What is the purpose for the Day of Atonement? And what will the Day of Atonement mean for us in the future? Did not the blood of Jesus cover us permanently? Or is there a deeper meaning for the Day of Atonement?
The word Atonement means to cover over, as in a temporary fix. And there is a lot more to this word Atonement then we realize.
After reading Leviticus chapter 16 we can extrapolate these points that God was making to the nation of Israel about atonement day. To make holy the place and the people of God, to rid sin from the land. This is not the only time God mentioned atonement day, Leviticus chapter 25 speaks of observing the Sabbath years and after the 49th year there was to be a Jubilee on the 50th year.
To proclaim the return of lands and possessions, to sanctify the Jubilee year and announce liberty for all. Is there anything more to this day of atonement?
The Ransom Price and the Incense Altar
Let us now turn our attention to what God told Moses as respects for making atonement for both the incense altar and all the men who would be registered before God as the nation of Israel.
Exodus 30:1-10… “You are to make an altar for the burning of incense; make it of acacia wood. 2 It must be square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide; it must be 36 inches high. Its horns must be of one piece. 3 Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it. 4 Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. 5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 “You are to place the altar in front of the veil by the ark of the testimony, out in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony there is where I will meet with you. 7 Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning (about 9am) when he tends the lamps. 8 When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight (about 3pm), he must burn incense. There is to be an incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You must not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt or grain offering; you are not to pour a drink offering on it. 10 “Once a year Aaron is to perform the purification rite (atonement) on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he is to perform the purification rite (atonement) for it once a year, with the blood of the sin offering for atonement… Leviticus 16:18.
The incense altar represented the place that prayers were made for Israel to God. Even though the incense altar was in the Holy Place and sat directly in front of the Most Holy, it still needed to be atoned for once a year.
The four horns upon the incense altar could represent the power of love, the power of justice, power of wisdom, and the power of salvation. When our prayers are offered up are we not truly seeking from God for him to apply these attributes in our lives and to what we are asking of him with respects to our prayers?
Now looking at the following Scriptures let us see how these men had to pay for a ransom for the atonement.
Exodus 30:11-16… The Lord spoke to Moses: 12 “When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom for himself to the Lord as they are registered. Then no plague will come on them as they are registered. 13 Everyone who is registered must pay half a shekel according to the sanctuary shekel (20 gerahs to the shekel). This half shekel is a contribution to the Lord. 14 Each man who is registered, 20 years old or more, must give this contribution to the Lord. 15 The wealthy may not give more, and the poor may not give less than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for your lives. 16 Take the atonement money (silver coin) from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites before the Lord to atone (to pay the ransom coin) for your lives.”
As a registered Israelite male being 20 years old or more you had to pay a ransom price (atonement amount, silver coin) for protection by God. Each male when coming-of-age had to pay this one-time amount to become registered as an Israelite under the arrangement of God. So, who was holding mankind ransom?
This concept of paying for protection was a way for God to show mankind that they needed him, they had to pay for the privilege of being an Israelite. As the expression goes “membership has its privileges.” I hope that we are peeking your interest as respects to the day of atonement and its deeper meaning.
I would also like to clear up at this time some misconceptions about the blood of Christ covering us. How is the blood of Christ connected to the day of atonement?
The Blood of Christ
The framework for what the sacrifice of the body of Christ accomplishes and the pouring out of his blood meant to God can be found at Daniel 9:24. It was to affect the establishment of these
seven things as follows:
To stop transgression and to put an end to sin. To make atonement for iniquity. To anoint the most Holy Place. To seal the vision and prophecy. To bring in righteousness forever.
The first thing that was accomplished through the death of Christ and the pouring out of his blood was that he was able to anoint the most Holy Place. Heaven itself was to be set free from corruption. Now the ushering in of righteousness could occur in phases. As the pouring out of Christ blood is the key that allowed passage into heaven. Christ stood before God and from him he received the Seven Sealed Scroll. Ephesians 1:7, Revelation 1:5-6, and Revelation 5:1-14.
Next the ability to stop transgression and put an end to sin was made available on a personal level to each one who would receive the blood of Christ as the acceptance of the new covenant. To be able to apply the value of the blood of Christ. As we drink the wine, we accept the new covenant from God as 1 Corinthians 11:25-28 brings out. To be able to apply the value of the blood of Christ. Each one of us needs to accept the fact that we live in sin, we need Christ daily in our lives to be declared righteous. Hebrews 10:19-20, 12:24, 13:12, and Romens 5:9.
