What Is The Day Of Atonement
“What is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)?”Answer: The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27-28), also known as Yom Kippur, was the most solemn holy day of all the Israelite feasts and festivals, occurring once a year on the tenth day of Tishri, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. On that day, the high priest was to perform elaborate rituals to atone for the sins of the people. Described in Leviticus 16:1-34, the atonement ritual began with Aaron, or subsequent high priests of Israel, coming into the holy of holies. The solemnity of the day was underscored by God telling Moses to warn Aaron not to come into the Most Holy Place whenever he felt like it, only on this special day once a year, lest he die (v. 2). This was not a ceremony to be taken lightly, and the people were to understand that atonement for sin was to be done God's way. Before entering, Aaron was to bathe and put on special garments (v. 4), then sacrifice a bull for a sin offering for himself and his family (v. 6, 11). The blood of the bull was to be sprinkled on the ark of the covenant. Then he was to bring two goats, one to be sacrificed "because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been" (v. 16) and its blood was sprinkled on the ark. The other goat was used as a scapegoat. Aaron placed his hands on its head, confessed over it the rebellion and wickedness of the Israelites, and sent the goat out with an appointed man who released it into the wilderness (v. 21). The goat carried on itself all the sins of the people, which were forgiven for another year (v. 30). The symbolic significance of the ritual, particularly to Christians, is seen first in the washing and cleansing of the high priest, the man who released the goat, and the man who took the sacrificed animals outside the camp to burn the carcasses (v. 4, 24, 26, 28). Israelite washing ceremonies were required often throughout the Old Testament and symbolized the need for mankind to be cleansed of sin. But it wasn't until Jesus came to make the "once for all" sacrifice that the need for cleansing ceremonies ceased (Hebrews 7:27). The blood of bulls and goats could only atone for sins if the ritual was continually done year after year, while Christ's sacrifice was sufficient for all the sins of all who would ever believe in Him. When His sacrifice was made, He declared "It is finished" (John 19:30). He then sat down at the right hand of God, and no further sacrifice was ever needed (Hebrews 10:1-12).The sufficiency and completeness of the sacrifice of Christ is also seen in the two goats. The blood of the first goat was sprinkled on the altar, ritually appeasing the wrath of God for another year. The second goat removed the sins of the people into the wilderness where they were forgotten and no longer clung to the people. Sin is both propitiated and expiated God's way-only by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Propitiation is the act of appeasing the wrath of God, while expiation is the act of atoning for sin and removing it from the sinner. Both together are achieved eternally by Christ. When He sacrificed Himself on the cross, He appeased God's wrath against sin, taking that wrath upon Himself: "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!" (Romans 5:9). The removal of sin by the second goat was a living parable of the promise that God would remove our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) and remember them no more (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17). Jews today still celebrate the annual Day of Atonement, which falls on different days each year in September-October, traditionally observing this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services.Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement!
Jewish siddur (prayer book) rests in front of the Western (Wailing) Wall.
Today is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement!
Biblically speaking, this day is the holiest of the year.
The first Believers fasted on Yom Kippur, and according to the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) Yeshua (Jesus) perfectly fulfilled this day when He died for our sins. (Hebrews 8ÔÇô10)
Here in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world, everyone is in their local synagogue.
Even many secular Jews who don't observe other Jewish holidays consider this day, with itsthemes of atonement and repentance, significant.
"It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no kind of work, the native-born, or the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you." (Leviticus 16:29)
Jews Praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur,by Maurycy Gottlieb, 1878.
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is a solemn fast day.
On Yom Kippur, for nearly 26 hours, we "afflict our souls" in the following five ways:
Despite that, the observance of this day is characterized by a sense of peace because of our confidence in our relationship with God and His provision for atonement.
Jewish men at the Wailing Wall praying for forgiveness.
Last night, before the sun set, the Jewish People gathered in their synagogues to hear the cantor chant Kol Nidre (All Vows) and recite penitential prayers.
This morning, we returned to our synagogues for the Morning Prayer service in which several sections of the Torah portion are read. The entire Book of Jonah will be read during the afternoon service.
This service concludes shortly before sunset with the Ne'ila (Closing of the Gates)prayer, which is the last moment for repenting before God seals His judgments in His Book.
Yom Kippur will end tonight at nightfall with the blowing of the shofar, and we will return home to enjoy a festive meal. Many of us will also begin building our Sukkah for the holiday of Sukkot, which is just four days away.
Orthodox Jewish man praying Selichot, Jewish penitential prayersand poems, in preparation for Yom Kippur, at the Western(Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem.
This YOM KIPPUR help us Share YESHUA (Jesus)
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Yom Kippur During Temple Times
"Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die." (Leviticus 16:2)
Yom Kippur was the one day in the year that the Cohen Gadol (High Priest) could enter the Holy of Holies in order to make atonement for the nation of Israel.
In order to minister before the Lord on this holy day, Aaron first bathed in water (immersed himself in the mikvah) and then put on a special linen tunic.
In the Holy of Holies, the high priest was not to wear his usual golden garments, designed for splendor and beauty; instead, he was to wear simple, white linen clothing that represented purity and humility, which befits this most sacred of all days.
