February 24 – The Day of Atonement

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Leviticus 15:1-16:28
Mark 7:1-23
Psalm 40:11-17
Proverbs 10:13-14

Leviticus 15:25 — As we read these different maladies, some of them may draw our attention (e.g. women who have an issue of blood). It’s interesting because we’ve read about a woman with this issue several days ago (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25–34, and in a few weeks we’ll read about her in Luke 8:43–48). The woman was forbidden from touching Jesus (Leviticus 15:11), so she sought to touch only the hem of His garment. Interestingly, just like the lepers, this woman would also need to offer a sacrifice (Leviticus 15:29). Makes you wonder what the priests thought when people came to offer their sacrifice, and upon being asked why, they said “Jesus healed me.”

Leviticus 16:2 — Aaron, the High Priest, was limited in his access to the LORD. The Day of Atonement is the day that he could come and offer atonement for himself, his house, and all the congregation of Israel (Leviticus 16:17).

William Holman Hunt’s The Scapegoat (1854-1856)

Leviticus 16:10 — The scapegoat or in Hebrew, Azazel, has entered Jewish mythology.

While there are different versions in the Book of Enoch, the Book of the Giants, and other pseudepigraphal books, the story is essentially that Azazel was the name of one of the fallen angels who sinned in Genesis chapter 6. As a curse on his sin, Azazel was forced to take the form of a goat-like demon. This myth is not supported by the Bible and is not compatible with what the Bible says about Azazel or the scapegoat.

GotQuestions.org

Leviticus 16:22 — The scapegoat was fulfilled in Jesus, our vicarious atonement, who taketh our sins away (John 1:29, I John 3:5). How far did Jesus take them away? Psalm 103:12!

Mark 7:21-23 — Do any of these things occur in your life?