Through the priest’s final sacrifice, the completeness of the person’s restoration becomes evident.
In this passage, we read: “The priest shall then offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be clean.” (v.20). These instructions appear in a section where God details the purification rituals for someone previously afflicted with leprosy, emphasizing how the priest—descended from Aaron and serving around the fifteenth century BC—plays a crucial role in securing the spiritual and ceremonial restoration of the individual. This ceremony verifies that both personal cleansing and acceptance within the covenant community have been achieved, reflecting God’s desire for holistic well-being that extends to every aspect of life.
The act of making atonement in “Thus the priest shall make atonement for him” (v.20) underscores how serious sin and impurity were to be taken in the Israelite community. Burnt offerings and grain offerings were presented on the altar, physically symbolizing the worshiper’s devotion and dependence on the LORD. The priest’s mediation points toward a deeper spiritual reality that is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:11-14), who provides the ultimate cleansing and atonement for believers in the New Testament era.
Moreover, the phrase “and he will be clean” (v.20) demonstrates the divine pronouncement over the individual, confirming that God has received these offerings and that the once-estranged person is now fully restored both physically and spiritually. God’s mercy and provision are portrayed vividly through the priestly system in Leviticus, anticipating the redemptive work that Jesus would accomplish for humanity centuries later.
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Leviticus 14:20 meaning
In this passage, we read: “The priest shall then offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be clean.” (v.20). These instructions appear in a section where God details the purification rituals for someone previously afflicted with leprosy, emphasizing how the priest—descended from Aaron and serving around the fifteenth century BC—plays a crucial role in securing the spiritual and ceremonial restoration of the individual. This ceremony verifies that both personal cleansing and acceptance within the covenant community have been achieved, reflecting God’s desire for holistic well-being that extends to every aspect of life.
The act of making atonement in “Thus the priest shall make atonement for him” (v.20) underscores how serious sin and impurity were to be taken in the Israelite community. Burnt offerings and grain offerings were presented on the altar, physically symbolizing the worshiper’s devotion and dependence on the LORD. The priest’s mediation points toward a deeper spiritual reality that is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:11-14), who provides the ultimate cleansing and atonement for believers in the New Testament era.
Moreover, the phrase “and he will be clean” (v.20) demonstrates the divine pronouncement over the individual, confirming that God has received these offerings and that the once-estranged person is now fully restored both physically and spiritually. God’s mercy and provision are portrayed vividly through the priestly system in Leviticus, anticipating the redemptive work that Jesus would accomplish for humanity centuries later.