Atonement- “reparation or expiation for sin”
Priest was one who would offer sacrifices to God for sin.
In the Old Covenant, law of Moses. Priests were to enter the temple, and make sacrifices to God for the peoples sin, just like those Leviticus verses stated. They would make a sacrifice for themselves to, because they were sinners. They would offer up on the altar a lamb or goat or ram, the lamb was pure and white, without blemish, to represent purity. The priest would then sacrifice this to the Lord.
This was all to point to Jesus, the “High Priest” as Hebrews 4 calls him. He offers himself up as “The Lamb of God” as John 1 calls him. He is pure and sinless and dies for our sins, providing atonement. That is what the Old Covenant pointed to, the New covenant. As Christ said in the last supper:
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”-Matthew 26:28
Blood would always have to be shed for the forgiveness of sins. Hebrews tells us “without blood shed, there is not forgiveness of sins.”
You put to much trust in man, man cannot forgive your sin, only God-man Jesus Christ can. Who paid the penalty by spilling his blood on a cross for the forgiveness of sins.
The bible calls Jesus our advocate (1 John 2:1) our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) and our interceder (Romans 8:34)
“Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.”-Hebrews 2:17
