Four Lessons from Atonement

We have a sermon that in the Passover, the sacrificial lamb is offered. And as we heard, it is more for of an individual, of us, our atonement with God, our reconciliation with God through Christ. But then there is, obviously, as we heard, the Day of Attonement, which is more for the people, for Israel, for mankind, and that where is the Son of Satan, is removed, is the cause of the sins of mankind. Indeed, brethren, it is a blessing for us in God's Church to know the meaning of God's Holy Days. Obviously, they all are only possible because of the work of Jesus Christ. They're only possible because of His role as our Savior, His individual role, as well as a role that He will save us not only just individually, but He will save the whole world. Brethren, as we watch the news today, we all mourn when we see what's happening in the news. Really, we mourn. We just see, and it's not good news. The world is not good news. And we really pray, thy kingdom come, because the only hope for mankind is Christ's coming and bringing peace on this earth. But before it does come, we know that Satan has to be put away. And so, today, brethren, I want to focus, as we heard on the sermon, about the two goats. And I want to talk a little bit about using the story of the two goats. He draw four lessons, four good, practical lessons for us today. Now, brethren, we can draw many more lessons. I'm not saying these four, but only four. It's just four lessons which I decided to draw out from this example for today. And so, as we know, as it was referred in the sermonette and in Offertory, and we read a section in Leviticus 23, that on the Day of Attachment, on the tenth day of the seventh month, according to the calendar that has been appointed by God, and that the priesthood has proclaimed as per God's instructions, then, on the Day of Attachment, we fast. Now, one of the meanings of the fast is obviously for us to draw closer to God. And that is clearly one of the reasons. And that is the first lesson. But, as we're going to look and look a little bit more detailed at that lesson, let's look at the story of Leviticus 16, which is the story of the two goats, Leviticus 16.

Leviticus 16.

In Leviticus 16, we have a story in which it starts by God saying to Moses, to tell Aaron not to come just at any time, as we see in verse 2, into the holy place inside the veil before the mercy seat, which is on the ark, lest he die.

And this was, in a sense, a reminder that two of Aaron's sons had died. As you read in verse 1, he says, And so now Aaron was, let's call it, super careful. He was super careful, because now he had two other sons, and now he had a responsibility. They had a responsibility as part of the priesthood, because the priesthood had been given to the line of Aaron. Yes, they were Levites, but they were the line of Aaron with the priests. And so they had a job to do. And so it says, it gives an instruction of something to be done only on the Day of Atonement. Something to be done only on this day. And yes, you can see that it was only on this day, because you read a little bit further in verse 29. It says, this is to be done in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month. So, this was only to be done on the Day of Atonement. So, on this day, the priest had to first take a bullock, a bull, and he had to offer it as a sacrifice. You can see that there in verse 3 for Aaron. So, coming to the Holy Place with the blood of the unborn as a sin offering and of a ram as a burnt offering. So, he had this bull and this ram, and he had to offer it. And we can see it was an offering for himself.

The reason he had to offer it for himself is because he's a human being. And therefore, he had to purify himself before he does the next responsibility. So, he had to purify himself, offering for himself. Because he was a human priest, a human high priest. You can also see that in verse 6. In verse 6 says, And Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make a tournament for himself and for his house. So, it was, in a sense, to purify himself so that he could represent the high priest, a true high priest, which, as you and I know, points to Christ, which is the true high priest.

Brethren, there is an interesting point here. Now, you and I, obviously, are not high priests, but we are priests. And even the Israelites had to sanctify themselves. You know, you're reading Joshua 3 verse 5, where it says, to the Israelites, You sanctify because tomorrow God is going to do something very big. So, sanctify yourselves. And, brethren, we are a holy priesthood before God. Let's read that in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5. Keep your mark there in Leviticus, because we're going to come back to it. But let's look at 1 Peter chapter 2 in verse 5.

