Return to Index.

The Day of Atonement
October 9, 2019

Today is the Christian Day of Atonement, a fast day. An old joke has one person asking another person why a day of going without food and water can be considered a fast day, because the day seems to drag and go very slowly when we are very hungry and thirsty. Today is a Holy Day, just like we recently celebrated the Christian Feast of Trumpets. We know that the days are reckoned from sunset to sunset, starting at sunset the day before. In addition to this Bible study is a companion sermon available as an audio file or transcript. The sermon does go into greater depth than the study. Today we will look at the origins of the Day of Atonement, a future event that will take place linked to the Day of Atonement, and examine reasons for fasting. The Day of Atonement is one of the Holy Days given to us by God, and each of these days commemorates a past or future event of significant importance. On the Day of Atonement, the children of Israel were commanded to do no work and to afflict their souls from even to even, or sunset to sunset. The day is always reckoned as beginning the night before, so for this year, The Day of Atonement begins at sunset on Tuesday, October 8th and concludes at sunset on Wednesday, October 9th. Unless advised by a physician afflict our souls means no food and no water. If advised by a doctor to limit fasting, heed your doctor's advice and know you are still afflicting your soul to the extent possible.

Leviticus 23:26-32
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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.

We know Jesus is our High Priest today who died once for all, so observing the Christian Day of Atonement would not require burnt offerings and sacrifices. We know that towards the end of the Day of Atonement a goat that bore the sins of the congregation of the Children of Israel was led into the wilderness. In the future, Satan will be banished to the wilderness of a bottomless pit and will bear the responsibility of the sins of mankind. After a brief rebellion, Satan will be tormented in a lake of fire and brimstone forever and forever.

Revelation 20:1-10
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. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 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.

When we fast, we fast not to draw attention to ourself or to draw favor with God. Instead we fast to undo the burdens resulting from generations of sins that are heaped upon mankind. It is through us that God is able to do incredible work, but only when we are right with God.

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.

By observing the Holy Days and by fasting to undo the burdens resulting from generations of sins, we will be guided by God and we will be like a watered garden. We will restore as new the places that have been laid waste.

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.
Copyright and Legal Information
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information