Three Vital Lessons from Observing the Day of Atonement

Well, brethren, to the Jews, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur in Hebrew is their most sacred day. To the Jews, the Day of Atonement represents the final judgment. It is the day when each individual will be either saved or condemned. As was mentioned on the Feast of Trumpets, the ten days between trumpets and atonement are days of reflection. They're to be days of repentance. I mentioned that judgment has begun at the house of God, and we should be looking at ourselves, examining ourselves, and striving to become more and more like God each day.

Now, what does the Day of Atonement mean to you? Why are you here today? And why are you very likely somewhat thirsty and somewhat hungry? Well, brethren, the Day of Atonement is rich in meaning for true Christians, for true followers of Christ. Christ certainly kept the Day of Atonement. We follow His example in keeping this day. Once again, Christ is at the very center of the meaning of the Day of Atonement, as He is in all the other holy days. What should the Day of Atonement again mean to you? The Day of Atonement plays an important role in symbolizing a vital step in God's plan of redemption and salvation.

So today, let's discuss three vital lessons that we need to learn from observing this very important and meaningful day. As I mentioned, you'll see some overlap between what Mr. Hopper discussed, the two points that he gave, and the three points that I'll be giving. First of all, the first vital lesson that we all need to glean from this day is that we should be overwhelmed and truly grateful and joyous that Christ died for us and that our sins are forgiven in Jesus Christ.

That's lesson number one. We should be overwhelmed. We should be truly grateful. We should be joyous that Christ died for us and that our sins are forgiven in Christ. Also, of course, that Christ was resurrected by the Father and He's now at the right hand of God. You see, the Day of Atonement pictures the atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, we know that the Passover also pictures the sacrifice of Christ, and we spend a lot of time discussing Christ's sacrifice around Passover.

But Passover looks more to Christ's first coming when He died and paid the penalty for our sins. And, of course, the Day of Atonement does as well. We look back to Christ's first coming when He paid the penalty for our sins.

But also, Atonement looks to the return of Christ when the firstfruits will receive eternal life. It also looks to the Great White Throne Judgment period when all humanity will have an opportunity to repent of their sins and to accept Christ as their Savior. Of course, the eighth day at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles also pictures this Great White Throne Judgment period. Rather than as firstfruits, we have already accepted Christ as our Savior.

I know not everyone here has, but most of you have. Most adults have, but some are in the process of doing so as God convicts them and leads them. So we as firstfruits, we've accepted Christ as our Savior and we've repented of our sins. We know our sins are forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and we're very, very grateful for that. We're extremely grateful each and every day of our lives. It means so much to us because we're still in the flesh and we're still subject to sin and we still have issues and problems we still sin. So we know we need to be in a continual state of repentance.

We know we will fall short. You in flesh fall short. But knowing that Christ died for you, that He laid His life down for you gives us confidence that we can go boldly before the throne of grace and ask forgiveness when we slip again. Not that we should practice sin and by any means we should strive to put sin out of our lives. We should work diligently to put sin out, but it's very, very comforting to realize that Christ died for you, that He died for me, that He laid His life down, that His blood was shed, and that we are forgiven through the power of the blood of Christ laid down for us.

Frankly, this is a matter of life and death, what we're talking about today on this day of atonement. In fact, let's go to Leviticus 16, and Mr. Hopper covered a little bit of this. We're going to cover it in greater detail because I find that the more we read it, the better we understand it.

I remember when I was younger in the faith, when I was 18, 19, 20, or even 30 years old, I did not understand it as well then as I do today. And a lot of it is because of repetition. It's because of reading it over and over again. And considering what it says, I remember when I first read it, it was somewhat confusing, these verses that we're going to read together. So if you're a little confused by this, realize that you will understand it better as time goes on. Notice this was a matter of life and death. Verse 1 of chapter 16. Now, the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron.

So realize the context of what we're going to be reading. This was after the death of the two sons of Aaron, where they offered profane fire before the Lord. For one thing, they were not the best examples of God's way of life, and they did not follow the instructions carefully. And so they died. Their lives were not really reflective of a godly lifestyle, and they paid a price for that. And again, they did not follow the instructions carefully. And the Lord said to Moses, Call Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the holy place inside the veil before the mercy seat which is on the Ark, the Ark of the Covenant, lest he die.