1 Peter chapter 2 in verse 5. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5. You've got to be careful, not like lost time. I look at chapter 2 and then I read chapter 3. I've got to be very careful with it. My eyes don't focus on these numbers anymore like they used to focus. So I've got to be careful that I'm looking at the right place. So, 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5 says, And you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Now, the priest we saw, the high priest in this case of the line of Aaron, was to offer a sacrifice. And he used to offer sacrifices. The interesting thing is that spiritually speaking, we're also priests. But we are to offer spiritual sacrifices. This is important. We are to offer spiritual sacrifices. So our sacrifices today are of a spiritual nature. Could be a sacrifice, but while you're reading Romans 12, it says, you know, we are a living sacrifice. And that means our conduct, our behavior, the way we talk, the way we speak. It must be in a way that is honorable and to God's glory. And so, that is part of our spiritual sacrifice. How we conduct ourselves, how we talk, how we encourage other people, and albeit sometimes when we don't feel well. You know, sometimes we don't feel well. We have maybe a headache or we have whatever. And that is no justification to treat other people badly. I know that when you and I have a headache, I feel a little bit on edge, you know. And it's harder to still be kind. It's just, but it's part of our sacrifice, our spiritual sacrifice that we ought to offer. So, we ought to offer spiritual sacrifices. But how do we do that? Unless we are close to God. And so, on the Day of Tonement, we have this opportunity to fast to get closer to God. So, fasting, and as the Church does recommend that we should fast occasionally, we need to fast to get close to God. That helps us to get closer to God. It helps us to examine ourselves.

And so, going back to Leviticus 16, let's read now in verse 11 through 14. Leviticus 16, verse 11 through 14. It says, And Aaron shall bring the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself. Leviticus 16, verse 11. And make a tournament for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull as the sin offering, which is for himself. Then he shall take a sancer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord with his hands, full of sweet incense beaten fine. So, brethren, we need to look at this from a spiritual sense, as we saw in 1 Peter 2, verse 5. We need to offer spiritual sacrifices. And so, when he takes the sancer, what is it? What is the sancer? It says you have the sancer with incense. What is incense? Well, keep your finger there, and if you just quickly turn to Revelation 5, verse 8. Revelation 5, verse 8. Oh, that's correct. Wow, got it. Correct, yeah. Revelation 5, verse 8.

It says, yeah, and when he had taken the scroll and the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each adding a harp and a golden bolt full of incense, which are the prayers of the sancer. The incense is the prayers of the sancer. So, when we offer a spiritual sacrifice to God, and we draw it close to him, God takes these prayers of ours, and to him, as it says, yeah, they are pleasing to God.

They are pleasing to God. And it says, and with his hands full of sweet incense, beaten fine. Sweet. So, it's got a sweet aroma to God. It's pleasant to God. The other thing, it's beaten fine. Beaten fine means that your prayers and my prayers need to have some detail. Let's just say, oh well, pray that everybody's got a good feast. But maybe beat it a little bit more fine, a little bit more detailed for this person, and we know that person, for instance, some of the brethren are now in France, or for the feast.

Think about them, that they have, everything goes well with them. We just heard yesterday at a home office, one of the brethren is going to Italy for the feast, but he's gone via Iceland. Lovely. So, he's been in Iceland, then he's flying to Italy. The only little problem that they found out when they got to Iceland is that they fly from Iceland to Italy via Air Berlin. And Air Berlin just went bankrupt and canceled all the flights. So, Ja is an opportunity for beaten, fine prayer. Ja is some brethren stuck in Iceland on the way to the feast without a way to get to the feast. So, Ja is an opportunity for us to be praying.

And we need to have our years open. We've got the prayer requests we get, and we take them home, and we pray about them, beaten, fine. And this is sweet aroma to God. So, our living sacrifices, and you may say, oh well, that's maybe a hard work. Well, maybe that's a little sacrifice that you and I need to do.

That's part of what we need to do. So, when we fast, another thing that's important, we are not fasting to make a demand from God. We don't fast as a hunger strike. You've heard of hunger strikes, right? Well, we're fasting so that we can get demand. No, we're not fasting to push our way, or to get God's arm to be twisted, quote-unquote.

