The Day of Atonement (Part 1)
Section Six of Biblical Holy Days
Compiled by: Richard C. Nickels article link
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Introduction
Section Six of Biblical Holy Days covers the Day of Atonement, the only commanded annual fast day. The Day of Atonement is the tenth day of Seventh Month, and can never fall on first, third and sixth days of the week. We begin fasting by missing the evening meal before sunset of the beginning of the tenth day of the Seventh Month. Prayer, Bible Study, meditation, and spiritual fellowship are our spiritual food during this annual "Sabbath of Sabbaths."
Day of Atonement
Afflicting the Soul, Fasting = No Food or Drink, Day of Cleansing From Sin, Climax of Ten Days of Repentance, Initiates Jubilee Year, Turning Back, Return, Azazel, Putting Away of Satan, At-one-ment, Man is Made at One with God
Psalm 32:1, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."
Hebrews 9:22, 27-28 and 10:10, " . . . without shedding of blood is no remission [of sins] . . . . And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many . . . . we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
Hebrews 10:16-22, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days . . . I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having . . . boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus . . . Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith . . . .
Psalm 35:13, "I humbled [afflicted] my soul with fasting . . . ."
James 4:10, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up."
Day of Atonement is a Special "Sabbath of Sabbaths"
Leviticus 23:27-32, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever, throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest [Hebrew: "Sabbath of Sabbaths," indicating that Atonement is a Sabbath of paramount importance], and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate [rest] your Sabbath.
Purpose to Make Atonement For Our Sins Once a Year
Leviticus 16:29-34, And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all . . . . For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever . . . . And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year.
Exodus 30:10, And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
Why is atonement for sins needed?
Ezekiel 18:4, 20, . . . the soul that sinneth, it shall die [unless that sin is atoned, or covered].
Hebrews 9:22, . . . without shedding of blood [there] is no remission.
Significance of Old Testament Atonement Rites
Please read Leviticus 16:1-34. Here is a commentary on this important Bible chapter:
The Old Testament rites of the Day of Atonement have great significance. Aaron is a type of Christ. The holy place represented, was a type, of the throne room of the Almighty in Heaven. See Exodus 25:17-20 and Jeremiah 17:12. The mercy seat was the cover of the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Ten Commandments. The high priest was an impure human being, unfit to stand in the presence of the sinless spiritual Creator, so he had to be cleansed and his sins removed. The physical rituals did not really do this, but reminded them of sin and the need for the coming messianic sacrifice. The priest's "holy garments" represented righteousness, Revelation 19:8.
The Hebrew word translated "scapegoat" in the KJV is Azazel. Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon defines azazel as "an evil demon." Azal means "he removed or separated." Azazel thus represents Satan the Devil. The English word scapegoat comes from escape goat, the one let go in the wilderness. Today scapegoat means "one who bears the blame for others, but is not guilty himself." Satan is no scapegoat! He is guilty and will be punished for his own sins. Man naturally is inclined to shift the blame, seeking a scapegoat. Satan's message is "always blame someone else, never clean up yourself." Christians freely admit their own guilt. Christ freely pays the penalty for the sinner, upon true repentance and a desire not to sin in the future. Christ is no scapegoat either!
Notice that the high priest cast lots to decide which goat was for the LORD and which was to represent Satan. He could not humanly determine which one was which. A lot is a solemn appeal to God to decide a doubtful matter. A sacred religious ceremony, casting of lots includes a supernatural act of God. Thus, lotteries and gambling are of the devil, profaning a holy ceremony. Proverbs 16:33. Men today are unable to tell who is of Christ, who is of Satan. The devil has done his work of deception so well, that the world does not know who is of God and who is of the Devil. Most Christian professing people who think they are worshipping God are actually worshipping the Devil, II Corinthians 4:4.
The incense of the high priest represented prayer, Revelation 5:8, the kind of petitions the Almighty will hear. Sweet incense shows that our attitude in prayer should not be bitter or vindictive. Beaten fine indicates that we are to be specific in prayer requests. Don't use the trite generalization: "God bless everyone." As incense rises from hot coals, so our prayers are to ascend like a cloud. Just as the cloud of incense protected the high priest from the glory of the Almighty, so prayers bring God's protection.
The goat of the sin offering represented Christ. Its blood symbolized the shed blood of our Savior. Why did the high priest sprinkle blood on the mercy seat? Because the mercy seat covered the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Ten Commandments written in stone by the finger of God. Breaking these laws made a sin offering necessary. Blood covered the Ark, thus symbolically "covering" broken law. The altar, tabernacle, and mercy seat were defiled by sin. During the year, the sins of Israel were symbolically transferred to the tabernacle and its fixtures. Once a year sin was symbolically removed at Atonement so that God could continue to dwell among His people. Sin separates us from God, Isaiah 59:2.
