Leviticus 16 Devotional

Sins Carried Far Away

“The goat will carry on itself all their iniquities into a solitary place, and the man will release it into the wilderness.”Leviticus 16:22 (BSB)

After the death of Nadab and Abihu, even Aaron may not enter freely behind the veil, because God appears in the cloud above the mercy seat (16:1-2). Once a year he comes with incense and blood, first for his own sins and then for the people's (16:11-15, 34). Then he lays both hands on a second goat, confesses over it all the sins of Israel, and sends it into the wilderness to carry their iniquities to a solitary place (16:21-22). The day promises complete cleansing from every sin before the LORD (16:30).

Hebrews sets Aaron's yearly entry beside Christ's, who went into the true sanctuary once for all with his own blood rather than an animal's (Hebrews 9:7, 11-12). The bodies of those sin offerings were burned outside the camp (16:27), and Jesus likewise suffered outside the city gate to make his people holy by his blood (Hebrews 13:11-12). Your sins are not merely covered for another year. They have been carried away.

To think about: Which sin do you keep picking back up, even though Christ has carried it away for good?