Day of Atonement

Holy Daze: Confronting the Confusion of Sacred & Secular Festivals & Feasts
Part 6: Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

What did the Day of Atonement mean to Israel?

1. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was to be kept on the 10th day of the 7th month of the Jewish Calendar. It was the most somber (included fasting) and holy day on the Jewish calendar. Lev. 23:26.

2. The Day of Atonement was so named because it dealt with the sins of the people and reconciled them to God.

3. The Day of Atonement was another special Sabbath day (assembly, no work). Lev. 23:27-28, 30-32.

4. The High Priest would first make atonement for his own sins (by sacrificing a bull) and then use 2 different goats to communicate atonement for the nation. The 1st goat was to be sacrificed demonstrating the covering for sin. The 2nd goat was to be sent away demonstrating the removal of sin. leviticus 16:20-22

*But the Jews must have seen the inadequacy of this system
a) An inadequate mediator (had to atone for his own sins first)
b) An annual need (didn't fix the problem permanently)
c) An animal's blood (wasn't a true representative)

What does the Day of Atonement mean for Christians?

1. Unlike the Jewish High Priest who had to have his own sins dealt with before serving as mediator between God and Israel, Jesus is a High Priest without sin. Since Jesus was sinless, we need not sacrifice the bull. Hebrews 4:15, 9:6-8, 25-26.

2. The Day of Atonement was a necessarily annual event in that it only dealt with a year’s worth of sins. Jesus is our once-and-for-all sacrifice. Hebrews 9:9-12.

3. Whereas 2 goats were used during the Day of Atonement (one for covering sin and one for removing it), Jesus accomplishes both these tasks. His blood covers our sins and cleanses us from the disease of sin. Jesus was both the sin offering and the scapegoat. Hebrews 9:13-14.