Atonement

We have a nice crowd today. I know a lot of people are getting ready for that wonderful feast ahead. And here we are on the Day of Atonement, what I call another of God's projecting shadows feast, because each one of these feasts projects a shadow toward the reality that is coming. And it points to one of the future steps of salvation that God has set up in his plan. He's carrying it out methodically, step by step. Larry Walker, pastor that we had in the area there in the northwest, who is a Greek expert, he paraphrased Colossians chapter 2 verse 16 as the following. He said, let no man judge you for eating or drinking or for any portion of your observance of a festival, new moon or Sabbath, which are a shadow of future events in God's master plan. So that's what Paul was talking about. And one of those future events that God has planned and pictured in the Day of Atonement is the reconciliation of mankind to himself in Jesus Christ. He knew that there would be sin eventually and the reconciliation that would have to take place, which is part of this feast that we are celebrating today. It is the Day of, quote, covering over. They're covering over to reconcile God to his people. In fact, the word reconciliation is a synonym for atonement. They are two related Hebrew words. One is a verb, the other one is a noun, and they're basically interchangeable. As the word study dictionary points out, in the Hebrew, the term is kafar, which is a verb meaning to cover over, to forgive, to expiate, to reconcile. So you see there the connection. And the other word is the Hebrew kippur, where we get the term yom kippur, which means the day of covering over. A noun meaning atonement, the act of reconciliation. It is used five times to indicate the act or process of reconciliation. That's the end result. Now, God doesn't do just this type of ceremony, and it's just something very mechanical or something that might look just like some special ritual. But no, that's just a means to an end. The end is how God is going to reconcile mankind with all its sins to himself and to Jesus Christ. In Genesis 6 14 is where the word kafar is used for the first time. When God tells Noah to cover the ark with pitch or tar, cover it inside and out. And so this is something that the ark was covered over to make it waterproof. And several versions of the Bible called the day of atonement the day of reconciliation. Leviticus 23 verses 27 and 28. I'm going to read it from the common English Bible. It says, The Lord said to Moses, Note that the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of reconciliation. Now, if it sounded that way, people would understand it a lot better because atonement is an old term, which also has to do with reconciling, with atoning or making up for something. It says, It will be a holy occasion for you. You must deny yourselves and offer a food gift to the Lord. You must not do any work that day because it is a day of reconciliation. So it's a covering over something which we're going to cover, which means to reconcile. So let's go over this awe-inspiring ceremony. Now, people will read Leviticus 16. If you're a child, why you wouldn't think it's very important, but it is awe-inspiring all the symbolism behind all of this. So we're going to go back in time, in our imagination, to that day of atonement when Israel was doing it there in the wilderness, when God gave this to them. And so they kept this first day of atonement in the wilderness.

Let's go to Leviticus 16, because it's almost like a Hollywood movie script here. It's just something that when you see the real meaning behind it, it is awe-inspiring. So the term atonement or reconciliation is used 16 times in this chapter, Leviticus 16. And we want to see the spiritual dimension that applies to all of us. So imagine you're there witnessing all this ceremony and having the spiritual meaning explained and how it applies to us. So just like the people of Israel came before the tabernacle, and this was a Sabbath to keep. So everybody was very well dressed in their tunics. Everything was washed because this was a very special day, and especially for the priests. Notice in Leviticus 16, in verse 3, the first lesson we learn is that no one is excluded from sin. The priests had to also do a sacrifice for his own sins. So nobody is exempt from the guilt that this day represents. He says in verse 3, thus Aaron shall come into the holy place, that's the tabernacle, with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering and of a ram as a burnt offering. So he did not come sinless. He came recognizing he, his family, the priests. They also were sinners. They also needed forgiveness. He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body. Couldn't use anything else that would cause him to sweat. So he had to be just impeccable. He shall be girded with a linen sash and with a linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water and put them on. Because he was representing Jesus Christ. He was representing the ultimate meaning of what he was doing. And it had to be white. It's a symbol of purity and holiness that the priest was carrying out.

