Commentary - Leviticus 16:29-34

Bird's-eye view

Here we have the institution of the great Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. This is the liturgical summit of the Old Covenant. All the sacrifices and rituals of the year pointed toward this day, when the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the entire nation. This passage lays out the foundational requirements for the people: it is to be a day of solemn rest and self-denial, a perpetual reminder that sin is a corporate reality that pollutes everything, and that atonement is a gift from God, received on His terms alone. It is a massive, flashing neon sign pointing directly to the final, sufficient, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest.

The principles established here are not disposable relics. The need for corporate confession, the reality of sin's defiling power, the necessity of a mediator, and the requirement of approaching God through a prescribed sacrifice are all fulfilled and intensified in the New Covenant. This chapter is the gospel in ceremonial dress, and understanding it is crucial for grasping the logic of the cross.

Outline

Verse-by-Verse Commentary

v. 29 And this shall be a perpetual statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native or the sojourner who sojourns among you;

The first thing to note is that this is a "perpetual statute." Now, we know from the book of Hebrews that the ceremonial law has been fulfilled in Christ, so how can it be perpetual? It is perpetual in what it signifies. The principle is eternal: man cannot approach a holy God without atonement. This statute is a recurring sermon, preached year after year, declaring human sinfulness and divine holiness. Its perpetuity is found in the abiding reality of the cross of Jesus Christ, which is the final Day of Atonement.

On a specific day, the tenth of the seventh month, the people are commanded to do two things. First, "humble your souls." This is traditionally and rightly understood as fasting. It is an outward expression of an inward reality, a confession of unworthiness and dependence. You are not coming to God with your achievements, your full belly, or your list of good deeds. You are coming empty. Second, they are to "not do any work." This is a sabbath rest. It is a cessation from all attempts at self-salvation. On this day, you do not work for your food, and you do not work for your righteousness. You rest in the work of another, the high priest who goes into the presence of God on your behalf. This applies to everyone in the covenant community, the "native" and the "sojourner" alike. There is one way of salvation for all who are among God's people.

v. 30 for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before Yahweh.

Here is the glorious reason for the humbling and the rest. This is the gospel logic. You do not humble yourself in order to be cleansed. Rather, you humble yourself because on this day, God has provided the means of cleansing. Atonement, or kippur, means a covering. A payment is made, a substitute is offered, and God covers the sin of His people. The goal is to "cleanse you." Sin is a defilement, a stain, a spiritual filth that makes us unfit for the presence of God. The blood of the sacrifice washes that stain away.

And notice the result: "you will be clean from all your sins before Yahweh." This is not just about feeling better about yourself. This is an objective, legal declaration. Before the very eyes of the holy God, you are declared clean. This is justification. The Old Covenant saints experienced this by faith, looking forward to the substance of this shadow. We experience it by faith, looking back to the finished work of Christ, who accomplished a true and final cleansing, not just for a year, but for all eternity.

v. 31 It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a perpetual statute.

The point is emphasized by repetition. This is not just any sabbath; it is a "sabbath of solemn rest," or a sabbath of sabbaths. This is the highest and holiest day of rest in the entire year. The purpose is restated: "that you may humble your souls." The rest and the humbling are intertwined. When you stop your own striving, you are forced to confront your own weakness and your utter reliance on God's provision. True rest is a fruit of true humility.

And again, "it is a perpetual statute." God does not want them to forget this. The lesson must be drilled into them, year after year. Why? Because the default setting of the human heart is pride and self-reliance. We are constantly tempted to think we can fix ourselves, that we can work our way back to God. This annual day was a gracious disruption, a divine reset button that forced Israel to stop, to fast, to rest, and to look to their mediator.

v. 32 So the priest who is anointed and ordained to minister as a priest in his father’s place shall make atonement: he shall thus put on the linen garments, the holy garments,

The focus now shifts from the people to the priest. A specific man, the anointed high priest, is the one who performs this work. The people cannot atone for themselves. They need a representative, a mediator. This points directly to Christ, our great High Priest, who is not from the line of Aaron but is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. He is the one who makes the true atonement.

And what does he wear? Not the glorious garments with the gold and jewels, but the simple "linen garments." This is the uniform of humility and purity. When our Lord came to make atonement, He laid aside His glory and took on the form of a servant. He clothed Himself in the linen of our humanity, yet without sin, in order to enter the true Holy of Holies on our behalf.

v. 33 and make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar. He shall also make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.

The scope of this atonement is breathtakingly comprehensive. It is not just for the people. The priest must first make atonement for the holy places themselves: the sanctuary, the tent of meeting, and the altar. Why? Because the sins of the people have polluted the very place where God dwells among them. Sin is not a private affair; it has cosmic consequences. It defiles everything it touches.

Then, he makes atonement for the priests, because the mediators themselves are sinners in need of cleansing. And finally, he makes atonement for "all the people of the assembly." This is a corporate, covenantal act. From the ground of the tabernacle to the heart of the high priest to the soul of the common man, everything is stained, and everything must be cleansed. This is what Christ accomplished. He did not just cleanse individual hearts; He is reconciling all things to Himself, making a new creation.

v. 34 Now you shall have this as a perpetual statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year.” And just as Yahweh had commanded Moses, so he did.

The command concludes with a final repetition of its perpetual nature and its annual frequency. The fact that it had to be done "once every year" was its glory and its weakness. It was a glorious provision of grace for Israel, but it was also a constant reminder that the blood of bulls and goats could never truly take away sin (Heb. 10:4). Every year, the debt was covered, but the underlying principle was not yet paid in full. The annual repetition was a promissory note, a promise that one day a final High Priest would come and make one sacrifice for all time.

The chapter ends with a simple statement of obedience: "so he did." Moses and Aaron did exactly what God commanded. This is the only appropriate response to God's provision of grace. We do not get to invent our own methods of atonement. We do not get to decide how we will approach God. He sets the terms. Our only job is to receive His gift with humble, obedient faith. This is true for the Israelite on Yom Kippur, and it is true for the Christian at the foot of the cross.

Application

While we do not practice a ceremonial Day of Atonement, the principles here are eternally relevant. First, we must recognize that our sin is a serious, defiling problem that requires a drastic solution. We live in a flippant age that wants to psychologize sin away. Leviticus will not allow it. Sin requires blood. Second, we must cease from all our works of self-righteousness. The command to rest is a command to trust entirely in the work of our High Priest, Jesus. Any attempt to add our works to His finished work is a violation of this sabbath rest. Third, we should practice the discipline of humbling ourselves. While fasting is not mandated for the New Covenant church, it is a wise and biblical practice for mortifying the flesh and confessing our dependence on God. Finally, we must approach God with profound gratitude for the comprehensive atonement Christ has made. He has cleansed us, our leaders, and His church, making us fit to be a dwelling place for God. The Day of Atonement is over, because the Lamb of God has been slain, once for all.