“And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp, and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.”
Context: Leviticus 16 outlines the regulations for the Day of Atonement, a significant annual event in the Israelite calendar. The chapter provides instructions for Aaron, the high priest, on how to perform the rituals necessary for the atonement of the people’s sins.
Verse Analysis: 1. “And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering”: On the Day of Atonement, two animals were chosen for the sin offering. One was a young bull (bullock), and the other was a goat. These animals were sacrificed to make atonement for the sins of the people.
“Whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place”: The blood of the bullock and the goat was taken by the high priest into the Most Holy Place, also known as the Holy of Holies, within the Tabernacle or later the Temple. The blood symbolized the life offered as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.
“Shall one carry forth without the camp”: After the high priest performed the ritual of atonement in the Holy of Holies, he would take the bodies of the bullock and the goat outside the camp. The camp referred to the area where the Israelites lived, and it signified the community’s purity and sanctity.
“They shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung”: Once outside the camp, the remains of the sin offerings were burned. This included the skins, flesh, and dung of the animals. The complete burning of these parts served as a way to completely remove the sin from the camp, signifying the removal of impurity and the complete atonement for the sins of the people.
Spiritual Significance: Leviticus 16:27 symbolizes several spiritual truths and foreshadows aspects of Christ’s sacrifice for humanity:
- Substitutionary Atonement: The animals chosen for sacrifice were innocent substitutes for the guilty people. Similarly, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, became the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humanity, offering Himself as a substitute to atone for our sins.
- Removal of Sin: Taking the bodies of the animals outside the camp and burning them completely symbolized the removal of sin from the community. In a greater sense, Jesus carried our sins outside the city of Jerusalem (Hebrews 13:12) and offered Himself as a sacrifice to cleanse us from sin.
- Complete Sacrifice: The burning of the skins, flesh, and dung signified the complete offering of the sin offerings. Similarly, Jesus offered His entire being, body, and blood, as a perfect sacrifice on the cross to provide complete redemption and forgiveness for our sins.
- Separation from Sin: The act of carrying the sin offerings outside the camp emphasized the separation of sin from the holy community. In the New Testament, believers are called to separate themselves from sin and to live holy lives, following the example of Christ.
Overall, Leviticus 16:27 reminds us of the importance of atonement, the substitutionary sacrifice, and the complete removal of sin. It points forward to the ultimate atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which offers redemption, forgiveness, and the opportunity for a restored relationship with God.
