Leviticus 16:23-34; 17:1-16 NKJV
23 “Then Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of meeting, shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. 24 And he shall wash his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar. 26 And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. 27 The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their flesh, and their offal. 28 Then he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.
29 “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. 30 For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. 31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever. 32 And the priest, who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his father’s place, shall make atonement, and put on the linen clothes, the holy garments; 33 then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year.” And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.
17 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying: 3 “Whatever man of the house of Israel who kills an ox or lamb or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, 4 and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting to offer an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, the guilt of bloodshed shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people, 5 to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to the priest, and offer them as peace offerings to the Lord. 6 And the priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and burn the fat for a sweet aroma to the Lord. 7 They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.” ’
8 “Also you shall say to them: ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, 9 and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be cut off from among his people.
10 ‘And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ 12 Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘No one among you shall eat blood, nor shall any stranger who dwells among you eat blood.’
13 “Whatever man of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who hunts and catches any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust; 14 for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.’
15 “And every person who eats what died naturally or what was torn by beasts, whether he is a native of your own country or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. Then he shall be clean. 16 But if he does not wash them or bathe his body, then he shall bear his guilt.”
God’s instructions to Israel in these verses reveal His holiness and His desire for His people to live in reverence and obedience. The themes of atonement and the sacredness of life stand at the heart of these chapters, reminding us of the cost of sin and the provision of forgiveness through blood.
The Day of Atonement ceremony concludes with the high priest washing and changing his garments before reentering the camp. This cleansing symbolized the separation between sin and holiness. The rituals of this day were to be observed yearly, providing atonement for both the people and the tabernacle, which was defiled by their sins. God’s command to make this a permanent statute reflected His commitment to dwell among His people, even though they were sinful.
In chapter 17, the focus shifts to the sanctity of blood. God instructed that all sacrifices must be brought to the tabernacle and offered to Him (3–5). This command ensured that worship remained centered on God and not corrupted by pagan practices. It also reminded the Israelites that life belongs to the LORD, for “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (11).
Blood was not only sacred but also the means of atonement. God declared, “It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (17:11). This truth points directly to Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Through His sacrifice and faith in Him, we have been cleansed and reconciled to God.
The prohibition against eating blood (17:12–14) underscored the value of life and taught the people to honor the Creator who gives it. This reverence for life serves as a reminder to us today that we are stewards of God’s creation, called to respect His design and purpose in all things. As we reflect on these passages, we are reminded of the holiness of God, the seriousness of sin, and the grace He provides through atonement. Let us live in gratitude for the life given for us and for forgiveness through faith in Christ. Let us pray: Holy God, thank You for the atonement provided through the blood of Jesus. Help us live in reverence for You, honoring the life and salvation You have given us. Amen.