Because of the negative situation of God’s people, as portrayed in chs. 11—15, according to God’s concept and in His divine economy there is the need of redemption. Because the Old Testament time was not the time for redemption to take place, a type, a shadow, of the coming redemption was needed. This shadow is the expiation in this chapter. The expiation accomplished through the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament is a type pointing to the redemption accomplished by Christ in the New Testament.

The root of the Hebrew word translated expiation means to cover. The noun form of this word is rendered expiation cover in v. 2 and in Exo. 25:17. The root of the Greek word used in the Septuagint and in the New Testament, translated propitiation in Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17 and 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10, means to appease (the situation between two parties). On the Day of Expiation the blood of the sin offering was brought into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the expiation cover, the lid of the Ark (vv. 14-15), which covered the Ten Commandments within the Ark (Exo. 25:16), signifying that the sin of the ones coming to contact God had been covered but not yet removed (see note Heb. 1:3³). In this way the situation of fallen man in relation to God was appeased but was not fully settled, until Christ came to accomplish redemption by offering Himself as the propitiatory sacrifice to take away man’s sin (Heb. 9:12; 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; John 1:29). See note Rom. 3:25^2a and note Rom. 3:25³, note Heb. 2:17^4d, note Heb. 9:12², and note 1 John 2:2^1a.

This signifies that man, being sinful because of the fall, is unable to enter into God’s presence in himself. Man’s coming near to God must be through Christ as his sin offering and his burnt offering (v. 3).

All the linen garments worn by Aaron are types of God’s righteousness and holiness, both of which are Christ (1 Cor. 1:30; Acts 3:14). Aaron’s putting on the holy garments signifies that the one who comes near to God (cf. Heb. 10:19-22) should take Christ as his righteousness and holiness in order that he may cover his entire being and express Christ (see note Exo. 28:2^1a).

Aaron’s bathing his flesh in water before putting on the holy garments signifies that one should deal with himself first, and then put on Christ as his covering, righteousness, and holiness (cf. Gal. 3:27).

The bull and the ram in v. 3 were for Aaron himself (vv. 6, 11), whereas the two male goats and the ram in this verse were for the people. This signifies that anyone who desires to enter into God’s presence and serve Him must himself experience Christ as the sin offering and the burnt offering that he might minister to others the Christ whom he has experienced.

See note Lev. 16:1¹. Aaron’s offering the bull of the sin offering for himself indicates that as a type of the believers as God’s priests (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10), he needed expiation for the fulfillment of the priesthood. As a type of Christ, Aaron did not need expiation.

Azazel signifies Satan, the devil, the sinful one, the one who is the source, the origin, of sin (John 8:44). The goat that was for Jehovah was to be killed (v. 9), but the goat that was for Azazel was to be sent away into the wilderness to bear away all the iniquities of the children of Israel on itself (vv. 10, 20-22). This signifies that Christ as the sin offering for God’s people, on the one hand, deals with our sin before God and, on the other hand, sends sin, through the efficacy of the cross, back to Satan, from whom sin came into man. Through the cross the Lord Jesus has the position and qualification with the power, strength, and authority to take sin away from the redeemed ones (John 1:29; Heb. 9:26) and send it back to its source, Satan, who will bear it in the lake of fire forever (Rev. 20:10).

Or, to. So also in v. 26.

The burning of the incense (see Exo. 30:34-38 and notes) after the slaughtering of the sin offering, so that Aaron would not die (vv. 11-13), signifies that in His resurrection the Lord Jesus became a sweet fragrance to be the means and the protection for us to draw near to God with all boldness and be accepted by God without suffering death (cf. Heb. 10:19-22). This is one of the results produced through the redemptive, blood-shedding death (signified by the coals of fire from the altar and the finely ground incense of spices) of the Lord Jesus on the cross.

The incense was burned with the fire from the altar in the outer court, signifying that Christ’s being burned as the incense for our acceptance before God depends on His death on the cross for our sins. Christ first became the offerings to take away our sin; then, in His resurrection, with His death on the cross as the basis, He became the incense for our acceptance.

