GOD GIVES CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBSERVING THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
How appropriate that we come to our first bible study lesson in August with a passage of scripture that states the instructions God gave to Israel for observing The Day of Atonement. If your congregation has not thrown these pages of the bible away; let’s please turn to the scriptures found in Leviticus Chapter 16.
I would like to begin the lesson with a verse from the very end of this chapter from Leviticus 16:34; “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you, atonement is to be made once a year for all of the sins of the Israelites.”
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to our “every Thursday” bible study called COME AS A CHILD. As I’ve already stated; today’s scripture references can be found in Leviticus; Chapter 16.
We are so happy to have you participating with us! If you missed last week’s lesson you can catch up here: DISOBEDIENCE; THE REAL PROBLEM OF MOLD – COME AS A CHILD – LESSON 221. Leviticus 15 went on to desciribe even more regulations that God set for the people in order that they could remain “clean” before Him. If you haven’t already read Leviticus 14 and 15; I suggest you read them together now before moving ahead.
Are you a Christian?
Then you are a spiritual Israelite.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ADOPTED?
No; that DOES NOT mean that you have replaced Israel in the eyes of God simply because you have come into the true Church; it only means that the love of Christ has provided a way for you too to be allowed to enter God’s Kingdom, the one that He originally designed to give to the house of the Children of Israel. You are considered to be adopted sons, and God considers you to be equal to any of His natural born sons.
NATIONS CAN BECOME CLEAN BEFORE GOD
Now, way back before there were any “adopted sons” God was instructing Moses and Aaron on how to conduct and observe The Day of Atonement with all the “original” sons.
Prior to these instructions God has clearly stated that all of the people of Israel were to remain “clean” before Him. Of course that is totally impossible with humans; and God knew this. That is why He provided a way through the Day of Atonement to keep the nations “clean” in order that they could exist before Him and He could dwell among them.
In the previous chapters we discussed how individuals could remain clean. Today we will talk about how a whole nation can become clean.
During the time of the wilderness tabernacle, each person was encouraged to practice God’s ways individually; and then they were also encouraged to practice God’s way in a more corporate manner.
This corporate observance was to take place on The Day of Atonement.
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT OBSERVANCES
In 2018, in the days after the writing of this lesson, The Day of Atonement takes place on the secular calendar’s dates of Wednesday, September 18th at sunset through Thursday, September 19th at sunset.
The Jewish people have kept careful records that record these times from year to year. Their records go all the way back to the time in the wilderness and the life of Moses.
This is how we know that the dates on the Jewish calendars are accurate and that they are in line with the same dates that God originally set apart.
SETTING A CLOCK FOR THE WORLD THROUGH A GROUP OF CHOSEN PEOPLE
God has used His chosen people as the clock for the world; and they have done a wonderful job of keeping His time for us.
Why does this matter?
Can’t we just pick any day and call it the right name and do the things that God instructed?
No; we really can’t because God set aside specific sacred times to be observed. Though God is with us in EVERY day of our time on this earth; He is especially present on the days He has decreed special High Sabbaths. The Day of Atonement is considered to be the most sacred day of the whole year on God’s calendar.
Why?
Because; without atonement we cannot be one with God. From hence comes the word At-One-Ment.
WILL YOU MISS YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH GOD?
So many Christian organizations are missing this very important time. I pray that they will one day open their eyes and see how Messiah is such a picture of what God showed these ancient Israelis; and that it is just as important for us to observe this day in honor of the fact that Jesus has now became our atonement as it was for those ancient Israelis to follow the instructions of God during their own times.
The first thing is simply a shadow of the second thing.
God showed the Israelis the rites of Atonement in the wilderness sacrifices and then He painted another portrait from their shadows and types that relates to the fact that we now have Jesus Christ as Messiah and High Priest over “spiritual” Israel; or over those who have God’s Holy Spirit living and residing inside of them today.
Again, this isn’t replacement – it is transformation.
Many of those who have been transformed are from the original nation of Israel; some even have no knowledge of this fact; but it is still true. Remember the “lost” tribes? Some are grafted-in and adopted; but ALL who have entered through the door of Jesus Christ are part of God’s great Kingdom; and no one may enter without first receiving the atonement that brings salvation and leads to fulfillment with God’s Holy Spirit, which in turn brings joy evermore.
OBSERVANCE OF THE POWER OF ATONEMENT
The Day of Atonement “officially” started with instructions from God to Israel in the wilderness (though we were given hints and suggestions all the way from the days of Creation) and the very first Day of Atonement which took place right there in the Garden of Eden; when God “covered” the bodies of Adam and Eve with the coat of a Lamb that shed blood for them in order to cover their shame.
The Jewish people who have celebrated this day for millenniums have called it Yom Kippur. How very odd to know that they have celebrated the Atonement of Messiah without realizing there IS a Messiah named Jesus Christ. One day their eyes will be opened to the truths that they have ironically preserved; and they will begin to see the whole story that God has clearly spelled out in a million different ways from the Old Testament Torah that they love so much..
WHY OBSERVE THIS DAY WHEN WE ALREADY OBSERVE THE PASSOVER?