Obviously, it's not that. Many do. Many do. I mean, give you an example. Sometimes you get people, just, I don't want to get into too many details, but it's not ya, don't worry. It's in a different language, but you get people that contact me and say, give me, I'm poor, give me, and if you are a Christian, you're going to give me, because I'm poor. And then they quote scriptures, like the Good Samaritan and this and that, and you've got to give me money. And some of them are done. I've never even seen them. It's unbelievable. And then they quote Isaiah 58, which we're going to go and look at in a moment.

The point, ya brethren, is we fast not to use that to manipulate people to do things my way. We fast to change our way. So let's look at Isaiah 58 briefly, brethren, because it's an important scripture about fasting, Isaiah 58. And let's go into, start in verse 3, because ya is the people saying, God is quoting ya, the people saying, Why have we fasted, and you, God, have not heard, or you have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls?

Why are we fasting and fasting and fasting, and you don't pay attention? Or it says, you take no notice. In fact, in the day of your fast, you find pleasure. Oh, ya, you're fasting, but you do things to please yourself, whatever they are. Maybe it's not even watching TV, it's just kind of playing on the Internet. Or whatever it is, I don't know. You find pleasure, and exploit all your labors.

Indeed, you fast to strive and debate, and to strive with the first of wickedness. It's like saying, with a heavy hand of criticism. A heavy fist of wickedness is like criticism. Criticizing other people as Christians, for instance, they're not doing their part because I'm poor and they need to help me, quote-unquote, just using an example. To make your voice heard or not heard. So you're fasting to make your voice heard or not heard. And then, is it a fast that I've chosen? This is not what God's saying. Is it a fast that I've chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul. So has God chosen a fast for us to afflict our souls? Yes, yes, we afflict our souls. But is it to bow down? Bow down is it like a bull rush? Like we heard. Are we just now making a scene in front of other people so that we look that we are fasting?

And to spread out sad cloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast and acceptable day? To the Lord. In other words, if you are doing a show, if you are making a fast, and if you are pronouncing it or whatever it is and making it visible, is this what God wants? God says no. But what he wants? What he wants is in the next verses. You see, God does not want this. What does he want the fast you read in verse 6? The fast that God wants. Is this not the fast that I've chosen? To lose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let your breath go free, and let you break every yoke.

Our fast is for us to examine ourselves and to see where are we putting undue pressure on other people. And then he says, is it not to share your bread with the hungry and that you bring to your house the poor who are out, and when you see the naked that you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh? So yeah, it's this case where this person says, help me, you see? You're supposed to fast to help me? And he has a word of caution, brethren. It's a word of discernment.

You know, some people are very skilled in manipulating, in making you and I feel guilty. And we have to be discerning. The point here is looking at me. How do I need to change? He's not saying, look at him or her, how she needs to change, and tell him or her to change.

Can you see the difference? It's a big difference. This is for me to analyze myself and to say where I need to change. Now, quite often, it's easy in this society to think, well, just give them a bit more money, you'll be fine. And, you know, this specific person was asking for something every month. Want something every month. Every month. And, as I said, I don't even know him from about himself. I've never met him. Never met the person. The point is, are we actually helping?

In other words, are we enabling the problem? Or are we humming? You see, Brevin, it's a question of discerning. It's very difficult for you and I to look at this verse and to analyze ourselves. It's very difficult because situations change. They change from country to country. They change from region to region. Quite often, the best way is to really use the proverbial, teach somebody how to fish rather than give them a fish. You know, so we need to help people to have permanent change.

And that's what it says to undo the heavy burdens and let your priests go free. In other words, help them to change in a positive way. And so maybe we connect people with organizations that can help them, that have a mission to help them in a positive way and assist them that way and guide them. You see, so when we do that, then we read that in verse 8.

Don't you want that? Don't we want that we come to God and says, help? And God says, yeah, I am. That's what we want. And so the purpose of fasting is for us to examine ourselves and to see where we need to change. And I know I've touched very delicate topics, but it is important to us to look at those areas where is the separation between the bone and the marrow to understand that we have to be discerning and loving and kind.

But we have to look at how to help in the long term. That is not easy. It's not easy. So, brethren, the point is we all have said, you have said, I have said. We all have. We all have said things wrong. I have. I say it all the time. I wish I didn't, but I do.

