Sermon Transcript — September 25, 2004
I know that this is the first day of atonement for some people here today, so we hope that it's going well for you, and that you're going to make it through. Sometimes when you tell your family or your friends who are not in the church, you're not going to eat or drink anything for a whole day, they gasp and wonder how on earth anybody could to that.
Well, we know it can be done. We've got living testaments here to that fact so nice to be here as we're right now in the middle of these fall holy days, and we certainly appreciate the deep meaning and all that is pictured, and that we look forward to as a result.
We live in a world of awesome progress. We really do, but paradoxically, of appalling evil at the same time. The newspapers and television newscasts continue to report evil, immorality, sin, starvation, genocide, going on right now, crime, violence and war. In a time of marvelous scientific and medical advances, pain and suffering continue to escalate out of control. It's not getting better. It's getting worse.
Many scientists and leaders say that the only hope for world peace is the formation of a supreme world government controlling a sole military power. Yet, in the same breath, they admit the utter impossibility of this. Many say that such supreme world power in human hands would enslave us all.
In our information age of the 2000's, the spread of information is absolutely amazing. Entire sets of encyclopedias can be put on a single CD ROM that you can access instantly on any subject. Additionally, science and technology race to find faster computer chips that will speed up our lives even more.
Here's a note, a news report from this past week from the AP news wire titled, "The Internet at Thirty-Five, Still Evolving." This is from New York AP, "Thirty-five years after computer scientists at UCLA," that's the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, "linked two bulky computers using a fifteen foot gray cable, testing a new way to exchange data over networks, what would ultimately become the Internet, remains a work in progress.
"Steven Crocker and Vinton Cerf were among the graduate students who joined UCLA professor, Len Kleinrock, in an engineering lab on September 2, 1969, as bits of meaningless data float silently between the two computers. By January, 1970, three other nodes joined the fledgling network.
"Then in the early '70s came e-mail. A few years later, a core communications protocol called TCP/IP. In the late 1970's the domain name system in the 1980's and the worldwide web, now the second most popular application behind e-mail in 1990." Doesn't seem that long ago, really, does it, 1990 for the worldwide web to begin?
"The internet expanded beyond its initial military and educational domain into businesses and homes around the world." But now it seems like we can't live without the Internet.
Seattle Washington from Reuters, "Microsoft Puts Fingerprint Readers Into Hardware." "Microsoft Corporation on Wednesday unveiled a new array of keyboard and mice with some featuring built-in fingerprint readers to make it easier for you just to log onto personal computers and web sites.
"The keyboard mouse and stand-alone fingerprint reader were added to Microsoft's hardware lineup, which works with software to verify and switch between users of its Windows operating system, as well was automatically enter the identifications and passwords needed to log onto secure web pages." So you now from Microsoft can get a keyboard that's got a fingerprint reader on it, and you sit down at your computer in the morning, and it knows who you are and logs you in.
Alvin Toffler predicted many years ago that we would enter an information age, and he was right; we have. And he predicts that eventually those who control the information will have the control. And just looking at today's amazing technology amazes us to see how far we've come in just a few short years.
However, human knowledge production has led the way to discontent, unhappiness, violence, war and human suffering to the point that mankind would exterminate himself if allowed to, the extermination of humanity by humanity. So you see the two paradoxes here, such amazing achievements on one hand and such deplorable evil on the other. Now what mankind does not understand is that humanity is being held hostage right at this very moment.
I really related to the booklet that was put out by the church a number of years ago titled, "A World Held Captive." Do you remember that one? Where on the cover was the globe, the earth photographed from space with prison bars right over the top. A world held captive, and believe it or not, that's the situation we're in right now.
Now to contrast the amazing technical advances I just read to you a moment ago, let's look at some headlines from the same source because everything is not coming up roses. Everything is not amazing fingerprint readers on the internet.
How about, "Italy Races to Save Iraqi Hostages." "Drug Lords and Seven Others Killed in Gun Battles." "Settlers Protest Israeli Withdrawal Plan." "Saudi Security Guards Beheaded." "Pakistan Forces Battle on the Border." "Elderly Woman Brutally Attacked at Home." "Students Cope with Classmates Death." You see, why is there so much evil and yet such amazing technical advances on the other hand?
