Thursday, April 5, 2012

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

The Day of Atonement is found in Leviticus 23:26-32 and also in Leviticus 16. After the High Priest had made atonement for himself and his family, he would then take two goats and presnet them before the Lord. Lots were then cast for the two goats. The goat whose lot fell to the Lord was sacrificed as a sin offering. The other goat was known as the scapegoat from the Hebrew word "azazal." "Az," means "goat," and "azal" means "to go away." Both hands were laid on the azazal, Israel's sins were confessed, and the goat was led away into the wilderness. Hence the term "scapegoat." The purpose of this sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, known in the Hebrew as "Yom Kippur," had to do with the importance of the shedding of blood to take away the sins of Israel. To what end? that Israel's sins would be atoned for so that they might have the favor of God upon them! Yom Kippur occured on the 10th day of Tishri--the seventh Hebrew month(our late Septemeber or early October). It was the most solemn day in all of Israel and was the one day that Israel was "to afflict their souls" through fasting from the evening of Tishri 9th to sundown on Tishri 10th(24 hours).

The first Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement occured when Moses went back up on Sinai a second time for another 40 days. When he went up on Mt. Sinai the first time to receive the 10 Commandments, the nation of Israel sinned a great sin against God by making the golden calf! The result was that God was very angry. So Moses went up on the Mount again. This time he went up for the purpose of making "atonement" for the nation because of the sin of making the golden calf. According to rabbinc tradition, Moses went up on the first of Elul(our September 1). When he came down it was Tishri 10--40 days later--(our October 10th). So Moses actually came down on the Day of Atonement letting all of Israel know that atonemnet been achieved for them. That is why that the 40 days between Elul 1 and Tishri 10 are known as the 40 days of repentance or the season of Teshuvah. The point is this: the Day of Atonement is God's forgivness for the nation of Israel. Also it should be known that when Moses came down the mountain from his meeting with God, his face was radiant(Exodus 34:29-33). That is why that the expression "face to face" is an idiom for the Day of Atonement. I will say more about this a little later. One further point here. When Moses had made atonement for Israel--their sins as a nation being forgiven--he then began collecting the materials for the construction of the Tabernacle. God was essentially saying, now that atonement has been made for you, I want to come down and tabernacle among you! This is when the Tabernacle was built!

I'm going to get a little ahead of myself here, but please understand that all of this prophetically points to the Day of Atonement in the Tribulation period--when all Israel will repent and be saved. This will result in Yeshua the Messiah living and TABERNACLING among them in the Millennial Reign! Yeshua will return on the Feast of Trumpets(Yom Teru'ah--rapture and second return); He saves Israel on the Day of Atonement from the Antichrist and the Islamic Beast Kingdom by pouring out the seven last bowls of God's judgement(Revelation 16; 19:11-21); and He begins His Millennial Reign on the Feast of Tabernacles! Back now to a little more context for the Day of Atonement.

Some may be asking this question: what is the difference between Passover and the Day of Atonement? Passover speaks of individual redemption whereas the Day of Atonement speaks of the national redemption of Israel. In individual redemption we make the choice to personaly "apply the blood to our lives by faith" and so be saved. But when we get to the ultimate fulfillment of the Day of Atonement, God says "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Yeshua/Jesus is Lord." All governments, whether they like or not, are going to bow to God on that day! So all of the Fall Feasts, beginning with the Feast of Trumpets, speaks of national redemption and restoration of all the nations back to God and His Son(Revelation 11:15-19); the Feast of Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement in particular speaks of the nation of Israel and her redemption and restoration back to God. The Feast of Tabernacles marks the 1000 year reign of this redemption and restoration.

In an attempt to shorten this article somewhat, I am going to make a statement and then give you the scriptures to validify what I am going to tell you. You will have to look up the scriptures and do the comparisons. It is impossible to understand the Book of the Revelation without understanding Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement! Said another way, there is a Yom Kippur service in the Book of the Revelation. Leviticus 16:12-15 which is describing the Day of Atonement is found in the language and imagery of Revelation 8:3-7: the number 7, incense, and the golden altar. Also, Revelation 11:15-19 is replete with Day of Atonement language: the nations angry, God's temple and the Ark of the Covenant. Keep in mind that once a year the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies where God's Presence dwelt over the Ark of the Covenant! Also, when the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies he was wearing a white linen robe. When he offered the sacrifice on the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant, his white robes would be stained with blood! Please take a moment and read Isaiah 63:1-4 and Revelation 19:13. All of this in the Book of Revelation is to let us know that this is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement! Time will not allow me to develope this fully, but Yom Kippur happened at the end of the year in Israel--the final harvest. And what did they harvest in the fall of the year? Fruit, but particularly grapes from which wine was made. Revelation 14:18-20(please read) is language about the final harvest on the earth and it is full of the Day of Atonement imagery. God is telling us that Yom Kippur will happen at the end of the age when Yeshua returns to rapture the church, redeem Israel, and judge the nations that fought against Israel!

I will try and bring this to a close by hopefully making a modern application to the times in which we are living. Please take a moment and read Ezekiel 20:34-35. This speaks of what God will do with Israel in the last days. Especially notice the term "face to face," another term for Day of Atonement. During the last three and one half years of the Tribulation period, God is going to take Israel into the "wilderness," and there He will break their stubborn pride and remove the veil that has blinded their eyes to the truth. Revelation 12:6 says "The woman(Israel) fled into the WILDERNESS, to a place prepared for her by God, where she will be taken care of for 1,260 days(the last three and one half years of the tribulation period)." The whole nation of Israel, that has survived Antichrist's attempt to annihilate them, will at this time on Yom Kippur realize that Yeshua/Jesus is their Messiah! Zechariah 12:10 describes this incredible moment on that day: "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one THEY HAVE PIERCED, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns or an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn Son." This will fulfill the prophecy of Yeshua in Matthew 23:39, " You(Israel) will not see me again until you say,'blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'" Romans 11:25-27 says " I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:Israel has experienced a hardening in part UNTIL the full number of the Gentils has come in (been saved) , and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob(Israel). And this is my covenant with them WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." "When I take away their sins," is Yom Kippur! On the Day of Atonement Yeshua will remove their veil and they will recognize Him as their "atoning sacrifice."

In Acts 3:17-21, the Word of God makes it clear that Messiah will not come or return until Israel is ready to receive Him as a nation. This means that the Feast of Trumpets(the rapture of the church and second return of Yeshua); Yom Kippur--the Day of Atonement--the national salvation of Israel; and the Feast of Tabernacles--the millennial reign of Yeshua--are all tied to Israel! This is God's heart and God's plan. If we are wise, we will make God's heart and plan our top priority. By so doing, we will be positioning ourselves for the blessing of God in these last days. Genesis 12:3 was true yesterday, it is true today, and it will true in the days ahead. "I will bless those who bless you(Israel), and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Shalom

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