The Relationship Between Passover and Atonement

The title today, Relationship between Passover and Atonement. Relationship between Passover and Atonement. Is there a relationship between the Day of Atonement and Passover? To a large degree, it seems that the Day of Atonement is just a rehash of Passover, looking at it from one point of view, especially about blood, sacrifice. If Passover is the same as Atonement, then why observe it as a separate festival, separate holiday? So is there a meaning and understanding of this day that goes beyond Passover? Well, of course, the answer is yes. I think we'll see that from the Scriptures here this afternoon. I believe you'll find this sermon study most interesting and hopefully inspiring. This day is to be and can be continually lived by Christians 24-7, seven days a week, 365. Let's first of all look at the principal events of Passover. Israel's initial redemption centered on God, redeeming them out of Egypt, bringing them out of Egypt. So let's go to the book of Exodus. In Exodus, the name that is given to the book of Exodus in our English Bibles is really a Greek translation of Exodus. The Hebrew word means the way out, but the Greek word literally means the going out. I'm sorry I reversed that. In the Hebrew Bible, the Hebrew word for Exodus is, these are the names. I'm using a new Bible today.

This thing, the pages are so thin, and my fingers are always so dry, I'll have to do a lot of licking. In Exodus 1.1, these are the names. That's the Hebrew name for the book, the literal translation of Hebrew. But the English Bible gives the Greek translation of the Hebrew word, which is the way out. The types that are given in Exodus are those of redemption, the initial buying back. Look at Exodus 4 in verse 22, when Moses and Aaron began to go to Pharaoh and say, Let my people go.

In Exodus 4, in verse 22, Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the LORD, Israel is my son, my firstborn. So I say to you, Let my son go, that he may serve me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn. So we'll find out here about the firstborn and the redemption of the firstborn in just a moment.

Now look at Exodus 13 in verse 5. Exodus 13 in verse 5. Of course, you know in Exodus 12, the Passover is revealed in elements of the sacred calendar where it says, This month shall be unto you the first month. It's the first month in the sacred calendar. In Exodus 13 in verse 15, And it came to pass when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, That the Eternal killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, the firstborn of beasts.

Therefore, I sacrificed to the LORD all males that opened the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeemed. So Exodus to a large degree is about redemption. Now there's a really interesting part perhaps you never really focused on with regard to the redemption of firstborn and who the firstborn come to be.

If you'll turn to Numbers chapter 3, we'll read a verse or two there and then we'll go to Numbers 13. So in Numbers chapter 3 and verse 13, Numbers 3 and verse 13, Because all the firstborn are mine, on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified myself all the firstborn in Israel, sanctified myself.

In other words, I set apart all the firstborn of Israel as my firstborn, both man and beast. They shall be mine. I am the eternal. Now when we go to Numbers 8, which we want to do, now we're going to see what I would call an interesting, I hate to use the word twist or maybe an interesting angle or an interesting difference here that perhaps you've never really focused on before.

In Numbers chapter 8 and verse 14, Then you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. After that, the Levites shall go into the service, serve the tabernacle of meeting, so you shall cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering. For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel. I have taken them for myself instead of, notice this, I have taken them for myself instead of all who opened the womb, the firstborn of all the children of Israel.

For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both men and beasts, on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself. Look at this. I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel. So of the 12 tribes, the tribe of Levi was set apart as the firstborn to serve God in doing his work.

In that system, the Levitical system that was set up before Christ came on the scene, the Levites were the ones to do the work necessary for carrying on temple worship. The members of the body of Christ today, the church, we are typical sons of Levi. Now some have sort of looked at that and sort of understood it in a way and say, okay, we're all typical sons of Levi, therefore we're all priests. Well, that is not the case.

It says very clearly in the Bible and we have used this phrase many times or this sentence that all priests are Levites. All priests are Levites, but all Levites are not priests. They're still Levites and they served in preparing the sacrifices and many other aspects of temple worship, but all Levites were not priests. The work of offering a sin offering and or the Passover offering was hard work. The work was done outside the temple or sanctuary.

That's an important point in this with regard to making some distinction between Passover and atonement. That the work of Passover was basically done, especially that first Passover, outside the temple because that first Passover, there was not a temple and they sprinkled the blood of the lambs on the doorpost. Passover is individual. It is specific. No one can take the Passover for you.

