“The Day of Atonement” is the English translation for the Hebrew, “Yom Kippur.” “Kippur” is the Hebrew word “kaphar” meaning “to cover.” Specifically, atonement refers to God covering our sin. Yom Kippur fell on the 10th day of Tishri, the seventh Hebrew month, and was observed between the Feast of Trumpets on Tishri 1, and the Feast of Tabernacles which begins on Tishri 15.
Though it’s listed among the seven feasts, it wasn’t a feast. On this day the Lord said, “you must deny yourselves” (Leviticus 23:27, 32). The day was devoted to fasting and repenting of the previous year’s sins. Three passages give instructions for the high priest (Leviticus 16), the people (Leviticus 23:26-32), and the sacrifices (Numbers 29:7-11).
1. The practical significance of the Day of Atonement for Israel.
A. The preparation for the services.
The Jewish day began at 6 PM, but the service for Yom Kippur started the next morning. It followed the morning service in the afternoon. On this day the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies and stand before God. So it was crucial he be ritually clean and qualified for his duties. To insure this, the high priest was required to leave his home one week before Yom Kippur to stay in the high priest’s quarters inside the Temple. During this week, he was twice sprinkled with the ashes of a red heifer just in case he’d become unclean. This was the cleansing process for ceremonial defilement (Numbers 19:1-10). Also, all of his duties for Yom Kippur were rehearsed.
Any other day, the high priest washed his hands and feet before performing his duties. On Yom Kippur, he had to totally immerse himself in a special golden bath. His purple robe was hemmed with tiny golden bells, and over the top of his robe, he wore a golden breastplate, studded with twelve precious stones - as a reminder that he represented the twelve tribes of Israel before God. But this day, he wore garments woven from white linen that were never worn again.
Once dressed, he washed his hands and feet for the morning service - the regular daily sacrifice. Then he returned to his chamber to change into his white linen garments. On this day he changed clothing 5 times, and each time, he washed his hands, his feet, removed his garments, and totally immersed his body, put on a change of clothing, and washed his hands and feet again.
B. The presentation of the sacrifices.
The covering for sin was a blood sacrifice of an innocent animal. The authors of The Feasts of the Lord, tell of being asked why God demanded blood and not another bodily fluid like sweat or tears.
“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement (covering) for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement (covering) for one’s life.” - Leviticus 17:11 (NIV)
Sweat and tears speak of effort and work, which can never cover our sin. Atonement isn’t earned or deserved; it’s granted, but only after God’s justice has been satisfied, which demands payment for sin, and the payment is death. Since life is in the blood, the sacrifice for sin must be a blood sacrifice. Yom Kippur required an increase in animal sacrifices. Besides the regular daily offerings, other offerings were made. These included a bull, a ram, 7 lambs for the people, and a ram for the priesthood (Numbers 29:7-11). This was because the sacrifices were an atonement for the previous year's sins of the entire nation.
C. The place of the scapegoat.
The Yom Kippur service featured two goats - identical in size, color, and value. Two lots were placed in a golden vessel. One inscribed, “for Yahweh” and the other, “for Azazel.” The high priest shook the vessel, randomly took one in each hand, and held them to the goat’s foreheads to determine the outcome. He declared them “a sin offering to the Lord.” The two goats were viewed together as one singular offering.
Scholars say “Azazel” comes from the Hebrew “azel,” meaning “escape.” This has led to calling this goat the “scapegoat” for it escaped death and was driven into the wilderness. The high priest laid hands on its head, confessing the people’s sins. The scapegoat was then led through the Eastern Gate more than 10 miles into the wilderness. The goat determined “for Yahweh” was offered as a sin offering.
While the scapegoat was taken into the wilderness and the people awaited word it had been accomplished, the service continued. The high priest finished sacrificing the bull and the goat on the altar. Then he addressed the people, reading the Leviticus passages and quoting the Numbers passage by heart, verifying all commands had been carried out. Finally, the remaining offerings for Yom Kippur were offered. He then bathed for the 5th time and changed into his golden garments. He would perform the regular evening service and Yom Kippur ended.
2. The prophetic significance of the Day of Atonement for Christians.
A. It pointed to the sinless life of our high priest.
In Hebrews 4:14-15, we’re told Jesus is our great high priest, “who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin.” This is important, because Jesus lived and died in our place.
“Jesus lived a representative life. Jesus lived a sinless life, and it was, therefore, a life of representative sinlessness. Our Lord’s obedience stands in the place of His people’s sin. His law-keeping is counted as the law-keeping of those who have faith in Him.” - Nicholas Batzig
Despite all the preparation, the high priest still had to offer sacrifices for his own sin. But Jesus did not for He was sinless; and because He was sinless, He could offer Himself as a covering for our sin.
B. It pointed to the perfect sacrifice of our Savior.
The Day of Atonement was for the previous year. But not so with our Savior’s sacrifice for sin. It was for all eternity.
“The priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.” - Hebrews 10:11-12a; 14 (NLT)
C. It pointed to our sinfulness as human beings.
The saying, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven” is illustrated by the scapegoat. It’s freed by the sacrifice of another; but the high priest still laid hands on it and confessed the sins of the people. In other words, though we’re forgiven, we’re still guilty.
“Scapegoat” refers to someone blamed for the action of another. Today, it is usually someone I blame for a wrong action I’ve taken. But the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement portrays you and me, we sinners who are to blame for the action God took, when He came to earth in the person of His Son, Jesus, the innocent One who died in our place so we who are guilty might go free.
D. It points to the complete redemption of God’s people.
On the Day of Atonement, the sins of the entire nation were covered. One day, the complete number of those who have received Christ’s atonement will be complete.
Those who are of faith are the Israel of God. Romans 9:7 says “Not because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children,” but “Those who believe are children of Abraham,” (Galatians 3:7). Before Christ returns, there’ll be a movement among the Jews resulting in many coming to Christ. Zechariah 13:9 says, “They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’” When the last person to reject Christ, and the last person to accept Christ has done so, He’ll return, and Zachariah 2:11a will be fulfilled, “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.” And what Paul says in Romans 11:26 will come to pass, “All Israel will be saved.”
E. It points to the ultimate deliverance of God’s people.
We’re saved from sin’s penalty, like the scapegoat. But also like the scapegoat, we still wander in the wilderness of this world. But let’s remember the lesson from the Feast of Trumpets: the shofar was used on the Day of Atonement to announce the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:9), when all slaves were freed, debts forgiven, and lands returned to the original owners. Everything was set back to how it was before people messed things up. When Jesus returns, He’ll set things back to how they were before we messed things up.
3. The significance of the Day of Atonement for me.
A. Holiness is essential to my fulfilling my call as a Christian.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” - 1 Peter 2:9 (Exodus 19:6)
Priests represents people to God and God to people. We’re called to do the same through prayer & witnessing, so others might experience their own personal Day of Atonement.
B. Salvation is something to receive because it’s been achieved.
Pastor Rick Warren once had a guy ask him, “Pastor Rick, what can I do to be saved?” I told him, “You’re too late!” (That kind of shocked him.) “You’re about 2,000 years too late! What needed to be done for your salvation has already been done, and you can’t do anything about it.” We don’t get right with God based on what we do; but on what Jesus has done. We accept Christ and experience our own Day of Atonement - being made at one with God. That’s what atonement is, at-one-ment.
