Why was Aaron warned not to enter the Holy Place at any time? Setting the Scene Leviticus 16 opens just after the tragic deaths of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-2). Those events linger in everyone’s memory, and the Lord immediately addresses the danger any priest faces when drawing near to His unveiled presence. The Warning Itself “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to enter the Most Holy Place whenever he chooses, behind the curtain in front of the mercy seat on the ark—or else he will die. For I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.” (Leviticus 16:2) Why the Restriction? • God’s blazing holiness – Exodus 33:20 reminds us, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.” – Inside the veil, the glory cloud (“Shekinah”) settled above the mercy seat. Unshielded exposure meant instant judgment. • A sober lesson from recent history – Nadab and Abihu’s unauthorized fire (Leviticus 10:1-2) showed what happens when worship is offered on human terms rather than God’s. The death of two priests underscored the stakes for Aaron. • Protecting the representative—and the people he represented – The high priest stood for the entire nation. If he died, the people lost their mediator. Limiting entry to the Day of Atonement preserved both the priest’s life and Israel’s access to God. • Teaching that sin must be atoned for before fellowship is possible – Hebrews 9:7: “Only the high priest entered the second room, and he did so only once a year, and never without blood.” Blood had to address the priest’s own sins and those of the people. No casual drop-in visits. • Reinforcing God’s right to set the terms – Numbers 4:15 warns the Kohathites not to touch holy things “or they will die.” God—not the worshiper—determines how, when, and by whom He is approached. How the Regulation Worked Out On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): 1. Aaron bathed, put on linen garments, and brought prescribed sacrifices (Leviticus 16:3-5). 2. He entered with a censer of coals and two handfuls of sweet incense so the cloud of incense would cover the mercy seat, shielding him from direct sight of God’s glory (16:12-13). 3. Blood was sprinkled on and before the mercy seat—first for his own sin, then for the people’s (16:14-15). 4. He exited, then re-entered no further until the next year. Looking Forward to Christ • The limitation pointed beyond itself. Hebrews 9:11-12: “Christ came as high priest… He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, and thus secured eternal redemption.” • Jesus entered heaven’s true sanctuary once for all. The torn temple veil at His death (Matthew 27:51) declared the way open. • Hebrews 10:19-20: “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body.” Key Takeaways for Us Today • God’s holiness hasn’t diminished; the safe access we now enjoy cost Christ His blood. • Casual worship or self-styled religion still offends a holy God. Approach Him with reverence and gratitude. • The once-a-year restriction on Aaron magnifies the once-for-all privilege believers now have to “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). |
    |