Well, because mankind is now held hostage by an evil, spiritual deceiver, a murderer and liar of the largest proportions imaginable. Mankind is comparable to one who purchased a technically designed instrument but was unable to operate it because he wouldn't read the instruction manual.
Now our Maker, our Creator sent along with His creation an instruction book. And this instruction manual is the most widely distributed of any material on the face of the earth, the Bible. And yet people don't read it, they don't look into it; they don't study it, and as a result it's become ignored, distorted and falsely interpreted.
And as we look at the state of the world around us now, we really do have to sigh and cry for what we see. Now truly is the time, as maybe never before, to pray for God's kingdom to come, to pray for an end to this hostage crisis. Forget about hostages in Iraq. The entire world is being held captive right now under the sway of a demonic god, Satan, the god of this world. This society has rejected God often in the strongest of terms. And it doesn't realize that it has actually embraced another god. It's following another way of life.
What has happened to our world? And who is ruling it? How long will this hostage crisis continue?
Well, this afternoon on this Day of Atonement, this day of at-one-ment, we will reinforce the fact that this world is held captive by a sinister evil being, but mankind will soon be released and set free, and that will be after the glorious return of Jesus Christ to this earth. We'll also see how we in the church have already been set free from this captivity that the world is experiencing.
Now I'd like to begin this reinforcement this afternoon with a look at some Scriptures to lay the groundwork. We'll get back to basics just for a moment as we look at some history and look at this Day of Atonement.
I think I have four points here, and the first one is as we write this down in our notes that Satan is the god of this present, evil world. We must not forget that. Satan is the god of this present evil world. Let's turn to Revelation 12:9 and recap for a moment Revelation 12:9. Here we read that:
Revelation 12:9 - ". . .the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old," you know, that serpent that goes way back in human history, ". . .called out the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
So we see that that great dragon now abides on this planet and deceives the whole world. A very fundamental, important scripture for us to look at. Look back at Revelation 12:4 and be reminded that:
Revelation 12:4 - "His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth." So this devil has a third of the angels on his side as demons. "And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born." That's of course a reference to Jesus Christ's birth, and the devil being ready to devour him.
And so we see who is ruling this world presently. II Corinthians 4:4, and we notice that:
II Corinthians 4:4 - "whose minds. . ." as we break into the middle of the thought in the middle of the sentence here, "whose minds the god of this age has blinded. . ." So once again, we see the deceit; we see the blindness being caused by the god of this age. ". . .who (do) did not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them." So there's a purposeful attempt here to hide the truth. The god of this age is blinding mankind.
Ephesians 2:2 - As we are reminded that we, in the church, were once affected by this as well.
Ephesians 2:1 - "And you has He quickened, or made alive, who were dead the in trespasses and sins,
Verse 2 - "in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." This is something that we were once affected by as well, but as now having been brought into the light by God's Holy Spirit, are not. But notice that ". . .he's the prince of the power of the air."
He's the prince and the power of what we breathe. Everywhere there is air, there is influence by Satan, no matter where you are located and still able to breathe. You take the space shuttle up, and you're in the international space station, and you're breathing, you could be influenced by this being.
We see that Satan's influence extends everywhere, everywhere that there is human life, everywhere there is air to breathe. He's the prince of the power of the air
You may have heard the analogy of the radio transmitter in years past, we can comprehend this a little bit by comparing Satan to a radio transmitter. He transmits his influence in every direction, and human beings are like receivers who hear this message. And our minds are going to pick up these evil, spiritual influences that come our way unless we are actively relying on God for strength.
If we're not on God's frequency; if we've tuned in to a different frequency, we have no power of ourselves to block Satan. We need God's Holy Spirit to strengthen us and empower us to overcome this evil force in the world. As we read in Ephesians, we too where once affected by that. We once walked according to the prince of the power of the air, but hopefully not any longer with God's Spirit and God's help. But this ought to greatly sober us.
Without God's strength and intervention and help, we're very vulnerable; we're helpless. Without God's armor, we're naked and exposed to Satan's demonic deceptions. We're sitting ducks; we're defenseless lambs.
