今天我們讀到的贖罪日可說是舊約獻祭制度的最高潮，因這日是全年中最重要，最嚴肅的一天。希伯來文的贖罪日叫做「Yom Kippur」，在猶太曆法的第七個月份，提斯利月（西方月份的十月）第十日舉行。

        從廿九至卅一節我們曉得，以色列人在贖罪日時什麼工都不可以做，他們也必須對這天有正確的態度，因為上帝要他們「刻苦己心」，意思是他們要為自己的罪憂傷，並且可能是藉禁食（參賽58：3、5）刻苦己心。這是摩西唯一要求他們禁食的日子。

        上帝給摩西精確的指示，要在那特別的日子裡嚴謹的遵守。大祭司只有在贖罪日時可以進入至聖所，上帝並警告亞倫不可擅入，「免得死亡」（16：2）。從幔子內進入至聖所，上帝在施恩座上顯現的地方，只有一條通路，就是藉著祭物的血。從贖罪日我們曉得除非藉著祭物所流的血（來9：22），否則人無法接近上帝。除非我們的罪藉耶穌基督的贖罪之功被赦免，否則我們也不能來到上帝面前。

        首先，亞倫要脫掉華麗的大祭司服，用水洗身，然後穿上簡單、純白的細麻布內袍。在他能為百姓代求之前，他要獻一隻公牛為自己和本家贖罪（與基督相反，來7：26，27）。他必須完全潔淨、聖潔、被上帝接納，然後才能進到上帝面前（利16：6、11）。亞倫帶著贖罪祭公牛的血和香爐進入至聖所。燃燒的香代表百姓的祈禱（當百姓在外頭等候時，他們所做的事一定是禱告）。燃香產生的煙雲也許是為了遮掩上帝顯現的榮耀，免得祭司見到上帝的面而死（16：12，13；出33：20）。

        然後，亞倫要用拈鬮所得的公山羊為百姓獻祭，帶著公山羊的血再度進入至聖所為百姓贖罪，並因百姓的罪愆潔淨聖所、會幕、以及銅祭壇。彈血七次象徵完全的潔淨。

        第一隻公山羊被獻為祭後，以色列民的代表──亞倫，要將兩手按在那還活的公山羊頭上，承認以色列人所有的罪（16：21）。我們常說代替別人頂罪的人叫代罪羔羊，這個字在希伯來文是「azazel」，很可能是從「走」、「走開」這個字根衍生出來的，意指「完全除掉」。將代罪之羊送到曠野象徵牠帶走了以色列百姓所有的罪，也用來顯明上帝贖罪的大恩功。

        這兩隻公山羊預表基督的代死和除罪。亞倫按手的這隻公山羊除去以色列國的罪，但那最完全、最完美、最後的祭，耶穌基督是因上帝對世人的大愛被差到世界上，祂是「上帝的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的」（約1：29）。事實上，整個贖罪日是指向彌賽亞永遠除去世人罪孽的那一日（撒3：8，9；來10：14）。對信徒來說，贖罪日就是我們的主耶穌在城門外被釘十架受苦的那日，為要用祂自己的血使我們成為聖潔的國民（來13：12）。祂只將自己獻上一次就永遠有效，不像舊約不完全的獻祭制度，必須年復一年的贖罪（來9：7、12）。

        基督所成就的大功不只使祂自己能進到上帝面前（來9：11、12、24），更是確保所有祂的信徒都能得到一條通往上帝的新路（來10：19~22）。我們從新約前三本福音書曉得，聖所內的幔子從上到下裂成兩半就是象徵這一切的事（太27：51；可15：38；路23：45）。基督的死和裂開的幔子表示，從那時起，人類就活在恩典的新約之下。

        主耶穌，因您是永遠的大祭司，因此我們可以坦然無懼的來到施恩座前。上帝啊！願我們永不忽略進入至聖所朝見您面的特權。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        We read here of the Day of Atonement which could be considered the climax of the Old Covenant’s sacrificial system, for it was the most important and solemn ceremonial day of the whole year. In Hebrew it is known as “Yom Kippur” and in the Jewish calendar it comes on the tenth day of the seventh month, the month called Tishri (October).

        From verses 29 and 31 we learn that work was prohibited no matter on which day of the week Yom Kippur feel. We also learn that their having a proper attitude was important, for they were told, “you shall afflict your souls”, meaning they were to be in anguish over their sin, as well as to humble or deny themselves, probably expressed through fasting (cf. Isa.58:3, 5). This was the only day of fasting that Moses required.

        God gave Moses precise instructions to be carefully followed on this special day. It was to be the only day the high priest alone could enter into the Most Holy Place and a strict warning was given for Aaron to obey, “lest he die” (16:2). There was only one way of entrance through the inner veil into the Most Holy Place where the presence of God was manifest above the gold mercy seat, and that was through the blood of the sacrifice. We learn from the Day of Atonement that man has no access to God except through the shed blood of a sacrifice (Heb. 9:22). Unless our sins are remitted through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, there is no approach to God.

        Firstly, Aaron was to remove his ornate high priestly attire, wash his body, and dress in a simple, pure white linen garment. Before he was able to intercede for the people, he was to sacrifice a bull for his own sins and the sins of his household (in contrast to Christ, Heb.7:26, 27). He was to be totally clean, made holy and acceptable, before he could approach the presence of God (16:6, 11). With the blood of the sacrificed bull and the incense to cloud over the mercy seat, Aaron entered the Most Holy Place. The burning incense represented the prayers of the people (and surely praying is what the people were doing who were waiting in anticipation outside). The cloud which resulted was to perhaps veil the glorious manifestation of the Lord from the priest’s sight, so that he might not die (16:12, 13; Ex.33:20).

        Afterward, one of the two goats was sacrificed for the people and Aaron entered a second time into the Most Holy Place with its blood to make atonement for the people and to cleanse the Holy Place, the tabernacle, and finally the bronze altar because of the people’s sins. He sprinkled the blood seven times to symbolize complete purification.

        After the first goat had been offered, all the sins of Israel were confessed over the live goat’s head as Aaron, their representative, firmly pressed his hands upon it (16:21). The one who takes the blame for the wrong of others is called the scapegoat. In the Hebrew text, this word is “azazel” which most likely is derived from the root meaning “go”, or “go away”, implying “complete removal”. Sending the scapegoat away into the wilderness symbolized that it was bearing away all the sins of the people. It served to make evident the great and gracious work of God’s atonement.

        These two goats are a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrificial death and of His bearing away sin. Here the scapegoat bore away the sins for the nation of Israel, but the most perfect, complete, and final sacrifice, Jesus Christ, who was sent because of God’s great love for the whole world, is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the whole world” (John 1:29). In fact, the entire Day of Atonement pointed to the day of the Messiah’s eternal removal of sin (Zech. 3:8, 9; Heb.10:14). For believe, the Day of Atonement was the day our Lord Jesus suffered on the cross outside of the city gate to make a holy, sanctified people through His own blood (Heb. 13:12). This He did once and for all, unlike the imperfect sacrificial system of the Old Covenant when atonement was made year after year (Heb. 9:7, 12).

        Christ secured access into the very presence of God, not only for Himself (Heb. 9:11, 12, 24), but for all His followers as well (Heb.10:19-22). In the first three gospels we read that all this was symbolized by the inner veil of the temple that was torn in two from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). Christ’s death and the torn veil signify that from that time onward mankind was living under the New Covenant of Grace.

        Lord Jesus, because You are The Eternal High Priest, we can come boldly to the Throne of Grace. May we never neglect the privilege of entering the Holy of Holies where we have an audience with You, O God.