[Mr. Mark Welch] Well, brethren, there's a huge difference, a great contrast between the Day of Atonement under the Old Covenant and its depth and its meaning under the New Covenant. Mr. Porter talked about that to some degree. There are much better promises involved with the Day of Atonement under a new and a better covenant, with the resurrected Jesus Christ as our high priest.

So let us contrast the Old Covenant Day of Atonement with the New Covenant Day of Atonement and bring out some of the rich meaning. Under the New Covenant, we will see how much better the fulfillment of this day truly is in our lives as members of God's church today and also in the lives of all humankind in the future. So the New Covenant Day of Atonement is superior in so many ways to the Old Covenant, but of course, the Old Covenant was important. It was the beginning. It was the start. It had to come first. Let's go to Leviticus 23 where we read that, indeed, God has sanctified and set apart a Day of Atonement for us to observe. In Leviticus 23, where we find the annual Holy Days listed.

Leviticus 23:27 "Also, the tenth day of the seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation," a commanded assembly, "for you; you shall afflict your souls," and we believe that is talking about fasting, "you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Eternal."

So let's contrast, first of all, beginning with the Old Testament. Number one, the high priest under the Old Covenant was a man of the line of Aaron, a human being. The first high priest, of course, was Aaron, and he would go into the Holy of Holies, the most holy place in the temple at Jerusalem once each year to give an offering to God for his sins and also for the sins of the people. As Mr. Porter mentioned, this was an offering that was to cover the sins or to atone for the sins of the children of Israel.

This was the most important day of the year for the Israelites. It was a very sober or somber day. Would God accept the offering of the high priest on the Israelites' behalf? I've read that it was actually a practice that the high priest would have a rope tied around his leg, his foot, in case God did not accept the offering, and he was struck down dead, they could at least pull him out of there. You know, I don't know if that verified for sure or not, but this one I've heard. I've read that. So this was the most important day of the year for the Israelites. It was a very sobering day of judgment upon them.

Exodus 30:10 "And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns," speaking of the altar, "once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Eternal, most holy to the Lord."

Leviticus 16:34 "This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year. And he did as the Eternal God commanded Moses."

So the first point is that it was a man who was the high priest, who would go into the Holy of Holies once a year to make this offering to God. Secondly, on the Day of Atonement, under the Old Covenant, there was a certain forgiveness, an allowance to live on as a people, even the people of God, with a special relationship with God, but there was no promise of eternal life. So there was no forgiveness in its fullest sense. There was a temporary, kind of a lesser type of forgiveness that is spoken about in the Old Testament about this Day of Atonement, but there was no promise of eternal life as a spirit being under the Old Covenant.

Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls," for the blood of these animals was given, "for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul."

Of course, this pointed to Jesus Christ, to His shed blood that would come. But at the time, it was just the blood of bulls and goats and lambs, only bringing a temporary covering. In Hebrews 10:4, scripture clearly shows us that.

Hebrews 10:4 "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins."

It's not possible that the blood of an animal could take away the sins of all of God's people, all the people throughout history and throughout time. There's no way that that blood could cover our sins, but it was a type.

Hebrews 10:11 "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sin."

There's no real complete forgiveness in the blood of animals. It's only through the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We'll talk more about that as we go along. So that's the second point under the Old Covenant. There was a certain forgiveness, but it was temporary. It was lesser, a lesser forgiveness.

Thirdly, the human high priest had to go through a meticulous ritual cleansing prior to entering the Holy of Holies. He had to go through special washings, special anointings of oils, sprinkling of blood on himself and upon all of his garments.

Leviticus 8, and I'm not going to go there because of the sake of time, but it talks about the consecration of Aaron and his sons, and it shows the meticulous detail that God gives in regard to the washing. The high priest needed to be clean. He needed to be cleansed because he was coming before God, especially on the Day of Atonement, one special day during the year. So the third point is that there were special washings, special anointings, special sprinkling of blood on himself, upon his garments, upon the altar, and so forth, that had to all take place.

Fourthly, as Mr. Porter also pointed out, there were special linen garments that had to be worn by the high priest. Now, I must say that I've never heard the high priest garments referred to as bling. So this is, I think, the first time in my years. I've never quite heard it, but I can see, you know, where he's coming from. Now, that was on the other days when the high priest would wear the more detailed things, the breastplate of judgment, you know, the special turban. The names of the tribes of Israel were on the breastplate. There was an ephod. There was a lot of that going on. But they were special linen holy garments, and they were covering from head to toe. There was a linen turban and then linen robe, and so forth. So that is a fourth principle or fourth aspect of the Old Covenant observance of the Day of Atonement.