Lest we feel self-assured and say, "That wouldn't happen to me; that's not happening to me," be humbled by one example from the Bible. How did the archangel Lucifer get one-third of the angels talked into following him? After all these angels saw God. They saw His throne; they saw His glory and His power. They knew what a fantastic, wonderful Being He was. And yet great spirit beings created by God, who knew His goodness and supreme power, became deceived, a third of them. It's an amazing feat, when you think about it, that Lucifer who became Satan was able to accomplish that. This should concern us; this should keep us on our guard, because even God's angels were masterfully deceived.
Satan especially wants us to neglect and reject and forget true spiritual knowledge. Satan is pleased if we will choose any alternative as long as it's not the one true way, the truth of God and His laws. Satan has plenty of alternatives in this world.
Satan has inspired every imaginable religion and philosophy and "ism" that the choice is endless. You can think something in your head that you want to believe, and you'll find somebody out there that thinks the same way. Anything imaginable so as to make it impossible apart from God's calling for humans to find the truth. He's blinded people from the truth, and he has many, many clever counterfeits.
Some of them seem close. They sound good; they sound right, but it's a counterfeit religion. Finding the truth is like trying to find a needle in a haystack in this world. Satan has created a Babylon of confusion. He's created misinformation and disinformation, information purposely meant to deceive you. It's a nightmare of fog and smoke and darkness so that man cannot find the way to God unless they're called and God intervenes.
Yes, he has even deceived you and me. We've all been deceived. How much of what we used to believe did we find out to be wrong when God opened our minds? How much do we presently believe about things may we be mistaken about? We have to be very careful and make sure that we're being led by God in this world of Satan's. It's a battle for the mind.
Let's notice a couple more important passages regarding Satan's power to deceive, II Corinthians 11:3. Turn over there for a moment, where Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
II Corinthians 11:3 - "But I fear . . ." he says, I'm concerned here for you, ". . .lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Eve was deceived; a third of the Angels were deceived, and Paul said, "You know, make sure you don't get deceived. I'm concerned about you. Be careful that you are not also being deceived." We need God's Spirit guiding us continually in this world Satan's.
And in this same chapter, Paul is warning that many professing Christian ministers are really ministers of Satan. You see back there in verse 13 through verse 15
II Corinthians 11:13 - "For such are false prophets (apostles), deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
Verse 14 - "and no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." He makes things look good when they're evil.
Verse 15 - "Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works."
And so you see Satan, like a wolf in sheep's clothing, appears to be good, has his own ministry. In spite of this warning, many Christians easily fall for heresies because they sound righteous, because Satan is a genius. He's extremely intelligent, but at the same time, he's perverted and twisted. But he's good at what he does.
Genesis 3:1 - Remember that, "Now .the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'" You see, Satan is the experienced expert at deception. ". . .more cunning than any other (beast) creature. . ." And with the supernatural powers, Satan is a true magician, a master magician, making things appear different from what they really are. ". . .more cunning than any other (beast) creature. . ."
Look at Jesus' reference to Satan, the Devil, in John 8.
John 8:42 - "Jesus said to them. . ." And these were the Jews that were gathered around at the time. Jesus said to these Jews who were bragging about Abraham being their father, and they claimed this righteous lineage back to Abraham, He said, "'. . .If God were your father, you would love Me, for I preceded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent me.'" So Christ was claiming divinity here, right?
Verse 43 - "Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
Verse 44 - He said to these Jews, "'You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.'" Can you imagine being told that about somebody? ". . .no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.'" So in human history going back to Genesis 3:1 even. From that point forward, "'. . .the father of lies, a murderer from the beginning. No truth in him what so ever.'"
I John 3:8 Let's turn over there for a moment, and we're setting the groundwork here for a reason to just show what an important subject this is.
I John 3:8 - "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning." You see, he's the author of it. He was the first one that began this whole process of sin. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested. . ." So now this is why Christ came. ". . .that He might destroy the works of the devil."
So now we start to see the next stage in God's plan. The devil is the god of this world with incredible powers, and yet Christ came to destroy the works of this devil. The devil is the author of sin. Mankind is stumbling toward destruction in abominable lifestyles and sin in a life lived without God law and commandments, a life lived under the powerful influence of Satan.
Now this is not just something that is happening in our decade or in the 2000's or 2004, not just something in our day and age. Satan has been influencing mankind since the Garden of Eden.