Again, a matter of life and death. His sons had died, and frankly, he was in danger of dying too, if he did not take these instructions carefully. For I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. God would appear there. Thus Aaron shall come into the holy place with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering.

These are instructions that he had to follow. He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body. He shall be girded with a linen sash, and with a linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. This is what he had to wear. When he entered into the presence of God.

Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and he shall put them on. And he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two goats, or two kids, of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself. So the bull was to be a sin offering for Aaron himself, who was not perfect. He was the high priest, but he was not perfect. And so he had to make a sacrifice for himself.

That is where the bull came in.

And he shall make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall take the two goats, and he will present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats. He's going to cast lots, one lot for the Lord, the other lot for the scapegoat. This is a very bad translation. Azazel is a better... It's actually the Hebrew word, azazel. It basically refers to a demon goat, not a scapegoat. When you think of a scapegoat, the scapegoat doesn't deserve what it's going to get.

But Satan, or the azazel, this demon goat that represented Satan, is going to get what he deserves.

So that's what you need to understand. These two goats were to represent Christ, who would lay his life down for us. That was the Lord's goat, and the other goat was the azazel goat. And Aaron, verse 9, shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell and offer it as a sin offering. Christ laid his life down for us. He didn't sin, but we did.

And so he sacrificed himself for us.

That is the Lord's goat.

But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, or the azazel goat, shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement upon it and to let it go as the scapegoat, or the azazel, into the wilderness.

So it was to go into the wilderness. The other goat was to be killed. The Lord's goat was to be killed. The azazel goat was to go into the wilderness. And Aaron shall bring the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull as the sin offering, which is for himself.

That he had to do first. He had to become cleansed himself. Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, with his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and he will bring it inside the veil.

And he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the testimony, lest he die, again a matter of life and death. Verse 14, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side, and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people. This goat is for the people. It's for you. It's for me. It's for all people who have ever lived and died.

It's for the people.

Bring its blood inside the veil into the Holy of Holies. Do with that blood, as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat, the covering of the Ark of the Covenant, the lid or the covering, the mercy seat.

Verse 16, so he shall make atonement for the Holy Place because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions for all their sins.

So those sins that have been committed throughout the year, since the last day of atonement, were to be atoned on this day of atonement. They were to be atoned for. And so he shall do for the tabernacle of meeting, which remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness. There shall be no man in the tabernacle of meeting, when he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself, for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. Aaron the High Priest was to do this. And 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. He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it, with his fingers seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it, from the uncleanness of the children of Israel, from the uncleanness, frankly, of all mankind, as they were representative of all mankind. The children of Israel were representative of all mankind. And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, he shall bring the live goat.

The Azazdal goat.

Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions concerning all of their sins, putting them on the head of the goat.

And they shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. Because you see, this goat is symbolic of Satan the devil. Satan was the one who first sinned.

He is the father of sin.

And he is the god of this world.

And so he takes blame for the influence that he has made throughout the ages. For the example that he set for what he has done.

The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land. In a sense, in the outer darkness or an uninhabited land into the abyss. And he shall release the goat in the wilderness. Then Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of meeting, shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place, and he shall leave them there, and he shall wash his body with water in a holy place. Put on his garments, come out, and offer his burn offering and the burn offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar. And he who released the goat as the scapegoat of the Azazdul shall wash his clothes, and bathe his body in water.

And notice this was to be a suitable man. This was to be a man of high character, of high caliber, because he was to represent Jesus Christ. A suitable man. Not perfect, by any means, but a symbol or a picture of Christ who is perfect.

Verse 26, And he who released the goat as the scapegoat of the Azazdul shall wash his clothes, and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. The bull for the sin offering, the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be carried outside the camp, and they shall burn in the fire, their skins, their flesh, and their opal. And he who burns them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. This shall be a statute forever for you in the seventh month. On the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all. This is a holy convocation. It's a command and assembly. Today that we do not work upon, it is the day that we afflict our souls by humbling ourselves through fasting. And do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you.

