The Seven Mayor Jewish Feasts and Jesus Part Three

The Feast of Yom Kippur The Day of Atonement

In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and you shall not do any work … For on that day he shall provide atonement for you to cleanse you from all your sins before the LORD. Leviticus 16:29-30

Yom Kippur is the most important holiday of Jewish year it’s celebrated on the seventh month on tenth day. Yom Kippur” means “Day of Atonement,” to atone for the sins of the past year or the Days of Awe.

In Days of Awe, Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and G-d, not for sins against another person. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible. That must all be done before Yom Kippur.

The service on the day of Yom Kippur lasts from morning until nightfall. Many prayers are said, but one is repeated at intervals throughout the service. This prayer is called Al Khet and asks for forgiveness for a variety of sins that may have been committed during the year.

For example: For the sin that we have committed under stress or through choice;

For the sin that we have committed in stubbornness or in error;

For the sin that we have committed in the evil meditations of the heart;

For the sin that we have committed by word of mouth;

For the sin that we have committed through abuse of power;

For the sin that we have committed by exploitation of neighbors;

For all these sins, O God of forgiveness, bear with us, pardon us, forgive us!

Once a year high priest in the line of Aaron will enter the Holies of Holies and sacrifice a young bull for sin offering. He is to enter the most holy place in this way: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. ⁴He is to wear a holy linen tunic, and linen undergarments are to be on his body. He must tie a linen sash around him and wrap his head with a linen turban. These are holy garments; he must bathe his body with water before he wears them. ⁵He is to take from the Israelite community two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. He will present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household.

Next he will take the two goats and place them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting.After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other for azazel, “{meaning scapegoat} he is to present the goat chosen by lot for the Lord and sacrifice it as a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot for azazel “{scapegoat} is to be presented alive before the Lord to make purification with it by sending it into the wilderness for azazel “{scapegoat}.

“When Aaron presents the bull for his sin offering and makes atonement for himself and his household, he will slaughter the bull for his sin offering. Then, he must finely take a firepan full of fiery coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of ground fragrant incense and bring them inside the veil. He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud of incense covers the mercy seat that is over the testimony, or else he will die. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger against the east side of the mercy seat; then he will sprinkle some of the blood with his finger before the mercy seat seven times.

“When he has finished purifying the most holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he is to present the live male goat. Aaron will lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the Israelites’ wrongdoings and rebellious acts—all their sins. He is to put them on the goat’s head and send it away into the wilderness by the man appointed for the task. The goat will carry on it all their wrongdoings into a desolate land, and he will release it there.

Dr John MacArthur wrote following, “ to cover the sins of the nation, both corporately and individually . Even with the most scrupulous observance of the required sacrifices, many sins and defilements still remained unacknowledged and, therefore, without specific expiation. This special inclusive sacrifice was designed to cover all that The atonement was provided, but only those who were genuine in faith, and repentance received its benefit, the forgiveness of God.”

http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-yom-kippur-2076499

http://www.reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/yom-kippur-day-atonement

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Yom_Kippur/yom_kippur.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

The feast of Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement were does Christ fit in all this ? What does an ancient Old Testament ceremony involving two goats have to do with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ was the only one able to perform a perfect atonement. Scriptures declare, “Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the actual form of those realities, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year. Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, once purified, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

But Jesus Christ, is our true High Priest sent from God, never needed forgiveness Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 7:26-28). He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” Hebrews 4:15.

In Leviticus, 16:5-6 we read that the High Priest in Aaron line was to offer a bull as a sin offering for himself and his own family. This is significant in that it shows that no human being is without sin, not even the earthly high priest Hebrews 5:1-3. As a man, he too needed forgiveness; he needed to be washed clean so that he could perform his priestly duties.

The Atonement of Christ is the sacrificial work of Jesus for sinners. In his death on the cross, Christ atoned mankind for their sins and God is satisfied with the payment. The obedience and death of Christ on behalf of sinners is the ground of redemption.

When Jesus shouted a with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. Suddenly, 30 feet in width and four inches thick curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom. A barrier between man and God, showing man that the holiness of God could not be trifled with. God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil and He can tolerate no sin Habakkuk 1:13. Only the high priest in Aaron line entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood. Wearing holy garments; he must bathe his body with water before he wears them. Since Jesus committed no sin Jesus replace the veil on the Holies of Holies is now barrier between mankind and God. As scriptures declare,”We can now boldly enter into God’s presence, “the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus who went before us, has entered on our behalf.”

Furthermore scriptures states,”“ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain that is, his body …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.

John MacArthur wrote Christ’s offering was an once-for-all sacrifice which is superior to all the sacrifices of the Levitical system. No longer any Lambs, goats and bulls is needed to be sacrificed.

The age of animal offerings was over. The ultimate offering had been sacrificed Jesus Christ.

https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/what-does-the-day-of-atonement-have-to-do-with-jesus-christ

http://www.theopedia.com/atonement-of-christ

https://www.thoughtco.com/necessary-attributes-atonement-of-jesus-christ-2159229

http://the-tabernacle-place.com/articles/what_is_the_tabernacle/tabernacle_holy_of_holies