What is the meaning of Leviticus 16:32? The priest • Leviticus 16:32 starts with a simple, concrete subject: “The priest.” In context, this is Aaron’s successor, the high priest who alone may enter the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2–3). • Priestly ministry was God’s idea, not man’s; He chose and sanctified the tribe of Levi for this sacred work (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 18:1). • Hebrews 5:1 reminds us that “every high priest taken from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God,” underscoring the mediatorial role Moses details in Leviticus. who is anointed • Anointing with oil visibly marked the man God had set apart (Leviticus 8:12; Exodus 29:7). • The oil symbolized the Holy Spirit’s empowering presence (1 Samuel 16:13), pointing forward to the Messiah—the “Anointed One” (Psalm 2:2). • Psalm 133:2 likens priestly anointing oil to unity running down Aaron’s beard, illustrating how God’s blessing flows where He appoints leadership. and ordained • Ordination involved public consecration and the laying on of hands (Numbers 3:3), confirming the priest’s authority before the nation. • Exodus 29:9 says, “So you shall ordain Aaron and his sons,” linking ordination to lifelong service and accountability. • By combining anointing and ordination, God made it clear that neither personal ambition nor popular vote installs a high priest—only divine appointment does. to succeed his father as high priest • The office passed from father to son (Exodus 29:29–30), ensuring continuity of teaching and sacrificial practice. • Numbers 20:26–28 recounts Moses transferring Aaron’s garments to Eleazar, a picture of orderly succession that protected Israel from confusion and false claims. • This heritage also prefigures our eternal High Priest, Jesus, whose priesthood is guaranteed “by the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). shall make atonement • The central duty is clear: the high priest “shall make atonement”—covering sin through substitutionary sacrifice (Leviticus 16:6, 15). • Only on this day could he sprinkle blood inside the veil, satisfying God’s justice and restoring fellowship (Hebrews 9:7). • Romans 3:25 points to the fulfillment: “God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice, through faith in His blood,” showing that Leviticus anticipates Christ’s once-for-all offering. He will put on the sacred linen garments • Before entering the Holy of Holies, the high priest exchanged his ornate robes for simple white linen (Leviticus 16:4), emphasizing humility and purity. • Exodus 28:2 calls priestly garments “for glory and for beauty,” yet on this day even those honors were laid aside, hinting at Philippians 2:7 where Christ “emptied Himself.” • Revelation 19:8 describes fine linen as “the righteous acts of the saints,” linking the fabric’s spotless look to the holiness God requires. summary Leviticus 16:32 teaches that a divinely chosen, Spirit-anointed, properly ordained high priest, functioning in a hereditary line, must humble himself in pure linen to perform the vital work of atonement on behalf of God’s people. The verse safeguards the office’s legitimacy, highlights the need for holiness, and foreshadows the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfills every detail and secures eternal redemption for all who trust in Him. |
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