What is the meaning of Leviticus 16:19? He is to sprinkle some of the blood - The high priest does not pour or smear; he sprinkles, underscoring the precious, measured value of sacrificial blood (Hebrews 9:22; Exodus 29:21). - Blood, “the life of the flesh” (Leviticus 17:11), is God’s chosen agent for atonement. - This action prefigures the once-for-all sprinkling of Christ’s blood (1 Peter 1:2; Hebrews 12:24). on it - “It” refers to the altar of incense just purified with bull and goat blood (Leviticus 16:18). - The altar, although a sacred object, still needs cleansing because it stands in a sinful world (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:23). - God marks even His own appointed instruments with grace, reminding us that nothing created is inherently holy apart from Him. with his finger - The priest’s finger gives an intensely personal touch—no intermediary tool, just direct contact (Leviticus 4:17; Exodus 8:19). - Every drop is placed with intentional care, echoing how Jesus individually bore each believer’s sin (John 10:3, 14). - The human finger obeys the divine command, illustrating partnership: God provides the means, the priest supplies obedience. seven times - Seven signifies completeness throughout Scripture (Genesis 2:2-3; Joshua 6:4). - Repetition drives home certainty: the atonement is thorough, not partial (Leviticus 4:6; 14:16). - Christ’s finished work perfectly fulfills what the sevenfold sprinkling only anticipated (Hebrews 10:14). to cleanse it and consecrate it - Cleansing removes defilement; consecration sets apart for God’s exclusive use (Leviticus 8:15; Numbers 7:1). - Two verbs highlight double grace: God not only washes away sin but positively dedicates the object—and the worshiper—to Himself (Titus 2:14). - In Christ, we experience both realities: “You were washed… you were sanctified” (1 Corinthians 6:11). from the uncleanness of the Israelites - Sin contaminates everything it touches, even worship spaces (Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9). - The altar is cleansed not for its own sake but because of the people it serves; substitution is at the heart of atonement (Leviticus 16:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). - Jesus, the greater High Priest, removes our defilement once for all, ushering us “into the Most Holy Place by His blood” (Hebrews 10:19). summary Leviticus 16:19 paints a vivid picture of complete, intentional, and personal atonement. The high priest sprinkles life-blood, by hand, seven times, declaring that sin’s stain is fully erased and dedicated anew to God. Each movement foreshadows Christ’s perfect sacrifice, assuring us that every trace of our uncleanness has been addressed, and we now stand wholly set apart for the Lord. |
    |