Leviticus 16-23

Lev. 16:6-28: The sequence of events on the Day of Atonement

The following sequence describes the activities of the High-Priest and those who assisted him on the Day of

Atonement: 1) The High-Priest (HP) washed at the laver in the courtyard and dressed in the tabernacle (v.

4). 2) The HP offered the bull as a sin offering for himself and his family (vv. 3, 6, 11). 3) The HP entered

the Holy of Holies (HH) with the bull’s blood, incense, and burning coals from the altar of burnt offering

(vv. 12, 13). 4) The HP sprinkled the bull’s blood on the mercy seat 7 times (v. 14). 5) The HP went back to

the courtyard and cast lots for the two goats (vv. 7, 8). 6) The HP sacrificed one goat as a sin offering for the

people (vv. 5, 9, 15). 7) The HP reentered the HH to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat and also the Holy

Place (cf. Ex. 30:10; vv. 15–17). 8) The HP returned to the altar of burnt offering and cleansed it with the

blood of the bull and goat (vv. 11, 15, 18, 19). 9) The scapegoat was dispatched to the wilderness (vv. 20–

22). 10) Afterward, the goatkeeper cleansed himself (v. 26). 11) The HP removed his special Day of

Atonement clothing, rewashed, and put on the regular HP clothing (vv. 23, 24). 12) The HP offered two

rams as burnt offerings for himself and the people (vv. 3, 5, 24). 13) The fat of the sin offering was burned

(v. 25). 14) The bull-and-goat sin offerings were carried outside the camp to be burned (v. 27). 15) The one

who burned the sin offering cleansed himself (v. 28).1

1MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Le 16:6). Nashville: Word Pub.

Lev. 16:12-13 - On the Day of Atonement the high priest was to

burn incense before the LORD to conceal the atonement cover (of

the Ark of the Covenant)

Lev. 16:14 – The high priest sprinkled some of the bull’s blood the

front of the atonement cover on the Day of Atonement.

Lev. 16:20-22 – The scapegoat

Lev. 16:21b-22: An appointed man would take the goat into the

wilderness.

The calendar of the Israel holy days:

Lev. 18

FORBIDDEN RELATIONS

Leviticus 18:6–17

BLOOD

RELATIVES

First Degree

BLOOD

RELATIVES

Second Degree

STEP

RELATIVES MARRIAGE

RELATIVES

1. Mother

2. Sister

3. Half-sister

4. Aunt

(vv. 12–13)

5. Granddaughter

(v. 10)

6. Stepsister

(v. 11)

7. Stepdaughter

(v. 17)

8. Stepgrand-

daughter (v. 17)

9. Stepmother (v. 8)

10. Sister-in-law

(v. 16)

11. Daughter-in-law

(v. 15)

12. Uncle’s wife

(v. 14)

Lev. 23

Many Bible scholars seek to match the Jewish feasts with their

Christian meaning. Fascinating!

Why Babylonian Names for Jewish Months? By Rabbi Menachem Posner

In the pre-Babylonian era, we find in the Scriptures only four months on the calendar that are identified

by name:

The first month (Nissan): Aviv

The second month (Iyar): Ziv

The seventh month (Tishrei): Etanim

The eight month (Cheshvan): Bul

The other months were just known by their place in the calendar—e.g., third month, fourth month—

starting from the first month: first by virtue of the fact that it is the month when our nation left Egypt,

the month when we became a nation.

(Apparently, even the four months that had names, were more often than not referred to by their

numeric place on the calendar, with the names serving as secondary titles accompanying their number.)

The Jerusalem Talmud tells us that the modern names of the months "came up [to Israel] with [the

returnees] from Babylon," at the onset of the Second Jewish Commonwealth, approximately 350 BCE.

WERE THERE TWO PASSOVERS IN THE GOSPELS?

The chronological reckoning between John’s gospel and the synoptics presents a challenge, especially in

relation to the time of the Last Supper (13:2). While the synoptics portray the disciples and the Lord at the Last

Supper as eating the Passover meal on Thursday evening (Nisan 14) and Jesus being crucified on Friday, John’s

gospel states that the Jews did not enter into the Praetorium “lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat

the Passover” (18:28). So, the disciples had eaten the Passover on Thursday evening, but the Jews had not. In

fact, John (19:14) states that Jesus’ trial and crucifixion were on the day of Preparation for the Passover and not

after the eating of the Passover, so that with the trial and crucifixion on Friday Christ was actually sacrificed at

the same time the Passover lambs were being slain (19:14). The question is, “Why did the disciples eat the

Passover meal on Thursday?”

