The Day of Atonement

We have nearly finished our study on the seven different Jewish feasts and today we will be looking at the second to last feast.

“27 “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to the Lord. 28 Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God.”

Leviticus 23:27-28

This feast was the most solemn of all the Israelite feasts and is to be an atonement for the nation of Israel’s sins. Leviticus 16:1-34 describes how the atonement ritual began but I will break it down here. First the high priest was to bathe and put on special garments. Then he would first sacrifice a bull as a sin offering for himself and his family before sacrificing one goat for the sin of Israel. A second goat was used as a scapegoat, the high priest would place his hands on its head, confess the sins of Israel over it before an appointed man released it into the wilderness. This was symbolic in that the goat carried on the sins of all the people, which were forgiven, for another year.

For the Christians today, we can see this feast as a reminder for mankind’s need to be cleansed of sin. This was only done when Jesus came to make the once and for all sacrifice, “27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” Hebrews 7:27. Christ’s sacrifice is good for more than a year, it is sufficient for every sin of all those who would come to confess Him as Lord and Savior. Because of Christ, there is no longer any need for another sacrifice. His sacrifice appeased God’s wrath against sin, “9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” Romans 5:9. Finally, we can be reminded that once we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, there are two important promises we must recognize. First, that God has removed our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:11-12. Secondly, God promises to remember our sin no more, “12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12

This feast is an important one for us to remember as we sit and reflect on our salvation. Next week, we will be looking at the last of the seven feasts.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex