Topical Bible: Priest: The Time of Moses: Atonement For

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In the time of Moses, the role of the priest was central to the religious life of the Israelites, particularly in the context of atonement. The priesthood was established by God as a means to mediate between Himself and His people, with Aaron and his sons being appointed as the first priests (Exodus 28:1). The primary function of the priest was to offer sacrifices and perform rituals that would atone for the sins of the people, thereby maintaining the covenant relationship between God and Israel.

The Role of the Priest in Atonement

The concept of atonement in the Mosaic Law is deeply intertwined with the sacrificial system. The priests were responsible for conducting these sacrifices according to the detailed instructions given by God. Leviticus, often referred to as the "priestly code," outlines the various offerings and sacrifices required for atonement, including burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings (Leviticus 1-7).

The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, was the most significant day for atonement in the Israelite calendar. On this day, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for himself, his household, and the entire congregation of Israel. Leviticus 16:30 states, "For on this day atonement will be made for you to cleanse you, and you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD." The high priest would offer a bull for his own sins and a goat for the sins of the people, symbolically transferring the sins of the nation onto the scapegoat, which was then sent into the wilderness.

The Priestly Garments and Atonement

The garments worn by the priests also held significant meaning in the context of atonement. Exodus 28 describes the intricate design of the priestly garments, which included the ephod, breastplate, robe, tunic, turban, and sash. These garments were not only for glory and beauty but also served a functional purpose in the atonement process. The breastplate, for example, contained the Urim and Thummim, which were used to discern God's will (Exodus 28:30).

The high priest's attire on the Day of Atonement was distinct. He wore simple linen garments instead of his usual elaborate attire, symbolizing humility and purity as he entered the presence of God (Leviticus 16:4). This change in garments underscored the solemnity of the atonement ritual and the need for the priest to be ritually pure.

The Significance of Blood in Atonement

Central to the atonement process was the use of blood, which symbolized life and was necessary for the purification of sin. Leviticus 17:11 emphasizes this, stating, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life." The sprinkling of blood on the altar and the mercy seat was a critical act performed by the priest to cleanse and sanctify both the sanctuary and the people.

The Priestly Lineage and Atonement

The priesthood was hereditary, passed down through the line of Aaron. This ensured continuity in the atonement rituals and the maintenance of the covenant relationship. The priests were set apart for their sacred duties, and any deviation from the prescribed rituals could result in severe consequences, as seen in the case of Nadab and Abihu, who offered unauthorized fire before the Lord and were consumed by fire (Leviticus 10:1-2).

In summary, the priesthood during the time of Moses was integral to the atonement process, serving as the divinely appointed mediators who facilitated the reconciliation between God and His people through the sacrificial system. The meticulous observance of these rituals underscored the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin, while also pointing forward to the ultimate atonement through Christ.

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Leviticus 16:6,24
And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
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Ezekiel 44:27
And in the day that he goes into the sanctuary, to the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, said the Lord GOD.
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Library

Christ Our High Priest.
... a different tribe"a tribe of which Moses spoke nothing ... not be priest and sacrifice
at the same time. After His ascension He, as high priest, made atonement ...
/.../xi christ our high priest.htm

The Day of Atonement
... and died; 2. And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto ... for His own sins, and is our
priest 'for ever.'. ... The two goats had been, during all this time, standing at ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the day of atonement.htm

The Day of Atonement
... it was but once a year that the high priest entered within ... And this was on a certain
set and appointed time; it was not left to the choice of Moses, or to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the day of atonement.htm

Moses the Type of Christ.
... He reveals God, and He cleanses man. The same is our Prophet and our Priest. ... He can,
for Moses, give you Himself. ... He has done this for many in time past. ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon ix moses the type.htm

Exodus
... was then revealed to Moses for the first time, was unknown ... Aaron's commission to
be the spokesman of Moses, vii.1 ... and the prominence of Aaron the priest in the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/exodus.htm

On the Atonement.
... of God To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness ... be thought worthy" than
he who despised Moses' law and ... on pain of death, save the High Priest, and he ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/finney/sermons on gospel themes/xii on the atonement.htm

The New Covenant.
... a holiest place for the appearing of the great High-priest, constituted the ... appear
on earth repeatedly, and repeatedly die, not from the time of Moses or of ...
/.../chapter viii the new covenant.htm

The Earlier Hebrew Histories.
... Hilkiah, the high priest, who was rummaging among the rubbish ... observances enjoined
in the laws of Moses; but there ... as they exist at the present time shows that ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter iv the earlier hebrew.htm

The Wilderness.
... checked by the zeal of the young priest, Phineas, under ... Then after a prayer of atonement,
a great battle ... The forty years were over, Moses's time was come, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson iv the wilderness.htm

What is the Sanctuary?
... place; but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest, as Moses directed the ... At
that time, as foretold by Daniel the prophet, our High Priest entered the ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /23 what is the sanctuary.htm