“And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel, once in the year because of all their sins.”
– Leviticus 16:34
That word “Atonement” is key to understanding not just Leviticus 16:34, but the Bible and salvation. So, Leviticus 16 is the description of the day of atonement. The day set aside once a year to provide a particular sacrifice, an atoning sacrifice for sin. For the sins of God’s people. And the word “Atonement” means a covering.
So, God’s people were sinners. And their sin needed to be covered by the Grace of God in order to be in the presence of God. In order for him to dwell among them. That’s what Leviticus 16:34 is showing us. How can a Holy God dwell among his people? Well, here’s how.
Every bitter thought and every sinful deed has been covered by Christ’s work on the cross. Trust in Him alone to save you from your sins.
Leviticus 16:34 Reminds Us Through Christ We Can Dwell With God
Through atonement. Through covering for sin. And so, when we get to the New Testament and we read in a place like Romans, chapter three, verse 25, “God has presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.” The whole picture there is Jesus is our atonement.
What does that mean? He is our covering. His sacrifice covers over our sins. The whole picture there in Romans three is that Jesus has paid the price. He has endured the just judgment of God, do our sins, in our place, on our behalf. Just like in Leviticus, that would have been a sacrifice that would’ve been made to endure the just judgements of God. In the New Testament, what we realize is Jesus is that sacrifice. This is the gospel. And it’s beauty never, ever grows old.
Just think about it. Right now, all your sins, every single sinful thought, desire, word, deed, the things that you are really thankful nobody else knows about. God knows about all of it. And by the blood of Jesus, it is all covered. God knows all of it. And by his Grace, it is all covered by the blood of Jesus.
Leviticus 16:34 Reminds Us Our Sin Is Atoned
Oh rest in this, today. Your sin has been atoned for. Obviously, that’s only a reality when we are trusting in Jesus. When we repent and believe, meaning we turn from our sin and ourselves. So we say, “God, I’m sorry for my sin. I need you to forgive me of my sin. And I put my trust in Jesus blood to cover over my sin.” So, if you have never prayed that to God, I invite you to pray that to God, like right now.
This Verse Leads Us to Pray for Forgiveness
To say, “God, please forgive me of my sin. Cover over my sin with the blood of Jesus. I trust in Jesus and his atonement for my sin. Please forgive me. And please reconcile me to relationship with you. Cover over my sin.” You pray that. Know that God will save you from your sin. Put your faith in Jesus. Repent and believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life. He will save you. And when you pray that, when you know this atonement, then praise him non-stop for it. “Jesus, we praise you for covering over our sin. God, we praise you for not seeing our sin before you right now, but seeing the righteousness of Jesus. For seeing his atoning sacrifice for us. All glory to your name, Jesus. All glory be to your name, oh God, for this salvation.”
This Verse Leads Us to Pray for the Spread Of the Gospel
So we pray. Help us to spread it today. Help us to spread it. We pray that you would cover over more sin today, that other people would place their faith in Jesus, and their sin be covered by the blood of Jesus. And we pray for that right around us.
We pray for that among the Kori people in India, eight million of them. Little to no followers of Jesus among them. God, please. In that far Eastern part of India. Please, cause the gospel to made known among the Quarry people and please save them. Provide atonement for them. Well, Jesus, you have provided atonement. You have purchased people for the father, from every nation, tribe, and tongue. The price has been paid. So, God, cause it to be made effectual among them.
So, bring them to salvation. Bring more and more and more Kori to know the saving, atoning, sacrifice of Jesus. Among them, among people groups around the world, among people around us, even as we praise you. So, we praise you for the atoning sacrifice for our sins. And we pray all of this in the powerful name of Jesus, our Sacrifice. Amen”
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