Fifthly, there were also more restrictions upon the high priest to stay ritually clean. He had to be very, very careful about touching any dead animals or anything unclean. That was another aspect of the Old Covenant observance of the Day of Atonement.

Sixthly, there was a ceremony that took place. Leviticus 16, the ceremony of the two goats. One goat represented the Messiah to come, who would be the atonement and forgiveness of sin for the people. He would be slain and offered up for the people. And it says very clearly in Leviticus 16 that this sacrifice was for the people. And the sins were placed upon his head, the sins of mankind were placed upon this goat that he was slaying, as Jesus Christ would be slain for all of us.

The second goat, and I'm going to make this the seventh aspect, the sixth aspect was the first goat, which represented the Messiah to come. The seventh aspect represented Satan, the devil, the second goat, the Azazel goat. This goat was cast into the wilderness. He was not sacrificed. Satan is still alive, and he has been alive. In some ways, he is wandering aimlessly. God only gives him so much power, thankfully. No, really, he has very limited power in many ways. You know, God limits his power. He's wandering aimlessly. He's the author of confusion. But he's still less powerful than God, who is in charge. You know, God knows what's going on. He's fully capable and fully in charge of what's going on here on this Earth. So the second goat represents Satan, the adversary, the Azazel, cast in the wilderness to wander aimlessly for a time.

And then, eighthly, an eighth aspect, the Day of Atonement for the Israelites was for the Israelites. I'm sorry. The Day of Atonement was for the Israelites and only those strangers who would come in and accept that way of life. God would also accept them if they would accept that way of life, but they had to become Israelites in that sense. So the atonement was for the Israelites, not the world in general.

So that's the Old Covenant aspects. Now, we're going to go into... Well, before we do that, let me just also say that the year of the Jubilee also began on the Day of Atonement. The year of the Jubilee.

Leviticus 25:9 "Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month," so this would happen every 50 years, "on the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement, you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land. And you shall consecrate the 50th year, and you shall proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you," a time of great rejoicing, a time of liberty and freedom, "and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family."

So it's also important to remember that this Jubilee year began on the Day of Atonement. Okay, now, let's talk about the New Covenant atonement, and we will contrast it with what we've already said about the Old Covenant.

Hebrews 8:6 speaking of the Messiah of the Christ, "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." So this is a new covenant established on better promises. And frankly, we have a much better understanding of what this is all about, being called of God now, being chosen by Him, having our minds open to His truth, realizing that the Holy Days are to be observed, realizing that the Sabbath is to be kept.

These are precious truths that God has revealed to His children, to His people that He's called at this time, and we should never take that understanding lightly. We should never minimize that. It's so important that we understand that the Sabbath is a sign between God and His people, and we shouldn't take that lightly, that this is a sign. Not just the weekly Sabbaths, but the annual Sabbaths are a sign. And God is working with a very select few, in certain ways, not that God doesn't love everyone. We all realize that. You know, God loves every person. We're all created in His image. We're all made in His likeness. And God is calling everyone to a knowledge of His truth, but each in his own order. And we are the first fruits.

We are among the first fruits. That should never be taken for granted. It should never be taken lightly. I hope no one is ever offended by the fact that we mention that. As ministers of Jesus Christ, this is our job. You need to know who you are, and you're not better, but you are called out. You are sanctified. You are set apart. You've been made holy. And along with that comes a great responsibility. This is a high and a holy calling.

So first of all, under the New Covenant, Jesus Christ, as our high priest, died once for all people, all sin that is accompanied with true repentance. And that's why it's so important that we realize that true repentance...you know, you have to understand what sin is if you're going to repent of it. You have to know what it is. God has revealed to us the truth about sin and what it is. The law is not done away. Many people believe it has been done away. No, the law is in effect. It's something that we are to observe, we are to keep.

So all sin accompanied with true repentance, Christ died for all of that. I mean, and that goes future, too, because people, as they come to a knowledge of the truth, they will repent. They will come to see it, just as you saw it. No, you're not any smarter than they're going to be in the future. It's just that you've been called now. And when they're called, then they're going to accept it, and they're going to believe it, and they're going to embrace it. And then their sins will be forgiven.