What is left to accomplish is what the prophets have received in their visions and the prophecies they have spoken. Christ himself becomes the amen or the so be it as he accomplishes these sayings spoken by God. Every word spoken by God will be fulfilled. And as we fight the fine fight of our faith, we will come out of this tribulation as we wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb. We will conquer those who are misleading the earth. Revelation 7:14
Now let us turn our attention to what the apostle Paul spoke about Christ and his entry into heaven itself to perform the purification rite for the Day of Atonement.
Hebrews 9:8-28… The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper’s conscience. 10 They are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washings imposed until the time of restoration. 11 But the Messiah has appeared, high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), 12 He entered the Most Holy place (heaven) once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God? 15 Therefore, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in force while the one who made it is living. 18 That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. 19 For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you. 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood. 22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. 24 For the Messiah did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that He might now appear in the presence of God for us. 25 He did not do this to offer Himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. 26 Otherwise, He would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once, and after this, judgment 28 so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, butto bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.
The purification rite that was carried out on the day of atonement has greater fulfillment then you may have realized. Christ entered into heaven itself and with his blood cleansed it. And as he is still there, he is officiating and performing the duties required as the high priest. He is at this moment brought about made active as a mediator for mankind. When he is done with the duties required of this purification ritual, he will appear to mankind to those who are eagerly waiting on him. This only fulfills but one aspect for the Day of Atonement there still yet more to understand.
The Pay Back – Your Time is Short!
Look at what the apostle Paul saw and heard with respects to the vision that was given to him about the end times, about the salvation and hope we have in the kingdom of God.
Revelation 12:10-12… Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great fury, because he knows his time is short.
Now look at what God said about paying back and the atonement that is coming.
Deuteronomy 32:43… Be glad, you nations, with his people, For he will avenge the blood of his servants, and he will pay back vengeance to his adversaries and will indeed make atonement (H3722 appease) for the ground of his People.
The Hebrew word used here according to Strong’s Concordance #H3722 it is kapher, and it means to appease, cover over, or pacify.
Also, take notice in this particular verse, as it spoke of paying back vengeance to his adversaries. Why is it necessary to pay back vengeance? And why does the ground need the covering or atonement, why is God making atonement for the ground?
Ezekiel 36:6-12… Therefore, prophesy concerning the soil of Israel, and you must say to the mountains and to the hills, to the streambeds and to the valleys, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: “Look! I myself in my zeal and in my rage must speak, for the reason that humiliation by nations is what YOU have borne.”’7 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘I myself have raised my hand [in an oath] that the nations that YOU have roundabout they themselves will bear their own humiliation. 8 And YOU yourselves, O mountains of Israel, will give forth YOUR very own boughs and bear YOUR own fruitage for my people Israel, for they have drawn near to the point of coming in. 9 For here I am in favor of YOU, and I shall certainly turn toward YOU, and YOU will actually be cultivated and sown with seed. 10 And I will multiply upon YOU humankind, the whole house of Israel, all of it, and the cities must become inhabited, and the devastated places themselves will be rebuilt. 11 Yes, I will multiply upon YOU humankind and animal-kind, and they will certainly multiply and become fruitful, and I shall actually cause YOU to be inhabited as in YOUR former condition and I will do more good than in YOUR initial state; and YOU will have to know that I am Jehovah. 12 And upon YOU I will cause humankind to walk, even my people Israel, and they must take possession of YOU, and YOU must become a hereditary possession to them, and YOU will not bereave them again of any more children.”
This is indeed a very interesting Scripture that God swore to the land of Israel. This is not a swearing to the people but something more. How could the land bereave mankind of children? It seems like there is something more that is going on here.
Let us look at another Scripture where the apostle Paul has spoken about the day of atonement and especially the part that Jesus Christ plays in that.
Hebrews 9:9-12… This very [tent] is an illustration for the appointed time that is now here, and in keeping with it both gifts and sacrifices are offered. However, these are not able to make the [man] doing sacred service perfect as respects his conscience,10 but have to do only with foods and drinks and various baptisms. They were legal requirements pertaining to the flesh and were imposed until the appointed time to set things straight. 11 However, when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come to pass, through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, 12 he entered, no, not with the blood of goats and of young bulls, but with his own blood, once for all time into the holy place and obtained an everlasting deliverance [for us].
The true context of the Scripture hinges on the day of atonement when the high priest goes into the inner compartment, as you can see in verse 7. But let us focus our attention on the end verse.
Some of the translations of the Bible read “until the time God will establish the new order or until the time of registration, again until the time when things would be set right.”
Now let us look at the Greek words found in Strongs Concordance for this passage of Scripture. We have three words that we want to look at, #G2540 Kairos, #G1357 Reformation and #G1945 Being Imposed.
