Return to Index.

The Day of Atonement
October 12, 2024

Today we are observing the Day of Atonement, one of the seven annual Holy Days of the Bible. Many think the Holy Days of God only apply to the Jews but today we will see how this day applies to Christians as well. Starting in the Book of Leviticus, we can see that this day was observed on the tenth day of the seventh month of the calendar used by the children of Israel. Even though a different calendar is used to calculate the timing of God’s year, we are confident that today is that tenth day of the seventh month. Because different calendars are used, the dates of the Holy Days varies from year to year. Unlike other Holy Days, the Day of Atonement is a day to afflict one’s soul, which has always meant fasting, abstaining from food and water.

The Hebrew word for Atonement is Kippur, Strong’s Hebrew word 3725, and it means expiation, or making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing. Afflicting one’s soul was part of the process for atonement, along with not working on the day. The day itself is to be observed from sunset to sunset, which is how God reckons each day.

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 forever 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.

It was only on the Day of Atonement that the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the people. At no other time during the year was it permitted for the High Priest to enter this Holy location. This was made clear by God when speaking to Moses after the two sons of Aaron had died because they entered the Holy of Holies when they were not supposed to. Inside of the Holy of Holies was the mercy seat, the spot where mercy could be given.

Imagine only being able to be given mercy once a year. That was the fate of the people of Israel. Today as Christians we are free to directly petition God for mercy at any time by coming before God in prayer, but during Old Testament times only on the Day of Atonement could God be approached and then only by the High Priest. The High Priest could enter only after bathing and wearing the Holy garments. He first had to make atonement for himself, his family, and all who were part of the household by sacrificing a young bullock as a sin offering. He also had to take two goats and present these to God at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, in a public setting. Two lots were cast, one for God and one for the scapegoat. The goat whose lot was cast for God would be sacrificed, and the goat whose lot was cast for the scapegoat was to be led into the wilderness and released.

The High Priest would then bring the bullock of the sin offering to make atonement for himself, his family and household, and offer it in a sacrifice. The blood of the bullock would be taken into the Holy of Holies along with a censer of sweet incense, the smoke from which would cover the mercy seat. He would sprinkle the blood of the bullock in an eastward fashion seven times. The goat whose lot was cast for God would then be sacrificed as a sin offering for the people and the blood of the goat would then be brought to the mercy seat and sprinkled in a similar manner to make atonement for the sins of the people of Israel. Only the High Priest would be in the Holy of Holies and the tabernacle of the congregation during the offering.

After completing this part of the ceremony, the High priest would bring the live goat and confess the sins of the children of Israel on the goat. This goat would then be led into a remote and uninhabited part of the wilderness, where it would be released, and would bear all the sins of the children of Israel. After this point, the High Priest would change out of the Holy garments, wash himself, and exit the tabernacle of the congregation wearing his priestly clothes to make the burnt offering for himself and his family and household, and also for the people. When the person who led the scapegoat into the wilderness returned, he had to wash his clothes and bathe before returning to the congregation. The bullock and goat were then to be burned in whole, and that person would then wash his clothes and bathe before returning to camp. This was to be a perpetual covenant so that the people would be clean from their sins before God.

Leviticus 16:1-34
And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on. And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people. And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp. And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp. And this shall be a statute forever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever. And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

The death of Jesus changed the rituals of the day. We have recorded for us that at the death of Jesus, there was an earthquake that brought back to life many dead people who walked the street, something that would seem like a mini zombie apocalypse. Also happening at that very same time was a tear in the veil of the temple. That veil separated the Holy of Holies, and the death of Jesus signified that no longer would mankind have to wait once a year for mercy or to have access to God the Father. Through Jesus, people could have direct access to God.

Matthew 27:45-54
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

With the tearing of the veil in the temple and having direct access to God, the Bible makes clear to us that Jesus is now our high priest.

Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

As our High Priest, Jesus has access at all times to God the Father and seeks mercy from God on our behalf. Through Jesus we can find mercy and forgiveness of sins in our time of need. As our High Priest, Jesus also determines on whom the sins of mankind will be placed and who is in need of mercy. Jesus died for our sins so that we can have eternal life, and so there is a correlation between Jesus and the goat that was sacrificed. The goat on whom the sins of the world have been placed that would have been led to an uninhabited part of the wilderness is symbolic of Satan who will be cast into a bottomless pit.

The Day of Atonement looks forward to this future time, when Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit marking the end of demonic influence on planet earth as the Kingdom of God is established.

Satan is compared in Ezekiel to the king of Tyrus who is described as being in the Garden of Eden, the serpent who tricked Eve. Satan is described as a cherub, a high-ranking angel with wings that could cover the throne of God. Created in perfection, this cherub was covered in brilliant stones, with more glitter and pop than any Hollywood star could ever hope to have on a red carpet. The cherub that became Satan also was described as having musical instruments, showing that this cherub was not only very pretty, this cherub was very talented, perfectly created and was given a place of prominence at the throne of God, but then sin was found within the cherub. This cherub made many deals and acted through violence resulting in the banishment from heaven trusting in its beauty not considering its beauty was the gift of God. Satan is described as a terror who will soon be no more a terror.