Christ's sacrifice is great enough because of who He is. Because He lived a perfect life. Never sinned. He is the only one that did not deserve to die, and yet we killed Him. We rose up against Him, and we crucified Him. He was the only one who has not deserved to die. The only one who came in the flesh who didn't deserve to die, and we crucified Him. And I say "we" because we've all sinned, and we all come short of God's glory. We all played a part. Sin is the transgression of the law, and Christ died for your sins, my sins, all of our sins. So His holy life was offered up for all of us. Christ's holy life was offered up for all of us. He willingly gave Himself. His Father gave Him for us, for the people.

Secondly, we are all covered by the acceptance of the blood of the lamb. We have to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. We have to accept that blood. We have to know what that blood means, what it does, what it pictures. Jesus Christ is the ultimate sacrifice. There is life in the blood. There is eternal life in accepting Jesus Christ's blood. There's no eternal life in an animal sacrifice, but there is eternal life in a godly sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, laid his life down.

Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you."

Okay, I read that, I think, earlier, under the Old Covenant. That was blood of animals. This is the blood of Jesus Christ. How much greater is the blood of our Savior?

Hebrews 9:12 "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all."

Jesus Christ entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. That's Hebrews 9:12, "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place for us, having obtained eternal redemption." We are redeemed because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. He is our redeemer, and there's only one redeemer. Of course, we could include the Father. I and my Father are one. God is our redeemer.

Hebrews 9:26 "He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

No, one sacrifice, once and for all, that's all it took, because it was such a beautiful, wonderful, amazing, powerful sacrifice. He did not have to suffer many times. He suffered once. But He suffered greatly for us, and He died for us, and He sacrificed Himself. He was that atoning sacrifice.

Now, we keep the Passover, of course, and it certainly has parallels with the Day of Atonement. You know, we all have to accept the blood of the lamb, that Passover, that passed over the children of Israel. And God led them out of Egypt. He led them out of slavery. He led them out of sin. And this is just a furthering of the Passover in one sense. Passover pointed more toward an individual repentance and sacrifice, and this Day of Atonement to more of a collective one that will reach to all people eventually.

But we have a special place, those of us who are here keeping the Day of Atonement and understanding what it means, listening to a message like this one, that really shows us what God is doing and also understanding what He's doing for the rest of mankind. That's so important. You know, we're going to go keep the Feast of Tabernacles, we're going to keep the eighth day, and we're going to talk about the future of all people. And that is a beautiful, wonderful truth that we've been given. And so I'm really looking forward to another Feast of Tabernacles, another opportunity to keep the Eighth Day and to reflect on what God is doing and will do in the future.

Romans 5:10-11 "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son." Okay, we've all been enemies to God because we've sinned against God. We've disobeyed God. We've rebelled against Him. We've turned against Him. But we've been reconciled to God through the death of His Son because we've accepted that. We understand who Christ is, and we've accepted that sacrifice for us. "Much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Okay, we're not fully saved yet, because we're still living in the flesh. We haven't been changed to spirit. But those of us who have the spirit of God dwelling in them await that time of salvation when Christ will return. We will rise to meet Him in the air. It will be a wonderful, glorious time. We will be saved by Christ's life. Verse 11, "And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." We've all been reconciled to God through His Son. Christ is our high priest. We've been reconciled to God the Father through our high priest.

Hebrews 8:12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."

I certainly look forward to that time. I'm afraid God still remembers my sins, because I'm still a sinner. But there will come a time when my sins will be remembered no more. So I long for that time when God will truly be merciful and I will be righteous. And you will be righteous, no longer capable of sin, because you would have been changed to spirit.

Thirdly, under the New Covenant, our high priest today is the Son of God, the Messiah who makes intercession continually for the people of God. We have a high priest who intercedes on our behalf. When we sin, you can bet that Satan, the devil, is there accusing us. It was mentioned that is one of the names. I think, Mr. Lamoureux mentioned that the accuser of the brethren is how Satan is sometimes referred to. He is an accuser. And I find him to be very diabolical because, first of all, he deceives us, tempts us, entices us to sin, and when we do, then he accuses us. That's the kind of being that Satan is. So we should rebel against Satan. If we're going to rebel, we should rebel against him.

Isaiah 53:12 The prophecy of the coming Messiah, "Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors," He was crucified along with two transgressors, but it's really all of us who have been transgressors, not just the two others that were there who were sinners, "He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

He interceded on our behalf as transgressors. He continues to intercede. He is our advocate.