For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Eternal. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.

And the priest, who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his father's place, shall make atonement and put on the linen clothes of the holy garments. Then he shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting, and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priest and for all the people of the assembly. This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year, as he did as the Lord commanded Moses. So this day of atonement is a very, very important day.

It does picture the sacrifice of Christ.

We no longer have to make these animal sacrifices that it talks about, because Christ is our sacrifice. And Scripture tells us that we are to become living sacrifices. That we ourselves are to dedicate ourselves to obeying and following God, and serving Him and becoming like Him. So the first lesson that we need to learn from this day is that we should be overwhelmed and truly grateful and joyous. That Christ atoned for our sins. That Christ died for us. That our sins are forgiven in Christ. The goat that was, that died. The goat that had the lot cast upon it. The Lord's goat was that of Jesus Christ Himself. Christ was the Lamb, slain from the foundations of the world.

Very, very important. That first goat, the goat that died, represented Jesus Christ. He made that atoning sacrifice for all of us.

A second lesson that we are to learn is that we are to resist Satan now, and look forward to his complete removal.

We are to resist Satan now, and we are to look forward to his complete removal. Mr. Hopper mentioned James chapter 4. Let's go there and let's read it. He mentioned it. We'll go here and read it together in regard to the second lesson that we are to learn. We are to resist Satan now. Now is our day of salvation. Now is our time to resist Satan and draw near to God. James chapter 4 verse 7.

Therefore, submit to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. This is a conclusion here. Therefore, submit. You want to be pleasing to God? If you want to be a dedicated, committed, convicted Christian, then submit to God. Submit yourself to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. We are to become single-minded as we follow Christ and as we follow the Father.

So resist the devil. Fight against him, because he is the great tempter, and he will again tempt you to sin.

Just as quickly as he possibly can.

He will resist you. He will, I'm sorry, he will tempt you. You must resist him.

Get actively involved.

Engage in warfare against Satan. You have to engage.

You have to fight back. You do that by drawing near to God, and by resisting Satan the devil.

Again, Aptonement looks to the return of Christ, and also Christ's role now as our high priest, who makes intercession for us.

When Christ was resurrected, he went to the right hand of God, and he makes intercession for us. The high priest in Old Testament times, as we just read about Aaron here, he was the one who administered this service on the Day of Atonement.

Christ is now our high priest, who intercedes on our behalf on a daily basis.

Not once a year, but on a daily basis, every day of our lives, he intercedes on our behalf. When we sin, it is Christ who speaks to the Father on our behalf.

Christ's job wasn't completed at the stake, or upon his resurrection. Christ continues to work on our behalf. He speaks to the Father for us, he makes intercession, intercedes for us.

He hears our prayers, he answers our prayers, he intercedes for us. And the Father grants repentance to us based upon our attitude of humility and genuine godly sorrow and remorse for our sins.

We certainly must never relish our sins. We should learn to hate our sins. And strive to put them out completely from us.

Now, what event made it possible for us to have our sins forgiven? Well, we know what that event was. We know that Christ died for us. We know that he was crucified for us. Let's consider a prophecy given in Genesis chapter 3.

I believe a very early prophecy here, Genesis chapter 3. It is a prophecy.

Genesis chapter 3 verse 15.

After Adam and Eve sinned against God, after they gave into the temptation of Satan, they did not resist Satan. But they gave into Satan. They did not draw near to God.

They went further away from God.

And so God says, and I will put enmity, he's speaking to the serpent here, to Satan the devil.

He says, I will put enmity between you and the woman.

And between your seed and her seed. Of course, Christ was born of a woman.

Mary was his mother.

Between your seed, and speaking of Satan's seed, the children of the devil, the children of darkness, I will put enmity between you and the woman. And between your seed, in other words, there will be enmity between Satan and between mankind. Between your seed and also her seed. Now, her seed is, speaking of Christ, seed is capitalized here. Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.

There will be enmity between you and the woman. I guess I better stop saying that word.

Between your seed and her seed, he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

So, Christ is going to bruise Satan's head. Christ is going to cast Satan into outer darkness.

