This was the first time Aaron officiated in the most holy place. It was also the first time he officiated in the “holy garments.” Heretofore he had worn the glorious golden garments and made atonement for others. Now he appears in the garments of humility, asking mercy for himself as well as for the people. His status has entirely changed.

 According to the Talmud the high priest spent the week preceding the Day of Atonement in the room reserved for him in the priests’ quarters, engaged in prayer and meditation, and in carefully reviewing the ritual of the day. He could but wonder as to the meaning of the service in which he was about to engage. Did he begin to grasp the significance of the change of garments, and the changed status of Christ at His incarnation (see on v. 4)? Did he grasp the significance of laying aside the royal garments and passing through the veil into the presence of God? It seems unthinkable that the high priest should officiate at the most important service of the year without at least some appreciation of its true significance. To kill bullocks and rams and goats, to sprinkle their blood on the altar or in the most holy place, and not to know the meaning of these acts, would be tantamount to reducing the most solemn ceremony of the sanctuary to a pious mummery. This cannot be. “Abraham rejoiced to see my day,” said Christ; “and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). If Abraham understood, surely Aaron did also.

 We may rightly conclude that Aaron thus understood in part, without, perhaps, having a complete grasp of all spiritual truth related to the plan of redemption. Some of the men of old knew more about God and salvation than do many learned men today. Of Moses, Christ said, “He wrote of me” (John 5:46). What Moses wrote was so clear that Philip and Nathanael thereby recognized the Messiah when He came (John 1:45). Paul affirmedthat he preached “none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead” (Acts 26:22, 23).

The bullock had been killed and its blood kept in a basin by one of the priests. Before entering with the blood Aaron took coals from off the altar of burnt offering and filled his censer. He took also two handfuls of incense, which he placed on the coals after entering the most holy place.