February 6, 2026 - Leviticus 16

The Day of Atonement.  Aaron, the high priest, was to go into the most holy place of the Tabernacle on this day, the Lord explaining, “I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat” (16:2).  And there, in the most holy place, in the presence of the Lord, Aaron offered the required sacrifices for cleansing and atonement for himself, the altar itself, and for all the people just as the Lord instructed:  “’He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.  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.’  And Aaron did as the LORD commanded Moses” (16:33-34).  Once a year, these things would be done.  It all, however, pointed toward the One who would declare, “It is finished!” (John 19:30)  There, on the cross as he died, it was a cry of victory over death and sin and the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies.  “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).

From ev’ry stormy wind that blows,

from ev’ry swelling tide of woes,

there is a calm, a sure retreat,

‘tis found beneath the mercy seat.

There is a place where Jesus sheds

the oil of gladness on our heads,

a place than all besides more sweet;

it is the blood-bought mercy seat.   -- Hugh Stowell (1828)