That will be the fate of Satan the devil.

You shall bruise his heel. And speaking of Satan bruising Christ's heel through crucifixion. Now, if you're going to get something bruised, you'd much rather have your heel bruised than your head, right?

The head is, that's where everything is. That's where the smarts are. If you crush someone's head, they die.

If you crush their heel, they don't die.

So, Christ died only temporarily. He was resurrected. He's at the right hand of God. He makes intercession for us.

So, Satan's head was to be bruised or crushed. And only Christ's heel.

So, that is a prophecy that, in a sense, has its fulfillment in this day, this day of Atonement.

As it does picture also the binding of Satan. The day of Atonement pictures the binding of Satan the devil by our high priest, Jesus Christ. Christ is fit to render Satan powerless and to remove him from influencing mankind.

Christ is that fit person, that fit man who was perfect without sin. Let's go to Hebrews.

And Hebrews relates very directly to the sacrifices that are spoken of in the Old Testament. It's what we read in Leviticus 16. Hebrews chapter 2. Let's go there.

Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews chapter 2.

Verse 14. Hebrews 2 verse 14. Inasmuch then, as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same. Christ became flesh and blood.

He was flesh and blood, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death. That is, the devil!

And release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed, he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Frankly, Satan has kept mankind in bondage. Satan is the God of this world, and he has kept mankind in bondage, and we are still in bondage today. The vast majority of mankind is in bondage to the God of this world. They bow down and they worship him.

They don't worship the true God. They worship Satan the devil.

Therefore, in all things, verse 17, chapter 2 of the book of Hebrews, therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren. Christ did, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation. In other words, to become the mercy seat, to pay the penalty for our sins, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, or tested. Christ was tested. He was tempted by Satan, in a sense, but really it was a test, because Satan could, or Christ could not be tempted to sin. He did not sin. He was tested in this way. He is able, he is able to aid those who are tempted or those who are tested. Satan tempts us, and unfortunately, too often, we give into that temptation. We don't stand up to the test. Christ stood up to the test. We fall short.

Now Hebrews 4, verse 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Let us hold fast to this faith that was for once and all delivered to us. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So when we are being tempted by Satan, that's when we need to go boldly before the throne of grace, and we need to draw near to God. And we need to seek His help so that we will not give in to the temptation. So rather than go boldly before the throne of grace when Satan begins to tempt you, the next time he tries it, go boldly and ask for help, ask for strength to overcome, allow Christ to live in you and give you the strength that you need to be an overcomer.

That's what we should do. We should go boldly to ask for help before we've ever sinned.

Now, if we still mess up and we give in to temptation, we don't do what we should. We don't draw near to God. If we sin against God, then we also can go before the throne of grace.

And we can ask that Christ's sacrifice be applied on our behalf, that His sacrifice be imputed for us, that His blood be imputed for us. That is not something we should ever take lightly. It is not something to take lightly, brethren. It is something to take very seriously. It is a matter of life and death.

So do the very best you can to resist Satan and don't sin.

But if you do, go before Christ humbly and yet boldly and ask for help, and God will give you. And you will be granted forgiveness. There is forgiveness when Christ sheds water.

But never take it lightly.

Hebrews 9.

Hebrews 9.

Now, when these things had been thus prepared, the priest always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services, talking about the tabernacle. They went into the first part, but into the second part, the high priest went alone once a year. Into the holy of holies, only the high priest would go in once a year. He could only go in once a year.

Otherwise, he would die.

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. So he had blood in the bowl. He had blood from the goat as well, as he entered into the most holy place, the holiest of all. The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.

It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience.

Concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings and fleshly ordinances, imposed into the time of reformation. So what it's saying is, those old sacrifices, those rituals, those ceremonies, they have their type in Christ. Christ, the ultimate sacrifice, who laid his life down for us. Christ is our sacrifice.

