Christ in all the scriptures Day of Atonement

 Christ in all the scriptures

The day of atonement...Israel's repentance  Leviticus 23v26-32

Scripture references: Leviticus 16v1-34; 23v26-32. 

Set on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), the day of atonement (Yom Kippur) was one of the most important days in Israel's calendar.  It was the defining moment of their entire year, a most holy day, when all in Israel engaged in soul searching and repentance.  "Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you...".  Twice over the Lord said, "Ye shall afflict your souls"-23v27,v32.  Also twice over they were commanded to do no work-23v28, v31.  From the evening of the ninth day of the month, "from even unto even", they were to do no manner of work and they were to search their souls and confess their sins.  For this entire period there were to be no distractions from the exercise of afflicting themselves before God.  The word used is ana which is variously rendered afflict, humbled, forced, troubled in the Hebrew scriptures.  It means to browbeat oneself, looking inward rather than what would be the normal practice of looking around, pointing the finger of blame.  This was deep self-judgment in the presence of a holy and all-knowing God.  No work could be done on that day which would distract them from the affliction of their souls.  Throughout the year, offerings were made, confession of sins engaged, but, at the beginning of a new year, reflections were made on unconfessed sins, which would not be tolerated by the Holy One.  The day of atonement was the time when every scintilla of sin (the tiniest trace of sin) in all its forms was put away from the camp of Israel.

We have already seen from Leviticus 16, that the Day of Atonement involved the removal from the congregation of all their sins and all their transgressions and all their iniquities, and all their uncleanness, involving the whole camp, and every individual household within it-16v6, v9,v11, v16, v19, v21,v22,v30,v32-34.  We must project this further into the present and the future, for without that all this will be meaningless to us.  There is an historic ritual which applied to Israel only; there is also a prophetic fulfilment which involves the entire world,  Someone has said that "God's plan for Israel is God's cosmic plan for the whole world", and N/T scripture supports that. 

The feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread...cited in 1st Corinthians 5

The feast of Firstfruits...1st Corinthians 15v20-23

The feast of Pentecost...Acts 2

Th feast of trumpets...1st Corinthians 15v52 and 1st Thessalonians 4v16

The Day of Atonement...Hebrews 9v24-28

The feast of Tabernacles...Revelation 21v1-7

These. and other scriptures, proclaim the fact that the feasts of the Lord have relevance in the present time, and outline God's prophetic plans for the whole world.  Thus we are able to interpret scriptures in light of that panoramic principle.

We note that the Day of Atonement took place after the completion of harvest and the sounding of the trumpet to mark the occasion.  Thus the future affliction of Israel will take place after the Church has been taken home to heaven at the return of Jesus and the sounding of the trumpet.  The trumpet will sound not only to translate the Church, but to commence the process of regathering Israel from all the nations of earth into which they have been scattered.  This is cited by Matthew in 24v31, "And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other".  Note, only after the sounding of trumpets (plural) will the final Day of Atonement for Israel (His elect) take place.  This will be during the time known in scripture as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24v21; Daniel 12v1).  It is also called the Day of the Lord (Jehovah), when Almighty God establishes His claim on the godless world- (Revelation 11v15).  Another description of these last days is "The time of Jacob's trouble"-Jeremiah 30v7.  God will introduce severe persecution to Israel to bring them to repentance in the last days.  This will be the culmination of the Day of Atonement.   Every vestige of sin will be removed.  By far the greatest sin of Israel is rejection of Christ the Messiah.  He said as much in John 16v9-when the Holy Spirit comes, said Jesus, "He will convict the world of sin because they believe not on me".  This is the ultimate sin, of which Israel, at large, are guilty.  Rejection of Christ as Messiah is also the greatest sin of the Gentile world.  Only when they repent (change their mind) of that will the true Israel be saved-Romans 11v26-27, "And so all Israel will be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn asway ungodliness from Jacob.  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins".  This is the language of the Day of Atonement.

We can see a direct parallel in Hebrews chapter 9 with Leviticus 16 and relate it to Christ, which is the whole purpose of these studies.  Back then, the High Priest appeared on three distinct occasions: there are also three appearings of Christ recorded in Hebrews 9v24-28.

1) Aaron appeared in humble garb before the people with the sacrifice for His own sins and that of the people.  In Hebrews 9v26 "...but now once (for all) in the end of the world (the completion of the ages) hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself".   Christ came into this world, divested Himself of the garments of glory, and became Himself the sacrifice for sins.  He had no sins of His own, and was the sacrifice for all.

2) Aaron then appeared in the presence of God with the blood of the slain animal, for God's approval for their cleansing.  In Hebrews 9v24 it says, "For Christ is not entered into holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us".

3) Aaron appeared a second time from the presence of God to the people.  Only then did they know that their sins were removed and God was content.  Hebrews 9v28, "So Christ 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".

The parallel is so graphic it cannot be ignored

I encourage all readers to study Hebrews 9v24-28 in more depth.  There is a past, present and future-interesting panoramic view of the work of Christ.  Then there are three different words used for "appearing"; would be interested to hear your thoughts on that.  There is a powerful "As...so" parallelism from v27-28.  Thoughts?

This graphic link from O/T to N/T serves to declare the homogeneous nature of scripture, and enables us to enjoy the truth that Christ is at the very centre of the Divine plan.