There really are not the so-called "good old days." You can look through the history of mankind for the last 6000 years and see that things have gone horribly wrong with Satan leading this world. The so-called "good old days" were also filled with immorality and sin and lawlessness, whether you're talking about the 1930's, or the 1830's, or, you know, 500 BC.
I'd like to read to you an interesting quote from a book written 111 years ago. It's a small paperback book titled How to Pray written by a man named R. A. Torrey in the 19th century. It contains a lot of wisdom. But listen carefully to a quote here from page 90, remember how old this book is, 111 years ago.
He says what this writer saw happening in his world 111 years ago, he says, "Prayerlessness abounds among church members on every hand. Someone has said that Christians on the average do not spend more than five minutes a day in prayer. Neglect of the word of God goes hand in hand with neglect of prayer to God. Many Christians spend twice as much time every day engrossed in the daily papers," of course today, it'd be TV, "twice as much time as they do bathing in the cleansing word of God.
"How many Christians average an hour a day in Bible study? Christians mingle with the world in all forms of questionable amusements. The young man or young woman who does not believe in wearing immodest clothing, participating in wild parties and attending the theater with its ever increasing appeal to lewdness is considered an old fogey. There is lack of conviction of sin.
"Seldom are men overwhelmed with a sense of their awful guilt in dishonoring the Son of God. Sin is regarded as a misfortune, infirmity or even as good in the making. Seldom is it considered an enormous wrong against a holy God." And as he says here, you know, over a century ago, "Unbelief is rampant. Men are regarded as a mark of intellectual superiority to reject the Bible as well as faith in God and immortality. It is often the only mark of intellectual superiority many possess. Perhaps that is the reason they cling to it so dearly.
"Look at the legalized adultery we called divorce. Men marry one wife after another and are still admitted into good society, and women do likewise. Immorality is found in much of modern theater." Of course, you know, this is the stage, not movies. "Many questionable characters of the stage rule the day, and the individuals who degrade themselves in appearing in such off-color plays are defended in the newspapers and welcomed by supposedly respectable people.
"The licentiousness of the day lifts its serpent head everywhere. You see it in the newspapers, on the billboards, in advertisements for cigars, shoes, bicycles, medicines and everything else. You see it on the streets at night; you see it just outside the church door. You find it in the awful ghettos set apart for it in great cities, and it is crowding further and further up at business streets and into the residential portions of our lives.
"Alas, every so often you find it, if you look closely, in supposedly respectable homes. Indeed it will be born to your ears by the confessions of broken hearted men and women. The moral condition of the world is disgusting, sickening and appalling." That was the "good old days" from 111 years ago.
You see, ever since the serpent deceived Eve, up to this very time, this world has been in a spiritual turmoil in a morally decaying state. And so in Matthew 24:22, we read:
Matthew 24:22 - "(And) unless the days on this earth are (were) shortened, no flesh (would) will be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." So we see that unless God intervenes for the sake of His people, no flesh will be saved. This world is going down a one-way street, and there's no light at the end of the tunnel except that God will cut this short. What we see going on in this world now is a one-way train.
Now with the groundwork laid, with the reminder that Satan, or that this is Satan, the devil's world, that this world is in strife with mankind in danger of extinction, and knowing that Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of this devil, let's now examine even a little more closely the meaning of this Day of Atonement. There may be a couple of things here that will open your eyes, will be new to you as well.
We had point one reminding us that this is Satan's world.
Now point number two, the meaning of the Day of Atonement. Now let's go back to Leviticus 23 for a moment. Leviticus 23:26-28.
Leviticus 23:26 - "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
Verse 27 - "'Also the tenth day of the (this) seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you;'" So we have to meet, get together with one another on this day and "'. . .you shall afflict your souls,'" meaning no food or drink. "'You shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.
Verse 28 - "'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.'" This is a special day. It's even different than other holy days where we don't work, because you also don't eat or drink.
Leviticus 23:31 - "'You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Verse 32 - "'It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls;" Once again, we don't eat or drink. "'. . .on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate (your) the Sabbath.'" So, it's a twenty-four hour period. And we'll be watching the clock pretty closely here in a little while to see exactly when that twenty-four hours is up, right?