1 John 2:1 John says, "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin."

And that's why ministers get up here and preach too, so that you may not sin. So that I may not sin. So that we could all be admonished and be encouraged not to sin. And if anyone sins, and we know we all do eventually, because we're frail, we're weak, we fall short, "And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father." We have an advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. Jesus Christ the righteous. Those linen garments that the high priest wore were symbolic of Jesus Christ the righteous. So the third aspect under the New Covenant was that our high priest today is the Son of God. He is the Messiah who makes intercession for us, continually, for the people of God.

Fourthly, the high priest lives in His people. He lives in His people. Not only does He intercede for us, but He lives in us and enables us to overcome. He gives us hope to endure on a daily basis. Remember what Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, "Christ lives in me," he said, "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." And now He lives in me. Jesus Christ lives in us, and that's why we are able to change. That's why we should change. Nevertheless, we still have to yield to the Holy Spirit. We have to yield to Christ living in us, otherwise, we will sin. And the flesh is weak, isn't it?

Paul also said, "There's a law of sin that dwells in my members. O, wretched man that I am. Who's going todeliver me from this body of death?" The very one that lived in him. Jesus Christ was going todeliver a wretched Paul from his sins. And we're all in the same boat, aren't we? We've been shipwrecked, in a sense. We're all in the same boat. We need a savior. And thankfully, we have one who lives in us and helps us fight against our human nature, our sinful human nature, helps us fight against Satan, the devil. Christ lives in us.

Hebrews 10:16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord." And this is talking about a future time, but it's also talking about a time for a select people. You know, when you think about it, it's talking about us right now, but it's also talking about the future. "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them." God is writing His laws in the hearts and minds of those whom He's calling now, those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, or those in whom the Holy Spirit is working with. You know, I mean, I believe the Holy Spirit works in the lives of many people, calling many people in God's own order as He chooses. But the Holy Spirit is a powerful force. "I will put My laws into their hearts, and into their minds I will write them."

I mean, there are some people that have seemed to have grasped certain aspects of the law better than others that aren't in God's church, but they understand some things. You know, they understand some aspects of the laws of God. And perhaps, they've even been able to write some of it in their hearts, to a degree, to a point. Not that they're converted, but I think we need to realize that if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it might be a duck. I mean, if it's genuine, if it's real. Again, I believe that those who have the spirit of God dwelling in them keep the commandments of God, including the Sabbath, including the annual Holy Days. These are laws of God that must be observed and kept. God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him. Again, His Spirit is a powerful force. So that's the fourth one, the Holy Spirit lives in His people and enables them to overcome.

Fifthly, Christ was, is, and always will be clothed in the holy garments of righteousness. Christ was, is, and always will be. Before He became the Christ, He preexisted. He was perfect. He was God. He was Yahweh. He was always clothed in the holy garments of righteousness, just as the Father has always been clothed in the holy garments of righteousness. Christ was, is, and always will be clothed in the holy garments of righteousness.

Romans 5:19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners," looking back to Adam when Adam sinned, "so also by one Man's obedience," man has capitalized more than a man. Yes, the son of man, born of woman, but also the son of God. “By one man's obedience, many will be made righteous.” God is in the process of making us righteous, doing the right thing at all times, not capable of sin. That's where God is leading us. We're not there yet, but that's where He's leading us. And that's so exciting. Our future is so amazing and exciting and wonderful. Verse 20, "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound." You have to know what the law is in order to understand the offense. "But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." Because we're saved by grace. God saves us through grace. "So that as sin reigned in death," I mean, verse 21, "So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." So grace is going to reign through righteousness.

We've been forgiven our sins. We shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. At the last trumpet, those of us who are alive and remain on the Earth when Christ returns, we shall be changed in a moment. Those of us who have died, we're actually going torise first to meet Christ in the air. And we will be changed, and we will be righteous, and we will have eternal life, in Jesus Christ our Lord. So number five, Christ was, is, and always will be clothed in the holy garments of righteousness.

Number six, God so loved the world, He gave His Son as the ultimate sacrifice. I wanted to make this a point because we do need to realize that God offered up His Son. The Father offered up His Son. And why did He do it? For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son. All of us who have children, grandchildren, you know, we understand, to some degree, what it means, you know, to have a child. To give up a child would be unfathomable. I can't comprehend it, can't think of it, wouldn't want to do it. Christ, of course, was given up. He was offered up. And He willingly gave His life. He willingly offered Himself up. Humanly, He said, "Nevertheless, not My will but Your will be done," as He was being sorely tried and about to be crucified and beaten. But He was faithful to the very end. But God so loved the world, He gave His Son as the ultimate sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many."

