Bible Thought - The Centrepiece of Joy

The Centrepiece of Joy

Leviticus 16:1-10 & Hebrews 10:1-10

Introduction

Today, we dip into Leviticus 16, which I think is the centre and pinnacle of this magnificent book of joy.

 

The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord. 2 The Lord said to Moses: ‘Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover. (Leviticus 16:1-2)

 

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, “Here I am – it is written about me in the scroll – I have come to do your will, my God.”’ 8 First he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them’– though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10)

 

Leviticus 16 describes the Day of Atonement which was to occur annually on the 10th day of the 7th month. We know that God had chosen Israel to be His people and that they were supposed to be a shining beacon of light and hope to the world. As part of the covenant made with Moses, God said that He would be their God and they would be His people.

 

What a contrast to the nations around them that worshipped multiple ‘gods’, made of material such as wood or stone and often thirsty for human sacrifice. Contrast those ‘gods’, with the God of Israel, who had made himself personally present with His people in the Tent of Meeting or Tabernacle. Let’s look briefly at what went on at this Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. To listen to the rest of this Podcast use the link below to download

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