9 Sep 2017, Lev 16 利 16章, The Day of Atonement 赎罪日

Posted on Aug 25, 2017 in Devotions, Leviticus |

Scripture Reading    : Lev 16

Theme                        : The Day of Atonement

 

The most important day.

The annual Day of Atonement was the most significant of Israel’s special days because on it their sins were atoned for. It was the only time the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies. Nadab and Abihu tried to do it their own way and were judged (Lev. 10), so this ceremony was a matter of life and death.

The most important person.

You can see the Lord Jesus illustrated in the high priest. He did the work alone. He laid aside His garments of glory (Phil. 2:5–8), and He sanctified Himself for us (John 17:19). The difference is that Jesus did not offer any sacrifices for Himself because He is sinless. He Himself is the perfect and final sacrifice for the sins of the world (Heb. 7:23–28).

The most important reason.

The high priest entered the Holy of Holies three times: (1) with the incense (vv. 12–14), (2) with blood for his sins, and (3) with blood for the sins of the people. The cloud of incense speaks of the glory of God, which is the whole purpose of redemption (John 17:1; Eph. 1:6, 12, 14).

Scapegoat may come from an Aramaic word that means “to remove.” The setting free of the live goat pictured God’s forgiveness of their sins (Ps. 103:10–13), but this required the death of the other goat. Salvation is free, but it is not cheap.[1]


Praying the Scripture

  1. The deaths of Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10) must have put the fear of God into Aaron and the priests. God made it clear that the priests need not be afraid to serve, but that only the high priest was to enter the holy of holies, and that only once a year on the Day of Atonement. It wasn’t a matter of human choice; it was a matter of divine appointment. Any priest who disobeyed would die. The appointed day was the tenth day of the seventh month (16:29; 23:26–32; 25:9; Num. 29:7–11). On the first day of the seventh month (our mid-September to mid-October), the trumpets were blown to announce the beginning of a new year (Rosh Hashanah; 23:23–25). The tenth day was the Day of Atonement (23:26–32), and then came the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths), which started on the fifteenth day of the month and lasted a week (23:33–44). The blowing of the trumpets announced the New Year, but only the shedding of the blood could give the people forgiveness and a new beginning. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). The high priest had to repeat the ritual of the Day of Atonement year after year, but Jesus Christ came at the right time (Gal. 4:4–5) to finish the work nobody else could do. “Once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26). The death of Christ on the cross has fulfilled the Day of Atonement. Let’s thank our Lord for giving us the new beginning and let’s be mindful we should treasure every day of our live by remembering Him and His cross.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Le 16:1.

 
 
 

经文：利 16章

主题：  赎罪日

 

最重要的一天

一年一度的赎罪日，是以色列特殊日子当中最重要的，因为在这日他们的罪得以赦免。这天也是大祭司唯一能，进入至圣所的时候。拿答和亚比户试图以自己的方式去行而遭神审判（利10），所以这个礼仪关乎生死。

最重要的一位

你能在大祭司中看到主耶稣的影子。他独自完成这份工作。他把自己荣耀的衣裳搁置（腓2:5-8）并为我们的缘故分别为圣（约17:19）。不同的是，耶稣无需为自己献祭，因为祂是无罪的。他就是那最后、完美的祭，为世人的罪舍了（来 7:23-28）。

最重要的原因

大祭司一共三次进入至圣所：（1）拿香炉（12-14节）、（2）为自己赎罪的血（3）为众民赎罪的血。香的烟云反映了神的荣耀（约17:1；弗1:6，12，14），也是整个救赎的目的。
 “代罪羔羊”这词可能来自于阿拉姆语，意思为“除去” 。放走山羊的画面就代表着神对罪的宽恕（诗103:10-13），但这需要另一只山羊的血来代替。救恩是免费的，但它却也是昂贵的。


用经文祷告

拿答和亚比户的死（利10日）必使亚伦和祭司们对神存敬畏的心。神清楚表明祭司无需害怕侍奉，但只有大祭司能每年一次在赎罪日才可进入至圣所。这不由人的选择，这是神所指定。任何违背这命令的祭司必要死。这指定的日子是第七个月的第十天（16:29；23:26-32；25:9；民29:7-11）。在第七个月的第一天（也就是我们的9月中旬至10月中旬），小号吹起宣布新一年的开始（23:23-25​​）。第十天就是赎罪日（23:26-32），然后就是十五日开始为期七天的住棚节（23:33-44）。吹角象征新的一年，但只有血才可使人得宽恕、迎接新的开始。 “若不流血，罪就不得赦免了”（来9:22）。大祭司一年复一年地举行赎罪日的仪式，但耶稣基督在时候满足后，完成了没有人可行的工作（加4:4-5）。 “但如今在这末世显现一次，把自己献为祭，好除掉罪。”（来9:26）。基督在十字架上的死已成就了赎罪日。让我们感谢主赐给我们全新的开始，也让我们不忘珍惜每一天，纪念主以及祂的十字架。