We all sometimes have the wrong thoughts and I say, get that out of your mind. Sometimes you see your mind is wrong. So I says, why am I thinking about that? Get it out. So we need to cleanse ourselves and we can see that the high priest in Leviticus 16, first thing he had to do, he had to cleanse himself. And that's what we've got to do.

We've got to examine ourselves and we've got to look at ourselves to cleanse ourselves. And as you read that section, you'll see that he had to take the blood and sprinkle it seven times in that cleansing process. Seven, symbolizing completely to cleanse us completely. So that's the first lesson that I'm sharing with you today, is that we need to use the Day of Atonement as an opportunity to get closer to God. Yes, indeed. To examine ourselves, to look at how are we, according to these standards that God's given to us in Isaiah 58, are we more of the type of person that is loosing the bonds and helping people on the way to liberty?

Because after all, brethren, after all, the Day of Atonement is the Day of Jubilee, which means, is the trumpet of Jubilee, which means is the day where liberty will be proclaimed in Israel. So how appropriate it is for us, in our hearts, to really give liberty to other people. That's how we need to analyze ourselves. The second lesson is in Leviticus 16. So turn with me to Leviticus 16, about the two goats. And let me tell you what the lesson is, and then let's read. The lesson is that the priest could not identify which goat was which goat.

The priest, by looking at the two goats, could not say, this is the goat for the Lord, and this is the goat for us as well. He had to ask God, in that specific example, through lots, God would reveal which goat was which goat.

In other words, the lesson is God tells us what is right and what is wrong.

It's God that knows better what is right and what is wrong.

And today, in our society, we say, oh well, you know, it depends, you know, that's how it was then, but now this is okay, and XYZ community is okay because it's accepted, whatever, whatever. You see, mankind cannot determine accurately what is right and what is wrong. God has to determine. And by the way, it's nothing different. And you know, I'm going to go back to it. Michael Armstrong always went back to it, and you know what it is? The two trees. There's nothing different than the two trees because it's God that told Adam and Eve which one was good and which one was bad because to Adam and Eve, even the bad one looked good. Even the bad one looked good. You read that. It looked good to eat, good to make your wise. It looked good from outside. So they could not distinguish. So, yeah, we have the second lesson from Leviticus 16 that I want to share with you today. It's that you and I cannot distinguish by ourselves what is right and wrong. God has given us to us through His laws and His commandments. God has given to us through His laws and commandments what is right and what is wrong. God defines what is sin. Why? Because our mind is deceitful. You know Jeremiah 17.9. I don't have to turn there. Our heart is deceitful above all things.

You know the story about the wolf in sheep's clothing. Now, interesting enough, in Portuguese, and this I'm just saying a little bit of interest. In Portuguese, it's not the wolf in sheep's clothing. In Portuguese, it's the wolf that has a sheep's skin. It's kind of interesting because if he's got a sheep's skin, it's not even the clothes. It looks like from outside it's just so basically the intent of this is the sign. But what I'm saying is you and I cannot distinguish the wolf because after all wolves don't wear clothes, right? So I can understand that. But anyway, can we distinguish one sheep from the other? Because one is a wolf inside. So the analogy of the two goats, we cannot distinguish the two goats because one is azazel inside. But from outside, they look identical. They look clean, they look perfect, they look just perfect. So let's look at that section of Matthew 16, verse 8 and 9. It says, An evil spirit, a bad spirit, which symbolizes Satan, an errand shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell and offer it as a sin offering. So this goat is killed, the goat which represents Christ, which represents the possible lamb. Understand? It's a goat, it's not the lamb. So the lamb, possible lamb, was not a possible lamb. So this is just symbolic of the possible lamb, which in turn represents Christ. So this is killed. Indeed, Christ was killed. But again, he's not dead. He resurrected after three days and three nights.

