What role does purification play in maintaining holiness according to Leviticus 16:28? Context of Leviticus 16 • Leviticus 16 records the Day of Atonement, the one annual ceremony when Israel’s sins were dealt with in a comprehensive way. • Everything in the chapter revolves around protecting the holiness of God’s dwelling among His people. • Purification steps before, during, and after the sacrifices guard the camp from contamination and keep fellowship with God intact. The Specific Instruction (Leviticus 16:28) “The one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and afterward he may return to the camp.” What Purification Accomplishes • Separates the unclean from the holy. • Signals completion of a sacred task and readiness to re-enter normal life. • Protects the wider community from the spread of ceremonial defilement. • Affirms God’s standard that even those serving Him must be cleansed. Why Washing Matters 1. Visible sign of unseen reality – Just as water removes dirt, God removes sin (Isaiah 1:16; Psalm 51:2). 2. Reinforces God’s otherness – “You are to be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44). 3. Preserves corporate holiness – The camp is where God dwells; contamination would threaten His presence (Numbers 5:1-4). Echoes in Other Old-Testament Texts • Exodus 30:17-21 – Priests wash at the bronze basin before entering the Tent of Meeting. • Numbers 19:7 – The man who burns the red heifer must wash and bathe before rejoining the camp. • Psalm 24:3-4 – “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? He who has clean hands and a pure heart.” Foreshadowing Christ’s Ultimate Cleansing • Hebrews 9:13-14 – Blood of goats and bulls sanctified ceremonially; Christ’s blood cleanses the conscience. • John 13:5-10 – Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, teaching that ongoing cleansing maintains fellowship. • Ephesians 5:25-27 – Christ cleanses the church “by the washing of water with the word.” Living the Principle Today • Confess and forsake sin quickly (1 John 1:9). • Pursue practical holiness: “Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit” (2 Corinthians 7:1). • Remember that service to God never excuses impurity; it demands continual cleansing in Christ. |
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