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Yom Kippur – The Day of Atomement
September 25, 2020
Here we are at the 2nd of the Fall Feast Days. Like I said in last week’s teaching on Yom Teruah…one of the first topics of interest always becomes the mo’edim, YHWH’s appointed days, holy days or holidays if you will. These are the days our Creator gave us to celebrate Him, and to prophetically learn about what our Mashiach did and still must do. Also, many have looked at these days as just for the Jews. However, we know that the Jews do not represent all twelve tribes. Plus, we know these were given to all who chose to follow YHWH, including Gentiles.
Numbers 15:15-16 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before YHWH. One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.
Some might be more familiar with this mo’ed as the Day of Atonement.
Yom Kippur is a mo’ed, or an appointed day, but it is not a feast day. As covered in the Yom Teruah teaching in this series, there are three feast days according to the Torah. These are Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot. All feast days are mo’edim, but not all mo’edim are feast days.
Leviticus 23:26-32 The Day of Atonement
Some quick points:
We are not to work on Yom Kippur because it is a day of atonement.
If we don’t rest, we are to be destroyed.
It is a permanent regulation.
It is to be obeyed no matter where we live.
It is to be a Shabbat of complete rest.
We are to deny ourselves.
It is to be a complete day, from sunset to sunset.
It is also found in Numbers 29 related to the sacrifices:
Numbers 29:7-11 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you. And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto YHWH; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish: And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram, And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto YHWH.
For this day, we are to rest, and we are to afflict ourselves, which we believe to be a reference back to the rest. Yom Kippur is a permanent statute, contrary to any suggestion that Yom Kippur no longer applies today.
It is exactly ten days from the start Yom Teruah. As mentioned in the Yom Teruah teaching, Yom Teruah appears to begin a call to repentance, or teshuva, these ten days are called the yomim nora’im or the Days of Awe, and it appears to culminate and lead into the purpose of Yom Kippur. According to Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year. The reason for this is because the purpose of the existence of man is to turn back to His Creator and follow His instructions, (Ecclesiastes 12:13) thus Yom Kippur is the appointed day that highlights Elohim’s purpose for man.
In the Torah, Yom Kippur is actually written in the plural as Yom Ha-Kippurim. Perhaps the reason for this is because atonement is facilitated through the Levitical priesthood on Earth, but YHWH Ha MAshiach became our High Priest and satisfied atonement on our behalf in the Heavenly tabernacle, thus demonstrating the plurality. Kippurim has no literal equivalent in English. The root word, “kafar”, is related to cleansing. “Kafar” likely derives from the word “kofer” which means “ransom.” This is parallel to the word “redeem.” (Psalm 49:7). The closest English word in meaning may be “reconciliation.” In English, it became the word atonement to incorporate the aspect of reconciliation, but more specifically, being at one with Elohim. The offering to YHWH on this day included an offering made by fire. Fire sacrifices were often for sins. For example, Numbers 15:27-31 says if an individual sins unintentionally, he is to offer a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. The priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven – no matter whether he is a citizen of Israel or a foreigner living with them. Yom Kippur is the only time the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and call upon the name of YHWH to offer blood sacrifices for the sins of the people. This is a “life for a life” principle that is the foundation of the sacrificial system and marked the great day of intercession made by the High Priest of Israel. The great majority of usages in the TANAKH concern “making an atonement” by the priestly ritual of sprinkling of sacrificial blood to remove sin or defilement. The life blood of the sacrificial animal was required in exchange for the life blood of the worshipper (the symbolic expression of innocent life given for guilty life). This symbolism is further clarified by the action of the worshipper in placing his hands on the head of the sacrifice and confessing his sins over the animal (Leviticus 16:21; 1:4; 4:4, etc.) which was then killed or sent out as a scapegoat. On Yom Kippur, the High Priest would bring a bull and two goats as a special offering, and the bull would be sacrificed to purge the temple for the defilements caused by the misdeeds of the priests and their households (Leviticus 16:6). The blood of the bull would be sprinkled inside the veil of the Holy of Holies, upon the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. Lots would be drawn to select one of two goats to be a sin offering on behalf of the people. The High Priest would lay both hands upon the head of the second goat while confessing all of the sins of the people. This goat was then driven away into the wilderness, carrying on it “all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited (Leviticus 16:22). So, Yom Teruah appears to start the alarm or call to repentance, and Yom Kippur provides the means for reconciliation or atonement with Him.