Ezekiel 28:11-19
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Isaiah writes that Lucifer is fallen from heaven because of a desire to ascend into heaven and to overthrow God. Isaiah shows that Lucifer’s efforts fail miserably resulting in banishment to a pit so that others will be able to observe, almost like people going to a zoo. When people see Lucifer, the perfection with which was part of God’s design will be replaced with the sin that changed Lucifer to Satan. No more will there be perfect design and beauty for people to observe. When people see Satan they will observe an entity that does not impress. Satan will have lost everything in the failed attempt to unseat God from power.

Isaiah 14:12-21
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

Lucifer has fallen from heaven to become Satan the adversary. It is God whom Satan sought to overthrow, who can rebuke Satan. Satan has resisted God and seeks the destruction of the people of God. When David had an illegal census, that was inspired by Satan, even though Israel paid the price. Satan sought the death of baby Jesus and sought to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. Satan even resists the High Priest of God and other people who do the work of God. Unlike Satan who had made a permanent choice to be evil, when we find ourselves polluted by sin, Zechariah shows God can cause sin to pass from us, especially with the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Zechariah 3:1-5
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

It is during the end time that we see the fifth angel in Revelation sounding and unleashing the evil from the bottomless pit. This evil consumes the world for several months to the point that people wish they were dead. It is during this time that only those who are not called by God who are not sealed by God will suffer. During this time the Bible shows no plant life is harmed, only people who lack the seal of God will be harmed.

Revelation 9:1-12
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

It is at a future date symbolized by this Day of Atonement that Satan is exiled to a bottomless pit, much like the goat during the Old Testament that had sins confessed over it and was led into the uninhabited wilderness to live in exile.

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.

Moving forward during the time of the New Testament, Paul wrote to the Romans that they were known for their obedience throughout the early Christian Church and he encouraged them to be wise to that which was good and to be simple to that which was evil. In other words, Paul wanted them to be well-versed in the ways of good and righteousness, and to know nothing about the ways of Satan and evil. He explained that God the Father, through our faith in Jesus Christ will stomp all over Satan, and that shortly we will be looking down on Satan with nothing to fear anymore from the influence and evil caused by him.

Romans 16:19-20
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Until that future time when Satan and the demons are banished to the bottomless pit when they will be underfoot, when we will look at the forces of evil and wonder why we ever had any concerns being underwhelmed by their appearance, there are definite steps we can take in the life we have now. As we submit to God and resist Satan, Satan will flee from us. Satan knows there is but a short time and seeks to find where the most damage can be done. We can resist Satan but cannot flee from Satan. As we resist, Satan will flee from us. That should tell us we will face evil in some manner in our life and we can draw near to God and humble ourselves in the sight of God who will lift us up.

James 4:7-10
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

It is through Jesus that it is confirmed that judgment is on the world that will result in Satan being cast out of office. Satan is the prince of this world who will soon lose office through the death and resurrection of Jesus that allows all people to come to God. It is through Jesus Christ that at any time we have access to God the Father, not just on the Day of Atonement.

John 12:27-35
Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die. The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

It is through God the Father who allowed Jesus to die so that we can always have access to the throne of mercy that we are delivered from the power of darkness, embodied by Satan and the demons. Instead of being held captive by sin, only having access to mercy on the Day of Atonement, we now have access to mercy throughout the year by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and look forward to the future time symbolized by this day when Satan will be banished to the bottomless pit.

Colossians 1:9-14
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

As we live our life in this world that is under the sway of Satan, it is good that we live a life with different qualities than are valued by this world. If we conform ourselves to the values of this world, we become subject to its norms and can fall under the snare of Satan and the evil that masquerades as light.

1 Timothy 3:1-7
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

As we live in this world knowing that Satan has not yet been exiled, we have nothing to fear. If God is for us, nobody, not even Satan really can be against us. Any and all efforts to withstand the plan that God has for us will fail as long as we remain with God. No person or event, and definitely not Satan can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ who is at the right hand of God making intercession for us. We can have great confidence that on this Day of Atonement and throughout the year, absolutely nothing will separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ knowing that although Satan for the moment has influence over this world, one day all of that influence will cease.

Romans 8:28-39
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The banishment of Satan and exile of evil creates a pathway to the establishment of the Kingdom of God, which is the essence of the Feast of Tabernacles, which we will be celebrating next. In a world that only knows good and evil, imagine a time when we will live in a world that lives by God’s righteousness and not limited by our concept of good and evil as we know today. During that future time, we will experience life in ways that greatly transcends the very best of what is good today without any of the evil. Today we celebrate the exile of Satan and his demons and the access we have to God the Father. A beautiful time awaits us in the Kingdom of God.

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