Aaron receives at this point instructions for a special occasion, that of the great Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:27). It is to this event that Hebrews 9 refers (vv. 7, 12, 25). Once a year, after having offered a sacrifice for himself, the high priest offered another sacrifice for all the sins of the people committed during the year. Then he brought the blood of this sacrifice within the veil, and sprinkled it on the mercy seat. This act gives its name to the mercy seat. “It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Lev. 17:11). The claims of God’s throne were met and He could look with favor on His people. Not that the blood of a goat could have power to wipe out a single one of all the sins that the people had committed during a whole year, but it spoke to God beforehand of the precious blood of His Lamb.

Contrary to what we might have thought, it was not in the garments of glory and beauty that Aaron was to present himself before the Lord. He divested himself of all glory in the presence of the glory of God, and could only appear there dressed in fine linen (16:4), a symbol of practical righteousness (Rev. 19:8).

The sweet odor of the incense accompanied Aaron within the veil. In the same way, Christ has entered into the Holiest, offering to God the sweet perfume of all His excellent glories.