The Father offered up His Son one time. To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time. And why is He coming back? The first time, He came to die for us, to pay that penalty for us. He came to be crucified. He knew why He was coming. He understood what He was doing. He's coming the second time to bring salvation with Him. First, for the first fruits, and then, for all mankind.

God is not willing that any should perish. It's not God's desire that any should perish, but that all should come to a knowledge of the truth and come to repentance. That's what God wants, but He doesn't force anyone. Some will be cast into a lake of fire because they refuse to come under God's authority.

Hebrews 10:14 "For by one offering, He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified."

Okay, we are being sanctified. We have been sanctified, and others will be sanctified as time goes along. "For by one offering, He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." Eternal life in the Kingdom of God, in the family of God. Perfect beings, no longer frail, no longer wretched, no longer weak, but powerful, and most important, full of love and compassion and faith, all the attributes of God's Holy Spirit, the Fruit of the Spirit. That's what we will be, the Fruit of God's Holy Spirit. So that was number six, sixth point was that the Father gave His Son, offered up His Son, because He loves us.

Seven, and these are things...this is the New Covenant that we're talking about. It gives a much greater, richer meaning to what the Day of Atonement is all about. You know, the people living before Christ came and died and all the scriptures were revealed and given to us, they didn't comprehend it near, you know, what we've been given to understand today. This is precious truth.

Number seven, Satan is to be cast into the abyss. Now, I don't think they understood that, under the Old Covenant, there were two goats, you know. They just kind of went along. They didn't understand a great deal of what was going on under the Old Covenant. You know, they didn't fully comprehend so much of what we have been given to understand. Some of them had a greater, better understanding. Certainly, David, and Joshua, and Caleb, and others that God was working with. But it's only under the New Covenant, after the coming of Christ the first time, that we really begin to understand what this is all about. Moses, no doubt, understood a great deal. Abraham. God gave certain understanding to some. But very few people. Number seven, Satan is to be cast into the abyss, into the bottomless pit, for 1,000 years. So let's go to Revelation 20, and read that for a moment.

Revelation 20:1-3 "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand." This angel is most likely a messenger who is Christ, Himself, who is going to do this, "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, and he shut him up, and he set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished."

Now, Satan has been allowed to deceive people, to deceive millennia of people throughout the ages, but he's not going tobe able to do that for the millennium to come. Not until the thousand years were finished will he be let loose for a short time.

Revelation 20:3 He says, "But after these things, he must be released for a little while." But then, in short order, that rebellion will be put down, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire. The Bible doesn't specifically tell us exactly what Satan's fate is and what that means. You know, that's something, I think, we'll come to understand in the future. I don't know that anyone can fully say they understand fully what Satan's fate is. I mean, we know what the Scriptures say. So that's number seven, Satan is to be cast into the abyss, into the bottomless pit, for 1,000 years.

Number eight, now we may come boldly before the throne of grace. Under the New Covenant, we may come boldly before the throne of grace, and we better be coming boldly before the throne of grace. Not only may we, but we better be. We are to come boldly before the throne of grace.

Hebrews 10:19 "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus."

We can enter into the Holiest. Mr. Kubik mentioned that this morning in the sermon that he gave about how we can come right to God the Father through Jesus Christ, in a sense, to the Holy of Holies, to the Lord, His Holiness. That was another thing that was written on the garments or somewhere. The eternal is holiness.

So we can come before God in our prayers. God hears our prayers. Christ is the intercessor. No man, no person, gets between us and God. There is no Vicar of Christ upon the Earth. We go directly to the Father through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:16, "Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy."

Okay, brethren, we need to come boldly before the throne of grace. You need to come boldly before God's throne. And I've always felt it's when I sin that I most need to come boldly. And that's when we...you know, sometimes we feel discouraged by our sins. We don't want to come boldly. We feel despondent. You know, we know we let God down. We've let ourselves down. And Satan would like to discourage us. Satan would like to get us to throw in the towel and become discouraged. But that's when we need to come boldly before the throne.

