removed, only covered
• The work was temporary
• The system pointed to something greater still to come

  

The Finished Work of Christ

 

In contrast, Jesus Christ accomplished what the high priest never could.

Hebrews 9:24–28 declares:

• He did not enter a man-made holy place, but heaven itself
• He did not offer Himself repeatedly
• He offered Himself once
• He put away sin—not just covered it

 

His sacrifice was complete.

 

The Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant

 

• Blood was brought there
• Atonement was made there
• God’s presence dwelled there

 

This is the meeting place between God and man.

 

Under the Old Covenant:

• Sin was covered

 

Through Christ:

• Sin is removed

 

THE TEMPLE CURTAIN — A PHYSICAL IMAGE OF SEPARATION

 

Another powerful symbol surrounding Christ’s death is the tearing of the veil in the temple from top to bottom. This event cannot be fully understood unless we first recognize why the curtain existed and what it separated—a holy God from sinful man.

The veil stood between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, where the presence of God dwelled above the mercy seat. It was a constant reminder that access to God was restricted because of sin.

 

The Veil Torn

 

When Jesus Christ died, the veil was torn from top to bottom—signifying that this was an act of God, not man.

 

At that moment:

• The barrier between God and man was removed
• The sacrificial system was fulfilled
• Access to God was opened for all people

 

God would no longer dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 17:24), but among His people.

 

A Sufficient Sacrifice

 

The tearing of the veil declared that Christ’s sacrifice—His shed blood—was fully sufficient for sin.

 

No more:

• Repeated sacrifices
• Yearly atonement
• Restricted access

 

The way into the Holy of Holies was now open:
👉 for all people
👉 for all time
👉 both Jew and Gentile

 

The Veil and Christ

 

In a profound way, the veil represents Christ Himself.

 

Just as the high priest had to pass through the veil to enter God’s presence, we now come to the Father through Christ alone:

 

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”(John 14:6)

 

Hebrews 10:19–20 tells us that we enter by:

“the blood of Jesus… by a new and living way which He opened for us through the veil, that is, His flesh.”

 

Just as the veil was torn, Christ’s body was given for us—opening the way into God’s presence.

 

From Separation to Access

 

The veil had always declared:
👉 Sin separates man from God

The sacrifices showed:
👉 Sin must be atoned for

But Christ accomplished what those sacrifices never could:
👉 Sin is not just covered—it is removed

 

Bold Access to God

 

Because of Christ, we now have:

• Direct access to God
• Confidence to draw near
• Freedom to enter His presence

 

Hebrews 4:14–16 reminds us: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 

 

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

 

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”