The Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur

Leviticus 23:26-32 and Yahuah spoke to Moses, saying, “On the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a set apart gathering for you. And you shall afflict your beings, and shall bring an offering made by fire to Yahuah. “And you do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), to make atonement for you before Yahuah your Elohim. “For any being who is not afflicted on that same day, he shall be cut off from his people. “And any being who does any work on that same day, that being I shall destroy from the midst of his people. “You do no work – a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ‘It is a Sabbath of rest to you, and you shall afflict your beings. On the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you observe your Sabbath.”

This was and still is, the most somber day of the year.  It is a feast only for those whose sin is forgiven by the blood of Messiah.  It was the day that the High Priest went into the most set-apart place, where the Ark of the Covenant was, and where the presence of Yahuah dwelt, to present the blood of a goat, for the covering of the sin of the nation for that year.  (Leviticus 16)  It was the day of national salvation.

Ten days after the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), begins Yom Kippur (Feast of Atonement).  This pictures the first action of Messiah after His marriage and the wedding Feast.

When speaking of Yahusha (Jesus) sanctifying or making the unsaved sinner righteous through the offering of his body once and for all at the time of one’s conversion (Hebrews 10:10 by that desire we have been set apart through the offering of the body of Yahusha Messiah once for all). The writer of Hebrews is speaking of Passover, which is symbolized by the red heifer altar that is outside the door of the tabernacle – read Hebrews 13:10–13 we have an altar from which those serving the Tent have no authority to eat. For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Set-apart Place by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. And so Yahusha also suffered outside the gate, to set apart the people with His own blood. Let us, then, go to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

This altar points to the stake (cross) upon which Yahusha shed his blood, to which one must first come in order to enter into the tabernacle. Only those who were spiritually purified could legally enter into the Tabernacle of Moses.

Today, only those who are spiritually cleansed can enter into a spiritual relationship with Yahuah. The tabernacle is a picture of that relationship. However, just because one has entered into the tabernacle of relationship with Elohim by the blood of the lamb and has had their past sins washed away, this does not mean the newly redeemed believer stops at this point in their spiritual journey growing in intimacy with their Creator. The sections of the tabernacle are a picture of the stages we go through in our spiritual growth. From the outer court of the tabernacle Yahuah invites one to enter into the holy place and eventually into the inner most part of the tabernacle, the holy of holies where the very Presence of Yahuah abides signifying the deepest and most intimate spiritual relationship with Yahuah possible. The writer of Hebrews encourages believers not just to stay in the outer courtyard where they have entered by the blood of the Lamb, but to boldly enter into the holiest place by the blood of Yahusha as well. Hebrews 4:16 therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of favour, in order to receive compassion, and find favour for timely help. Hebrews 10:19 so, brothers, having boldness to enter into the Set-apart Place by the blood of Yahusha...

On the 10^th day of the 7^th month, the high priest lays both hands upon the goat of Yahuah while he confessed the sins of the people. The goat was then killed, and the blood of the goat for Yahuah was sprinkled before the mercy seat, and on the mercy seat in the most Set-Apart place (Holies of Holies). The mercy seat was the cover of the Ark where the blood was sprinkled, and it was actually called the Atonement Cover.

Atonement is often described as “covering,” and that is an aspect of atonement. The blood of the sacrifice covers our sins so that our sins are not in Yahuah’s face.

What does it mean to afflict our souls (being)?

Most people fast on this day in obedience to the command to afflict yourself. Afflicting our souls is often simplified as mere fasting. But it runs far deeper than food and water. Should we play games, throw a party or go shopping on Yom Kippur? NO! This affliction is as mush, or more, about the spiritual and internal things, as it is about depriving our flesh. It is about dying to oneself and ones own desires, so Yahuah can then fill you up and replace your desires with His desires. It is not just about “putting your time in,” and then going about your business as soon as the sun goes down. It is a matter of the heart, and often times when dealing with the heart, you get out of the experience what you put into it. This is about seeking and developing a relationship with Yahuah, not just going through the motions.

The Day of Atonement is when the high priest would enter into the qodesh place (presence of Yahuah) to make atonement for Israel’s sin. Please read Hebrews chapter nine and Leviticus chapter sixteen to get the clearest picture of the Messiah and the ritual that took place. “But Messiah, having become a High Priest of the coming good matters, through the greater and more perfect Tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, entered into the Most Set-apart Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained everlasting redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sets apart for the cleansing of the flesh” - Hebrews 9:11-13.

The Day of Atonement shows us that the Messiah atones for mankind’s sin. Through His faithfulness to his Father, he has redeemed mankind, making a way for us to have direct fellowship with Yahuah (John 14:6). He has become our High Priest and our Mediator!

“It was necessary, then, that the copies of the heavenly ones should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly ones themselves with better slaughter offerings than these. For Messiah has not entered into a Set-apart Place made by hand – figures of the true – but into the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Elohim on our behalf, not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the Set-apart Place year by year with blood not his own. For if so, He would have had to suffer often, since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the offering of Himself. And as it awaits men to die once, and after this the judgment, so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to those waiting for Him, unto deliverance”- Hebrews 9:23-28.

We all have to appear before the great white Throne Judgment (Day of Atonement). Everyone who has believed and obeyed, Yahusha Messiah will be found innocent. Our High Priest, Yahusha has atoned for our sins and will surely accomplish this task on Yom Kippur beginning Jubilee Year 120!