The Atonement

The Atonement

Yom Kippur 2023

CCCAG 9-24-23

Scripture- Lev 16:29-31

Last Sunday was a high holy day in the Jewish world called Yom Kippur. In English, it’s the Day of Atonement, when the high priest would enter the part of the tabernacle or the temple where the Shekinah Glory of God resided on the Mercy seat, which covered the ark of the covenant.

There is so much redemptive theology in that one paragraph that I just said that it could be a sermon series in itself. Maybe someday we will get to it, but for today we are going to talk about why this Jewish Holiday is something we should study for today.

I begin by sharing an article, I think in the Wall Street Journal, that talked about the challenges facing today’s generation- those who have been born within the last ten years.

They will have the most information at their fingertips, yet struggle to find truth.

They will be blasted day and night with ideas, yet never have true understanding

They will have a thousand friends, yet struggle with true intimacy

They will be the most connected generation, yet feel the most alone.

Why does this matter.

Because we are the most distracted generation of people to ever exist on this planet.

And it is intentional.

It’s really the original sin on steroids- the enemy doing everything in his power to take our focus off of what is important- spiritual issues and keep us focused on the things of earth that so easily distract us.

In essence, we have all become ADHD when it comes to spiritual matters.

But it’s not a new thing- people throughout history have had the same problems we have today, just in different ways, and that is true for the people of the Old Testament.

That’s why events like Yom Kippur existed for the Hebrew people. It was to force them to slow down for a few hours and reset their spiritual walk with God.

Yom Kippur is one of 5 high holy days in the Hebrew calendar, and was considered the most important because this was the day that the entire nation came before God in personal and national repentance.

We are going to study this in depth today, and end in a time of prayer for ourselves, and our nation.

Lev 16:29-31

29 "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 — whether native-born or an alien living among you — 30 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.

Prayer- renew in us a passion for the spiritual discipline of repentance, and create in us a desire to continue to pray for our country.

There are several things within the Day of Atonement that have deep meaning, even for us living in 2023 that I’d like to point out this morning.

We are going to organize this teaching into looking at the meaning of the symbols, the sacrifice, and the affliction.

Let’s begin with the symbols

I. The Symbols

At the beginning of Leviticus, God gives Moses some instruction regarding the proper way to conduct themselves on this day, and this includes the function of the high priest, Aaron.

This was very important because back in Leviticus 10 Aaron’s two sons had a few too many sips of wine, and then went to try to minister before the altar of God in the Most Holy Place, and fell dead as they approached the glory (shekinah) of God unprepared.

So God is giving instructions on how to conduct themselves as to how and when to approach the Most Holy Place.

Lev 16:2

The Lord said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron 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, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.

The first symbol I would like to cover this morning is the atonement cover, but let’s just take a moment and discuss the area where this is taking place.

The Hebrew people of Moses’ time conducted their worship inside a very fancy tent called the Tabernacle. Inside this tabernacle was two sections- the Holy Place, and Most Holy Place, aka the Holiest of Holies.

The most holy place was the backmost section of the tabernacle, and was hidden from view by a curtain that hung from ceiling to floor- fastened on all sides. In front of that curtain was the altar of incense- a symbol of prayers rising before God. As you would face the curtain, on the right side the table of shewbread indicating the future Messiah and the bread of life he represented. On the left side there was the Golden Lampstand, which was a 7 point candlestick representing the 7 spirits of God. This area was the Holy Place.