Now, under the terms of the Old Covenant, the Old Covenant was really a national covenant with the whole nation of Israel, even though it did have individual aspects where individuals were held accountable under the Old Covenant. So, the Israelites, as I said, sprinkled the blood on the doorpost.

And as we shall see, after the temple was built, the people brought their sin offerings to the temple area. Can you imagine on that Passover, let's take the Passover in which Jesus Christ was crucified? How many lambs can a lamb slay or slay? If a lamb slay or slay these lambs all day long? Well, I don't know how many. Some have estimated about 20,000. So, they brought the lambs to the temple to be offered. But it's obvious there had to be some going on in the individual sense, but I don't want to get sidetracked on that. I'll probably get a letter or two on that. But anyhow, one of the great purposes for redeeming Israel out of Egypt was so they could build God a sanctuary so that He might dwell among them. And we'll notice that in Exodus 15. If we go to Exodus 15, verse 1, in Exodus 14 is the account of Israel crossing the Red Sea. You know, they were hemmed in by the mountains on either side, and the host of Pharaoh were behind them, pursuing them, and the Red Sea was in front of them. And the people were in the woe is me attitude. Why do you bring us out here to kill us this way? Why didn't we stay in Egypt? That was said several times on the way to Mount Sinai. But God did intervene, and they walked across the Red Sea, which was called their baptism in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Now we see here in Exodus 15.1, so they come up out of the Red Sea onto your dry ground on the other side. Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the eternal and spoke, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for He is triumphed gloriously. The horse and its rider, He is overthrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. He is my God. I will praise Him, my Father's God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name. Pharaoh's chariots and the army He has cast into the sea. You stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them, and it goes on. Now in verse 2, this must be New King James. I should check that before I picked it up. I'm not as fun-dive. New King James version. In the Old King James, in verse 2, instead of what it says in the New King James, it says, when it says, He is my salvation, I would exalt Him. It says, I will build Him inhabitation. That's one of the main things that God wanted them to do was to build Him a habitation, a place where He could dwell among them.

We go a little farther here into this book.

Go to Exodus 25. In Exodus 25, they have now already come to Mount Sinai. They have received the Ten Commandments in chapter 20. They've entered into the Old Covenant, chapter 24. Now, after entering into the Old Covenant, God says in Exodus 25, verse 8, and let them make a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. This is very similar to the offertory that you heard today about the offering for the Second Temple. This is the offering for the First Temple. This is about the offering for the tabernacle in the wilderness where the people gave so generously at that time. Now, notice in verse 18, verse 18, and you shall make two carobim of gold, carobim of angelic beings. In Ezekiel 28, it talks about Satan being one of the anointed carobs that covered the throne of God. So one of those carobs is identified in Ezekiel 28 as the one who became Satan. Just think about going from being one of the anointed carobs that covered to being the devil. You shall make two carobs of gold, of hammered work. You shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat.

Then it talks about how to make the mercy seat. Verse 20, the carob shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another. The faces of the carobim shall be toward the mercy seat. You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you, the Ten Commandments. And there I will meet with you, and there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat from between the two carobim, which are on the ark of the testimony, the ark of the covenant. You see about this translation? I mean, ark of the covenant is a lot better than ark of the testimony, but done. I got a thing about translations. This must have been three or four years ago. I wrote to the Council of Elders about translations, and we're seeing more and more translations being used in sermons and articles and all of that. And one of the things I said in there, you don't want the Bible to become the the literature of it to sound like you're reading the daily newspaper or your home journal. There I see the testimony of the covenant, I lost my place. I will speak with you from above the mercy seat from between the two carobim, which are on the ark of the testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel. So you see that they did build a sanctuary. When they raised up the sanctuary in Exodus chapter 40, God's presence filled the sanctuary. It was so bright that Moses couldn't even stay in it. Then we come to Leviticus, and Leviticus is an interesting word as well because there is the Hebrew meaning of the word with regard to Leviticus. The Hebrew word translated Leviticus is Yachira or Vaikidra, and it literally means, and he called. So you look at Leviticus 1-1.

Now the Lord called and he called. Vay-ee-cra, something like that. Now the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying what we just read about.

He said, I will, from above the mercy seat, I will speak to you. So the types in Leviticus relate to worship. Even in the Old Testament, there was great emphasis on dwelling in the house of God, the sanctuary, the temple, forever. How does the 23rd Psalm close?