But Yah is the goat that was selected. One was selected for the Lord and one for us as hell. And only God could distinguish the two goats. Only God. I think it was read in the sermonette. I stand to be correct, but I think it was read 2 Corinthians 11, verse 12 through 15. And so I'm not reading again, but it shows that Satan appears as an angel of light. And so if he can appear an angel of light, then in that section he says how much more can his ministers appear as true ministers? But the point is, Yah, is that you and I, you and I, do not have the wisdom to discern. And you know what? Satan is so clever. He's so clever because you can read in Matthew 24 that says, that time will come that if it were possible, we'll deceive the very elect. So therefore, this deception is going to be so difficult to discern. That you and I will only be able to discern if we're close to God and if we love the truth. You know, elsewhere, he says you've got to love the truth. You've got to hold on to the faith which was once delivered to the saints. That's profound because Satan is going to come up with such clever little things which are so technical and so clever that if you're going to follow that, you're going to say, well, that sounds reasonable. And you're going to go all the way down the garden path into the cesspool.

Because it's so clever. And so, you and I need to ask God for wisdom. We need to have discernment. Keep your finger there in Leviticus 16, but let's look at Hebrews 5. Hebrews 5.

Now, when we think about asking God for wisdom, I'm not going to turn there while you're turning to Hebrews 5. That is just a trajectory. You can remember in James 1-5 and around about there, where he says, if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God that gives him, liberally. So, we all lack wisdom, brethren, and we all need to ask from God for wisdom. We need to ask. We need to ask for that discernment. Because you and I are going to get into situations that are really going to be, let's call it, sticky. You know, you don't know, shall I do this or that? It's just kind of difficult. And in that instance, what do you need to do? And what I need to do is, and sometimes you've got to make a decision really quick, is say a prayer and ask God, please help me to make the right decision at this moment. Because sometimes you don't have much of a time. So, whatever position you are, and that's why you and I need to be close to God. So that when it says, God help me, and God says, here I am. And you will then, somehow, will get the right thought, the right idea, and bang! I mean, it's happened to me so many times. I've had, I went to Brazil or to Angola, and I've had people asking really difficult questions that I've never thought of. I had never thought of the answer, but there was a genuine, good question. But it was difficult. And the fact says, is it this, or is it that? And in that split second, all that I could say to myself is, God help me with the right words. And then suddenly, the thought came that I could give an analogy like this, and then using that analogy, bring the point, and then ask them a question and say, now based on that analogy, what do you think is this or that? And then they, by themselves, draw the correct conclusion, rather than me telling them. Because if me telling them, it does not have the same value. You know, people don't get... you can't convince anybody. You can't convince anybody. Once, I suppose, it's convinced that way. So you can't change people's minds. But you can ask a question that makes them think. Because in the end, that's how Christ did, isn't it? You could often ask questions. You made the Pharisees think. And that's why they got even madder, because they knew in their hearts they were wrong. But anyway, that's a different point. The point is, back to Hebrews 5, we need to be able to discern. And it says, solid food...

And if you read the beginning, it says, you ought to be experienced. You've been in the church for a long time. You should know this better. But then it goes out and it says, listen, solid food belongs to those who are of full age. In other words, spiritually speaking, we are mature.

So what is the solid food? Well, other people come to me and say, well, solid food, he's preaching about prophecy.

And what's going to happen? You know, we had a good sermon today. It was all about prophecy and all this thing. The problem is most of the sermon was speculation. So you've got to be careful. That's not solid food. That's speculation. So what is solid food? The Bible tells us what solid food is. We just have to read a little bit further. It says, that is... Oh, there it is. That is explained. Those who by reason of youth have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Solid food is that experience of putting to practice the right discernment between right and wrong. That is the meat of the matter.

The real meat of the matter, the real solid food, is putting to use what we taught.

Over time. Like it says, by reason of use. Because you're doing it and you're doing the right thing. Because you know that you shouldn't do this. Whatever this is, you know you shouldn't do this.

And you keep doing it! Oh, well, I'm just too weak. Or the temptation is too strong. And you keep doing it. When are you going to be, quote-quote, a man and say, I'm not going to do it? So, we have, by reason of use, have to overcome this slowly and get it overcoming. And by time doing it, over a period of time, we have our senses exercised, our senses exercised. In other words, practice, and practice, then practice, practice makes perfect, and that is the solid food. To discern good and evil.

