Leviticus 16:15-19

THE SIN OFFERING FOR THE PEOPLE 16:15-19
TEXT 16:15-19

15

Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat:

16

and he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins: and so shall he do for the tent of meeting, that dwelleth with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.

17

And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goeth in to make atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.

18

And he shall go out unto the altar that is before Jehovah, and make atonement for it, and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

19

And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 16:15-19

350.

Read Hebrews 2:17 and discuss its application here.

351.

Read Hebrews 9:22-24 and relate to this text.

352.

Why not allow anyone even in the holy place while the high priest goes into the Holy of Holies?

353.

Is the altar in Leviticus 16:18 the altar of incense or of burnt offering?

PARAPHRASE 16:15-19

Then he must go out and sacrifice the people's sin offering goat, and bring its blood within the veil, and sprinkle it upon the place of mercy and in front of it, just as he did with the blood of the young bull. Thus he shall make atonement for the holy place because it is defiled by the sins of the people of Israel, and for the Tabernacle, located right among them and surrounded by their defilement. Not another soul shall be inside the Tabernacle when Aaron enters to make atonement in the Holy Placenot until after he comes out again and has made atonement for himself and his household and for all the people of Israel. Then he shall go out to the altar before the Lord and make atonement for it. He must smear the blood of the young bull and the goat on the horns of the altar, and sprinkle blood upon the altar seven times with his finger, thus cleansing it from the sinfulness of Israel, and making it holy.

COMMENT 16:15-19

Leviticus 16:15-19 He returns to the outer court and kills the goat as a sin offering for all the people of Israel. The blood of the goat is taken in a bowl and is used in exactly the same manner and for the same purpose as the blood of the bull (Cf. Hebrews 9:22-24)

Not only were all the sins of Israel which had not been forgiven or cleansed during the year thus atoned for, but the very tabernacle itself was annually sanctified anew by the sin offerings of this day. Commentators tell us that the blood of the bull and the goat was mixed and sprinkled the seven times before and on the ark to effect this cleansing.
We urge the reader not to overlook the SPECIAL STUDY on The Day of Atonement by J. A. Seiss which immediately follows this chapter. This study can be the basis for a marvelous sermon or lesson on this subject. A beautiful analogy is made between our great high priest and Aaron: when Aaron was occupied with the task of atonement once a year on the great day of atonement, no one could share the task with him. He must do it alone. Not a priest or Levite was to be found in the holy place of the tabernacle.
The altar of incense was to be cleansed by the sprinkling of the blood of both the ram and the goat on all four horns. It is thought by some commentators that the blood was sprinkled upon the middle of the golden altar, the ashes and coals having been previously removed so the gold shone brightly. No mention is made as to the method or action of sprinkling. Some other commentators refer this to the altar of burnt offering.

FACT QUESTIONS 16:15-19

366.

Why a need for an annual cleansing of the sanctuary?

367.

Seven times the blood was sprinkledwhen and where?

368.

Why do some prefer the altar of incense instead of the brazen altar for the cleansing?