Many Jewish men wear a kittel, a white robe-likegarment, for evening prayers on Yom Kippur. It is alsoworn on their wedding day.
Wearing White on Yom Kippur
Today, many religiously observant Jewish men dress in simple, white linen when attending Yom Kippur services. They also wear rubber soled sneakers instead of leather shoes, in remembrance of Yom Kippur's animal sacrifice.
And women will wear elegant dresses while wearing canvas running shoes.
The rabbis give another reason for wearing white on this holy day. Israel comes before God, not in drab clothing like a penitent sinner, but arrayed in white as if going to a feast, confident that they will be pardoned as they come in sincere repentance.
In the Book of Revelation, we see a connection to the tradition of wearing white and the Book of Life:
"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." (Revelation 3:5)
Kapparot is a ritual some Jews perform before Yom Kippur, where achicken is waved over the head three times in order to symbolicallytransfer one’s sins to the chicken. The chicken is then slaughteredand donated to the poor.
Since the Holy Temple is no longer standing and no sacrifices for sin can be offered, those who know Yeshua (Jesus) can trust in the sacrifice that He made for our atonement.
However, about 99% of the Jewish People today do not believe that Yeshua is the Messiah.
And with no Temple in Jerusalem for the past 2,000 years, they have replaced the animal blood sacrifice with prayer (tefilah), repentance (teshuvah), and charity or good deeds (tzedakah).
Perhaps we can give credit to the Ultra-Orthodox Jews who sacrifice chickens because they still acknowledge the need for a blood sacrifice (even though this is not the animal prescribed in the Torah for sacrifice).
And as we are now in the End Times, perhaps it will make it easier for these Ultra-Orthodox Jews to recognize the atoning sacrifice Yeshua accomplished on our behalf as the Messiah.
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The Azazel
“But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat.” (Leviticus 16:10)
On Yom Kippur, the High Priests cast lots for two goats. One was offered as the sacrifice, but the other goat was chosen as the Azazel (the scapegoat).
Azazel is a very special Hebrew noun meaning dismissal or entire removal.
The entire removal of the sin and guilt of Israel is symbolized by the High Priest laying both his hands on the head of this live goat, confessing over it all the transgressions of the children of Israel.
The goat would then be released into the wilderness, thus physically carrying the burden of Israel's sin into the wasteland.
The Golden Gate, which is called Sha’ar HaRachamim (Gate ofMercy) in Hebrew, is located on the eastern side of the Temple Mount.It’s thought that the Azazel was led through this gate to thewilderness. It’s also thought that Messiah will come through this gate. Suleiman wanted to prevent this and had the gate sealed in 1541. AMuslim cemetery was placed in front of it to defile the area.
The Azazel and Messiah Yeshua
"He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites-all their sins-and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness." (Leviticus 16:21ÔÇô22)
There are striking similarities between these verses in Leviticus 16 and those of Isaiah 53:
“And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all├ö├ç┬¬ For He shall bear their iniquities├ö├ç┬¬.” (Isaiah 53:6, 11)
Rabbis of ancient times viewed Isaiah 53 as a Messianic prophecy. Most agreed that it speaks of the Messiah of Israel.
Sadly, this Messianic prophecy has been effectively hidden from most Jewish people, even those who faithfully attend synagogue services, by omitting the entire chapter from the Sabbath readings.
Why? Maybe because the chapter so perfectly describes the atonement Yeshua made for us through the sacrifice of His own life as the suffering servant.
Revealing the Jewish Messiah to the Jewish People through their own Scriptures is why we so desperately need to make the Messianic Prophecy Bible available to them!
The current rabbinic interpretation of Isaiah 53 proposes that this passage does not speak of the Messiah but that it speaks of the nation of Israel.
This interpretation seems to have gained serious adherents only in the 13th century. In reality, it is a complete lie that has been promoted throughout the Jewish community to blind Jewish people from seeing that Isaiah 53 perfectly describes Yeshua who suffered for our sins.
Not all rabbis have agreed with this willfully wrong interpretation. In a strongly worded 14th century commentary, Rabbi Moshe Kohen ibn Crispin responded to this theory:
"[In contrast to those] having inclined after the stubbornness of their own hearts and their own opinion, I am pleased to interpret the parasha [Isaiah 53] in accordance with the teachings of our rabbis, of the King Messiah and adhere to the literal sense. Thus I shall be free from forced and far-fetched interpretations of which others are guilty."
Moses Alshech, a 16th century rabbi, preacher, and Bible commentator also affirmed the original intent of the passage. He said, "Our rabbis with one voice accept and affirm the opinion that the prophet [Isaiah] is here [chapter 53] speaking of the Messiah."
Help Share God’s Plan of Salvation, click now
Numerous Rabbinic commentators also take for granted that Isaiah 52:13ÔÇô53:12 refers to the Messiah.