But what a wonderful mystery that's been revealed to us. This day, as we shall see, pictures atonement with God whereas if you break the word up, at-one-ment with God. Man at last made one with his Maker, with the devil removed.
In Leviticus 16, we see the symbolism of the Day of Atonement described. We find it instituted as a holy Sabbath to be kept forever. The Day of Atonement, like the other festivals, ultimately points to the work of Jesus Christ for salvation. But what specifically is the role of Christ in the Day of Atonement? We all know where Satan fits in on this day, don't we? You know we've covered a bit of that groundwork already, but where does Christ fit into Atonement? We're going to see that today.
To understand the significance of this day and what it pictures in God's plan of salvation, we need to examine the rituals that marked this observance in Old Testament times so we can learn from these rituals. And although the ritualistic laws are no longer performed, no longer required since Jesus Christ's sacrifice, the various aspects of these rituals still have symbolic meaning for us today. And so Leviticus 16 describes the special ceremonies ancient Israel performed on the Day of Atonement. These ceremonies were not performed on any other day of the year.
And in one of ancient Israel's more unusual rituals done only on the Day of Atonement, a goat referred to in many English Bibles as a scapegoat was taken out of the camp. Leviticus 16:5, let's read on down to verse 10:
Leviticus 16:5 - "and he Aaron shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering.
Verse 6 - "Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house.
Verse 7 - "But then, "He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting." And then notice verse eight.
Verse 8 - "Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat." Or Azazel goat.
Verse 9 - "and Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering.
Verse 10 - "But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat," the Azazel, "shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as a scapegoat into the wilderness." Took two goats, with two very different purposes. Notice in verse 8 that lots were cast. It was a solemn appeal to God to decide this matter. It was a sacred religious ceremony. It included a supernatural act of God. Unfortunately today's lotteries tend to profane what was back then a holy service where the men appealed to God to decide a matter for them.
God chose by lot one goat to forgive the sins of Israel. Both goats were not qualified. One goat was to represent Christ, and one goat was to be responsible for all Israel's sins.
Now first, the Azazel goat. Let's look at that one for a moment. Now some have seen this Azazel goat as a symbol Christ. You will find that in many commentaries that the Azazel goat is a symbol of Christ. In fact, just over ten years ago in the church it started to become a popular discussion point.
They say that the Azazel goat became the scapegoat for human sins like Christ, though He, Himself, was perfectly innocent. According to this explanation, Christ, in effect, carried our sins into the wilderness where the devil will be exiled. But this is an erroneous teaching.
The other explanation focuses on the scapegoat as a symbol of Satan, who is ultimately responsible for human sin, and he will be removed from contact with humanity at the second coming of Christ.
The one volume commentary says, "Azazel is understood to be the name of one of those malignant demons, Satan." And that's what it represents. That's what that goat, the scapegoat, represented. And based on all the biblical evidence, it's logical to conclude that the scapegoat pictures Satan. Verse 8 shows a contrast; one for the Lord, one for Azazel. You see, they're opposites; they don't go together. Look at the symbolism in Leviticus 16:23.
Leviticus 16:23 - "Then Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of meeting, shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there.
Verse 24 - "And he shall wash his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering for (of) the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.
Verse 25 - "The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.
Verse 26 - "And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come back into the camp." If you touch this scapegoat, if your the one that has to take it out into the wilderness and let it go, you've got to wash your clothes; you've got to take a bath before you can come back into the camp. You see, this is very symbolic of coming into contact with something nasty, not something good, coming into contact with sin or the devil. You see, this scapegoat represented something bad, not something good. There's a contrast here between the two goats.
Now Leviticus 16 as we shall see points to a clear, New Testament fulfillment, which is Christ atoned for our sins by dying in our stead.
At the second coming of Christ, Satan is not bound by Christ, Himself. That job will be delegated to an angel. Just like a person was chosen from the Israelites to take the goat into the wilderness. Satan will be bound; he will be removed; he will be put into a spiritual wilderness. He'll be taken away from God's people, removed. Now this is no fable. This is not something just imagined up here; this will actually happen. You can count on it.
Look in Revelation 20 now. Let's go into the New Testament and looked at some of the parallels. Revelation 20: 1, 2, 3:
Revelation 20:1 - "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand." You see this parallels the scapegoat being led out into the wilderness.