You look at Psalm 23 verse 6, it closes, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Look at Psalm 77 verse 13. So 23rd Psalm that we emphasize, we usually read at sermons, at least I do, at sermons and funerals closes with, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. In Psalm 77, this is the psalm in which this person comes to realize that his problem is his problem. His eyes are on himself instead of God. Then he comes to his senses, and he says in verse 10, and I said, this is my anguish. He went over and over his problems. He'd go over his problems, his spirit was overwhelmed, he'd go over his problems again, and he came to his senses and said that this is what's wrong with me. This is my anguish. My problem is my problem, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. So the Bible talks a lot about the right hand of the Most High, and we know at the present time Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Most High. 14. I remember the works of the Eternal. Surely I will remember your wonders of old. I will meditate on all your works and talk of your deeds. Your way, all God, is in the sanctuary. Who is so great a God as your God?

Now you look at Revelation 3 in verse 12 with regard to future and the continuation. So there's so much types and anti-types in the Bible, so many figures of speech, so many symbols. In Revelation chapter 3, one of the rewards of those in the first resurrection you'll see here in Revelation 3 in verse 12.

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. He should go out no more. 23rd Psalm, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Your way, O Eternal. Psalm 77 is in the sanctuary. I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and I will write on him my new name. So this dwelling in the house of the Lord forever and the work, what we want to emphasize in a large degree here today, is the work that is currently being done in the sanctuary, in the heavenly sanctuary. Today we are called to worship God in spirit and in truth.

So let's read that verse in John chapter 4, John chapter 4 and verse 23. We'll read 23 and 24. John 4 and verse 23. But the hour is coming and now is. Jesus Christ is introducing that hour.

Now in the past they went to the temple and earthly priests ministered in the sanctuary, in the temple. The hour is coming and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. So it is a spiritual matter. The spiritual reality is greater than the physical reality. The physical part was given as types to help us understand the spiritual. Passover gives us access to God. After a sin offering was offered, the remains were burned outside the camp. Now if you go to Hebrews chapter 13 verse 9, we'll see that Jesus Christ, who is our Passover, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians, we'll see here that Jesus Christ was crucified outside the camp in Hebrews chapter 13.

Hebrews 13 verse 9. Do not be cared about with various and strange doctrines, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, divine favor, not with foods which have profited those who have not profited those who have been occupied with them. Of course, one of the continual problems that Paul dealt with, similar to today, is foods. Which foods can you eat on certain days, and which days can you fast, and all that kind of thing. So that's sort of a stab at that. But compared to that, they haven't profited by what they have eaten from any physical table, whether it be from sacrifices, and the priest did eat some of the sacrifices that were offered. Some of the parts of the sacrifices that were offered were eaten by the priest. We have an altar. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. So just because you are the Levitical priesthood at that time, you can eat at this table. It's a different matter, eating at this table. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify, set apart the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. In New Jerusalem, we read about in Revelation 3 and verse 12. In contrast to the ultimate Passover sacrifice by Jesus, it took place outside the temple, and the leftovers of sin offerings were taken away and burned. To this day, the leftover from our Passover ceremony we take in dispose of.

Atonement with its continual cleansing of sin takes place inside the temple area. As we shall see, our high priest, Jesus the Christ, is now seated at the right hand of the Father's throne in the heavens. To a large degree, the day of atonement is about this continuing work of our high priest who's sitting at the right hand of God. See, the high priest on the day of atonement can only go in there once a year on the day of atonement. But now, as we'll see from a verse that says it clearly, we can live in the holy of holies. The atonement, the first time that the word atonement is used in the Bible is given in Exodus 29 and verse 33. If you want to look at that, Exodus 29 verse 3, what we're going to emphasize here is the meaning of the word. Exodus 29 verse 33.

They shall eat those things with which the atonement, now the word for atonement is spelled K-A-P-H-A-R. Kophar. K-A-P-H-A-R. It literally means covering. In Genesis 6.14, it says that and pitched the ark. The word pitch is kophar. It means to cover. So the atonement, the kophar, was made to consecrate and to sanctify them, but an outsider shall not eat them because they are holy. That kophar, that covering, the offering, was done inside the temple compound in the court, not in the holy of holies, but inside the compound. Now look at Exodus 4, not Exodus, Leviticus chapter 4, and Leviticus chapter 4.

