Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement


The Tenth day of the seventh month was the Day of Atonement.


“And The LORD spoke to Moses, Saying “Also the Tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you: you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering, made by fire to the LORD. And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God.” Leciticus 23:26-28


According to the Scripture it was regarded as more sacred than any other day in the yearly round of service. It was a ceremonial Sabbath and a fast day.


And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy form among his people. You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath.”


As we saw in the preceding verse it was a day in which God’s people were to take very serious. Those who did not afflict their souls on that day were cut off from among the people.


Several sacrifices were offered on the Day of Atonement. Before starting the regular work of the day, the high priest offered a bullock for himself and his house.


“Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house.” Leviticus 16:6


The main service of the day was the offering of the goats.


He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering . But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness. “ And Aaron shall bring the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull as the sin offering which is for himself. Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, with his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil. And he shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the Testimony, lest he die. He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.” Leviticus 16:5-14


Two goats were brought to the door of the sanctuary where lots were cast upon them, one for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. or Axaxel (which literally means “impudent to God” or strengthened against (Azaz) God (El).” The high priest killed the Lord’s goat and then in his gorgeous rob wearing the breastplate of judgment bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel over his heart and the sacred onyx with the names of the tribes on his shoulders, he went with the blood of the blood of the goat into the most holy place. As he entered the second apartment of the sanctuary he would also carry the golden censer and incense so that the cloud of the sanctuary he would also carry the golden censer and incense so that the cloud of the incense would cover him as he passed in before the visible presence of God. With his fingers he sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat above the broken law of God. He would leave and enter the first compartment of the sanctuary and touch the horns of the golden altar with the blood (verse 8).


This was done to reconcile the Holy Place, the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar. Once this was completed the high priest went into the court. The actions in the Most Holy Place typified the high priest bearing upon his being all of the sins of the children of God that had been transferred to the sanctuary throughout the year.


“And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, The Tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness  by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.” Leviticus 16:20-22


The high priest would lay his hands on the head of the scapegoat and transfer the sins onto the scapegoat. The goat was sent away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness where no one inhabited and left alone to bear upon himself all the iniquities of the people.


“Then Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of meeting, shall take off the linen garments which he would put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. And he shall wash his body with water in a holy Place, put on his garments, come out and offer his burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar. And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their flesh, and their offal. Then he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.” Leviticus 16:23-28


Going back into the tabernacle of the congregation, the high priest laid aside his priestly robes and put on other garments and cleansed the court of the defilement of sin. The bodies of the animals whose blood had been taken inside the sanctuary were burned outside of the camp. When the sun set on the Day of Atonement the sins were all gone into the “land of separation” and nothing but ashes remained as a reminder of them.


This entire process was the symbolic representation of the work that goes on in the heavenly sanctuary that will decide the eternal destiny of every human being who has walked on the face of the earth. In the earthly ministry Israel had their sins transferred and accumulated in the earthly sanctuary, where no human eyes except those of the high priest ever beheld the stains of the blood of the sin-offering upon the horns of the golden altar.


The Cleansing of the sanctuary teaches us that the record books of heaven will not always reveal the record of sin and that Christ will not alway bear the sins of the world. In the same way that the work of the Day of Atonement was performed at the close of the year, so the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary will take place near the end of Chrit’s priestly work.


Earthly and Heavenly Comparisons


Heavenly: Daniel 8:14: “And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”


Heavenly: Acts: 10 19-20:Sins will be blotted out from the heavenly records near the end of Christ’s work as high priest.


Heavenly: Daniel 7:9-10: The Father enters the most holy place of the heavenly temple before the opening of Judgment


Heavenly: Daniel 7:13,14: Christ is brought into the most holy place by the angels of heaven


Heavenly: Revelation 3:5: Christ knows each name, and confesses the names of the overcomers before the Father and the angels.




Heavenly: Revelations 22:11,12: When Christ comes out from the heavenly temple, He announces the eternal destiny of every soul.


Heavenly: Psalms 7:16 Sin will return upon the head of the Father of Sin.


Heavenly: Revelation 20:1-3: Satan will be left on the desolate earth for 1000 years


Heavenly: Revelations 19:11-16 Christ lays aside His priestly robes and comes to the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.


Heavenly: Matthew 13:41-43 and Malachi 4:1-3: Christ will “gather out His kingdom all things that offend and they will be burned where only ashes will remain. 


Duty of the Congregation During the Day of Atonement Part 1


God Expected (and still does) His people to serve Him faithfully every day of the year but when the Day of Atonement came around, there were special requirements expected of them during that day which, if the person failed to observe, would cut them off from the people.


“27 Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. 29 For any person who is not afflicted in soul on the same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people.” Leviticus 23:27-30


Notice verse 29? “For any person…” During the ancient time the congregation was not accepted as a whole but it was an individual work. Today is no different that back then. Each person is accountable for himself before God. We cannot be satisfied with what we have accomplished or what we already know. We cannot rest upon our laurels. God requires special service from His people right now! On the Day of Atonement God calls His people to perform the following tasks:



What is the purpose of “these exercises?” There are many reasons why God inHis infinite mercy has placed upon His people, especially His last day people, but the most important one is this: TO FORTIFY US AGAINST THE ATTACKS OF SATAN AND NOT TO BE OVERTHROWN BY HIS TACTICS! Let’s not forget that Satan has at least 6,000 years of wisdom and experience on the frailties of the human body and psyche. He has studied our every tendency, out every weakness and knows where to hit us to make us stumble and fall. Observance of the Day of Atonement will strengthen us against these attacks.


