Resources: Manuscript, Devotional, PowerPoint, Video of the lesson pre-taught
Click on the Video to Watch or Listen to the Lesson Pre-Taught:
Download the free PowerPoint here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xkdgbug5muuz4njz4d7n4/Atonement.pptx?rlkey=1ex31ia3psyb04fwk08faj0ol&st=6ysyodvr&dl=0
Manuscript:
Review: Last week we looked at how God instructed Israel on the sacrificial system, the selection of the sacrificial offerings and the selection of the priests and how this paved the way for the once-for-all, sufficient sacrifice of Jesus on behalf of sinners.
Title: “Atonement”
Text: Leviticus 16:1-10, 29-30
Memory Verse: Leviticus 16:30
Theme: God provides a way for sinful people to be forgiven.
Introduction: In this week’s lesson we see that Yom Kuppur was the Day of Atonement where the people could confess their sins and be forgiven through a spotless sacrifice, pointing ultimately to Jesus. My Grandmother had a room in the house called the living room, and we could only go in there under special supervision one time a year at Christmas.
Opening Discussion Question (s): Did (or does) your house have a living room? If not yours, maybe a friend or relative did? On what occasions was the room used?
Context:
Levitical priests had to “distinguish” (10:10) between clean and unclean, teach God’s Word. They acted as physicians to determine physical cleanliness to protect form diseases and such. They monitored and guided the people to be ritually clean, so that they could be a part of Yom Kippur when it came around. The priests were to be careful in their conduct, being held to a higher standard so that they could effectively lead the people. Although there was minimal explanation distinguishing between clean and unclean animals to eat, the people had to trust God’s guidance by faith. Ritual purity led to moral purity, as in the case of not touching a dead body and treating the human body as sacred to guard against mistreatment or even murder. Ultimately God wants our hearts purely focused on Him (Mal. 1:10; Matt. 23:25-26). Holiness had always been taught, and here it was being provided in clear, written format.
Main Points:
- Consequences (Leviticus 16:1-2)
“The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, 2 and the Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.’”
- In atonement a substitution is made for sin to appease God’s wrath against sin, because of it’s destructiveness.
- A new season is beginning in verse 1, as Moses tells God’s message to Aaron.
- Aaron’s sons are mentioned, and we are reminded of the seriousness of worshiping God according to his guidelines from Leviticus 10:1-3 when Nadab and Abihu offered illicit worship and reaped the consequences.
- As a spiritual leader for God’s people Aaron would have to guard his character and conduct, two most important factors in leadership.
- Only on the Day of Atonement could he enter the holy place, the holy of holies.
- God is described as a consuming fire whose holiness will not be treated lightly (Exodus 24:17, Heb. 12:29).
Discussion: How does our culture view sin and its consequences?
II. Personal Responsibility (Leviticus 16:3-6)
“3 But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. 6 ‘Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house.’”
- For Aaron to approach God ,he needed his sins atoned for first.
- Jesus is the perfect priest (Hebrews 5:2-3; 4:14-15; 7:26; 7:16; 7:27).
- He wore more humble garments and participated in ritual cleansing.
- Two male goats and a ram were selected.
- Verses 6-10 walks the reader through the specifics of the ceremony.
Discussion: Why do we avoid taking personal responsibility for our sin?
III. Atonement (Leviticus 16:7-10)
“7 Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel.[a] 9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, 10 but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.”
- Two goats were for the sin offering and one ram for the burnt offering.
- They cast lots to select one goat for the offering and one to be the scapegoat, picturing our sins wandering off into the distance away from us.
- The term “azalel” means an uninhabitable place where the goat would wonder to, most likely.
- The sacrificial goat’s blood would be brought in and sprinkled upon the mercy seat.
- Aaron would place his hands on the scapegoat and confess the many sins of Israel, and it would be driven into the wilderness as a picture of sin being taken away., Psalm 103:12 says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”
Discussion: Why was Jesus the only one who could pay sin’s penalty?
IV. Cleansed (Leviticus 16:29-30)
“29 “And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselvesand shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. 30 For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins.”
- The word for permanent means “eternal/everlasting” and after Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice the concept of public confession of faith and ongoing self-examination and confession of sin characterizing the Day of Atonement are continued in the Lord’s supper and Baptism (Matthew 3:6; mark 1:5; I Cor. 11:20-25).
- Foreigners who confessed their sin and placed their faith in the one true God of Israel could be welcomed into this as well.
- Christ’s work on the cross completed the work once for all as He sat down next to His Heavenly Father on the throne (Hebrews 10:1-2)
Doctrine/The Gospel: Our key doctrine for this week is the doctrine of salvation.
Lifeway says, “There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.”
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
Acts 4:12, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among menby which we must be saved.”
Discussion: What does it say about God’s character that he has provided a way for us to repent and be forgiven?
Devotional: “Leviticus 16 & Jesus the Perfect Sacrifice ”
Under the law there needed to be both personal and ritual cleansing in the priest who would offer the sacrifices for sin on behalf of the people and this needed to be practiced by the people. Sin cannot simply be laughed off, swept under the rug, or merely forgotten. Sin needs a perfect sacrifice to atone for, to pay for, the harm done and offense against God’s wrath.
This took place on the Day of Atonement for years and years until the Son of God, the Messiah, Jesus Christ came and lived the holy, perfect life in our place and died on the cross to pay for our sins and to make atonement once for all. All one must do is place Himself under God’s control, confessing his or her sin to God and asking for forgiveness based on the finished work of the Son of God in our place on the cross, and that person will be saved. Jesus finished the work!
How to Pray:
- Holy Father, thank You for your perfect sacrifice for sin in my place.
Caleb Walker 
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