The Festival of Trumpets begins a 10 day period of self inspection which ends on the holiest day of the year, the Day of Atonement. Known in Hebrew as Yom Kippur, it is another shadow of Messiah on God’s Calendar.
Lev. 23:27-28 NASB “On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD. “You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God."
The Day of Atonement is the holiest day of the year. All of the biblical festivals are holy. The Sabbath is also holy. The word Holy means ‘set apart.’ All of God’s appointed times are set apart to the LORD. But the Day of Atonement is the holiest of all. It is set apart even from the other holy days. It is so important to God that it comes with dire warnings.
Lev. 23:29-31 NASB “If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. “As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. “You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. “It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.”
All other Sabbaths and holidays are times of feasting and celebration. However, on the Day Atonement, everyone is commanded to afflict himself through fasting and abstinence. At its core, the Day of Atonement is the day for drawing near to God. It is a day for a personal, one-on-one encounter with God, a day of confession and contrition.
What does atonement mean? We have to be careful not to oversimplify the concept of atonement as if it simply meant “Forgiveness for sins.” The word ‘Kippur’ comes from the word ‘Kaphar’ which means covering, as in covering us against danger. We’re being covered to protect us from God’s wrath. If we, as common, mortal, finite, and sinfully-natured people are to stand in the presence of the holy, immortal, infinite, and righteous God, we need to be covered. We need atonement. Otherwise, God becomes very dangerous to us and we will perish. Adam and Eve discovered this firsthand. Initially, they communed with God because they were sinless. When they rebelled by eating the forbidden fruit, they lost their sinlessness and realized they were naked and without their covering that being sinless gave them against the powerful presence of God; no one can be in God’s presence and live. Having sinned against God, they realized they could not be in His presence because their covering had been removed, so it's not surprising they hid. God killed an animal for a covering as a reminder of sin’s consequence.
As you can see, the word Kaphar has another implication: it can also be rendered as ransom for one’s life. Kaphar can mean a payment made in exchange for a blood-debt.
The action taking place on the 10th day of the biblical 7th month is an intersection of three things: on the holiest day of the year, the holiest man in the world goes into the holiest place in the world.
Leviticus 16 outlines the entire list of requirements for the High Priest to follow. In addition to the sacrifice of a bull and ram, it involves two goats: one is slaughtered and the other is smeared with the dead goat’s blood and driven out of the community. The High Priest uses the blood from the bull and goat to make atonement for himself, the HolyTemple, and the nation of Israel.
Because atonement is the work of Yeshua on our behalf, we need to pay careful attention to these rituals. Until we understand biblical atonement and the Day of Atonement, we will not fully understand who Yeshua is or what He accomplished for us. According to the writer of the book of Hebrews, Messiah has become our High Priest. He entered into the Holy of Holies in heaven – the actual throne room of God – and applied His own blood for atonement. He entered into the presence of God for us so that He might usher us in as well:
Hebrews 9:11-12 NASB “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He (entered) through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
Messiah is our High Priest, “a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the LORD pitched, not man.” Therein He applied His atoning blood. Therefore, the ceremony of the Day of Atonement uniquely patterns the work of Messiah: His death, His sacrifice and the atonement of His blood. We boldly enter the presence of God because the blood of Messiah covers us. Today He stands interceding on our behalf before the throne of God, just like a high priest.
During these 10 days from the Festival of Trumpets to the Day of Atonement, we submit ourselves to self-inspection and seek forgiveness from God and others for our improper conduct. On Yom Kippur, God judges Israel as individuals and as a nation. His people fast and pray as God, the King pronounces judgment. As believers, we have an assurance that God has forgiven us if we seek forgiveness and repent, without the need for the blood of a goat or bull.
So am I happy that I have Atonement? Yes, I’m happy that I have a covering, but No, I’m not happy that God had to become a living sacrifice because of my sin. That’s where observing Yom Kippur IN THE CONTEXT OF MESSIAH becomes a viable event for believers. It’s a day of selflessness where we approach the King of Kings. God commands that we refrain from work and have a holy convocation in our home. It’s a day of fasting and setting aside our own desires in favor of His, and in doing so, it is an excellent heartfelt way to honor Yeshua and offer thanks to Him for the atonement we received from the work He performed at Calvary and in the Heavenly Temple. As we fast, we pray that we would be strengthened in this coming year that we might be more conformed to Him.