And Leviticus chapter 4, and verse 1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, speak to the children of Israel, saying, if a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord, any of the commandments of the Lord, in anything which ought not to be done, it does any of them, if the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, then let him offer to the Lord for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bull without blemish, as a sin offering. Here's the point I'm getting to.

He shall bring the bull to the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the eternal, lay his hand on the bull's head, and kill the bull before the eternal. Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull's blood and bring it to the tabernacle of meeting. The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the eternal in front of the veil of the sanctuary, in front of the veil, in front of the holy of holies. And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar, the altar of sweet incense, before the eternal. Of course, today our prayers are counted as sweet incense that waft up before the nostrils of God. And somehow these are captured. We probably read that verse later on. Which is in the tabernacle of meeting, and he shall pour the remaining blood of the bull at the base of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. He shall take from it all the fat of the bull as the sin offering, the fat that covers the entrails, and the fat which is on the entrails. Then it talks about the kidneys and so on. Verse 10, as it was taken from the bull of the sacrifice of the peace offering, and the priest shall burn them on the altar of the burnt offering. Verse 12, the whole bull, he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place where the ashes are poured out and burned it on the wood with fire, where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned. So the actual offering itself, the blood was put on the sin offering, blood was put on the door of the tabernacle, but it was not taken into the holy of holies. Now we go to Hebrews chapter 9, and Paul in Hebrews chapter 9 gives somewhat of a quick synopsis of Exodus and Leviticus and a lot of other places as well.

I have trouble, more trouble finding Hebrews in this Bible than any other book. In Hebrews chapter 9, we'll start in verse 1 and read into it.

Then indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service in the earthly sanctuary. We've talked about it. For a tabernacle was prepared, the first part in which was the lampstand, the table of showbread, which is called the sanctuary. And behind the second veil, behind the second veil, see the high priest, as we'll see here, the high priest is the only one that could go in there, and that was on the day of atonement. Behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden center, the Ark of the Covenant. See here, they call it the Ark of the Covenant, and I read earlier, they called it the Ark of the Testimony. The Ark of the Covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod, that budded, and the tablets of the Covenant, 10 commandments. And above it were the carob beam of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. We talked in particular about one of those. Of these things, we cannot now speak in detail. Well, Paul wasn't bogged down with the detail of exactly how it was, but I guarantee we would have some that are. But anyhow, now when these things had been thus prepared, the priest always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. So he continually went into that first part that we just read about in Leviticus 4, where those sin offerings were brought, the blood was taken, and sprinkled on the tabernacle door. But into the second part, the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins. He also offered it for the tabernacle. The people's sins committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit indicating that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest. How are you going to enter into the holiest of all? It was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was yet standing.

It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot, which cannot. A big part of atonement also is having to do with going on to perfection, which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience.

Concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of Reformation.

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 or not of this building.

Well, we see this here in these verses that are just read.

We know that Christ's role as high priest began after his resurrection and ascension. So we just read Hebrews 9 and 11. But Christ came as high priest of good things to come, with a greater and more perfect tabernacle. So after, we'll read a verse later about this, after he ascended, he was seated at the right hand of the Father in the heavenlies.

A more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is not of this creation. In addition to being seated at the right hand of the Father. See, both the Father and the Son now dwell in us, and we are the temple of God. I think everybody here could quote 1 Corinthians 3.16, which says, Know ye not that ye are the temple of God. Now look at Hebrews chapter 8, 1st verse, or 2. Hebrews chapter 8. Now this is the sum of the things we're saying. We have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. A minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, erected, and not man. And so Jesus says in Matthew 16.18, I say unto you that ye are Peter, little rock, Petros.

But upon this rock, Peter, a big rock, will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So today, of course, Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us according to the will of the Father.

And in addition to that, he and the Father dwell in us this temple not made by hands. So Christ has entered that holy place for all our sins, and that is the throne of God in heaven. Let's review just a moment this part about after the resurrection in John 20, where Christ told Martha not to—not Martha, the other one—not to touch him in John chapter 20.

John chapter 20.

