What role does washing play in spiritual purification according to Leviticus 16:24? Setting the Scene “ He shall bathe his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.” (Leviticus 16:24) What the Washing Looked Like • Occurred after the high priest completed the sin offering and released the scapegoat • Took place in a “holy place,” not in common quarters • Required full bathing—nothing partial, nothing symbolic only • Followed by putting on fresh garments before presenting burnt offerings Why the Washing Matters Spiritually • Marks the transition from dealing with sin to restored fellowship—impurity cannot linger in God’s presence • Affirms that atonement involves both blood (forgiveness) and water (cleansing) • Demonstrates God’s demand for inward purity to match outward service (cf. Psalm 24:3-4) • Shows that priests, though mediators, still needed cleansing—no one is exempt from sin’s defilement Connections to Other Old-Testament Washings • Exodus 30:17-21—priests washed at the bronze basin before ministering, “so that they would not die” • Numbers 19:7—ashes of the red heifer required water for purification from corpse defilement • Leviticus 8:6—Aaron and his sons washed at ordination, setting a lifelong pattern of cleansing Foreshadowing New-Testament Cleansing in Christ • Hebrews 10:22—“having our bodies washed with pure water,” believers draw near through Jesus’ completed sacrifice • Ephesians 5:26—Christ sanctifies the church “by the washing of water with the word” • Titus 3:5—“the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” parallels priestly bathing but provides inward, permanent purification • 1 John 1:7—Jesus’ blood continually cleanses, fulfilling the Day of Atonement pattern Takeaways for Believers Today • God still calls His people to practical holiness that reflects the cleansing already accomplished in Christ • Confession and repentance are our “washings,” maintaining fellowship without re-sacrificing Christ (1 John 1:9) • Corporate worship deserves deliberate preparation—heart, mind, and conduct aligned with God’s holiness • Our ongoing sanctification is both a divine work and a daily choice; the high priest’s bath reminds us to “cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit” (2 Corinthians 7:1) |
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