Today’s passage proceeds to give a number of laws:

• Abominations – Chapter 18 lists a number of laws that transcend the Mosaic Covenant.  These laws are universal laws that the nations in Canaan failed to obey, defiling the land so that it was going to vomit them out (18:24-28).  Actions that these laws prohibit are said to be abominations (18:26-30).  This is serious stuff, and a warning to us as we see some of these sins celebrated in our country (and even in the visible church!) today.
• Mosaic Law – How are we to relate to the many laws in this passage and throughout the Pentateuch?  We have already noted that these laws are part of the Mosaic Covenant which we are not under as followers of Christ.  However, that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from them.  Sacrificial and priestly laws are fulfilled in Christ and so point us to Christ.  Other laws (like clean/unclean) have been abolished, yet can still teach us important principles (see last week’s reflection).
• Universal Laws – Though we are not under the Mosaic Covenant, we must recognize that many of the laws stated in the Mosaic Covenant are universal laws that transcend that covenant.  The abominations of chapter 18 are one example (see above).  The 10 Commandments – all restated and reapplied in the New Testament – would be another example.  Context (first example) and the New Testament (second example) help us determine if it is a universal law.

Today’s passage introduces the Day of Atonement:

• Cleansing – The high priest would offer special sacrifices once a year to cleanse the people, that they might be clean before the Lord from all their sins (16:30).  Jesus our high priest offered himself once for all to cleanse us, that we might be clean before the Lord from all our sins (Hebrews 9:23-28).  In Christ, our sin and guilt are washed away.  This is good news!
• Bearing – All of Israel’s sins were confessed over the live goat.  The goat, bearing their sins, was then be taken outside of the camp, taking their sins away.  Jesus bore our sins upon himself (I Peter 2:24) and takes away our sins (John 1:29) – and not just outside the camp.  God removes our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).  Our sins are gone!  Praise the Lord!