If we were to restructure the sentence, we can actually read this passage of Scripture as the appointed time of imposed reformation or the day of atonement for imposed reformation.
What other Scriptures speaks about the time of reformation or deliverance?
Isaiah 63:4…For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the very year of my repurchased (H1350 redeem) ones has come.
And again, here he speaks of the time to redeem. But redeem from who or what?
Redeemed from the Army of Heaven
Isaiah 34:4… And all those of the army of the heavens must rot away (H4743 melt). And the heavens must be rolled up, just like a book scroll; and their army will all shrivel away, just as the leafage shrivels off the vine and like a shriveled [fig] off the fig tree. (Matthew 24:29, Revelation 6:13-14)
Who have God’s people been under servitude too? Remember God’s people sinned against him, and he sent his people to be under servitude to the Army of heavens.
Acts 7:42… So, God turned and handed them over to render sacred service to the army of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not to me that YOU offered victims and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? But it was the tent of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan that YOU took up, the figures which YOU made to worship them. Consequently, I will deport YOU beyond Babylon.’
Remember when they sinned against God they were still in the wilderness; they had not gone into the promise land as of yet. God spoke and said they were going to be deported into Babylon, but that did not happen right away. It took time for God’s word to be fulfilled. But there is one thing for sure the nation of Israel was in servitude to the Army of the heavens and its gods.
There is one other Scripture that ties in with this Scripture, it is the one that the prophet Isaiah spoke. John the Baptist began to preach the message found in this passage of Scripture.
Did you know that John the Baptist was calling out in the wilderness in this very passage of Scripture? But why did he call out in the wilderness and who was he speaking to?
Isaiah 40:2-5… “SPEAK to the heart of Jerusalem and call out to her that her military service has been fulfilled, that her error has been paid off. For from the hand of Jehovah she has received a full amount for all her sins.” 3 Listen! Someone is calling out in the wilderness: “Clear up the way of Jehovah, YOU people! MAKE the highway for our God through the desert plain straight. 4 Let every valley be raised up, and every mountain and hill be made low. And the knobby ground must become level land, and the rugged ground a valley plain. 5 And the glory of Jehovah will certainly be revealed, and all flesh must see [it] together, for the very mouth of Jehovah has spoken [it].”
If you have an important message to give, would you rather not go into the city to give the message? Why would there be a highway through the desert being made for God’s people? Where would they be going?
We understand that the glory of God was revealed, and all men did see it when he made his Christ manifested, but was this the time to establish Gods new order? Was this the appointed time of reformation, the time to set all things straight?
No, the true day of Atonement was yet to come. When the Lord Jesus Christ was killed, and he was taken up to heaven there was a manifestation to show that he was sitting at the right hand of God. Do you remember when that manifestation happen?
It was 33 CE Pentecost and there was the pouring out of Holy Spirit, but this was not on the day of Atonement nor was it done close to that day. For the celebration of the day of Atonement happens in the fall of every year after the festival of the trumpets.
So, we have not seen the fulfillment of the day of Atonement as of yet! Where is this day of reformation for God to set all things straight? What would the day of reformation or atonement look like to us and how could we identify it?
We have a clue about God’s Day of atonement when we looked into the Scripture of Isaiah 34:4. We can see that God intends to replace the Army of the heavens with the new form of government. This oversite with that of Christ Jesus and his kingdom that will now oversee the earth and the things pertaining to it.
The Sovereign Lord himself will rip apart the heavens and will manifest his son as the King of kings and Lord of lords and then all things will be under servitude to him, Hallelujah.
The Future of Atonement Day
The prophet Ezekiel was given information about the future celebrations including the day of atonement found at Ezekiel 44:17-20, 45:17-20
As you to continue to read Ezekiel we began to realize that a lot of the celebrations that have been celebrated in the past are now to be celebrated in the future by all people. They are to establish the fact that these saving acts by God have occurred and will continue to be observed. These remembrances are because righteousness has been brought forth into our lives for evermore.
What We Have Learned
After reading Exodus 30:11-16 we should understand it is necessary for us to identify ourselves as a people for God. A true commitment has to be paid to God for his protection.
The day of atonement accomplished the cleansing of heaven. The ushering in of the new covenant. Establishment of a new priesthood and government for the kingdom of God.
Thank God that he has the wisdom, the power, the love and the ability to bring about the salvation to his creation to all who will accept him as the sovereign of the universe.
God will pay back to the disloyal, the unfaithful, the unrighteous and those of the rebellion those who worked against his word, his kingdom, and his son of righteousness.
Blessed is he that comes in the name of the LORD, Amen.
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