It says in verse 5, and he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids, or goats, of the goats as a sin offering and one ram as a burnt offering. Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering which is for himself and make a tomen, kaphar, a covering over for himself and for his house. So this is what God did in the first step, which was to cover over their sins. He didn't eliminate them. He did not cancel them, but they were covered over so that God could still deal with Israel. And it was a temporary measure of forgiveness because of what they did. So every year they had to come and realize, well we need to be cleansed of our sins, and this is the ceremony that was used. Verse... So here we see that no one is exempt. The white garments symbolize purity and holiness, but its fulfillment was in Christ. Notice in Hebrews chapter 9, and keep one finger here in Leviticus 16 because we're coming back to it, but Hebrews chapter 9 verse 6. Now the Day of Atonement is described in its fulfillment with Jesus Christ.

Of course, that's a partial fulfillment because Christ is coming back to do even more of what this feast represents. So Hebrews 9 in verse 6. The Bible explains itself, so this is what the ceremony truly meant. It says verse 6. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part, the high priest went alone, once a year. That's on the Day of Atonement. Not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins, committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit indicating this, in other words, God inspiring and revealing that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience. So it just covered over. But an animal's not going to forgive a person's sins before God. And because of the breaking of the law, he goes on to say, which concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings and fleshly ordinances, imposed until the time of Reformation, which is when Christ came. Verse 11, But Christ came as high priest. So we see here why those holy garments had to be clean and white, of the good things to come, with a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, not with blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for the blood of bulls and goats and ashes of a heifer, all of this happening in the day of atonement, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleansed your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. For this reason he is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. So this is why we can come in this day and not worry about a goat or a bull. We come because we've accepted Christ's sacrifice. It has been applied once and that extends forward the rest of our lives as long as we are faithful and following God. And so I just like to read Hebrews 10 now, verse 1. Hebrews 10 makes it even clearer.

It says, for the law having a shadow of the good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. I'd like to read it from another version, an OG version. It says, Moses' teachings with their yearly cycle of sacrifices are only a shadow of the good things in the future. In other words, they're projecting forward to something that's going to be fulfilled. They aren't an exact likeness of those things. They can never make those who worship perfect. So again, in the Old Testament, it was covered over, but just through Christ's sacrifice, it is eliminated. The sins are canceled forever. So let's go back to Leviticus 16 and continue in verse 7 with... So here you are. You've seen already Aaron and his... the priests, they have done their part to be forgiven so they can continue in the sanctuary serving in that way. And then in verse 7, it says, he shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. So just think this priest, all dressed in white and who has been cleansed through that blood, now he's able to come and take those two goats. It says, then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. In Hebrew, ezezon, which means the expelled one. So here are two opposite beings being represented by two goats, and they have two different fates. Now one would die for the sins and the other one would have man's sins placed on him and be cast out, expelled. In verse 8, I want to read here what Kyle and Delitz commentary says, the words one lot for God and one for ezezil require unconditionally that ezezil should be regarded as a personal being. In other words, it is a being person in opposition to the eternal. It is the devil himself, the head of the fallen angels who was afterwards called Satan, for no subordinate evil spirit could have been placed in antithesis. In other words, in equal opposition to the eternal as the ezezil is here, but only the ruler or head of the kingdom of demons.

And in verse 9, we go back to the first goat. It says, and Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell and offer it as a sin offering.

In the good news Bible version, it says there he shall draw lots using two stones. So that's the way they cast the lots. Each stone had a different meaning, one marked for the Lord and the other for a ezezil.

And this is the symbol, the first goat, of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice, his way of reconciling mankind to God the Father and himself. Notice in, keep one finger again, in Leviticus 16 and go to 2 Corinthians 5 verse 18 through 21. Very important section that explains what that first goat represented. 1 Corinthians, no 2 Corinthians 5 verse 8, 18 through 21. It says, now all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. See, we're there to help people reconcile themselves to God the Father and Jesus Christ. That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we're ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. Don't be separate. Don't let your sins be between you and God. He says, for he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. So yes, we claim that sacrifice of that first goat for our sins.