The priest entering within the veil with the blood of the goat represents the risen Messiah entering God's tabernacle on Wavesheaf Sunday in Heaven, beseeching the Almighty to apply His precious blood for our sins. Christ is our high priest today, Hebrews 7:25, 4:14-16, our intercessor with the Father.
Laying on of hands on the live goat reminded Israel that their sins needed to be placed on the head of Satan, the father of sin. Laying on of hands symbolizes a setting apart, bestowing some characteristic or attribute to, a being. The second goat cannot represent Christ, for when He died, He fully paid for our sins. Satan has a principal role in our sins. Christ paid for our part in our sins. Satan's part in our sins will be placed right back on his own head, where it belongs. Revelation 20:1-2 is a parallel passage, showing Satan will be bound. The "fit man" of Leviticus 16:21 represents an angel, who takes Satan away. Azazel, Satan, carries his own sins, he is no longer allowed to deceive people, and lives on in the wilderness.
After the ceremony is over, the high priest must wash his garments. After coming in contact with the symbolic Devil, he has to purify himself. Changing garments signifies putting away sin. The whole Christian life involves cleaning our garments, Zechariah 3:3-4, Revelation 3:4. We must continually wash ourselves from associations with this sinful world, Ephesians 5:26. Every Christian must have the appropriate wedding garments, signifying righteousness.
All spiritual Israelites must keep the Day of Atonement, an everlasting statute and reminder that we need the atoning blood of our Savior.
Hebrews 8, 9, 10 Explain Meaning of Leviticus 16
(1) Christ is our High Priest; Physical Things Served as Examples of Spiritual.
Hebrews 8:1-2, 5, We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary [holy things], and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man . . . . [which physical things] serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things . . . .
(2) What Was in Holy of Holies; Mercy Is Available to Cover Broken Law.
Hebrews 9:3-5, And after [inside] the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant . . . and the tables of the covenant [two tables of stone having the 10 Commandments]. And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat . . . .
(3) Physical Ordinances on Day of Atonement Did Not Make Israel Perfect; Reminded them of Sins and need of Atonement (covering), or Forgiveness.
Hebrews 9:7-10, But into the second [tabernacle, or "holy of holies"] went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people . . . the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest [available] . . . was a figure [type] . . . in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect . . . . Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal [physical] ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Hebrews 10:1, 3-5, For the [ceremonial] law having a shadow of good things to come . . . can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect . . . . But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins . . . . Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared me [a perfect human sacrifice -- Christ -- is necessary].
Hebrews 10:11, And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.
(4) The Offering of Christ Once and For All Provided a Means of Atoning for Our Sins: O.T. Sacrifices Done Away.
Hebrews 9:11-12, 22, But Christ being come an high priest . . . . by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us . . . . without shedding of blood is no remission [of sins].
Hebrews 9:26-28, . . . but now once . . . hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself . . . . So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many . . . .
Hebrews 10:10, By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:18, Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
See also Hebrews 7:26-27.
(5) By This Atonement, Christ is the Mediator of the New Covenant.
Hebrews 9:15, And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of his death . . . they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 10:16-17, This is the covenant that I will make with them . . . I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
(6) We Have Constant Availability of Mercy (Atonement for our sins).
Hebrews 7:25, Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.
(7) We Cannot Disdain the Blood of the Covenant Whereby We Are Forgiven -- Not Use Mercy As Excuse for Breaking the Law.
Hebrews 10:26-31, For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? . . . The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Special Sacrifices Offered on Day of Atonement
Numbers 29:7-11, And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein: But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savor; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish: And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram, A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement [see Leviticus 16], and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.
What Kind of Sacrifice Does God Want Today? Why?
Psalm 51:16-17, For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it . . . . The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
Hosea 6:6, For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
I Peter 2:5, . . . [we are] to offer up spiritual sacrifices.
Leviticus 23:27, . . . and you shall afflict your souls . . . .
Psalm 35:13, . . . I humbled [afflicted] my soul with fasting.
Psalm 69:10, When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting . . . .
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, . . . to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments or no. And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna [supernatural food] . . . that He might make thee know that man doeth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
Isaiah 58:6-7, Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke [of sins which burden you]? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh [have compassion on others, but be hard on yourself, get rid of your sins]?
Paul Began His Voyage to Rome After Atonement
Acts 27:9, Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them.