If you've sinned against God, you need to go boldly before His throne. Now, that doesn't mean you don't go humbly before His throne. You can go boldly and humbly, and you can claim that promise. It is a promise. God has promised you eternal life. That's a promise that God has promised you if you stay faithful. So you go boldly before the throne, and you ask forgiveness in time of need. What greater need is there than when we've sinned? Okay, go boldly before that throne and ask God to forgive you, and believe that He is, that He will, that He has. God will forgive your sins. So let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The Day of Atonement does picture a day of judgment that is coming upon the Earth, the whole Earth, and all of its inhabitants. And this is a beautiful day for all people. Most people don't see it. They don't understand it. They don't realize it. And my wife was talking to someone recently, and she actually couldn't remember who it was. She thinks she knows who it was, but she's not sure. But she shared it with me, and I liked it. And I'm going to share it with all of you. So I think that person might be sitting in here.

It seems that, oftentimes, we, as human beings, tend to feel compelled to make judgments on our fellow men, and we leave the mercy to God. Okay. We make the judgments, and we leave the mercy to God. But should it not be the other way around? Should we not show mercy to our fellow men now and leave the judgments to God who knows all things? Now, that doesn't mean we can't judge righteous judgment, and we're not supposed to judge righteous judgment, because we are. But I'm talking about when we begin to meddle in other people's relationship with God. You know, that's when we have to be careful.

So let me say it again, let's be careful to show mercy to our fellow men now and leave the judgments to God who knows all things. God knows the big picture. Oftentimes, we judge on limited knowledge. How many times have you blown it? I've blown it before. I judge something, and then I found out, "Well, that wasn't the whole story, and my judgment was wrong. And I would have been better off just extending some mercy until I had all the facts." So I hope that when we go to the Feast of Tabernacles, and we're going to be tested this Feast of Tabernacles like no other. We are going to be tested like no other Feast of Tabernacles. We're going to be rubbing up shoulder to shoulder, maybe, maybe six feet apart.

Whatever happens, let's be careful. Let's be merciful. Let's understand that people see things differently than I do. I see things differently than you do. You may be right. They may be right. God is the ultimate judge. So it would be better if we extend the mercy. Take care of yourself. Do what you have to do to stay safe, if you feel like you need to do something to be safe. I'm not saying, you know, don't take some action, if that's what you need to do. On the other hand, try to realize that everyone's there to worship God. You know, we're all coming up to worship the King, whether we think we should wear a mask or not wear a mask. And I know we have differences of opinion on exactly how we look at that. I get that.

You know, God will judge righteous judgment as He looks on our hearts. God will look on everyone's heart. The heart of those who think it's foolish to wear a mask and the heart of those who think, you know, it's really wise to wear a mask. God will look at the heart, what is their motive, why are they doing it. Maybe they should have more love. Maybe they have more love than you do already. I don't know.

So, brethren, as we continue to fast and afflict ourselves for a few more hours, let us all seek humility. Let us seek humility, and let us ask upon what type of heart will God look with great mercy. Upon what type of heart will God look with great mercy.

I was really glad Mr. Browning led "In Thy Loving Kindness," because that's a song that, if I'm called upon to do the hymn at the end of the Passover service, that's the one that I lead, because I'm not a very good leader. But I can do 4/4 time, and I can do that one fairly well, and I know the song well. And plus, I think it just ties in so well with Passover.

In Thy loving-kindness, Lord, be merciful to me. And that whole song, and in the last part of it, the last stanza, also, comes out of the verse I want to read now.

Isaiah 66:1-2 "Thus says the Lord: 'Heaven is My throne. The Earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build for Me?'" You know, you're not so great. "You're not going to build a house for Me," God says. Humble yourself. "'Where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made. And all those things exist,' says the Lord. 'But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, one who trembles at My word.'"

You know, I've heard, people have told me that they think it's...well, I'm not even going to mention that. I don't think I should mention it. I'm going to withhold that. So forget I said anything.

Brethren, God's going to look into the heart, you know. So let's be careful not to judge harshly others this feast, but let's learn to love each other more. How blessed we are to understand the New Covenant meaning of this very special day, this Day of Atonement. May God's judgment come upon the Earth and its inhabitants in the days ahead, as God sees fit. Because God is perfect. His judgment is perfect. The Scripture tells us, there will be some very tumultuous times, cataclysmic times that will come upon the Earth as part of God's judgment.

But also, we know, in the final analysis, the eighth day pictures a new heaven and a new earth. It pictures a beautiful time when we will all dwell together in love, in the Spirit of God. So we have a bright future ahead of us. So, brethren, get out there and go keep the feast. Keep The Eighth Day and reflect on what it means, what it pictures, and the tremendous calling that we've all been given.