Verse 2 - "He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years." So out came the shackles; out came the chains; out came the padlocks and the cufflinks, and he was "bound for a thousand years."
Verse 3 - "and he cast him into the bottomless pit. . ." Now what is a "bottomless pit?" You get cast in there, and you're just falling forever. There's no bottom; you cannot get out. You're never going to touch ground. "He was cast into the bottomless pit, bound up in chains and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished." And then we read, "But after these things he must be released for a little while." Of course that last part of Verse 3 is a subject for another day when he's released for a short time.
But he'll be bound for a thousand years so that he deceives the nations no more. So that this whole world that is being held hostage right now is released from this evil influence, this evil power. It's almost like a science-fiction movie or something. What could you imagine this whole scenario? How would you put it down in a script? You see, the devil is the real author of sin. Satan must be driven away into a spiritual wilderness, and only then can mankind be at one with God.
The binding of Satan, however, is not the only lesson of this Day of Atonement. Satan's binding isn't a goal in itself. It is a means to an end, a step toward an even much more important goal. Remember, there were two goats, not just one. Remember that on this Day of Atonement, two goats were brought forward.
So we know what happened to the one and what it represents, right? We've just seen the symbolism associated with the Azazel goat. But what about the other goat that was called "the Lord's goat," which was actually sacrificed, as we would have read in Leviticus 16:9? What did the high priest himself do and symbolize with the Lord's goat? Because, you see, the high priest performed special cleansings and purifications on the Day of Atonement.
And twice, he went behind the veil into the most holy place, and this was only allowed on the Day of Atonement. You can read about that in Exodus 30 and Leviticus 16. Once in a year did the high priest actually go behind the veil.
These Day of Atonement rituals are explained to the Book of Hebrews. But in the book of Hebrews there's not much about Satan's removal. There's not much about the scapegoat. Hebrews focuses on the priesthood of Christ.
And this leads us to our third main point today. The Day of Atonement and Christ's restoration of our relationship with God.
The Hebrew root of the word from which we get the English word atonement is kapar. Now kapar is generally translated - "to make an atonement." However it is also translated in other ways, such as - "to make reconciliation." So atonement can mean, or kapar can mean - "to make reconciliation," "to pacify," "to purge away," "to forgive" or "to pardon." And so the Day of Atonement might also be called - the Day of Reconciliation, or the Day of Forgivings, or the Day of Pardons. It's a time of reconciliation between God and mankind with the scapegoat removed.
And these terms deal with relationships between man and God, because there is a need to forgive and pardon sin. So, I like the term - Day of Reconciliation, it implies a relationship to be restored. Things are going to finally get better.
When the King James version was translated, atonement meant being at one, being reconciled to a state of oneness. And the Day of Atonement celebrates a reconciliation with God made possible through Christ, through the Lord's goat.
Leviticus 16 details a special ritual performed only on the Day of Atonement, and only a few of the rituals dealt with the Azazel goat when you look at it. The main emphasis, however, was on cleansing, forgiveness and reconciliation with God. The high priest made reconciliation for himself and for the people, and he entered the most holy place symbolizing the priestly role of Christ. It gives us access to God's throne, the most holy place.
Let's look at Hebrews 6 because now, today, Christ is that high priest that goes into the Most Holy place for us as an intercessory between us and the Father. Hebrews 6:20 -
Hebrews 6:20 - Maybe if we go back to verse 19.
Hebrews 6:19 - "Which (This) hope we have as an anchor to (of) the soul," So the hope we have is like an anchor. ". . .both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil." See we now can go behind that veil, figuratively.
Hebrews 6:20 - "Where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." You see Jesus Christ is now that high priest who enters into the veil.
Hebrews 7:26 - "For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;
Verse 27 - "who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself." So Christ only had to be sacrificed once, not continually like the high priest had to with their sacrifices.
Verse 28 - "For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever."
Hebrews 9:11 - "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
Verse 12 - "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy place once for all," not just once a year like the high priest did, but once, and one time only. ". . .for all having obtained eternal redemption."
You see, Christ was offered only once, which is an atonement theme, just like the high priest only went in once a year.