You know, the women had prepared spices. They came down to anoint the body of Jesus, and when they got there, he was not there. So we look at verse 17. Peter and John got there first and saw that he wasn't there. Jesus said to her—that is to Mary. Maybe we should back up a bit. Look at verse 15. Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? She supposed him to be the gardener. Said to him, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus said to her, Mary? She turned and said to him, Rabboni, which is to say, Teacher. Jesus said to her, so she recognized him, Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my father. But go and tell my brethren, and say to them, I am ascending to my father and your father into my God and your God. Of course, the ascension after 40 days of teaching and the disciples is recorded in Acts chapter one, but this is a different ascension because you'll look at Matthew 28 and verse nine. We'll see that later in that day that they came and they held Jesus by the feet, which shows that he had already accomplished that. In just a minute, we will read what he accomplished in 28 and 9. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them saying, Rejoice! So they came and held him by his feet and worshiped him. Whereas earlier in the day, Jesus had told Mary not to touch him. Now we want to go back to Hebrews chapter nine. See, we read that the comers to the Old Covenant, or those sacrifices of animals, could not purge their conscience. Whereas under the terms of the New Covenant, the conscience can be purged. The word conscience, c-o-n-s-c-i-e and c-e-e, conscience means the knowing within. That still small voice that people talk about, the knowing within, the conscience that says, no, don't do that, or it's all right to do that, whatever it might say, that our conscience, through having the Spirit of God and the Word of God written on our inward parts, we have a new knowing within. We're not ruled by the flesh. The flesh says X, the Spirit says Y. If we mortify X with the words of God and the Spirit, we shall live. Hebrews 9.14 tells us very clearly that we can have our conscience purged. Verse 14, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And as we read on the Sabbath, Psalm 103, that he removes our sins as far as the east is from the west.

Now let's continue with Jesus Christ ascending there after he was resurrected. In verse 22, And according to the law, almost all things are purified with blood, without shedding of blood, there is no remission. Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens would be purified with these things, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. They use sacrifices of animals. Perhaps you've forgotten it or whatever, where it talks about the offering of sacrifices. Pigeons or doves were used, and they would ring the neck and use the blood from the pigeon or the dove, just as sort of an interesting side point, in addition to bullocks and bulls and goats and lambs. Now we come to this. The heavenly had to be purged with better sacrifices than that of animals. Verse 24, For Christ has not entered the holy place made with hands, not into that tabernacle or temple, with regard to cleansing the sanctuary. One of the big things on the day of atonement was to cleanse the sanctuary, which are copies of the truth, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Not that he should offer himself as a high priest, enters the most holy place every year with blood of another. He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world. But now, once at the end of the age, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. So the heavenlies were purged with better sacrifices than these. Now, the question is often asked, why would the heavenlies need to be purged? And the Bible doesn't say exactly why that is. And some, I just tell you some of the thoughts that people have had and what my own thought is that we have talked about Satan was one of the anointed carols that covered back in the days of the Old Covenant. And of course, Satan became the adversary and the greatest enemy of all of God and the plan of salvation. Then you have all of the sins that people have confessed and that God has forgiven. You know, on the day of atonement, the high priest would take the Azazel goat, the goat that was named after the devil, Azazel. You can look up Azazel and read all kind of stuff about it.

The goat that represented Satan the devil and confessed the sins of the people on the heads of that goat, and he was driven into the wilderness.

So, some of the speculation is that the sins, the very sanctuary of the heavenlies, would be purged with better things than the earthly tabernacle.

And so Jesus Christ entered in the holy place for all our sins, and that holy place is the throne of God. So, in his role as high priest, he is continually there, as we shall see, making intercession for us. The atonement of the old covenant, the blood of bulls and goats, could only cover sin. We talked about kaphar.

Now, through the blood of Jesus, we can live in the holy of holies. This is one of the most exciting parts to me about the day of atonement and what we should pick up on to a large degree. That of binding Satan now, casting Satan out of our lives now, through the power of God's Spirit and his Word, through our obedience and dedication to that. So, look at Hebrews 10, verse 19. Therefore, brethren, having boldest to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, we can go there by a new and living way, which he consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with full, with a true heart, with full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil kind gent, we talked about that, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering for he who has promised is faithful. And so, we can now live in the Holy of Holies. Now, turn back to Hebrews 4, Hebrews chapter 4.

