"And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement…" [Lev 16:17]
Leviticus chapter sixteen details the high priest’s role regarding The Day of Atonement. This festival of The LORD is an especially serious and important one, in which the high priest would enter into the holy of holies and offer blood for the sins of himself and Israel. As it says in Hebrews, “but into the second [veil] went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.” [Heb 9:7] It was by this secondary veil, which separated men from God, that “The Holy Spirit [signified] that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.” [Heb 9:8] This particular day, a set day, was to be a high day, a sabbath day, and a day of fasting. The LORD says regarding The Day of Atonement,
“Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto The LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before The LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.” [Lev 23:27-29]
During this day, the high priest had many duties, and whereas in other feasts and other days, the regular priests could help, this day was different. For as our verse shows us, the high priest had to do all the offerings and work alone; for it was written, “and there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when [the high priest] goeth in to make an atonement…”
The encouragement in all of this comes for us when we compare the high priest with Jesus Christ, our high priest of the New Covenant. For just as the high priest made atonement for the people through sacrifice, Jesus Christ, as it says in Hebrews, “…through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God…” [Heb 9:14] And just as the high priest had to do the work alone, so too Jesus Christ was alone. When our Lord went before us to become an eternal propitiation for our souls, he did so alone. There was no man with Jesus when He made atonement for our souls. When The Father’s foot came down to crush Jesus for our sakes, who was made into sin, there was no helper found. Jesus was alone. As the high priest must have done the sacrificing and work alone, so too Jesus Christ accomplished the work of salvation for us alone.
May God be praised a thousand times over for this truth and for this picture. “By grace are [we] saved through faith; and that not of [ourselves]: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” [Eph 2:8-9] It was “not by works of righteousness which we have done,” but it was “according to His mercy,” according to His lavish and “abundant mercy;” yes, “for God so loved the world, that He gave His One-and-only Unique Son” for our sakes, that we might believe and have life. [Titus 3:5, 1 Pe 1:3, Jn 3:16] Our salvation is completely secured and resting upon Jesus’ work and merit; for He alone, yes, “by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” [Heb 9:12]
And because Jesus has done this, may we not attempt to add to His work. Rather, may we rest contently and sincerely in it, trusting that through Jesus and Jesus alone we are saved and reconciled to The Father. For on The Day of Atonement, it was written,
“And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.” [Lev 23:30]
Those who attempt to add to Jesus’ work by earning their salvation, by trying to work for it, as if they were co-redemptors with Christ, shall damn themselves at the last – for just as those who refused to obey the sabbath law on The Day of Atonement would be cut off from Israel, so too those who attempt to earn their salvation, (in contrast to accepting the free gift purely by faith), shall not find salvation at all. For again, as it is written, if we desire to come to Christ and be satisfied, we must do so without money or price:
“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” [Isa 55:1]
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