We are to become living sacrifices. In verse 11, the same chapter here, that Christ came as high priest, I mean Hebrews 9, Christ came as high priest of the good things to come, with the greater and the more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, he entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ? So these these animal sacrifices, the shed blood of the goat and the bull, on the day of atonement, in the holy of holies, it did serve a great purpose. God was merciful. God was gracious. The children of Israel lived another year. God did not wipe them out for their sins. How much more, however, shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot, without blemish, remember, a lamb without blemish, without spot? How much more should it cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? We ought to be living sacrifices, allowing Christ to live in us, serving one another and serving God and Christ. And for this reason, he is the mediator of the new covenant. Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, a covenant where God's laws are written in our hearts and in our minds, not just on tablets of stone, not just the letter of the law, but now the spirit of the law. God writes his laws in our hearts and in our minds, and he gives us the spirit to learn to live by every word of God and to put sin out of our lives. So Christ is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death, Christ dying for us. For the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. There is an eternal inheritance. We are to inherit God's kingdom. We are to live forever in God's kingdom. We will hear much more about that during the Feast of Tabernacles. And on that last great day, we will speak of these things of an eternal inheritance, a kingdom that will last forever and ever, a spiritual kingdom.

So there's much more that we could read in the book of Hebrews that reflects back on Old Testament times when the blood of golden goats was given as a sacrifice for man's sins.

Now Christ is our high priest. Christ intercedes for us. Christ feeds our case. He knows how difficult it is to be perfect because he was in the flesh. He strove against the flesh. He knows how difficult it is. He identifies with you and with me. And he is our Savior. And we should be so grateful and so thankful for that. We should resist Satan. We should look forward to his complete removal. In 1 John chapter 2, verse 1, my little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

So here John is saying the same thing that I've been saying to you. He writes so that you won't sin. But if you do, know that you have an advocate. You have an attorney. You have an advocate that will come to plead your case before the Father. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And he himself is the propitiation, the mercy seat for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the entire world. Christ was slain from the foundation of the world for the entire world. God's plan is wonderful and it covers everyone.

The Day of Atonement pictures the removal of Satan the devil into the wilderness, where he will no longer influence and harm mankind. First for a thousand years, and then he'll be released for a short time, but then he will be cast into outer darkness. He will be cast into the lake of fire, into outer darkness, where he will no longer be able to influence mankind.

So Satan must be rendered powerless. Only Christ can render him powerless. Christ is that suitable man that will bind him and will render him powerless.

The Azazel goat is the live goat, again that Aaron laid hands on, and confessed the sins of all the people, putting them on the head of the goat.

The fit man, representative of Christ, led the Azazel goat into the wilderness. Now, I don't know that we have time to go to Isaiah 14. I know you're quite familiar with it, most of you. It speaks of how Lucifer sinned. How Lucifer, who was to be a light bringer, brought darkness when he sinned. He was lifted up in pride, pride and vanity, and so he sought to overthrow God himself. Satan's demise is prophesied in Isaiah 14.

In Ezekiel 28, it also speaks of Satan. Here, the king of Tyre is symbolic of Satan the devil, symbolic of the serpent who was in the garden of Eden, who tempted Adam and Eve to sin. Now, let's go to Revelation 20, where we see again that Satan will be bound for a thousand years when Christ returns. Revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20.

Revelation chapter 20 verse 1, Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to 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 and shut him up and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. Now, it's very likely that this angel is speaking of here is actually the messenger. Angel means messenger. It's the messenger of God. Christ himself. Who will do this?

So that Satan will deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.

But after these things, he must be released for a little while, for a short season. If we drop down to verse 7, now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle this battle of Armageddon that it speaks about in the book of Revelation. So they went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire in Brimso. That's where, of course, Satan and his... I'm sorry, where the beast and the false prophet had been cast into the lake of fire earlier, a thousand years earlier. They had been cast into this lake of fire as well.

Now that lake of fire burnt up the beast and the false prophet because they were human beings.

This lake of fire that it speaks of a thousand years earlier is no doubt somewhat different.

Satan's spirit and other places it speaks of Satan being cast into outer darkness.