For believers, our final day of judgment will be the day on which we fall back on the Messiah’s atonement. For us, the day of judgment is a day of atonement. Hence, the Torah does not say, “On this day you will stand before the heavenly court to be condemned.” Rather it says, (Lev. 16:30 NASB) “It is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD.”
Yeshua tells His disciples, (Luke 10:20 NASB) “Rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
Indeed, the names of His disciples are “written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 17:8
Rejoice that your name is “written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.” Rev 13:8
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I’m not a scholar, just a crazy Jewish Believer who wants to see no one deceived and everyone saved.
Shalom uv’racha b’shem Yeshua Mishikheinu!
Peace and blessings unto you in the Name of Yeshua, Our Messiah!
The Day of Atonement
Myer Pearlman
From The Pentecostal Evangel, March 23, 1958 edition
On the Day of Atonement the Israelite high priest, for the first and only time in the year, passed beyond the outer court and holy place and went into the Holy of Holies. There, in the presence of God, he offered a sacrifice that would cleanse the entire nation. The gladdest moment of the Jewish year was when the high priest once more appeared, signifying that once again the work of atonement was completed and they were purged and cleansed.
Even today Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn day in the Jewish year. A Jew will go to the synagogue on this day, even if he has not done so all the rest of the year. Orthodox Jews will go for the entire twenty-four hours without touching food or water, and some stand erect the entire time, in order to find forgiveness from God. But there is no answer from heaven.
The sacrifices offered on the Day of Atonement were the climax of the sacrifices offered during the entire year. It was a spiritual house cleaning time in Israel –when the nation and the Tabernacle were cleansed. On the Day of Atonement blood was sprinkled everywhere to cleanse the high priest himself, to cleanse the priesthood, and to cleanse the entire nation.
Now, on what was this day based, and what was the need for it? The answer is found in the word “holy.” Israel was a “holy” nation, separated from the defilements of heathendom and dedicated to the worship of God.
Everything in the life of an Israelite pointed to holiness. The purpose of the Book of Leviticus was to keep out heathenism and to keep in holiness.
The Israelite couldn’t eat the same food as other nations, for he belonged to God and must be very careful how he lived. He had to wear special garments, and to observe special days. Everywhere and in everything holiness was stamped upon his life –holy garments, holy food, a holy Tabernacle. God would stamp upon the character of His people the thought that they could not be like other nations –they must be separated, dedicated, set apart. To maintain that holiness the nation had an annual reconciliation on the Day of Atonement.
Now let us follow the high priest in his ritual on the Day of Atonement, and then see how the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled these typical ceremonies when He offered Himself as the one great Sacrifice which was the climax of all sacrifices.
The high priest, clad in garments of glory and beauty offers the morning sacrifice on behalf of the nation. Then he goes to the laver carrying a simple white garment. He takes water from the laver, enters into the holy place, doffs his beautiful garments, and washes himself in preparation for entering the presence of God. He dons a white penitential garment, signifying that the work he is about to do is concerned with the people’s purification.
Next is the preparation of the special sacrifices. The first is a bullock offered for the high priest’s sins. There are also two goats –one to be offered as a sacrifice for the nation, the other to serve as a scapegoat.
First, he must offer the sacrifice for his own sin. He goes to the bullock and lays his hand very heavily upon the animal, confessing his own sins. He kills the animal and catches its blood in a basin. With this blood he sprinkles the horns of the altar pleading that God will forgive his sins.
The priest then lifts the veil and enters the presence of God standing before His throne to make atonement. Before the Mercy Seat there is incense arising, covering the Skekinah glory so that the high priest does not look upon God. He sprinkles the blood before the mercy Seat, and upon it. Jehovah accepts him; atonement is made for his sins.
Cleansed himself, he can now offer the sacrifice to cleanse others. He leaves the Holy of Holies and comes to the gate. He approaches the goat which is to be offered as a sacrifice to bring Israel again into a condition of grace. After killing it he catches its blood in a basin. Once again he lifts the veil and stands before the Ark of the Covenant.
As the priest sprinkles the blood on the Mercy Seat the sins of the entire nation are cleansed, pardoned, cancelled. Coming out of the Holy of Holies, he mixes the blood of the bullock with that of the goat, and sprinkles the four horns of the golden altar of incense where the priests have ministered. This cleanses the priesthood so they can minister once again.
To show the people what has been done in secret, the high priest lays his hands heavily upon the scapegoat and confesses over it all the sins of the people: “O God, Thy people, the house of Israel have sinned; they have committed iniquity and transgressed against Thee. Pardon now their sins and lay the sin of the people upon this goat.”
Then the scapegoat is led out into the wilderness, and thrown over a precipice. The goat is led by a Gentile, for any Jew would be defiled and would have to be cleansed again.
Between the wilderness and the Temple are ten stations, each occupied by a man with a flag. As soon as the Gentile has pushed the goat over the precipice, the first man flashes the signal, then the next, and so on till finally the news reaches the Temple and the waiting people, that the goat has arrived in the wilderness and their sins are taken away.
The high priest now goes again into the holy place, takes off the white garments of humiliation, and puts on the others, while the people on the outside wait for the sound of the bells. As soon as the high priest puts on the robe of the ephod the bells begin to tinkle, thus indicating to those waiting that he is alive. Finally, they see him coming forth in his glorious garments to minister again for the entire year. He raises his hands and says, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make His face to shine upon thee: …and give thee peace.” It is finished. They have received the blessing, and everyone rejoices.
These ceremonies were but types. The New Testament in six scenes shows how they were fulfilled by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Scene I. There is a council meeting in one of the great council chambers of the Temple. (John 11:47-53). One priest says, “Brethren, this Man performs many miracles. There is a renewal of His popularity. If He continues doing miracles, people will gather around Him and we shall have a revolution. The Romans will take away our independence and position. What shall be done?” Then stood Caiaphas, the high priest, who once a year made atonement for the sins of the people. Caiaphas was a shrewd politician, a wicked man. He said in effect, “Why are you so excited? You are afraid this Man will get us in bad with the Romans! Don’t be foolish. Use your heads. We will use Him to show the Romans that we are loyal citizens after all. We will have Him arrested and say to Pilate, ‘Sir, we have found this Man stirring up the people and forbidding them to pay tribute to Caesar. We are loyal citizens, and for our own protection are delivering Him up.’ Which is better –that one Man should suffer or a whole nation perish?”
John gives us his commentary on this: “This spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation.” Though he knew it not, in that council chamber the high priest was laying his hand upon the scapegoat.
Scene II Jesus is on His way to the Garden bearing on His heart the names of the tribes. He prays His high priestly prayer of John 17.
Scene III. Gethsemane. In Leviticus 16:17 we read: “And there shall be no man in the Tabernacle of the Congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself.” There was no man who could share the sufferings of the Son of Man as He knelt and cried, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wilt.” What was happening there? In Gethsemane, priest and sacrifice were blended and became one; and as the high priest put the pressure of his hand upon the sacrifice, so the pressure of our sins was laid upon Him It was in the Garden that the Lord Jesus Christ robed Himself for that great sacrifice.
Scene IV. Calvary “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” What does it mean? The bodies of the animals, whose blood was taken into the Holy Place on the Day of Atonement, were carried outside; and so Jesus, “that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” He was rejected and He was cast out of the city.
Scene V. The Resurrection and the Ascension. The animal was killed at the altar, but the atonement was made in the presence of God. The high priest took the animal, took its blood, stood before the presence of God, and sprinkled the Mercy Seat. Jesus died on the earth, on Mount Calvary, but in Heaven the atonement was actually made. There the Son of God stood before God, not in His penitential garments, but in His beautiful robes; and because God accepted Him, He accepts us. Calvary was the place of killing, but Heaven was the place of sprinkling (Heb 9:22-24). Jesus died, but that was not enough. He arose from the dead, but that was not sufficient. Jesus had to ascend to present His sacrifice before God. You will remember that when the high priest went into the holy place the people were waiting outside. They had to know that he was alive, and were waiting for the sound of the bells and for the blessing. And this leads us to
Scene VI. The Upper Room. There were 120 gathered together. They knew their Master had died, and that He had risen from the dead and now had ascended. But had God accepted His sacrifice? Was He alive? Was the work really accomplished? They said, “He told us to tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the blessing,” and every day they prayed. Everything remained silent: not a sound.
But “when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place,” waiting for the sound of the bells, “and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house… and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Like the tongues of the tiny bells on the high priest’s garment, their tongues rang out their message of praise. They knew then that He had arrived in Heaven, that He had been accepted. The work was done.