Brethren, please, I'm not criticizing you. Please, if you think I am, that's the last thing I'm trying to do. Please. I'm just speaking to myself as well. We've all got to examine ourselves. We all have to have our senses exercised to discern right from wrong. And this is a wonderful lesson that we can get from the Day of Atonement. We need to be close to God, and because we're close to God, we need to put to practice doing the right thing, and then God will help us. God will help us, and then He will give us more of His Spirit, and therefore we get closer to Him. And when we pray with our prayers, beaten small, and we're asking, Father, again, I need help. I need strength, because by myself I can't do it. And then He will give us the help. We just have to follow through. We just have to do our best. He will give us help. He says He will. So that is the second lesson that I wanted to share with you that we can pull out from the two goats indirectly. But that's a good lesson, I think. That lesson. The third lesson that we can pull out of there is, let's look at Leviticus 16, verse 15.

Leviticus 16, verse 15. He says, Then He shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people. Which goat is that? The one who represents Jesus Christ. The one who represents the Lord, which is for the people. Bring its blood inside the veil. What is inside the veil? It's the Holy of Holies, which represents God's throne.

And do with that blood, as He did with the blood of the bull. It will sprinkle the blood of the goat seven times. Sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. It will sprinkle the blood symbolically of Christ. Now, I had somebody sometime moaning at me and said, Well, you said that crushed blood literally goes to heaven now and gets sprinkled in heaven. Well, I didn't say that. All I'm saying is, this is what they did on the Day of Atonement, which symbolizes Christ taking His blood to heaven, to God's throne. Where Christ Himself took a portion of His physical blood in there, I doubt, because that's in heaven, that's all spiritual.

But it is a symbolism that He did through His blood. We go through the veil and it can get to the throne. So it's symbolic, of course. But anyway, now we have the third lesson.

And the third lesson is that the high priest could go to the, let's call it the resemblance or the photocopy. It wasn't photocopy, but it was an image of resemblance of God's throne in heaven. The high priest could do that. But now, you and I can go to the throne of God through Christ's blood, and this is what it's thought of in a new and living way.

This is very powerful. You see, Yah was the high priest on the Day of Atonement, performing a function, which is to me, extremely important meaning of the Day of Atonement. Which is the function of the high priest to bring the blood which represented Christ of that goat to God's throne and atoning the people which is us. And that's what you and I can do every day today. You don't have to wait for the Day of Atonement. You don't have to wait for the Day of Atonement. You can do it every day on a new and living way.

And this day reminds us of this. That you and I, every day, on our prayers, through our prayers, can go, spiritually speaking, to God's throne and speak to the Father, and he can hear us. And we are through the veil all the way to the throne, and our prayers, which is our beaten insince, beaten small, is there, and he's listening to it.

And this is the new and living way you and I have. I think this is such a profound, important emphasis of the Day of Atonement. Let's continue reading in Leviticus, verse 16. And he says, And he shall make Atonement for the Holy Place because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, 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 uncleanliness.

There shall be no man in the Tabernacle of Meeting when he goes in, in other words, that the high priest goes in, to make Atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, that he may make Atonement for himself, for his whole, and for a whole assembly of Israel. And when he shall go out to the altar, that is before the Lord, and make Atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull, and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar, all around.

Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it, with his fingers seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it, from uncleanness of the children of Israel. Brethren, this has got a spiritual meaning. Now, you and I, you and I can visualize this very poorly. Can visualize this very poorly. I believe that you and I, when we'll see this being reenacted, again, in the world tomorrow, because it will be a temple, so I'm sure this will be reenacted there.

And you will see all these details, and Christ will explain to us, as he sees this, points to that, ah! And see this, points to that, ah! So it will be a wonderful lesson for us to get the value. But now, what we do, what we do now, is what's in Hebrews, chapter 8, for instance. Let's go there, Hebrews 8 through 10. We're going to read a few sections there. He in Hebrews, chapter 8.

Now we know, we heard in the sermonette, that Hebrews chapter 2 was read, where it shows that Christ is willing to forgive us and help us to overcome. But now we go to Hebrews chapter 8, and let's read verse 10. So we're going to read a few sections here of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 8, verse 10 and 11. And it's talking about these offerings. It says, concern only of foods and drinks and various washings and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of Reformation. Those were done until the time of Reformation. They don't need to be done. But now, since the end, verse 11, Christ came as a high priest of the good things to come with the greatly more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is not of this creation. So Christ represented this. This was purely a representation of Christ. So now let's move forwards into chapter 9, verse 11. Chapter 9, verse 11.