In some ways, the time of Passover is also symbolic of the Day of Atonement. However, the Passover is more about atonement for our individual sins; The Day of Atonement is more about the corporate sins of the world as a whole.
Passover focuses on love, grace and forgiveness. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) focuses more on the aspect of judgment being eminent.
Judgement Day IS coming and the shofar sounds it’s warning across the land just days before the final Day of Atonement arrives. We hear the sound of the shofar during the time of The Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah; which leads us up to The Day of Atonement.
The sound of the shofar is a warning to get ready for The Day of Atonement!
For Christians across the land the sound of the trumpet on Rosh Hashanna declares “The LORD is returning soon!” All of these preliminary events and sacred times are only leading up to The Day of Atonement; the day that we, as a people and a nation of believers, must have all of our sins confessed and be ready to stand worshiping God with clean and holy hands.
MOST DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE
When will America wake up and see the significance of The Day of Atonement?
What could be more important for our people or our nation?
We must return to “one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” God intends to give those who respond properly to His commandments this blessing!
Are we responding?
SO MANY SOULS ARE STILL IN BONDAGE
So many of us are like Israel before their times of bondage in Egypt; deceived by the world with materialism and false doctrines. We have churches that are full of those who want to be entertained instead of participating in true worship.
We have churches who want to “buy” their congregations loyalty. They are full of luke-warm rituals, false worship, evil, death and lust.
Satan’s tools against God’s people remain consistent with each passing generation. We are no different from the People of God before they fell into the punishment of slavery which they brought upon themselves.
THERE IS A DIFFERENT WAY
We must wake up and respond like the Children of Israel in the Wilderness Tabernacle. We must hear the voice of God through the scriptures that speak of The Day of Atonement and obey what they say.
Israel responded well back during the days of the wilderness tabernacle.
The oral traditions of Israel have helped us to remember and they continue to remind us that on Rosh Hashanna (The Feast of Trumpets) the doors of heaven are opened. This is God communicating with us again. He is saying; “My Children; come closer to me!”
Just as back in those olden days; in order to come closer to God; one must be clean. Those of us who have God’s Holy Spirit residing inside our spirits are constantly being urged to come before God and confess our sins. Many of us have been through that process of repentance and we have already begun to turn.
God gives us the good sense to know that we can never be perfect and it takes the blood covering of Jesus and His righteousness to make us whole and acceptable for The Kingdom of God.
HAS THE CHURCH FORGOTTEN THE BASIC CONCEPT OF REPENTANCE?
Some, even hearing the truth of this though, have not yet repented. Perhaps some of us have failed to teach them the basic steps of repentance?
We call ourselves God’s church; but where are the ways of God in what we say and do, and why have they not been taught for generations?
Now is the time that The King is in the Field. In other words; God has his ears focused and He is now listening to the prayers of the people. The doors to heaven are wide open and the sounds of silent listening is very clear. God is still listening for some to start a conversation; waiting on them to say “I repent; please forgive my sins and blot them out of your book!”
GOD IS A GOOD ACCOUNTANT
The books are open and ready. Anyone who acts will be heard. Any sin can be forgiven; all it takes is one simple conversation with God and the sins will be blotted out forever!
Atonement is available!
Some of us are so blessed to already know that our sins have been blotted out of the book!
Isn’t it amazing?
What more could we ever ask?
A TIME TO THINK OF OTHERS
We have received the gift of a loving Messiah and we have received Atonement and freedom. With all of these blessings in mind; this is the time for us to be thinking of others who have not yet found this place in their lives yet.
During the days that lead up to The Day of Atonement, it is said that the gates of heaven are opened and God is listening; it is a perfect time for intercessions to be offered up for those who have not yet repented.
We have the same opportunity as those old Levitical priest who stood in the Holy Place and prayed for the deliverance and salvation of their nation. We should be praying for God to forgive the sins of our nation and the sins of the WHOLE world daily.
We are called to a purpose and a mission, much like those “ordinary” priests of old, who daily took the sacrifices of the common people and offered them up to God.
Then once a year, as God instructed Moses; the High Priest (Aaron in the days of the wilderness tabernacle) came before God into the Holy of Holies with intercessions for the people; asking for atonement from God on their behalf.
Today, our High Priest, Jesus Christ, carries those intercessions from all of us into the Presence of God The Father. God has heard our prayers through our High Priest, Jesus Christ, and our High Priest has sprinkled His own blood on the mercy seat to provide for our atonement.
WHEN “IT IS FINISHED”
So are you beginning to see how God set the pattern for The Day of Atonement to become the time of intercession and atonement for the sins of the world?
As much as some churches would choose to ignore it; Judgment Day IS coming!
The sages of old speak of a time when the doors to heaven will be closed. It happens at sunset on The Day of Atonement. At that time whatever God has written in His book for the next year is sealed and closed. There will be no changing things after the last minute of The Day of Atonement. To repeat the words of Jesus on the cross; “It is finished.”