The following quotes are gleaned from traditional rabbinic sources, such as the Talmud (oral law):
"He, Messiah, shall intercede for man's sins, and the rebellious, for his sake, shall be forgiven." (Jerusalem Targum on Isaiah 53:12)
"And when Israel is sinful, the Messiah seeks for mercy upon them as it is written, 'By his stripes we were healed,' and 'he carried the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.'" (Genesis Rabbah on Isaiah 53:5, 12)
In a limited sense, we can say that Israel has suffered as an azazel “scapegoat” for the nations, but this does not mean that Israel is the suffering messianic servant who carries our sins away.
Because of the blindness with which Adonai temporarily afflicted the Jewish People with regard to their Messiah, salvation (Yeshua) has come to the Gentiles and the Jewish People have been missing Him.
“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in├ö├ç┬¬ and so all Israel shall be saved├ö├ç┬¬. (Romans 11:25├ö├ç├┤27)
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak comforts a bereaved mother at amemorial service for soldiers who died in the Yom Kippur War, whenIsrael’s Arab neighbors invaded Israel on the holiest day of the Jewishcalendar, in 1973, while the nation was fasting and in prayer.
Iniquity and a Lasting Atonement
“And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity [avon] of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
In Hebrew, the word iniquity is avon. This word differs from the Hebrew word for sin (chata) which means to fall short and miss the mark.
Avon is rooted in the Hebrew verb avah meaning to twist and to distort. It signifies an inner crookedness or spiritual state of being bent, in other words perversity, as well as a willful departure from the law (Torah) of God.
While the ordinary sacrifices were limited to atoning for involuntary or unintentional sins, this special sacrifice on Yom Kippur atoned for willful sin.
The blood of bulls and goats can never fully remove sin and iniquity; it can only cover it for a time.
A perfect, absolutely sinless One was required to pay the price for our rebellion and uncleanness. Only Yeshua the Messiah could fulfill this role.
As the Messiah, His body and blood are the Kapparah (atonement) and Korban (sacrificial offering) for our sins. And when He rose on the third day, He revealed the absolute holiness of His life and the effectiveness of His sacrifice on the execution stake for all mankind.
Rabbinic tradition states that on Yom Kippur the Cohen (Jewish priest) would tie a scarlet cloth to the horn of the Azazel and that when the sacrifice was fully accepted, the scarlet cloth became white.
This wonderfully symbolized God’s gracious promise in Isaiah 1:18: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow."
Rabbi with two Torah scrolls in the Aron Kodesh(Torah ark) in the background.
Assurance of Atonement for Sin
"Sins overwhelmed me, but You atoned for our transgressions." (Psalm 65:3)
The rabbis recognized that every man is in need of atonement for his sins, for it is written, "There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
A Talmudic story is recorded in which Yohanan ben Zakkai’s disciples gather around his deathbed and find him weeping. They ask, "Rabbi, you are the light of Israel, the pillar on which we lean, the hammer that crushes all heresy. Why should you weep?"
In answer, the rabbi confesses that he is afraid to die because he is not sure whether he will end up in heaven or hell.
Although God has provided atonement for all of our sins through the blood of the Messiah Yeshua, nearly all the Jewish people today are completely unaware of God’s Plan of Salvation through the Jewish Messiah.
A Jewish man prays at the Western(Wailing) Wall, which is at the base of theTemple Mount in Jerusalem, where theHoly Temple once stood and the HighPriest offered the atoning sacrifice onYom Kippur.
During this Holiest Day in Judaism, the Jewish People are prayerfully thinking about repentance, forgiveness, and atonement. Could there be a better time to contemplate the problem of iniquity and sin, and share how Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled the Messianic prophecies and became the atoning sacrifice?
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“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16) “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work … because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a Sabbath of rest [Shabbat Shabbaton], and you must deny yourselves.” (Leviticus 16:29├ö├ç├┤31) The holiest and most solemn day of the Jewish year begins tonight: Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). This day is so important that the Torah calls it the Shabbat Shabbaton (Sabbath of Sabbaths). Even secular Jews observe it by fasting and refraining from all work, despite not observing other Jewish holy days. As the sun sets tonight, all around the world, the Jewish People will begin a 25-hour fast. It is traditional, therefore, to greet friends and family today and tomorrow with Tzom Kal, which means Easy Fast.
That judgment which was issued on Rosh HaShanah-in other words, our fate-is sealed in the Book of Life today. This highest of holy days stands apart from all other days as the last day to repent and make amends. The traditional greeting, therefore, is G’mar Chatimah Tovah (May You be Sealed for a Good Year)!
During Temple times, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur to offer incense and the blood of the sacrifice at the mercy seat so the people would be cleansed from their sins. Because the Holy Temple no longer stands, the purification offering outlined in Leviticus 16 can no longer be offered. Believers in Yeshua (Jesus), however, can come confidently before God, knowing that His atoning sacrifice cleansed us from our sins. Unlike the other high priests, Yeshua does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for our sins once for all when He offered Himself. (Hebrews 9:14)
John, you can rejoice before God this Yom Kippur because through Yeshua, your name has been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!
But, as Yom Kippur begins today, about 99% of the Jewish People do not know Yeshua, and their names are not in His book |