Verse 24 - "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.
Verse 25 - "not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another." So Christ doesn't have to do this every year like the high priest had to. Christ did it once, and so you see the atonement theme coming through.
Christ came through the veil with His blood, we read about, with the ransom to free this world from sin, with the ransom paid the penalty for our sins. This world will be released from its hostage crisis. The ransom has been paid, and it will soon be delivered, and this world will be set free. There'll be no more beheadings, no more captives, no more evil influence. The hostage-takers, the terrorists will be removed, and Christ will return, and He'll make His spirit available, and He will make access with the Father available as our High Priest. Christ approached the great seat of mercy, the seat of reconciliation, the seat of cleansing and pardon where forgiveness is granted by God.
He came as the atoning sacrifice, pictured by the Lord's goat that was sacrificed in Leviticus 16 whose blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat representing God's very throne. Let's turn back to Leviticus 16 for a moment, read Leviticus 16:15. And so then we see:
Leviticus 16:15 - "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
Verse 16 - "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 uncleannesses." And so the blood of Christ can effectively purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God, as you read about in Hebrews 9:14.
The blood of Christ can make us right with God. Leviticus 16 makes this reconciliation clear. Look at Leviticus 16:30.
Leviticus 16:30 - "For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord."
Now we usually associate Christ's sacrifice and forgiveness with Passover, right? Which is right. We do focus on Christ's sacrifice for our sins during the Passover season. But Christ's death and our forgiveness are clearly pictured in the rituals of the Day of Atonement as well. The book of Hebrews mentions them in the context of atonement rituals. They are an essential part of our reconciliation with God.
Passover focuses on individual forgiveness and escape from death for God's church. Atonement focuses more on a communal reconciliation with God for the whole world. You see, Passover just is for the church today. But Atonement pictures Christ's sacrifice to make at-one-ment possible for all of mankind, all those who have not yet been called.
And so the primary fulfillment of Atonement is in the future for the world. But the reconciliation Atonement pictures is already effective for the people of God, for us in God's church today.
So we can have a special understanding and appreciation for this Day of Atonement, because we have been made at one with God already, just as we look forward to the time when the whole world will be made at one with God when the hostage crisis will be over.
This leads us to the fourth point. Why should we afflict ourselves on this day? On this very special holy day, we are asked to fast, to abstain from all food and drink. We've read about it.
Firstly, this allows us to focus on the greatness of God's plan, on the meaning of this day, to stop and reflect, to think, to meditate without other labors or concerns, without even the preparation of food for our stomachs.
Secondly, it brings to mind how much we rely on God, how much we need Him on a daily basis, but also on an hourly basis, toward the end of the day, you know, on a minute by minute basis; watch the clock. We depend on God for our physical nourishment, but also for our spiritual nourishment, and that's what we're reminded of.
Thirdly, it humbles us before His throne as we pray and prepare for this day. Fasting is humbling. We're mortal; we're flesh and blood; we cannot exist of and by ourselves. We are not immortal. We are mortal human beings.
Fourthly, we are brought before God in humility and reminded that our sins are forgiven. Our sins are covered after our repentance, baptism and receiving of the Holy Spirit. We're released from the bondage of sin. We're released from the bondage of Satan. We got out of jail. The prison bars were opened for us, and we're looking forward to the time when it will be like that for the whole world. But we can be thankful that we have been released from that bondage, from that hostage crisis.
You may have been told you don't have to fast in these modern times. I know some say, "Well, you don't have to fast, or you can drink water, or you can do this or that."
But these Old Testament laws are still in effect today. Of course you can read in the Book of Acts 27 about them keeping this fast day. Many, many years after Christ returned to heaven, the early church was keeping this fast day. It hasn't been done away with. And so we afflict ourselves through the denial of food to help us understand our need for God's loving greatness in our very mortal human bodies to become more at one with God. Let's turn to Matthew 6:16. Mr. Phelps didn't leave any water up here so I'm going cross-eyed. And here we see how we treat a fast day.
Matthew 6:16 - "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Verse 17 - "But you, when you fast, anoint your head (and) wash your face," you know have a shower, cleanup, shave.