And then in Leviticus 16 verse 18, it says, and then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. So now, if we're all there in front of this tabernacle, you know, Aaron has gone into the holy place and he has made it possible for him to continue to be able to serve God because he's had his sins covered over and he has been reconciled to God. And now he goes from the tabernacle and stands in front of the altar. And all the people are there looking at what he's about ready to do. Verse 18, and he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement kaphar for it and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of that first goat and put it on the horns of the altar all around. So there were, remember, four horns that were the horns of mercy. They also tied the animals down on that altar, but he placed blood on each one of the horns there. And then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times. And of course, seven in the Bible means completion of something. So it is a complete type of covering up, cleansed and consecrated from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. And so basically when he's throwing that blood there, you know, it's getting on us symbolically. Now the whole congregation has blood sprinkled from, and of course that's what Christ's sprinkled blood does to us. So it's reconciling ourselves before God. In Revelation 19.13, keep one finger, and it was part of that sacrifice for mankind. And when he comes back, yes, he's going to be wearing crowns, but also what kind of tunic is he wearing? Revelation 19 verse 13. It says, he was clothed with a robe dipped in blood. Other translations, it's covered in blood. And his name is called the Word of God. And so, yes, he is the Passover lamb, and he's also that first goat. That the blood was sprinkled right there in the altar that was a symbol of people coming and asking forgiveness for their sins. Let's go to Leviticus 19 verse 20. I mean, Leviticus 16 verse 20.

It says, and when he has made an end for atoning, covering up for the holy place, is what it says, the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. So you see, this is almost like, now it's a separate ceremony. This is all having to do with reconciling us, the priesthood, and everything else. But now, we come to the second part. That does not have to do with human beings as such. It has to do with Satan and his demons and what they've done on this earth for all this time. Verse 20 says, he shall bring the live goat, Aaron shall lay both hands on the head of the live goat. And this is a way of transferring the sins and confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. So be some strong person that can overcome any resistance. The goat shall bear on itself all the iniquities to an uninhabited land. See, there's nothing where you talk about sin being forgiven and just being left out there. No, this is a different thing. This is an expulsion of a being that was so responsible. He was the influencer of the sins of mankind, an insider of it. And he shall release the goat in the wilderness.

And so this is the fate of the other goat, Satan. And of course, if both of these goats, because some people think, no, they both represent Christ, if that's the case, why cast lots? Why have two different faiths? If Christ completed his sacrifice with his blood, doesn't need a second type of representation. So the term asasal itself has to do with a being that has been expelled as a negative being. Notice in Matthew 25, Matthew 25, in verse 41, what is the fate of Satan and his demons?

Then he will also say to those on the left hand, depart from me you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The New Living Translation says, then the king will turn to those on the left and say, away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. So you see now we're getting close to Halloween and all that time, and Satan and his demons are very happy because they have time now to deceive human beings, make them sin more, fall into temptations, and all of this. It's just a barrage of things that happen, right after atonement. It's when Satan is out there with the day of the dead and all this stuff. We should never get involved with any of that type of things. In Revelation 20, the day of atonement has its fulfillment as far as this old earth is concerned. Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 through 3. Let's start in verse 1. Because Jesus Christ has come back, he's defeated the armies on the earth, and now he can deal with Satan. See, Satan was the one that was deceiving these nations to come. So he was the one that was egging them on. And, okay, Christ has taken care of that part of the human elements, but now he's got to deal with the mastermind behind all of this. Verse 1.

And he cast them into the bottomless pit 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. But after these things, he must be released for a little while. So this is a partial punishment. It's not the total punishment, because as we read in verse 7 here of chapter 20, it says, not when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet and it should say were, because they they no longer are there. They they got burned up. They're human beings, but not Satan. He's a spirit being. And talk about Satan and his demons, as I mentioned in Matthew 25, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. And so, of course, this this is a day where we see the seriousness of sin and how we are sinners. We need to have Christ's blood sprinkle on us and be able to carry out God's will in our lives. And it's a good preparation for the coming feast, to be spiritually prepared, humble, before God. Let's go to the last scripture.

Colossians chapter 1 and verse 19 through 23. The role of Jesus Christ, the great reconciliation. Here the sins are not covered over, but eliminated. Colossians 1 verse 19 through 23. It says, for it pleased the Father that in Him, talking about Christ, all the fullness should well, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight. If indeed you continue in the faith, you see there's always this if, it's not guaranteed. There's no such thing as eternal security and guaranteed. No. If you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. So Christ is the great Reconciliator. Sins are not covered over, but they are eliminated. So remember that the day of atonement also means the day of reconciliation. How God is going to reconcile us to the sacrifice of His Son and get rid of Satan, that great influencer and participator in our sins.