Day of Atonement
The day of Atonement is known as Yom Kippur, the most important day in the
religious calendar of Israel. It falls on the 10th day of Tishri (the Hebrew month
corresponding to mid September through mid October). The tenth day of the
seventh month was set aside as a day of public fasting and humiliation. On this
day the nation of Israel sought atonement for its sins (Leviticus 16:29; 23:27;
Numbers 29:7). It was preceded by special Sabbaths. The only fasting period
required by the law (Leviticus 16:29; 23:21).
The Hebrew term frequently translated “atone” has the basic meaning to wipe out,
to erase, to cover, or perhaps more generally to remove. The King James version
translated by such expressions as to make atonement, forgive, appease, pardon,
put off, and reconcile.
The day of Atonement was a recognition of people’s inability to make any
atonement for their sins. It was a solemn, holy day accompanied by elaborate
ritual (Hebrews 10:1-10) “for the law having a shadow of good things to come; and
not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered
year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they
not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once pursed should
have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a
remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood
of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when He comes into the
world, He says sacrifice and offering You would not, but a body have You prepared
Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, You have had no pleasure. Then said
I, lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of Me, to do Your will, O God.
Above when He said, sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin
You would not, neither had pleasure therein, which are offered by the law. Then
said He, lo, I come to do Your will, O God, He takes away the first, that He may
establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all”.
Atonement is a “covering” of sin. The purpose is to accomplish reconciliation
between God and man. After sacrificing a bullock, the high priest chose two goats,
one for a sin offering and sacrificed it. Then he sprinkled its blood on and about
the mercy seat. Finally the second goat, the scapegoat bearing the sins of the
people was sent into the wilderness. This scapegoat symbolized the pardon for sin
brought through the sacrifice (Galatians 3:11-14) “but that no man is justified by
the law in the sight of God, it is evident; for, the just shall live by faith. And the law
is not of faith; but the man that does them shall live in them. Christ has redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is
every one that hangs on a tree. That the blessings of Abraham might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith”. Also in (II Corinthians 5:21), it says “for He (God) has made Him
(Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him”.
The day of Atonement became so central to Judaism that it survived the
destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and the end of sacrificial system. It is the
highest holy day of Judaism now. In biblical times, celebration of the day of
Atonement showed that Israel believed the cleansing of their sins was
accomplished by the rites commanded by God. The forgiveness and grace of God
were granted them and were the basis for their continued fellowship with God as
His covenant people.
The daily, weekly, and monthly sacrifices left something undone, so that the high
priest could not enter the holiest place throughout the year. On that one day,
however, he was permitted to enter with sacrificial blood as he solemnly
represented the nation before the bloodstained mercy seat. The high priest acted
as a mediator between the nation and God. The underlying reason for the day
was that other offerings for sin could not provide for unknown (secret) sins.
Because of such sins the sanctuary, the land, and the nation remained ritually
unclean. The Day of Atonement was instituted by God for the complete atonement
of all sins.
To Christians, atonement means the way in which a perfect God and sinful humans
were brought together again. The word atonement means “making at one”, or “at-
one-ment”. To believe in atonement, one must already believe that there is
separation between humans and God. This gulf must be bridged if human beings
are to know God and have fellowship with Him. The ideas of reconciliation and
forgiveness are also bound up in the idea of atonement. The idea of atonement is
important to every part of the New Testament; atonement is the work of God, who
makes it possible for sinful humans to receive God’s forgiving grace.
For sinners, who cannot bridge the gap between themselves and God, atonement
opens a “new and living way” to Him. John 3:16-18 reveals how much God loved
us, He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins, and made the way for us to be
reconciled back to Him; it says “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but
that the world through Him might be saved. He that believes in Him is not
condemned; but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not
believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”.
All of us who have been saved, know the cost of our salvation, the atonement for
our sins. The Bible says that “the wages for sin is death”. The cost is death, even
death on a cross, the blood of our Messiah.
Many don’t know the value of that atonement. So let us spend this day of
Atonement with God appreciating the gift we have been given.
The Creator of the universe allowed Himself to be born a man, that He would make
the sacrifice for us. May we spend this day being aware of this amazing fact, and
may our soul be afflicted as we attempt to really understand the atonement that
has been made for us.
Paul pictured the depths of sin to which humans have fallen (Romans 1:18-32) and
summed it up; “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
The problem of the sinfulness of humanity is made much larger and more
frightening by the holiness of God, who cannot bear to look upon sin.
God is fearfully holy, humans dread God and can do nothing to change this
situation. Humans are lost, helpless, standing under the awful judgment of God;
we cannot justify ourselves to God, and we cannot earn God’s respect on our own.
The possibility of atonement, then, belongs only to God (Ephesians 2:12-13) “that
at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in
the world. But now, in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made near
by the blood of Christ”.
The nature of that atonement, shown to us in the Bible, tells us truly what God is
like and what humanity is like.
Throughout the New Testament it is clear that Christ’s death on the cross is what
provides atonement. The New Testament, passages about blood also refer to the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:11) “and not only so, but we
also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the
atonement”. The New Testament is the “new covenant” of Jesus Christ, sealed by
His blood. In the New Testament the Day of Atonement was referred to as the
“fast” (Acts 27:9). The officials waited until after the “fast” to have Paul transported
to Rome.