Then out they went, and throughout the city of Jerusalem the word was spread: “Jesus, whom ye crucified, has risen; and He has ascended, and is now in the presence of God.”
“How do you know He is there?” the Jews would ask; and Peter would reply, “He hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.” And all the city of Jerusalem heard that dominant message of the primitive church –“Jesus whom ye crucified now lives.”
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Sam also known as Jim Ellis
Apostolic in doctrine
Pentecostal in experience
Charismatic in practice
Non-denominational in affiliation
Inter-denominational in fellowship
Lesson 89
The Day of Atonement Leviticus 16 and 17 describe the Day of Atonement. This special day was in addition to the
five offerings discussed in the previous lesson. This portion of the Tabernacle worship is an outstanding
object lesson, a silent sermon picturing in type for all time to come the central and most
important theme of the Bible: the doctrine of the Atonement. This is, of course, only one of many
such types, but the teaching here is brought forth with astounding clarity and in minute detail.
Let us come in our mind’s eye and follow the high priest as he carefully obeys the great
Jehovah and proceeds to carry out the instructions for that special day. In Leviticus 16, Moses
warned Aaron that only in a special manner would he be able to approach the mercy seat and
stand in the presence of the heavenly glory that hovered over the ark of the covenant in the Most
Holy Place. He first had to make a sin offering for himself. (See Hebrews 5:1-3.) In this, he is a
type of Christ only by contrast, as Hebrews 7:26-28 explains. However, in all that follows in the
ceremony, which he performed for the people, he is a positive type of Jesus as our true high
priest.
We observe that his dress for this special occasion was entirely different. He exchanged his
beautiful priestly garments for garments of plain white linen: “He shall put on the holy linen coat,
and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and
with the linen mitre shall he be attired” (Leviticus 16:4). He then took from the congregation of
Israel two goat kids and cast lots over them at the door of the Tabernacle. There had to be two
goats, for there were definitely two sides to the Day of Atonement: first, to satisfy the wrath of
God, and second, to carry away the sins of the people. The lots decided which goat was to be used
for each purpose.
He then took a censer full of burning coals from off the altar, a supply of sweet incense, and
a basin of blood from the bullock slain as the sin offering. He disappeared from the sight of the
people, passed through the sanctuary, and went behind the veil into the Most Holy Place. There
he put the incense upon the burning coals, so that a cloud covered the mercy seat, protecting himself
from death. He then sprinkled the blood upon the mercy seat and retraced his steps so as to
appear again before the people.
He then killed the goat upon which the lot had fallen, took its blood within the veil, and made
an atonement for Israel “because of their transgressions” (Leviticus 16:16). He reappeared and
lay both his hands upon the head of the living goat and confessed over him “all the iniquities of
the children of Israel . . . putting them upon the head of the goat, and [sent] him away . . . into
the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited”
(Leviticus 16:21-22). Thus both sides of the Atonement were fully presented: the slain animal satisfying
the wrath of God and the scapegoat showing what the Atonement accomplished for Israel
in bearing away the sins of the people. Christ, however, took those sins away as far as the east is
from the west when He died on Calvary. The typical sacrifice had to be offered once each year,
but Christ’s offering had to made only once (Hebrews 10:10). (See Isaiah 43:25; 53:5; John 1:29; Hebrews 9:28.)
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Sam also known as Jim Ellis
Apostolic in doctrine
Pentecostal in experience
Charismatic in practice
Non-denominational in affiliation
Inter-denominational in fellowship
Both of those were nice reading, Sam. Thanks for contributing!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam
The Day of Atonement
Myer Pearlman
From The Pentecostal Evangel, March 23, 1958 edition
Now THERE'S a nice Jewish name! And he's in Pentecost when he wrote this? Gotta love it.
Unsaved Jewish people do the most amazing and borderline ridiculous things for atonement, yet they still recognize the need for blood atonement. It's up to us to tell them that the Temple hasn't stood for 2 millennia because the blood of Jesus serves as our final atonement.
A day of judgment is coming for all and Yom Kippur is a Biblical reminder of this reality. May all who are in Messiah be found in the Book of Life.
__________________
I’m not a scholar, just a crazy Jewish Believer who wants to see no one deceived and everyone saved.
Shalom uv’racha b’shem Yeshua Mishikheinu!
Peace and blessings unto you in the Name of Yeshua, Our Messiah!
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