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Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement is listed as one of the Holy Days given in Leviticus 23. More commonly known by its Jewish name of Yom Kippur, this is a day which points to a very special time in the future and is commonly observed today by first century apostolic Christians. It is a day when Israelites were commanded to afflict their souls, and this was taken to mean fasting, abstaining from food and water.

Leviticus 23:27-32
Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.

The Day of Atonement is mentioned earlier in Leviticus 16. It was on the Day of Atonement that the High Priest was able to enter the holy place of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s two sons had offered a sacrifice before the mercy seat in an unacceptable manner and were killed for their offense. God instructed Moses to tell Aaron the details regarding the Day of Atonement. Aaron was to select two goats and randomly select one of the goats to represent the Lord and the other to be led away into the wilderness and taking with it the sins of the children of Israel. Aaron was also instructed to select a bullock to be used as a sin offering for himself and the bullock was sacrificed first so that as High Priest, Aaron would be purified to make atonement with God on behalf of the children of Israel. Next Aaron would sacrifice the goat that represented the Lord. Finally, while praying over the live goat that would be led away into the wilderness, Aaron would detail the sins of the children of Israel. When finished, an able man led this goat representing the sins and responsibility for those sins into the wilderness. This observance was for all within the land of Israel including sojourners. As Christians who observe the Day of Atonement, we do not make any of the sacrificial offerings as Paul explains in his epistle to the Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:7-14
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

We believe that the death of Jesus is that one offering that forever replaces the offerings of the Old Testament. As first century apostolic Christians, we do not believe that the death of Jesus takes away the observance of the Day of Atonement as we believe that the sins of mankind are yet to be placed on the head of one individual who will be led into the wilderness by a fit man. As long as sin remains in this world, we believe in the need to observe this day. There is no direct record of Christians keeping the Day of Atonement and I am at peace with those who do not see a need to observe the Day of Atonement. We do know that this day was still prominent in the minds of the early church through the telling of the shipwreck that Paul experienced.

Acts 27:9
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

The Day of Atonement always occurs when summer becomes autumn and changing weather means increased storms on the seas. Sailing was more dangerous because of the time of year. The practice of fasting is not inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus.

Matthew 9:14-15
Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

So fasting was something that Christians will do. And as Christians, our Lord gave us directions on how to fast.

Matthew 6:16-18
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Many of us who consider ourselves to be first century apostolic Christians do fast including on the Day of Atonement. But why fast? Are we seeking to be rewarded by God? Are we seeking to prove we are better than those who do not fast or who do not observe the Day of Atonement? If so we fast for strife and debate. There is a better reason to fast.

Isaiah 58:1-12
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

Why do we fast? We fast so that we are drawn to those who hunger and feed them. We fast so that we understand the needs of those who are afflicted so those needs can be met. We fast so that evil does not constrict the freedom of people. We fast so that we recognize the burdens that others have and help them overcome those burdens. We fast so that we free those who are oppressed. We fast so that we are better able to identify and help those who live in poverty and are abandoned by society. We fast so that the needs of those we see are met, especially the needs of those who are our family. And for those of us who keep the Day of Atonement, these are all valid reasons for our observance for this day, and we know that in the future, that our actions today are only a very small foretaste of what Jesus will do once he returns to Earth. One of the first actions taken by our Lord will be to cast Satan into the wilderness of a bottomless pit, and he will be cast into the bottomless pit as the one responsible for the sins of Earth. The final place for Satan will be the raging fires of the lake fire.

Revelation 20:1-3
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Revelation 20:10
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

The reason we fast becomes the result promised by Jesus. Think how beautiful Earth would be if there were no hunger? How calm would people be if there were no afflictions and no burdens? How happy would everyone be to live as free without oppression? What if there was no such thing as poverty? What if every person was able to have their needs met? All of these will be the result that occurs when Jesus returns.

Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

As we keep the Day of Atonement, we keep this day because we believe we are commanded to do so. We fast so that the world can be a better place. Though we look to a world that will bring peace to all individuals, and fast with this future world in mind, we also fast today knowing that we can make a difference for those in need today.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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