Day of Trumpets Foreshadows Atonement
Joel 2:1, 15-17, Blow ye the trumpet in Zion . . . let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand . . . . Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children . . . let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet [time to refrain from embracing, Ecclesiastes 3:5, and sexual relations, because of fasting and prayer, I Corinthians 7:5]. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep . . . and let them say, Spare Thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach . . . .
Joel 2:12-13, 32, . . . turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil [is anxious not to punish you].
NOTE: The message of these verses is clear: God's people need to repent, or they will not be spared in the Day of the LORD. But "whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered," Joel 2:32. Jews read Micah 7:18-20 on the Day of Atonement to show that God's mercy is available, IF we repent: "Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? [those few who do repent] He retaineth not His anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; And Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."
Matthew 5:7, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Exodus 20:5-6, . . . visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Day of Atonement a Special Time of Repentance
Numbers 5:6-7, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD . . . . Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense [offer restitution for] his trespass . . . [Compare with Leviticus 16:2].
Numbers 15:30-31, But that soul that doeth aught presumptuously [refuses to confess his sins and repent] . . . . Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken His commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
Deuteronomy 4:30-31, When thou art in tribulation . . . in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant . . . [see Deuteronomy 30:1-6].
I Kings 8:33-34, [Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple] When Thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against Thee, and shall turn again to Thee, and confess Thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto Thee in this house: Then hear Thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which Thou gavest unto their fathers.
I Kings 21:25-29, [Ahab humbled himself by fasting] But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up . . . . And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly . . . . Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before Me? because he humbleth himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring evil upon his house.
II Chronicles 7:14, If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
II Chronicles 33:11-13, [Manasseh humbly fasted and repented] Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto Him: and He was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD He was God.
Job 11:14, If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
Psalm 51:1-19, Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness. O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.
Proverbs 16:2, 6, All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes . . . . By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
Proverbs 28:13, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Isaiah 31:6, Turn ye unto Him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.
Isaiah 55:6-7, Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
Jeremiah 3:12-14, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD . . . for I am merciful . . . . Only acknowledge thine iniquity . . . . Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 13:23, Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Jeremiah 31:34, . . . for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Lamentations 5:21, Turn Thou us unto Thee [give us repentance], O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
Ezekiel 18:20, 21, 24, The soul that sinneth, it shall die . . . . But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity . . . shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned . . . in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.
Hosea 14:1-4, O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him.
Malachi 3:7, Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from Mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
Mark 1:15, . . . The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 2:17, . . . I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
I John 1:8-9, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Atonement Emphasizes Savior's Atoning Blood
Matthew 26:28, For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Luke 24:46-47, . . . it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Acts 20:28, . . . the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.
Romans 3:24-25, Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood . . . for the remission [passing over] of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.
Romans 5:9, Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
I Corinthians 15:3, . . . Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
Ephesians 1:7, In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Ephesians 2:13-18, But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us . . . . For through Him we both [Israel and Gentile] have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
I Peter 1:18-20, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.
I John 1:7, . . . the blood of Jesus Christ . . . cleanseth us from all sin.
I John 2:2, And He is the propitiation for our sins . . . also for the sins of the whole world.
Revelation 1:5, . . . Jesus Christ . . . that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.
Revelation 5:9, . . . for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood . . . .
Revelation 7:14, . . . These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 12:11, And they [God's Church] overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
The Fiftieth, Jubilee Year, Began on Atonement
Leviticus 25:8-17, And thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years . . . forty nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee [Hebrew, "liberty"] to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family . . . ye shall not sow, neither reap . . . . Ye shall not therefore oppress one another.
Where does God get the authority to order a jubilee redemption for the land and the people?
Leviticus 25:23-24, The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is Mine: for ye are strangers and sojourners with Me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land.
What are we in bondage to and what does this have to do with the Day of Atonement, and Jubilee?
Romans 7:14, For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Romans 6:16, . . . his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.
Isaiah 58:6, Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free [others we have harmed], and that ye break every yoke?
For us to be free, something and someone else must go into bondage:
II Corinthians 10:5, . . . bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Leviticus 16:21-22, And Aaron [after atoning for himself and the people] shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live [Azazel] goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness . . . unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Revelation 20:1-3, And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit . . . that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Comment: The Day of Atonement is a time we are to free ourselves from sin and Satan, asking God to mercifully cover (atone) our sins. It is also a time of great rejoicing, when Satan is put away and our sins are covered:
Psalm 32:1-2, Blessed [happy] is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
Written by: Richard C. Nickels
Giving & Sharing
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