The sprinkling of the blood of the sin offering on the expiation cover (vv. 14-15) signifies that the redeeming blood of Christ was brought into the heavens, into the presence of God, and sprinkled before God to meet God’s righteous requirements for our redemption (Heb. 9:12).

See note Exo. 25:17^1b.

Making expiation for the Holy of Holies and for the Tent of Meeting because of the uncleanness and transgressions of the children of Israel signifies that although we have been redeemed and washed by the blood of Christ, because we are still in the old creation and still live in uncleanness, in our worship of God there is still the consciousness of sin and thus the need of the propitiation by the blood of Christ (1 John 1:710; 2:1-2). This consciousness of sin will continue until we are raptured and transfigured in our body (Phil. 3:21).

This signifies that the Lord Jesus alone can make propitiation for our sins (Heb. 2:17).

Putting the blood of the sin offering on and around the four horns of the burnt offering altar signifies that the efficacy of the redemption accomplished on the cross is toward the four corners of the earth. According to Exo. 30:10 (cf. Lev. 4:7, 18), blood was put also on the horns of the incense altar, signifying the efficacy of Christ’s blood for us to be accepted by God in our prayer. See note Lev. 4:5¹.

The sprinkling of the blood on the altar seven times signifies that the full (signified by the number seven) efficacy of the blood shed on the cross by Christ is so that the sinner may be at peace in his heart (cf. Heb. 9:14). The blood sprinkled on the expiation cover (vv. 14-15) was for God’s satisfaction, whereas the blood sprinkled on the altar of burnt offering was for the sinner’s peace.

The cleansing and sanctifying of the altar from the uncleanness of the children of Israel signifies that all the world’s sins were gathered upon the cross of Christ and were cleansed away (1 Pet. 2:24a) so that God and His people may enjoy one another in a situation of cleanness.

Even the Holy of Holies, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, which are holy things, were contaminated by the uncleanness of God’s redeemed people. That expiation was made for all these signifies that the sin offering is offered not only for the removal of our uncleanness but also for the perfecting of God’s holiness, into which we have been brought (cf. 2 Cor. 7:1; Heb. 13:12).

For vv. 20-22, see note Lev. 16:8¹.

Aaron’s bathing his body and offering the burnt offering signifies that after we have received the redemption of the Lord Jesus and the problem of our sins has been solved, we need the cleansing of the Spirit that we may take Christ as our burnt offering to live for God by the life of Christ. The sin offering was offered (v. 9) in view of the burnt offering, indicating that the purpose of Christ’s complete redemption is that we, the redeemed ones, taking Christ as our life and life supply, might become those who in Christ live absolutely for God.

I.e., burn as incense. The burning of the fat of the sin offering as incense signifies that the Lord Jesus’ death on the cross is for our redemption and that His heart toward God and for God (signified by the fat as the tender part of the sin offering) is for God’s acceptance. In this chapter both Christ as the incense burned on the incense altar (vv. 12-13) and the heart of Christ, which is toward God and for God, are a sweet savor to God that is acceptable to God and that becomes God’s acceptance of us.

This signifies that the one who is defiled by contacting anything related to sin must deal with his outward living (signified by the clothes) and with himself as well. So also for v. 28.

The carrying of the sin offering outside the camp and the burning of its skin, its flesh, and its dung signify, first, that the Lord Jesus accomplished on the cross, once for all, the eternal and perfect redemption (Heb. 9:12), and His serving ones have no participation in this matter (Lev. 6:30 and note Lev. 6:30¹; Heb. 13:10-11 and note Heb. 13:10^1a). They signify, second, that the Lord who accomplished redemption was rejected by man; hence, whoever receives His redemption should go with Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach (Heb. 13:12-13 and notes).

Here afflicting one’s soul signifies mourning, repenting, and feeling sorrowful for sin.

The people not doing any work, for it was a Sabbath of complete rest for them (v. 31), signifies that redemption has been completely finished by Christ. There is nothing left for man to do, and man should rest in the redemption of Christ.

I.e., the Holy of Holies.

The making of expiation once a year signifies that the offering was unable to make man perfect and that it was only a shadow of the “good things to come” (Heb. 10:1), until the Son of God would come to complete the full redemption (Heb. 9:1-28; 10:1-18).