Leviticus chapter 16: The Day of Atonement. This chapter outlines how the people of Israel were to be cleansed of their sins. Here are a few key guidelines that were to be followed in order to cleanse the sins of the people. God had appointed only the High Priest that was to perform these duties. This ritual was to be done with the proper respect towards God, and we see that the High Priest was to do this alone. Look forward to the New Testament, Christ is our High Priest, and when He made atonement for our sins, He went alone as it was foretold.
The Levitical system was put in place Under the Law of Moses. This system was important because it set a certain people (Levites) aside to care for all things which were holy. The Levites were set aside for service of the Tabernacle, and they were to serve as priest and high priest. It was through these people that offerings to the Lord were made possible. Today, the church shares God’s message of atonement to the people as we have been made Priest unto God and the Church. “9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Peter 2:9).
The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Nadab and Abihu, and said to Aaron “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 (Leviticus 16:2).This was a warning and a reminder to Moses and Aaron of the seriousness that should be taken when worshiping God. We are reminded of the death of Nadab and Abihu for offering profane (vain worship) fire to the Lord, thus their lives were lost.
Leviticus 10:1-3, “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2 So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. 3 And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying:
‘By those who come near Me
I must be regarded as holy;
And before all the people
I must be glorified.’ ”
So Aaron held his peace.