Mashiach YHWH became our High Priest who offered atonement for our sins by offering His own blood in the Holy of Holies made without hands. YHWH Ha Mashiach offered up His own body to be the perfect sacrifice for sins. By his shed blood we are given complete atonement before YHWH Elohim.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of Elohim in him.
The Levitical system of animal sacrifice, including the elaborate Yom Kippur ritual, was meant to foreshadow the sacrifice of YHWH Ha Mashiach as the means of our reconciliation with our Creator. This is actually what the whole Book of Hebrews is about.
Hebrews 9:23-28 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Mashiach is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Elohim for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Mashiach was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
It is about how YHWH Ha Mashiach became our High Priest, and He fulfills Yom Kippur in the heavenlies on our behalf.
According to Jewish rabbis, on the 6th day of the third month, seven weeks after the Exodus, Moses first ascended Sinai to receive the Torah (on Shavuot). Just forty days later, on the 17th of the fourth month, the tablets were broken. Moses then interceded for Israel for another forty days until he was called back up to Sinai on the 1st day of the sixth month and received the revelation of the name YHWH (Exodus 34:4-8). Keep in mind that First Fruits and Shavuot do not always fall on the exact same day. This is how it simply may have occurred for Moses that particular year, according to Jewish speculation. After this, he was given the second tablets and returned to the camp on 10th day of the seventh month, which was called Yom Kippur. Moses’ face was shining with radiance in wonder of the coming new Covenant which was prefigured in the rituals of the Day of Atonement (Exodus 34.10). This explains why Orthodox Jews begin the “Season of Teshuvah” beginning with 1st day of the sixth month and continuing through to the 10th day of the seventh month – for the 40 days that Moses was upon the mountain receiving the second set of tablets. Here we also find the first mention of the Book of Life, when Moses asked to be stricken from “the Book you have written” if Elohim would not make an atonement for his people (Exodus 32:32-33). The willingness of Moses to be “stricken from the book” on the people’s behalf is a powerful image of the mediating role of YHWH Ha Mashiach (Hebrews 9:15).
The Day of Judgment
The whole future prophetic lesson of the Day of Atonement is twofold:
First, judgment is coming to Israel. As Peter wrote, 1 Peter 4:17-19 This great day of judgment will begin shortly after the second coming of the Mashiach. Revelation 14:14-16 All Israel will be judged, according to their works. Ecclesiastes 12:14 But in that coming judgment, there is forgiveness and mercy and grace through YHWH Ha Mashiach our Master and Savior, who died for those of us of Israel on the tree, who gave his life as ransom for us.
Romans 5:1-2, 11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with Elohim through our Adonai YHWH Ha Mashaich: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of Elohim. 11And not only so, but we also joy in Elohim through our Adonai YHWH Ha Mashaich, by whom we have now received the atonement.
What about you?
Where do you stand?
Yom Kippur represents forgiveness and pardon for Israel — and wrath and eternal judgment for others.
Do you stand with the righteous of Israel?
Or with the wicked?
Are your sins covered by the blood of YHWH, the Mashiach and Redeemer?
Or are you still covered with the scars and sins of rebellion and wickedness?
Have you had your own personal “Yom Kippur” yet?
Have you made peace with YHWH?
Do you believe upon Mashiach YHWH and follow Him as the living Word of Elohim?
If not, no time is better than now.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahwah Ha Mashiach for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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