I don't know that we really know for sure Satan's state, frankly. There may be some things that we don't yet understand about Satan in this faith for eternity. Now, the second principle again, the second lesson, was that we are to resist Satan now and look forward to his complete removal when Christ returns. First, he'll be bound for a thousand years, but then after that he will be cast into outer darkness or into the abyss, and he will no longer influence mankind. Now, the third and final lesson of the third and final lesson that we're going to talk about today is that we should strive to draw near to God now. The second point was to resist Satan and look through his removal. The third point is that we should strive to draw close to God now to surrender fully to him and to become just like him. We are to become at one with him, at one meant. This word, atonement, when we break it down, at one meant. We are to become at one with God and with Christ. So, we are to surrender fully to him. We are to become like him. The day of atonement pictures a time when we shall enter into atonement or at one meant becoming at one with God. Let's go to a few places here. 1 John 4, where it shows again that Christ is our mercy seize. We need to draw near to Christ, near to the Father. We can go near to the Father through the Son. Christ came to reveal the Father. No one has ever seen the Father. Christ came to reveal him to us in a spiritual way. We can know the Father. We can go directly to the Father. We can pray directly to the Father. We go through our High Priest, Jesus Christ, who makes intercession for us. So, 1 John 4, verse 7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God, and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. We live through Christ, as we allow Christ to live in us.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation. Again, the mercy seat for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. And that is how we prove that we are Christ's disciples, when we have love, one for another. So, brethren, let us draw closer to each other in love. Let us not pull apart, but let us become united, pulling together for each other, learning to love each other, and laying our lives down for each other. That's the lesson that God wants us to learn, as we become at one with him. I and my Father are one, said Jesus Christ, and we are to become one with Christ and with the Father. They are completely unified, they are completely united, and we too should become completely united, learning to love each other and to cling to each other in love. Not pulling apart, not dividing, but pulling together in love.

In chapter 5, verse 1, whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves him, who begot also loves him, who is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and when we keep his commandments. Keeping God's commandments, all of them, not just nine of them, but all of them, are very important. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. The Sabbath is not a burden. People say the Sabbath is a burden. That's why they say God did away with it. Christ did away with it. He was crucified and the Sabbath was nailed to the cross, and you don't have to keep that old slave law.

Sabbath is to be a delight, holy and acceptable to God. We honor him on this day when we observe his Sabbath. In Romans 5, it shows that we are reconciled to the Father through the Son. Romans 5, verse 10. Romans 5, verse 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. We have been reconciled to the Father through the Son.

Very important that we realize that. The first fruits have a special relationship with God right now. You have a special relationship with God right now. He has revealed his truth to us. He has given us his spirit. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5, it speaks of a ministry of reconciliation.

We are to be reconciled to one another, and we are to be reconciled to God. We must first reconcile ourselves to each other before we can be pleasing to God and be reconciled to Him. So there should be no animosity between brethren. We need to forgive and move on. Forgive and move on.

2 Corinthians chapter 5. I really strive not to hold any animosity toward anyone who has ever left us because we are to be reconciled and we are to be forgiving people.

But I believe we are to stay together and stick together as God's people and learn the love of God for each other. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 14, For the love of Christ compels us because we judged us, and if one died for all, then all died.

And he died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. So we are to become a sacrifice, aren't we? We are to die to Christ. That's what it means to be a living sacrifice. We're to get rid of this world and its influences and its values.

During the Feast of Tabernacles, I'm going to talk about eternal values that last forever and how we are to be developing those eternal values now as God's people. If you want to live forever, then you have to develop those eternal values now. You have to come out of the world.

You have to become a living sacrifice. Therefore, from now on, verse 16, we regard no one according to the flesh, even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself, through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

That is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. You know, God's forgiving the whole world for killing his son.

Can't we learn to forgive also? No, we're going to be forgiven in the same manner that we forgive others. We should follow God's example. He's forgiven the whole world for killing his son. Of course, there has to be repentance. Repentance is important. It's essential. Not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. You are an ambassador. I am an ambassador for Christ. As though God were pleading through us, we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. Become at one with God. Whatever it is, get rid of it so that you can be at one with God.

Repent of your sins and become at one with God. For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us. The Father gave his son to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. We are to become righteous. That was one of the eternal values that I'm going to talk about during the Feast of Tabernacles. We are to be righteous. That's an eternal value. We are to be obedient. That's an eternal value.