28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. 29 For any person who is not afflicted insoul on the same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 and any person who does andy work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people” Leviticus 23:28-30


If a person failed to keep the Day of Atonement exactly as directed by God his sins were not confessed over the scapegoat by the high priest and he was cut off from the people of God. Today, any person who thinks that Christ, the antitypical High Priest, will plead his case while they ignore the work God has given them the responsibility to carry out will find that they have been cut off from the remnant people by having their names blotted out from the Book of Life. We are saved by faith in Christ our High Priest, but faith without works is dead! “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” James 2:17 A Person who has a living connection and faith in Christ will naturally do as God directs.


The tenth day of the seventh month is to be a holy convocation. The people were to assemble for religious worship! 


19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19-25


These verses, especially 19, clearly tell us that it is referring to the Day of Atonement. There is a very special blessing for those who delight in worshiping together. It can be derived from these verses that the person to despise or shun the meeting of like believers to worship God has an “evil conscience” and has lost faith in the soon return of Christ.


a. Entails meditating upon the solemnity of the work being performed by the High Priest in the Heavenly Temple right now and the work we are committed to fulfilling on earth in our lifetime.


In the typical service the congregation would listen for the tinkling of the golden bells on the robes of the high priest. This served two purposes: 1.) The high priest was not slain by the brightness of God and 2.) allowed the congregation to follow the high priest in his work. The “golden bells” we are listening for today are the signs that God has laid forth for us to recognize His soon return (See Luke 21:25-33.)


The Day of Atonement was done in connection to fasting. Fasting was so important as part of the Day that even now most Jews will fast upon the Day of Atonement. During this one day (24 hour period from evening to evening) there is to be  COMPLETE CONTROL of the appetite.


Fasting was a type to ancient Israel that pointed to the self-control to be exercised by the remnant during the last days. God calls us to be masters of our appetites and be keepers of our bodies.


“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:27


Acts 27:9 suggests that The Day of Atonement was the only commanded fast:


Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over…”


God is calling his remnant people to be masters of their appetites and not slaves to it. This allows us to have a clearer mind to understand divine truths and understand the sacred work of the judgment that is occurring in heaven at this moment. It is a sad state of affairs that so few are willing to heed this important call to master appetite and how many will be lost as a result: 

“And in that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and for mourning, for baldness and for girding with sackcloth. 13 But instead, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the LORD of hosts, “Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord GOD of hosts.” Isaiah 22:12-14


Christ gave ample warning against succumbing to appetite during this time when we are being judged by the heavenly courts:


34 “And take heed to yourselves, least at anytime your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:34-36


The warning is against “surfeiting” (which means, “to feed or supply to excess”) and “drunkenness” (which not only refers to alcoholic beverages but any food that is injurious to health.) This tells us during the antitypical Day of Atonement we must be mindful of not only the quantity of our food but the quality of our food.


Appetite is a tried and true tool that has brought down many people. Adam and Eve were led to sin through appetite. Christ has demonstrated to us that it is possible to overcome such a powerful and destructive tool of Satan. What Christ ate developed in Him spiritual power to distinguish between good and evil.


14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. 15 Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.” Isaiah 7:14-15


Satan delights in clouding the mind and destroying health. The exercise of denying self during the observance of the Day of Atonement will strengthen us as we prepare for the Lord’s soon return!


Duty of the COngregation During the Day of Atonement Part 2



III. Requirement: “Offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord”


The Offerings made by fire were consumed on the altar. Today we do not offer bulls or rams as burnt-offerings but God does expect us to fulfill the antitype of the offerings that were consumed on the altar. What is the offering that the Lord expects of us today?


“I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1


To “offer” is to present. God requested a sacrifice that the body be preserved blameless until the Lord’s soon return:


“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23


It is commanded of us to lay our entire life on the altar and be ready to be used as the Lord directs. We are offered and made purified by the fire known as the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to surrender yourself fully to God and NOT manifest His fruits of the Spirit.


“You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statue forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” Leviticus 23:31


The Day of Atonement was a Sabbath day. All work was laid aside and the entire thought was given to seeking God and serving Him. God’s work was given FIRST thought during the entire day. The people of ancient times were not slothful in their business of doing the Lord’s work. What does this mean for us today? Our time is not to be spent moping around all day wondering what we are going to do or sleep it away. We are to be diligent in our service to the Lord: 


“Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord…” Romans 12:11


The Lord promises to bless us in the temporal things if we commit to FIRST look after the work God has committed to us and our temporal needs second.


“Therefore do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For our heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33


The Lord warned of the dangers of putting self ahead of the work when He said, 


“Baut take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing (suffering), drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.” Luke 21:34


This is the trap that Satan wishes to fall into and the purpose behind the requirements of the Lord on the Day of Atonement. Satan persuades well-meaning people into believing that the day cares of life are so important to attend to that they have no communication with God the become so spiritually weak that they accept doubts and lies from the enemy. 


The Day of Atonement is a test that will strengthen us for the larger tests of the near future. With this test comes 3 questions:




May God bless you as you study and observe His day of At- One- Ment with you.