Yeah, chapter 9. Sorry, I was reading chapter 9, verse 10 and 11. Sorry. Now I'm reading chapter 9, verse 11 through 14. Sorry. I know I said chapter 8, so I apologize. But Christ came as a high priest of the good things to come that I've read. Verse 12. Not of the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood. He entered the most high place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of Eiffel, sprinting the uncleans, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ be? Who through the eternal spirit, offered himself without spot to God, cleansed your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. How much more? How much more? Christ's sacrifice, his role as our high priest. What is he doing now? It's so much more valuable. Look at verse 23. It says, Not that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters the most holy place every year, once a year, every year on the Day of Atonement, with the blood of another. He then, that means Christ, would have had to suffer often through the foundation of the world. But now, Christ, once, at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and is at ease appointed for man to die once after that judgment. So he has appeared once. So Christ was offered once, verse 28, over to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly wait for him. He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. So we can only give God thanks of this great meaning of the Day of Atonement, of this act the high priest was doing, which symbolized Christ, that Christ could go to the from, and through his death, through his blood, opened the door for us. Let's read that in a little bit more detail in chapter 10, verse 19 through 22. Chapter 10, verse 19 through 22. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. So that means, it says, brethren, don't be shy, don't be timid, be bold, to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. In other words, the very throne of God, where the high priest could only go once a year, you and I can go. Verse 20, by a new and living way, by a new and living way, which he consecrated for us, through the veil, there is his flesh. The veil was torn, his flesh was torn, and he consecrated that new and living way through his flesh. And having a high priest over the house of God, which is now Christ, let us draw near. We need to draw near to God. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Brethren, this is a new and living way, that Christ has opened up for us. Not with the whole high priest, that was just symbolic. That was only symbolic. You and I can now go, and this is what the new Catholic is all about, we can go to God's throne every day that you and I pray, and ask God, by Jesus Christ's authority and name, that he will intervene for us. And that's our incense, beaten small.

Jesus Christ is the real sacrifice, he mediates for us, he wants us to be with him, to be one with him. That's why he died for us. His lost will, let's call it his lost will, his lost prayer in front of the disciples. In John 17, right towards the end of that prayer, he said, let them be one as we are one. He wants us to be one, like the word and the highest are one. And you and I are to be one with them. It does not mean that we cease to be individuals, we're still individual people, but we are to be one in unity, in the same spirit. And that's why he died for us. And that's why it says in Philippians 2 verse 5, says, let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, that he humbled himself to bring us to repentance. God wants us to have the same love, to be at one with him, with that same mind. Let this mind be in you. And brethren, this is the only way to please God if we have absolute faith in this. Because without faith, it is impossible to please God. And this is the faith we have to have. We have to have faith in the blood and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and what they've done for us. And that they are reconciling us. It's not what you and I do, we are just junk. We are just junk. Does that mean now we can go on doing things wrong? No. But it's what they have done for us. Particularly Christ put his life on the line for you and I. What a love is God for us. And what love the Father has for us. So brethren, this new and living way is the third lesson that I want to leave with you about the two gods. About that story of the two gods. First, we've got to be close to God like the high priest that cleans for himself. Secondly, we could not distinguish right from wrong. God had to show us. And thirdly, we have a new and living way because we now have a perfect high priest after the whole of Melchizedek that is intervening for us. That is a wonderful meaning of the Day of Atonement. The fourth lesson is that the other God is going to be punished. The other God is going to be banished, as we heard in the sermon 8. And let's turn back to Leviticus 16, verse 20. Leviticus 16, verse 20. And when he made the end of a town in the holy place, and the tabernacle meeting, and altar, he shall bring the life goat.

