Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Today we hit a big day in our reading, the instructions for the day of atonement, the day of

covering for sins and purging impurity from their midst.

This annual event happens in the fall about halfway through the Jewish year.

In our current reading, we're just at the start of the Jewish year, so the day of atonement is still a few months

off for the Israelites. Here, God's telling them how it's all going to happen when the time comes.

The Jewish name for this day is Yom Kippur and it's the only day of the year

when the High Priest can enter into the Holy of Holies.

As a refresher, the Holy of Holies is the section at the far back of the Tabernacle,

separated from the Holy Place by a curtain,

and it's where the Ark of the Covenant sits with the mercy seat on top of it,

serving as God's throne on earth.

No one gets to enter, ever, except the High Priest on this one day.

God gives instructions for how Aaron is supposed to enter,

and his instructions present us with a new theory

on what happened to his two oldest sons

who were struck dead recently.

Some commentators believe they possibly

tried to enter the Holy of Holies, which

was strictly forbidden for them.

God has done so much to draw his people near, but there's still a set-apartness to

him, a holiness that must be revered.

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