The first fruits are to be producing the fruit of God's Spirit on a consistent, regular basis. Fruit of God's Spirit is love, it's joy, it's peace, it's patience, it is kindness and goodness and gentleness and meekness and faithfulness and self-control. We are to become at one with God by living by the power of his Spirit, allowing his Spirit to dwell in us and to work in us to help us produce the fruits of his Spirit.

We are truly Christ's disciples when we learn to have love for each other.

And that is a major identifying sign. It is the major identifying sign if you have love for each other. That's the major identifying sign. True love, Godly love, is the true identifying sign that we are his children. Also, God has given his first fruits the knowledge of another sign.

God's Sabbath. We are here today on the Sabbath. This is also an annual high day.

I don't believe, in a sense, these days are as important as the love that we are to have for God and each other. But if you love God, you keep his commandments. And this is one of his commandments. It is an identifying sign. Exodus 31 says, Surely, my Sabbath, you shall keep, for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you, that you are set apart as a Son of God, as a child of God. Surely, my Sabbath, you shall keep.

It's a covenant, God says in Exodus 31. We make a covenant to keep the Sabbath. These days are important. These are the feasts of the Lord. These are holy convocations.

So, brethren, it is important that we draw near to God. We do so through prayer and fasting. Some things don't happen except by prayer and fasting. I would encourage you that if you've been neglecting either prayer or fasting, that you no longer neglect these things. Prayer and fasting. Go to God in prayer and have faith and trust Him and believe in Him, and know that He will deliver. He may not deliver exactly the way you hope He will, but He will deliver. So, have faith in Him and go boldly before His throne. In prayer and also in fasting, not just on the day of Atonement, it's a powerful tool that's always close to God. But, proper prayer and fasting is discussed in God's Word. You can go to other places to find it. I don't have time myself to do that. Isaiah 58 certainly talks about proper fasting. Isaiah 59, perhaps in the time you have remaining, you can't eat, you may as well go home and read the Bible. You can read Isaiah 58 and 59. Proper fasting brings beautiful results in one's life, both physically but especially spiritually.

Brethren, what a wonderful blessing it is to be here on the day of Atonement, to be here fasting together and fellowshiping one with another.

This day, as all of God's holy days, is rich in meaning.

Today, Atonement pictures the atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Lesson number one is that we should be overwhelmed and truly grateful and joyous that Christ died for us and that our sins are forgiven in Christ. Today, Atonement pictures the binding of Satan, the devil, by our High Priest today, Jesus Christ. Christ is fit to render Satan powerless, and He will do so. Lesson number two, we are to resist Satan and look forward to his complete removal. The day of Atonement pictures a time when we shall enter into Atonement, or at one-ment, becoming at one with God, becoming united and unified with God. Lesson number three, we should strive to go near to God, to surrender fully to Him, and to become just like Him. Brethren, Barbara and I wish you all a very fine and wonderful Feast of Tabernacles. As you know, we won't have services here next Sabbath, because we will be at the Feast of Tabernacles. For those of you who are not able to attend the Feast, let's be sure and pray for them and pray that God will be with them and strengthen them.

Let's pray that we can all be united next year on God's holy days and that we can all go to keep the Feast of Tabernacles next year. Let's remember, again, to pray for each other during these days, pray for the messages that we'll be hearing, to pray for God's power to be poured out during the Feast of Tabernacles, that we might all be edified and inspired by the things that we hear. Let's all pray for God's Kingdom to come soon so all people everywhere might come to know the true God and share in all the blessings and benefits of God's Kingdom and God's way of life. So, brethren, let us go forth. Let us keep the Feast. Let us keep the Feast in spirit and in truth. Let's worship God in spirit and in truth, and we'll see you all back here after the Feast. Some of you, on September 28, some of you, October 5th. We look forward to seeing you all on our return. We'll be going to Alaska for the Feast of Tabernacles. By the way, if you haven't picked up a brochure that shows the Feast locator where people will be observing the Feast, you can pick one up at the information table before you leave today. Again, we will look forward to seeing all of you upon our return and upon your return. So, be safe, travel safely, and may God bless us all and keep us safe.