Jesus Christ Himself observed the feast of the Lord, and the Day of Atonement is
listed as one of those feasts. The early church also observed the Day of
Atonement. In fact all the feasts of the Lord were observed until the third century
after the death of Jesus.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 17, 2010
The day of Atonement is known as Yom Kippur, the most important day in the
religious calendar of Israel. It falls on the 10th day of Tishri (the Hebrew month
corresponding to mid September through mid October). The tenth day of the
seventh month was set aside as a day of public fasting and humiliation. On this
day the nation of Israel sought atonement for its sins (Leviticus 16:29; 23:27;
Numbers 29:7). It was preceded by special Sabbaths. The only fasting period
required by the law (Leviticus 16:29; 23:21).
The Hebrew term frequently translated “atone” has the basic meaning to wipe out,
to erase, to cover, or perhaps more generally to remove. The King James version
translated by such expressions as to make atonement, forgive, appease, pardon,
put off, and reconcile.
The day of Atonement was a recognition of people’s inability to make any
atonement for their sins. It was a solemn, holy day accompanied by elaborate
ritual (Hebrews 10:1-10) “for the law having a shadow of good things to come; and
not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered
year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they
not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once pursed should
have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a
remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood
of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when He comes into the
world, He says sacrifice and offering You would not, but a body have You prepared
Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, You have had no pleasure. Then said
I, lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of Me, to do Your will, O God.
Above when He said, sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin
You would not, neither had pleasure therein, which are offered by the law. Then
said He, lo, I come to do Your will, O God, He takes away the first, that He may
establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all”.
Atonement is a “covering” of sin. The purpose is to accomplish reconciliation
between God and man. After sacrificing a bullock, the high priest chose two goats,
one for a sin offering and sacrificed it. Then he sprinkled its blood on and about
the mercy seat. Finally the second goat, the scapegoat bearing the sins of the
people was sent into the wilderness. This scapegoat symbolized the pardon for sin
brought through the sacrifice (Galatians 3:11-14) “but that no man is justified by
the law in the sight of God, it is evident; for, the just shall live by faith. And the law
is not of faith; but the man that does them shall live in them. Christ has redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is
every one that hangs on a tree. That the blessings of Abraham might come on the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith”. Also in (II Corinthians 5:21), it says “for He (God) has made Him
(Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him”.
The day of Atonement became so central to Judaism that it survived the
destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and the end of sacrificial system. It is the
highest holy day of Judaism now. In biblical times, celebration of the day of
Atonement showed that Israel believed the cleansing of their sins was
accomplished by the rites commanded by God. The forgiveness and grace of God
were granted them and were the basis for their continued fellowship with God as
His covenant people.
The daily, weekly, and monthly sacrifices left something undone, so that the high
priest could not enter the holiest place throughout the year. On that one day,
however, he was permitted to enter with sacrificial blood as he solemnly
represented the nation before the bloodstained mercy seat. The high priest acted
as a mediator between the nation and God. The underlying reason for the day
was that other offerings for sin could not provide for unknown (secret) sins.
Because of such sins the sanctuary, the land, and the nation remained ritually
unclean. The Day of Atonement was instituted by God for the complete atonement
of all sins.
To Christians, atonement means the way in which a perfect God and sinful humans
were brought together again. The word atonement means “making at one”, or “at-
one-ment”. To believe in atonement, one must already believe that there is
separation between humans and God. This gulf must be bridged if human beings
are to know God and have fellowship with Him. The ideas of reconciliation and
forgiveness are also bound up in the idea of atonement. The idea of atonement is
important to every part of the New Testament; atonement is the work of God, who
makes it possible for sinful humans to receive God’s forgiving grace.
For sinners, who cannot bridge the gap between themselves and God, atonement
opens a “new and living way” to Him. John 3:16-18 reveals how much God loved
us, He sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins, and made the way for us to be
reconciled back to Him; it says “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but
that the world through Him might be saved. He that believes in Him is not
condemned; but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not
believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”.
All of us who have been saved, know the cost of our salvation, the atonement for
our sins. The Bible says that “the wages for sin is death”. The cost is death, even
death on a cross, the blood of our Messiah.
Many don’t know the value of that atonement. So let us spend this day of
Atonement with God appreciating the gift we have been given.
The Creator of the universe allowed Himself to be born a man, that He would make
the sacrifice for us. May we spend this day being aware of this amazing fact, and
may our soul be afflicted as we attempt to really understand the atonement that
has been made for us.
Paul pictured the depths of sin to which humans have fallen (Romans 1:18-32) and
summed it up; “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
The problem of the sinfulness of humanity is made much larger and more
frightening by the holiness of God, who cannot bear to look upon sin.
God is fearfully holy, humans dread God and can do nothing to change this
situation. Humans are lost, helpless, standing under the awful judgment of God;
we cannot justify ourselves to God, and we cannot earn God’s respect on our own.
The possibility of atonement, then, belongs only to God (Ephesians 2:12-13) “that
at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in
the world. But now, in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made near
by the blood of Christ”.
The nature of that atonement, shown to us in the Bible, tells us truly what God is
like and what humanity is like.
Throughout the New Testament it is clear that Christ’s death on the cross is what
provides atonement. The New Testament, passages about blood also refer to the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:11) “and not only so, but we
also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the
atonement”. The New Testament is the “new covenant” of Jesus Christ, sealed by
His blood. In the New Testament the Day of Atonement was referred to as the
“fast” (Acts 27:9). The officials waited until after the “fast” to have Paul transported
to Rome.
Jesus Christ Himself observed the feast of the Lord, and the Day of Atonement is
listed as one of those feasts. The early church also observed the Day of
Atonement. In fact all the feasts of the Lord were observed until the third century
after the death of Jesus.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 17, 2010