And what happens to the life goat? He says in verse 21, And Aaron shall lay above his hands on the head of the life goat, which represents Satan, and confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, confess over it the sin and the transgressions concerning all his sins, putting them in the heart of the goat, and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. And you and I know from Revelation 20 that this suitable man was an angel. Let's turn there. Revelation 20, starting in verse 1. Revelation 20, verse 1. Revelation 20, verse 1 says, And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottom of the split, and a great shine in his hand. And he laid on of the dragon. In other words, this life goat that symbolizes the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. In other words, it will be sent into a solitary place by a fit man, which is this angel, and he cast him into the bottom of the split and shut him up and set his seal on him, so they should deceive the nations no more till a thousand years were finished. But after these things, it must be released for a little while, because God's got a purpose for it. But the point is, that life goat will be punished, because you can see a little bit later. In verse 10, after a thousand years, after he's done a little bit more deception, he says, The devil who received, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. There will be a punishment for him. And brethren, it's a fearful thing to fall in the hands of God.

Because you and I read about the Old Testament, half people did this, bang, they were stung to death. Oh, how can they God be so harsh? Brethren, those people who were stung to death will be resurrected.

Those people who were stung to death will be resurrected.

But when you and I, hopefully not you and I, but when human beings that rebel and go back to the wrong way and are thrown into the lake of fire, that's eternal.

So that second death is far worse than the first death. That's why it says there'll be mashing of teeth. Brethren, let's read that in Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10.

Verse 26. For if we sin woefully, after we receive the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin. In other words, if we come to a point where we will woefully and deliberately say, I don't care anymore, I don't want to obey God, I hate God, I don't want, I don't care, I know it's wrong, but I'm going to do it anyway. Wow! That's terrible, isn't it? If we come to that point, and you know what? There are some people that could be in that point. I don't know who, because I'm not going to look at people because I don't know their hearts.

But there could be people that way, because it says there could be people that way. It says, verse 27, verse 27, You see, the second death will be far worse than that stoning of the first death. When we look at that first, look at all the things that say, oh, God was harsh. Brethren, if we are turning against Christ, if we know Christ, and we're rejecting deliberately and willfully, the punishment will even be greater.

That's what it says. Anyone who rejected Moses, verse 28, Lord, dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more worse punishment, verse 29, do you suppose, will be he who thought, will be he, be thought worthy of, who was trampled, the Son of God, and the foot, counted the blood of the covenant by which you were sanctified, a common thing, and insulted the spirit of grace.

For we know him who said, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Eternal. And again, the Lord will judge these people. Verse 31, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. We can see from the lesson of the two goats that one of the goats died, or at least was banished, was put away. One died, but he lived. The other one was banished and had a punishment.

So brethren, there is a punishment. There is a punishment coming.

Today I highlighted four simple lessons that you and I can derive from the Day of Atonement. First, you and I need to examine ourselves so that we are very close to God. And use the opportunity of the Day of Atonement. I know some of us are pretty frail. I know some of us feel like sleeping. And it's okay if you're going to rest a bit. But don't neglect to do a little extra study and a little extra pray. It is very important for us to get closer to God. Secondly, only God shows us and can tell us how to discern when things are difficult to discern. Thirdly, we have a new and living way through Christ our Mediator to go to God. Thank God that we have this way. It really is a blessing to the Day of Atonement gives us. And fourthly, beware! Because Satan will be banished. And we, if we sin, will also be punished. So, brethren, our goal in the end... What is our goal? Our goal, brethren, is to be in the Kingdom of God, to be sons and daughters of God, for us to be able to help people to change in all tomorrow, in a shorter term, if you call a thousand years a short term, and then beyond other things that we don't even begin to comprehend.

We are to rule with Christ as kings or as lords and teachers and educators. We will help this world to change from the disaster that it is to a beautiful world in the world tomorrow.

So, brethren, for us to be able to do that, we've got to be working through these four lessons today, getting close to God, get God to help us to discern between right and wrong, use the advantage, the blessing of this new and living way to be able to communicate with our Heavenly Father, and at the same time, beware that we mustn't go wrong. We just got to stay on that good and narrow path. So, brethren, let's rejoice and with this understanding, move with joy towards the feast, which will show us the additional explanation of the great plan of salvation that God has for all of us. May God bless you. May He help you on your journey. May your journey be safe. And please keep praying for one another. Have a lovely feast.