It tells us very clearly, Hebrews 4.14, seeing that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Very similar to what I just read from chapter 10. For we have not an high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted, tested, tried as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and fine grace to help in time of need. We can, 24-7, we can live in the Holy of Holies. We now have access to the holiest of all. We are in the Holy of Holies all the time. We have a high priest who lives to make intercession for us. Now, look at chapter 7, what it says about how often does he do this? How long does he do this?

Hebrews 7, verse 24. But he, because he continues forever, he, this priest after the order of Melchizedek, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, he is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. That high priest is on the job once again, 24-7. In the Holy of Holies, we offer up spiritual sacrifices. We send up our prayers before God. On the other hand, this kaphar, which we've talked about, would only cover. But we can be, as it were, transformed. New creation. Look at Romans, the word atonement, the translation to atonement, appears one time in the New Testament.

The word from which atonement is translated, katilage, appears three times. Twice, it is translated as reconciliation. But the one time that katilage is translated atonement, and the only place where this word appears, that is atonement in the New Testament, is Romans chapter 5 and verse 11. Let's read Romans 5.10.

In Romans 5.10, if we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we should be saved by his life. We've talked about this intercessory work in the tabernacle and the heavenlies also, that he and the Father live in us in the Church of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received, and notice what the New King James does, it says, the reconciliation. And the Old King James says, through the atonement. Now that word, katilage, k-a-t-a-l-l-a-g-e, appears only three times in the New Testament. And in the Old King James, twice as translated as reconciliation. And in the New King James, you see that every time is translated as reconciliation. And we've often said, at one meant that we are at one with God. It's okay, it's in how I speak, to say we've been reconciled to God at one with him, and viewed as sinless, and then he can put his spirit in us. And we talked about that this past Sabbath.

God makes his abode within each one of us. God's presence is in each one of us, individually and collectively. We comprise the temple of God. On the terms of the Old Covenant, on the Day of Atonement, high priests went into that Holy of Holies and cleansed the tabernacle itself. You can read about that in Leviticus 16. Today, the church is the sanctuary. We go through a continual cleansing. We don't wait till the end of the year. We come before the throne of God, boldly, in the Holy of Holies, the very throne of God, Jesus Christ as our high priest, mediator, intercessor. We can go there at any time. We can live there in the Holy of Holies.

So the full Atonement takes place, or maybe we should say the continuing in the sanctuary. We're justified of past sins by the blood of Christ on the Passover, when we keep, of course, when we kept that initial Passover and we crossed over that line from being in our sins to pass from life unto death through the blood of Jesus Christ upon repentance, and then receive the Spirit of God. And after this justification takes place, we continue the Atonement in the sanctuary every day. So we are saved by the life of, as it says there in Romans, we shall be saved by His life, Romans 5-10. We have this high priest who is continually there making intercession for us.

Satan and sin are to be cast out of our lives now. And Jesus Christ, who is our forerunner, He's gone before us. Let's notice what He said about this in John 14 in verse 30. John 14 verse 30. So this intercessory work and then casting Satan out through the Word and Spirit of God, we can continually cast Satan out of our lives. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against wicked spirits in high places. Then what are we to do? Therefore, put on the whole armor of God that you might be able to stand. John 14 verse 30 says, I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me. What did Jesus do with the ruler of this world? Look at John 12 back a few pages, verse 31. John 12 verse 31. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

See, Jesus Christ had overcome him in Matthew 4, other gospel accounts, that test in the wilderness.

He has no part in Jesus Christ, and through the power of Jesus Christ living in us, we can keep Satan out of our lives forever. See, there's coming a time, as we know, in which Satan will be cast out into outer darkness forever, but we are to cast him out now. Satan is the author of sin and death, and he can be cast out of our lives now.

And eventually that time is coming, which most people, if you say, well, what is the Day of Atonement? What does it represent? Oh, it represents the binding of Satan. It represents the binding of Satan. Oh, there's just so much more, as we have noted here today. Now eventually, the Genesis 3.15 prophecy must be fulfilled. So let's note that prophecy, and we'll see it fulfilled in Genesis 3 and verse 15, the first Messianic prophecy in the whole Bible in Genesis 3.15, where it talks about bruising the head of Satan. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head. And as we shall see, Jesus Christ bruises the head of Satan. He has put away for a thousand years. He's loosed for a little season. Then he is put away for good. He shall bruise your head. You shall bruise his heel. Satan inspired the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, thinking that he would thwart the plan of God. Now look at Romans 16.20. Romans 16.20.