Verse 18 - "so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
Verse 19 - "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth," don't try and, you know, get accolades from your fellow men, "where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
Verse 20 - "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Verse 21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
And so we are fasting to have a deeper relationship with God, not to look good to people on the outside, not to look good to our friends, and say, "I'm fasting today."
No, it's a special relationship with God, and that's where, you know, we'll be rewarded, that's where our treasure is, and that's where our heart should be. Our Father will reward our fast with heavenly treasures, which is a relationship with Him for eternity.
Let's turn to one final passage in Isaiah 55 as we look at this final point of why do we fast? Why do we afflict ourselves on this day? And we've talked about some of the reasons, whether it be to draw closer to God, or to appreciate our mortality, or whatever. Isaiah 55:1-3 are very good, because on this day we are a little hungry; we are a little thirsty, right?
Isaiah 55:1 - "Ho! Everyone who thirsts. . ." If you're thirsty, where do you go? To the drinking fountain? No. ". . . Come to the waters;" Which waters are we talking about here? " Come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." This is free food.
Verse 2 - "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?" You see, bread and water that we eat may satisfy us for the moment, but it's not going to bring us eternal life. It's not going to help us live forever. "Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Verse 3 - "Incline your ear, and come to Me. . ." says God. See,
that's where our true sustenance comes from. That's where the wine and the milk and the honey and the water really comes from. Let your soul delight itself in abundance. "Incline your ear, (and) come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you - The sure mercies of David."
You see, this is an everlasting promise. This is not just food for a day or no food for a day where we get hungry, this is an everlasting substance. This is a diet that will not end. This is a meal that will last forever. This is the true food, the true bread of life. This is what Isaiah's talking about here in Isaiah 55.
Verse 3 - "Incline your ear, and come to Me," says God. And that's where you'll really find satisfaction; that's where your hunger will be satisfied.
Why is there so much evil in the world? Why so much evil alongside amazing technical achievements? It is because mankind is now held hostage by an evil, spiritual deceiver, a murderer and liar of the most unimaginable proportions.
This society has rejected God, often in the strongest of terms, and it doesn't realize it has actually embraced the ideals of Satan, the Devil. This is his world right now, apart from the church.
This Day of Atonement pictures a wonderful and great event to take place after the second coming of Christ, after that seventh trumpet, and that is the removal of Satan to be bound for a thousand years. The world is in total ignorance of this fact, because it has failed to see the need and the significance of these annual Sabbaths that God has us keep.
These annual Sabbaths keep us in tune with God's overall master plan. The world does not understand that right now. They're not keeping the holy days. The world has failed to keep them as a constant reminder of God's plan of redemption. But when Satan is removed, they will come to understand. There will be at-one-ment for this world with God.
This is Satan, the devil's, world. The world is in strife with mankind in danger of extinction if God would not cut it short. But we know, as we read, that Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil. And this has begun now in the church today. The works of the Devil have been thwarted in God's church. The prison bars have been opened. Eventually this whole world will be free from a world of captivity.
The binding of Satan though, remember, is not the only lesson of this Day of Atonement. Satan's binding isn't a goal in itself. It's a means to an end, a means toward a much more important step, a much more important goal.
Christ came through the veil, with His blood, with the ransom money which was His blood to free this world from sin, not just us in the church today but the whole world, with that ransom paid for the penalty of mankind sins. And this world will be freed from its hostage crisis. Christ approached the seat of mercy where forgiveness is granted by God. And remember Passover, folks, is on individual forgiveness and escape from death. Atonement focuses more on a communal reconciliation with God.
The primary fulfillment of Atonement is in the future for the world, but don't forget that the reconciliation Atonement pictures is already effective for the people of God, for us in God's church today. It already relates to us.
And so now we look forward, not to 7:30, but to the Feast of Tabernacles and the filling of the world with God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit without the evil influence of Satan, the Devil. And we can only rejoice and be extremely thankful for the wonderful holy day master plan that God has outlined for us so that we can understand what is in store for mankind. We can understand that the prison bars will be opened; mankind will be set free and come to know the truth. It's like they're living in another world right now; it's like a nightmare. It's like it doesn't understand reality.
So we rejoice in the understanding we have, the hope of our own salvation and the hope of mankind's wide reconciliation with our Father and Jesus Christ pictured by this Day of Atonement.