What is the meaning of Leviticus 16:7? Then he shall take Aaron, the high priest, carries out the action personally, underscoring that atonement requires divinely appointed mediation (Hebrews 5:1-4; Leviticus 16:3-4). His deliberate taking of what God prescribes reminds us that salvation is never self-generated but received through obedience to God’s revealed plan (John 14:6). the two goats Two living animals of the same kind symbolize one atonement with a dual aspect: one goat will be sacrificed for sin, the other will carry sin away (Leviticus 16:8-10, 15, 20-22). This anticipates Christ’s single, sufficient work—both the propitiation that satisfies God’s justice (Romans 3:25) and the expiation that removes our guilt “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). and present them Aaron does not slaughter the goats immediately; he “presents” them first. Presentation highlights consecration: what is offered to God must be set apart before it is used (Romans 12:1). By laying them before the LORD, Aaron acknowledges God’s ownership over life and sacrifice (Exodus 13:2; Leviticus 1:3). before the LORD The phrase centers the entire ceremony on God’s presence. All atonement is God-ward, not people-ward first (Isaiah 53:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Standing “before the LORD” reminds Israel that sin’s offense is primarily against Him (Psalm 51:4), and reconciliation must be made on His terms. at the entrance The doorway of the tabernacle functions as the threshold between holiness and common space (Exodus 29:42-43). By conducting the presentation here, God shows His willingness to meet sinners where they are, yet still on holy ground (John 10:9). It is a place of access, emphasizing grace, but also a checkpoint that guards the sanctity beyond (Numbers 18:7). to the Tent of Meeting The tabernacle itself, where God’s glory dwells (Exodus 40:34-35), frames the Day of Atonement. All Israel’s hopes converge on this tent: fellowship restored, sins covered, God dwelling among His people (Leviticus 26:11-12). Ultimately, it foreshadows the true “tent,” Jesus Christ, in whom God “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14; Hebrews 9:11-12). summary Leviticus 16:7 captures the gospel in miniature: God’s chosen mediator takes two goats—one to die, one to bear away sin—and brings them into God’s presence at the tabernacle entrance. The scene spotlights substitution, cleansing, and divine fellowship, all fulfilled perfectly in Christ, our great High Priest and once-for-all sacrifice. |
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