Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement 2019

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement in Jesus
By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe



 "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath" (Lev 23:26-32).
 
In Biblical times, Yom Kippur was the one day in the year when the High Priest, and only the High Priest, could go beyond the veil and into the Holy of Holies.  He went first to make atonement for himself and again to make atonement for the nation of Israel. 
Yom Kippur was for the atonement of priesthood, of the people, and even of the tabernacle itself, which, as God had said, 'is among them in the midst of their uncleanness:' 

"So he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, for all their sins; and so he shall do for the tabernacle of meeting which remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness” (Lev 16:16).
 
For Jews, Yom Kippur is considered the most Holy Day.  For Christians is a time to once again consider the atoning sacrifice of our High Priest, Yeshua Hamacsiach, Jesus Christ.

Part of the temple ritual of Yom Kippur involved two goats.  The first goat was sacrificed for the sins of the people.  

The second goat was the scapegoat. This goat was not sacrificed.  It was to "be sent away into the wilderness."
Lev 16:20-22 "And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness."
It was a dramatic picture of God’s removal of sin.  David sang later, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Ps 103:12).

Yom Kippur pictures the finished work of the Cross.  The author of the book of Hebrews declares, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15).
 
“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:25).
 
“O the blood of Jesus,
O the blood of Jesus;
O the blood of Jesus,
It washes white as snow.”

Neither the Tabernacle in the Wilderness nor the Temple in Jerusalem exists today.  Instead, the Word of God tells us that believers are the temple of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Father God, on this Yom Kippur, I thank You for the atonement of Jesus Christ.  Only through Him can I be a worthy temple of the Holy Spirit.  

“Sanctuary”  by John W. Thompson and Randy Scruggs

Lord, prepare me

To be a sanctuary,

Pure and holy,

Tried and true.

With thanksgiving,

I’ll be a living

Sanctuary for You.