DIVISION AND SEPARATION OR A WEDDING FEAST
On the FINAL day of Atonement; AT the end of time; you will either be separated into the fold of the sheep or the place for the goats. The Good Shepherd will know where you belong, and He will designate your final place. There will be a time of judgment after the final seal is sealed; and the sheep and the goats will be divided and separated.
The sheep; those who know Christ and are covered by His atonement; will be invited to The Marriage Supper of The Lamb.
Those who have not heeded God’s calling; have not repented or received atonement from the blood of Christ will be forever separated from God. They will NOT be invited to the Marriage Supper of The Lamb; the doors of Heaven will be shut to them and anyone without a wedding garment (the proper covering of atonement) will not be allowed back inside. They will miss the Great Banquet of God; and they will be banished from the Kingdom of Heaven forever.
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Luke 13:28)
Do not let this happen to you!
Repent now and be saved by the blood of Christ while the doors to God’s Kingdom are still open and welcoming and beckoning for you to enter and come inside.
WE ALL ARE DESTINED ACCORDING TO OUR OWN CHOICES
In the Jewish traditions of this day called Yom Kippur, the “Books of God” are often discussed. The tradition goes that the destinies of the righteous are written down inside the Book of Life. The destinies of the eternal wicked have also been noted in The Book of Death.
If your name is recorded in the Book of Life; every sin that you have ever committed has been blotted out with the blood of the atonement of Christ. It is His precious blood that covers our sins. Nothing that we do ourselves can achieve this Atonement; it is all the work of Christ and how we respond to His calling.
10 DAYS OF AWE
In the traditional observances (which come from God’s instructions to Moses during this time in the wilderness which we study today) the time from The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) until the time of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is called the Days of Awe.
The Days of Awe are 10 days total. During these 10 Days of Awe between The Feast of Trumpets and The Day of Atonement, it is said that people can be reassured (by talking to God in prayer, repentance and turning) that their sins have been forgiven and Atonement has been applied. They will be able to begin the new sacred year with a clean slate. It is also a traditional time to be praying for deliverance for those who have not yet repented and do not yet have the gift of Atonement.
We can quickly come to realize that many people still living are not yet written into either book; the Book of Life; and/or The book of Death. God is still listening closely during this time of ten days to see if they pray the prayer of repentance and ask for the atonement to be applied to blot their sins out of His book.
GOD GIVES US ALL FREE-WILL
God has given everyone free-will. Everyone has their own final decision to make. Many have not yet committed themselves to God’s Kingdom ways. We can plead with them and do everything that we know to open their eyes to the truth; but in the end it isn’t our decision to make.
Everyone gets to decide their own fate.
Many of our Jewish brothers and sisters walk this path. The scriptures assure us that in the end they will change. Their eyes will be opened and they will morn for the one which they have pierced; (Zechariah 12:10.) This means that they will repent and turn to Christ as Messiah. Perhaps their eyes will be opened by the observance of these very same days that they have preserved for all true believers; all the way from the times of Moses until now.
This is an important time for intercession for all of the nations to come to the saving grace and knowledge of Christ.
I urge you dear brothers and sisters to pray like you have never prayed before. Be prayed up before The Day of Atonement arrives this year.
LIVING IN A TIME OF GRACE
The 10 Days of Awe before the end of The Day of Atonement are comparable to the days of grace that the Churches of today have been given.
Judgment Day is coming whether the world is ready or not. The grace period of history will eventually reach its end.
The Day of Atonement that we are told to observe annually as a “lasting-ordinance” from God is all about “getting ready.” It is a time to be looking for the Groom and purchasing oil for your lamp.
Christ WILL return again and there is to be a great battle on the earth. Those who belong to Him must be ready and prepared. The Day of Atonement is a reminder of this time that will come.
When that very last person repents; the doors of heaven will close. The writing of the books will be finished and sealed. The final battle will be fought and all evil will be removed by Christ as He takes His millennial reign on the earth for 1,000 years.
Are you ready?
GOD WAS PREPARING US FOR THE FUTURE EVEN IN ANCIENT TIMES
It all started back in those days of the wilderness tabernacle when God explained all of this to Moses.
God began right then to prepare His people for their future. The scriptures clearly state what happened; but we still have churches existing today that do not understand the significance of The Day of Atonement. They still refuse to heed the Word of God and set aside this very special time for all of the nations to get prepared to meet God.
The very God that spoke to Moses in the wilderness is the very God that true Christians worship today. He never changes. He is the same, yesterday; today and tomorrow.
The things that He instructed to the nation of Israel still apply to us today.
If every church in America would set aside their politics and their associations with the ways of the world and come before God on this day that He declared we should observe so long ago, and bow down before God with prayer and fasting and intercession; there would be hope for our nations. Our brothers and sisters would be delivered from their sins and the true Church would be fulfilling the commandments of God The Father.
GOD’S WORD LASTS FOREVER
God says what he means and He means what He says.
His Word will last forever.
He always keeps His promises.
As summer ends and the beautiful reds of Fall begin to appear across our lands; it is my prayer that all peoples of the world return to God and receive His perfect Atonement.
It is time to get ready for the return of Christ!
May God heal our land and begin to bring peace to this earth.
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