Leviticus 16:28, commentary and pictures

On the great Day of Atonement the one who burned the remains of the sin offering outside had to wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water before he could come back into the camp. The yearly opening of the most holy place for the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary foreshadowed the antitypical Day of Atonement, when Christ ministers as great High Priest in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to blot out the sins of His faithful people. That most holy place was opened in 1844, when Christ entered there by virtue of His own blood to perform the closing work of the atonement before the ark of God. The sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days is in heaven, not the earth, so to look for Christ to purify this world by fire in 1844 was to mistake the earth for the sanctuary. In this antitypical day each person's case stands in the judgment and the soul must be cleansed from defilement by the blood of Jesus, with sins confessed and put away so they may go beforehand to judgment.

Ritual Setting and Sanctuary

Leviticus 16:28 belongs to the instructions for the great Day of Atonement, requiring the one who burned the sacrificial remains to wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water before afterward coming into the camp. That day is bound up with the sanctuary, the ark containing God's law, the mercy seat, and the heavenly sanctuary. Within that ritual order, cleansing followed the removal and burning of the sin offering.

On that annual day the second apartment of the earthly sanctuary, the holy of holies, alone was opened, and then for the cleansing of the sanctuary. The high priest entered the most holy place only after careful preparation, while the people waited in prayer for his return and blessing. That yearly service served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.

The sanctuary so cleansed is not the earth, nor the land of Canaan, nor any dwelling-place of man, nor the church. It is the earthly sanctuary erected for God's name that He might dwell among His people, the dwelling-place of God's glory upon the earth. It was first the movable sanctuary made in the desert of Sinai, in the desert of Arabia, given with minute description and erected and approved by the Lord. Afterward, when Israel possessed Canaan, it was the temple built by Solomon in Canaan, with a holy and a most holy place to which the vessels of the movable sanctuary were transferred.

Antitypical Fulfillment in Christ

The Day of Atonement ministry was performed in behalf of the children of Israel, with the high priest acting for a sinful, defiled people, and that ministry is a type pointing to Jesus Christ as Sin-bearer and Substitute for the offender. He takes away the sin of the repentant, believing transgressor and carries on an actual ministry for His people now. In that setting Joshua served on behalf of Israel, and while Christ ministers to take away sin, Satan accuses God's people of transgression.

The sanctuary service foreshadowed the antitypical Day of Atonement, whose cleansing work is fulfilled in the most holy place. There Christ ministers as the great High Priest to blot out the sins of His faithful people. The second apartment of the earthly sanctuary, the holy of holies, was opened only on the great Day of Atonement for the cleansing of the sanctuary, serving as example and shadow of heavenly things. That yearly earthly opening points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844, when Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement. He entered by virtue of His own blood to cleanse the sanctuary from the sins of the people, officiating before the ark of God and pleading His blood in behalf of sinners, which those who by faith follow Him and study the sanctuary understand as His change of ministration.

The sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the 2300 days is in heaven, not the earth. The expectation that Christ would come to this earth in 1844 to purify the world by fire mistook the earth for the sanctuary to be cleansed. The work and attire of the Jewish high priest described in the chapter clothes Christ as the great High Priest during His atonement ministry. Before He stands up to reign He lays off that priestly attire, wearing many crowns in one crown as King of kings and Lord of lords. The Day of Atonement is a picture of a final day of confession and judgment, when the books are opened and every person is judged by what is recorded there. In that review every deed and act is brought before the heavenly universe.

Call to Personal Preparation

The instruction belongs to the Day of Atonement ritual in which cleansing followed the removal and burning of the sin offering. Its setting points to the antitypical Day of Atonement, when each person's case stands in the judgment and the soul must be cleansed from defilement by the blood of Jesus. That work calls for special preparation in which sins are to be confessed and put away so that they may be taken away and go beforehand to judgment. Christ is able to cleanse every stain of sin, and those who seek pardon must humble themselves, draw near to God, and cease transgressing His law.

The same pattern applies to the church in its antitypical Day of Atonement, which is to seek purification through repentance, humility, and searching of heart. Its members are to depart from sin and live in purity.