Last chapter of Romans and verse 20.

Romans 16.20. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Now look at 1 Peter, 2 Peter 2 verse 17. The question often arises, and I've discussed with some people, you know, can God destroy Satan? Some people say, well, no, God can't destroy Satan. Satan is a spirit being. And then you ask the question, well, does God create anything he can't destroy?

It seems to me that God has chosen not to destroy Satan, but to render him of non-effect. And in figurative language, I believe this is what it's talking about here in 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 17. These are wells without water, clouds carried by tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Then we look at Jude. Jude is very similar to 2 Peter, so we look at Jude forward a few pages to Jude and verse 6. Jude verse 6. And as made a revelation in Jude verse 6, and the angels who did not keep their proper domain, King James is so much better. Old King James, who did not keep their first estate.

See, Satan and the demons were assigned probably to prepare the earth for man, but the angels who did not keep their first estate but left their own habitation, he has reserved an everlasting change under darkness for the judgment of the great day. And that judgment seems to be cast out into outer darkness, foaming out their shame forever and ever. Now, more specifically, when we get to Revelation, and we know that this day is coming in Revelation chapter 20, and when people talk about the isoscel goat representing Satan the devil and the one who is responsible for introducing sin into the universe must bear the responsibility for sin. Revelation 20 verse 1, Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit, 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 that, after these things, he must be released for a little while. So he is released for a little while, and then the great climatic battle there in which he brings the forces of the nations that he can deceive, once again, back to a battle against God. So in verse 8, he goes out to deceive those nations, and he does deceive them. They are destroyed by God. Look at verse 10. The devil who deceived them was cast in the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beasts and false prophet were cast, not where are. They were cast there, they were burned up. And they will be tormented. Satan will be tormented day and night forever. You see, if he were destroyed, you couldn't torment him forever and ever, day and night. So cast into outer darkness, foaming out his shame forever and ever.

The day of atonement was, in one sense, the greatest day in the whole holy day season. Because it was on the day of atonement, on the 50th year that the jubilee year was proclaimed. Let's look at that in Leviticus 25.

If you go to Philadelphia and you see the Liberty Bell, it'll have an inscription on it that says something like, and let liberty be proclaimed throughout the land. In Exodus 25, it was on the day of atonement that the jubilee bell was sounded and the land returned to its rightful owner. So we're reading here from Leviticus 25-23, The land shall not be so permanently, for the land is mine, for you are strangers, and sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession, you shall grant redemption of the land. You can buy it back, as it were, or return to the original owner. If one of your brethren becomes poor and has sold some of his possession, and he has redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then shall it be redeemed what his brother sold. Verse 27, Then let him count the years since the sale, and restore the remainder to the man to whom it was sold, that he may return the possession. It was on the day of atonement that this took place.

Verse 8, Then you shall count seven savas of years for yourself, seven times seven years, and the time of seven savas of seven years shall be forty-nine years. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, on the day of atonement. You shall make the trumpet to sound throughout your land, and you shall consecrate the fiftieth year of proclaimed liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family. That great day that is prophesied also by Isaiah, look at Isaiah 27.

Dr. Erwiller in his sermon recently, week four of this past Sabbath here, talked about Leviathan and showing clearly from scripture that Leviathan is Satan the devil.

The world cannot be totally at peace, totally at liberty, until Satan is either locked up or rendered of non-effect. See, this is going to happen on the day of atonement. 27.1. Isaiah 27.1. In that day the Lord with his severe sword great and strong will punish Leviathan, the fleeing serpent, Leviathan, that twisted serpent, and he will slay the reptile that is in the sea. From Job and also from Revelation, we know clearly that this Leviathan is Satan the devil. He is the prince of pride. Then you look at verse 13. So it shall be in that day, see this great jibbole, when Satan the devil is bound, so it shall be in that day the great trumpet will be blown. They will come who are about to perish. The great trumpet of the day of atonement, the year of jubilee, they will come who are about to perish in the land of Assyria and they who are outcast in the land of Egypt and shall worship the eternal and the holy mountain at Jerusalem. So, brethren, let us live a life of full assurance of faith, knowing that we have a great high priest that is passing in the heavens, who sits now at the right hand of God, whoever lives to make intercession for us. We can always keep in mind we're more than conquerors through him that loved us and gave himself for us.