Day of Atonement

Leviticus 23:26-33 September 2008 Robert Hollas

Lev. 23:26The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 27"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. 28"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.

In Hebrew, Yom day, and Kippur means to pardon, or condone. It means to make amends or to reconcile to become "at one."Yom Kippur has several names: the Day of Atonement, the Day of Judgment, the Sabbath of Sabbaths and the Day of redemption.

All of the ancient Biblical Holy Days are significant to Christians because,they individually symbolize the steps in God's Plan of Salvation and reconciliation for all humanity.

The Day ofAtonement is the most solemn day of the year.Israel prepared for YomKippurby repenting from all known sin.

  1. It was the day of national cleansing.
  2. It was a day of fasting and seeking the Lord to deliver them and their nation.
  3. It is a day dedicated to prayer
  4. The year Jubilee begin on Yom Kippur.Lev 25: 8-54 & Is 61 v1-2which Jesus quoted in Luke 4 v16-19

The significant things about this feast

On the Day of Atonement was the only day that the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies in the temple. It was the most Holy place of the temple where God (Yeshua) dwelt on the mercy seat the covering of the Ark of the Covenant. Heb. 1

Aaron the High priest would enter the most holy place several times on the Day of Atonement.

  1. The High Priest entered the Holy of Holies with theatoning blood as the representative of the people (New Bible Dictionary).
  2. He entered with blood of the sacrifices, only with blood could atone for sin.
  3. Thedaily, weekly, and monthly sacrifices made at the altar of burnt offering were not sufficient to atone for sin.
  4. Even at the altar of burnt offering in the outer court, the worshipper stood “afar off,” unable to approach the Holy Presence of God.

WHAT IS A SACRIFACE

The Day of Atonement is about sacrifices, or to pay the debt of another. The Biblical understanding of sacrifice is much different from the modern.

In Webster’sDictionary the definition of the word “sacrifice” is

1: an act of offering something precious to Deity

2: something offered in sacrifice,

3a: deduction or surrender of something for the sake of something else.

However the Hebrew word for sacrifice is “korban”. It is from the root word meaning “to come near, to approach, to become closely involved in a relationship with someone.”

  1. The English word gives the idea of a gift or present, giving up something of value for another’s benefit.
  2. Korban is used exclusively in the Bible in the context of man’s relationship with God.
  3. The true meaning can only be grasped through its root, the concept of coming close.

Aaron was to offer a sin offering (for future sins) and a burnt offering (complete destruction of self) that is called in New Testament dying to self.

Lev. 16:2ffThe Lord said to Moses:

“Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.3“Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bull for a sin offering and ram for a burnt offering.4Then he must wash his entire body and put on his linen tunic and the undergarments worn next to his body. He must tie the linen sash around his waist and put the linen turban on his head. These are his sacred garments.

He must lay aside the High Priestly clothes and put on the clothes of a priest. Yeshua did exactly that, He laid aside His deity and took the form of a normal man.

5The people of Israel must then bring him two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a whole burnt offering. 6"Aaron will present the bull as a sin offering, to make atonement for himself and his family.

THE HIGH PRIEST IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES

The Day of Atonement is centered around the High Priest entering the most Holy Place several times with blood to atone for himself, his family and the nation of Israel. At the end of the day two goats were presented to the High priest. He would cast lots, the one chosen was the goat of the Lord, the other the scapegoat.

The goat of the Lord was sacrificed; the High Priestentered the Holy of Holies carrying the blood and a censer of burning coals from the golden alter. He took a hand full of sweet incense and put it on the coals so the cloud of incense would obscure his view of the Mercy seat, 1 Corinthians 13.

He then sprinkled theblood on the east side of the Mercy seat.

  1. The word Mercy Seat is the Hebrew word “kapporet” meaning atonement or covering.
  2. Because of the blood, God did not see the broken law inside the Ark. After offering the blood he returned to the court yard laid his hands on the scapegoat confessing the sins of Israel.
  3. The scapegoat was taken to the Negev (southern desert) wilderness and released. Later Israel would push the goat over a cliff.
  4. The animal could never return to the house of Israel, so it is true that the sins of the nation God had forgivencould never return.
  5. We enter into God’s presence and see through a mirror, dimly, (1 Corinthians 13:12), just as the High Priest could not see Him clearly because of incense. But we will see Him face to face.

None of the animals sacrificed on the Day of Atonement was a lamb. Yeshua's sacrifice was the Passover lamb, sacrificed asa substitute for all who have believed.

JOHN RECONIZED YESHUA AS THE LAMB OF GOD

(This was the day of Atonement) 29The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30“This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘ After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ Yeshua fulfilled this most holy day!

AARON RETURNS TO THE HOLY PLACE

After leaving the Holy of Holies Aaron removed his holy garments, washed his body, and put on the clothes of the High priest. Yeshua did the same; after His death and resurrection God returned to Him His former position. He prayed for this in John 17: 4I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

The High Priest then went to the court yard and before the people offered the fat of the sacrifices on the altar of sacrifice in the outer court yard, raised his hand, blessed the people and spoke the name of God. In Jewish tradition, it was forbidden to speak the name of God except on this most holy day. This is not forbidden in the scriptures, it was the religion of man and not the heart of God. Numbers 6:23ff

JesusfulfilledYom KippurIt is worth reading Leviticus 16 considering the significance of Jesus' blood and the tearing of the curtain in the Temple.

Hebrews 9 and 10 explain that Jesus "went into the heavenly Holy of Holies with his blood and made atonement once and for all"(Heb 9:12) When Jesus died, the veil separating the Holy of Holies from the people was torn in two, from top to bottom, showing that access had been made available to all men.

"If My people who are called by My namewill humble themselves,and pray and seek My face,and turn from their wicked ways,then I will hear from heaven,and will forgive their sinand heal their land.- 2Chr.7:1

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