The answer lies in a difference among the Jews in the way they reckoned the beginning and ending of days.

From Josephus, the Mishna, and other ancient Jewish sources we learn that the Jews in northern Palestine

calculated days from sunrise to sunrise. That area included the region of Galilee, where Jesus and all the

disciples, except Judas, had grown up. Apparently most, if not all, of the Pharisees used that system of

reckoning. But Jews in the southern part, which centered in Jerusalem, calculated days from sunset to sunset.

Because all the priests necessarily lived in or near Jerusalem, as did most of the Sadducees, those groups

followed the southern scheme.

That variation doubtlessly caused confusion at times, but it also had some practical benefits. During

Passover time, for instance, it allowed for the feast to be celebrated legitimately on two adjoining days, thereby

permitting the temple sacrifices to be made over a total period of four hours rather than two. That separation of

days may also have had the effect of reducing both regional and religious clashes between the two groups.

On that basis the seeming contradictions in the gospel accounts are easily explained. Being Galileans, Jesus

and the disciples considered Passover day to have started at sunrise on Thursday and to end at sunrise on Friday.

The Jewish leaders who arrested and tried Jesus, being mostly priests and Sadducees, considered Passover day

to begin at sunset on Thursday and end at sunset on Friday. By that variation, predetermined by God’s

sovereign provision, Jesus could thereby legitimately celebrate the last Passover meal with His disciples and yet

still be sacrificed on Passover day.

Once again one can see how God sovereignly and marvelously provides for the precise fulfillment of His

redemptive plan. Jesus was anything but a victim of men’s wicked schemes, much less of blind circumstance.

Every word He spoke and every action He took were divinely directed and secured. Even the words and actions

by others against Him were divinely controlled. See, e.g., 11:49–52; 19:11.

Spreading the blood on the doorpost in preparation for the first

Passover:

ISRAEL’S RELIGIOUS CALENDAR

Festival Date Meaning

Passover 14 Nisan (Mar/Apr) A memorial festival, celebrated in the home. Each family ate a Passover meal symbolizing their solidarity with the Exodus generation the night God struck the Egyptians and passed over Jewish homes (see Ex. 12). This was the first day of the religious year, for it marked God’s redemption of His people from slavery in Egypt.

Unleavened Bread

15–21 Nisan (Mar/Apr) A week–long period marked by sacrifices, during which the people ate bread made without yeast, as a reminder of their forefather’s hasty departure from Egypt (see Ex. 12:34).

Firstfruits 16 Nisan (Mar/Apr) A celebration of thanksgiving, held at harvest time, during which the first newly ripened barley was presented to the Lord. The symbolism foreshadows the resurrection of Jesus, called a firstfruit in 1 Cor. 15:20–23.

Pentecost (Weeks)

5 Sivan (May/Jun) New grain is offered in thanksgiving to the Lord, and special sacrifices are offered. It is significant the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost, and 3,000 were converted. These first Christians were representative of the millions God will harvest from our lost race as His own.

Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)

1 Tishri (Sept/Oct) This day of rest was the first day in Israel’s civil year. “Rosh Ha–SHA–nah” means “head of the year,” i.e., new year.

Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

15–21 Tishri (Sept/Oct) On this solemn day of fasting and prayer the high priest entered the innermost room of the sanctuary and made atonement for “all the sins” of the people of Israel (see Lev. 16). “Yom Kippur” means “Day of Atonement.”

Tabernacles (Succoth)

15–21 Tishri (Sept/Oct) During this week the people of Israel lived outside in shelters made of branches. No work was done during this time, and the family was to relive the days of ancient Israel’s travel through the wilderness. Following the solemn Day of Atonement, this relaxing week symbolized the rest and joy that follows our salvation. “Succoth” means “shelters,” or “lean–tos.” This festival was concluded with a solemn assembly and sacrifice on 22 Tishri.

Lev. 23:23-25 – The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) started

with the blast of the trumpet.

Today, many Jewish people still celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles by making a

succah (Hebrew word for “booth”)

Lev. 18:21 – Molech was a false god of the Ammonites that was

worshipped with child sacrifice.

Another depiction of Molech with fire within the idol: