Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur

Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD. -Leviticus 23:27

Today is the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Biblical Calendar. Ten days ago the trumpets were blasted to call God’s people to attention, repentance, and readiness for this day when God’s verdict regarding His people would be rendered for the year. No ordinary work is allowed. People are required to afflict themselves through fasting and humble themselves before God with a contrite heart. Anyone who refuses to humble themselves before God on this day is cut off from His people and destroyed.

According to the Law, this is the only day of the year that the High Priest was allowed to enter behind the veil into the Most Holy Place in the Temple, where the presence of God dwelt. Even then, the High Priest was required to bathe before dressing for service and wore more simple garments than his normal priestly attire. On this day, he would wear only the linen garments, sash, and turban, but not the priestly tunic, robe, ephod, decorative belt, or breast piece. If the High Priest were to attempt to go behind the veil on any other day, or in any other way, he would die instantly.

The High Priest would first have to offer a sacrifice for Himself to purify Himself for service. Then, two goats were brought to him from the congregation. One goat would be a sin offering for the Lord and the other goat would be the scapegoat who would carry the sins of the people far away from the community. He would cast lots for the goats (like tossing a coin) to see which goat would serve in each required role.

Leviticus 16:7-10 - 7 Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel. 9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD and use it as a sin offering, 10 but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.

Next, Aaron would present the first goat as a sin offering for the Lord. He, alone, would enter into the tabernacle and take the blood of this goat behind the veil inside the tabernacle into the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the people. Through this, the uncleanness, transgressions, and sins of the people were covered, purged, and cleansed so that they could be reconciled to God and remain in good standing with Him.

Leviticus 16:15-16 - 15 "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16 Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.

If the High Priest did not come out of the tabernacle, it was proof that he had died in the presence of God. This meant that his offering for the sins of the people had not been accepted by God and the people were doomed, cursed, and condemned. If he emerged successfully from the Tabernacle, he would proceed to the second goat.

Next, the High Priest would take the second goat as the scapegoat. He would lay his hands on the head of the goat while confessing all the sins of the people to transfer them to the scapegoat. Then, the goat would be led far away from the community into the wilderness and released to wander.

Leviticus 16:20-22 - 20 "And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. 22 The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.

The word Azazel, often translated as scapegoat, means either ruler of the goat demons or refers to the place he resides in the barren, waterless wilderness. This scapegoat, carrying all the iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the people, was not going to a pleasant place. He was banished from God's presence to wander in a wasteland forever.

In the New Covenant, Jesus is our High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is also the fulfillment of these Feasts of the Lord and serves as our eternal sin offering and scapegoat. His blood was shed so that we could enter into the presence of God, and He took upon Himself the punishment for sin that we deserve.

But how did He fulfill the requirements of the Day of Atonement?

As our High Priest, Jesus did not need to offer a sacrifice for Himself because He had no sin. Moreover, He was baptized or mikvehed, which is what a ritual cleansing is called in Hebrew, by John the Baptist to cleanse Him for service. He wore no kingly or priestly garments to make a spectacle but rather, dressed as a humble, common, and holy man.

Hebrews 7:26-27 - 26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

As our sin offering, Jesus is the Son of God. He was without sin and therefore, is able to be an unblemished sin offering unto the Lord. On the cross, Jesus shed His blood to purify us from our sin. He entered into the Heavenly Temple and secured our eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:11-14 - 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 9:24-26 - 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 10:12-14 - 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

As our scapegoat, Jesus took on flesh and blood as a son of Adam. It was the way He most commonly referred to Himself – Son of Man. On the cross, all the sins of mankind were laid upon Jesus. He took the blame and punishment that we deserve. When Jesus committed His spirit into the hands of God, His body was taken down and put into the grave while His soul descended into the waterless wasteland of Hell.

Hebrews 2:14-17 - 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

If Jesus did not emerge from the grave, it meant that His offering for the sins of the world had not been accepted by God and all of mankind was doomed to condemnation and eternal destruction.

But on the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead. His offering for sin was accepted by God! His spotless life and sacrifice was accepted as the propitiation (or atonement) for our sins! Hallelujah!!

Romans 3:23-25 - 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

1 John 2:2 - 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 4:10 - 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Now resurrected to eternal life, Jesus is our compassionate and merciful High Priest forever! He lives eternally to make intercession on behalf of transgressors.

Hebrews 7:15-16 - 15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.

The Day of Atonement is a day for deep reflection, repentance, and afflicting ourselves before God in humility and unworthiness. For us as New Covenant believers, it is also a day for us to be thankful for the atonement provided for us in Christ Jesus. Please, do not trample on the blood of the Son of God that was shed for you. Take some time to reflect with the Lord, to confess your sins to Him, to ask afresh for His mercy, and to walk in new gratitude for all that our savior and eternal scapegoat has done for us.

Scripture References: Leviticus 16, 23:26-32; Numbers 29:7-11; Psalm 110; Romans 3:21-31, 5:2; Isaiah 53:1-12, 58:6-7; Hebrews 7-10

Penitential Psalms: Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 130, 143

Confession of Sin: Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9; James 5:16, Romans 1:18-32, 3:9-20; 2 Timothy 3

Originally published as: "Day of Atonement" - Reprinted from The Obedience of Faith Blog - Copyright © 2013 (2022 Updated) Wendy Bowen – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE

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Feast of Tabernacles - Sukkot

You will dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites will dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. -Leviticus 23:42-43

Today is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which is also known as the Feast of Ingathering, or Sukkot. This is one of the three feasts of the year where the Law requires that all Jewish men appear before the Lord at the place He chooses for His name to be honored, and bring offerings.

For seven days during the Feast of Tabernacles, Israelites are instructed to live in tents or booths, called sukkot, similar to the ones their ancestors lived in during their forty years in the wilderness. This reminds God’s people of how the Lord had delivered their ancestors out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with miraculous signs and wonders, and how He defeated their enemies in the heart of the sea.

It also brings to remembrance how the Lord had given them His Laws at Sinai and trained them in His ways, as a Father disciplines His son. In the wilderness, God had humbled them, tested their hearts, fed the entire community with miraculous manna for forty years, supplied all their needs, and led them by a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day. And after all that, God faithfully kept every promise He made to their ancestors. God delivered His people out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, for their very own possession.

This Feast takes place at the time of the ingathering of the harvest and extravagant daily offerings are to be brought to the Lord. No ordinary work is permitted on the first day or the last day of the Feast, in addition to any regular Sabbaths. It is a time of great rejoicing before the Lord for the promises He keeps and the harvest He gives so bountifully in the Promised Land. Consider the comparison between wilderness manna and a bountiful harvest in the Promised Land. This is cause for great rejoicing!

Traditionally, though not practiced everywhere, Jews read the Book of Ecclesiastes on the Shabbat of the Feast of Tabernacles. This spurs reflection and remembrance that this world is nothing but vanity and our purpose and duty is to fear God keep His commandments, until Messiah comes to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth.

As an obedient Jewish male and Son of God, Jesus celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. Around this time, a great controversy surrounded His ministry and so at first, He went in secret. But later, in the middle of the Feast, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. He claimed that His teaching came directly from God/heaven and that God’s own people were not keeping the Laws of God or discerning correctly because they were worldly and judging by the ways of this world. For this, they accused Him, the One full of the Holy Spirit, of having demons.

John 7:14-24 - 14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?" 16 So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?" 20 The crowd answered, "You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?" 21 Jesus answered them, "I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

The religious authorities wanted to arrest and kill Jesus, but the people considered that Jesus might just be the Messiah that they had been waiting for. He said that He would not be with them for much longer because He was going away to a place they could not go with Him. The religious leaders considered with bewilderment that this might mean He going to spread His teaching to the diaspora (Jews among the nations) and also to share it with the Gentiles. They wanted all the more to kill Him to put an end to people following Him.

On the last day of the Feast, Jesus began to teach in the Temple and loudly proclaimed that coming to Him is the source of eternal life. The people were divided and could not agree about whether Jesus was the promised Messiah of Israel, a criminal imposter, or a lunatic.

John 7:37-43 - 37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This really is the Prophet." 41 Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" 43 So there was a division among the people over him.

Those who are enmeshed with this world or who are seeking to maintain their position or prestige in it, will find it challenging to follow a humble savior who calls for people to simply come to Him.

But Jesus is the Word of God who humbled Himself to become flesh. He “tabernacled” among us, taking on a “tent” of flesh like ours and living in this world as we do. As a citizen of heaven and the Son of God, He sojourned in this world until this world put Him to death on a cross. But God raised Him from the dead and gave Him a new “tent,” an eternal, imperishable, resurrection body and in that body, He is now seated at the right hand of God awaiting the time that all His enemies are made a footstool under His feet.

At that time, there will be another Feast of Tabernacles. Many more, actually. In the world to come, we will gather from all nations year after year to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. With great rejoicing, we will remember how God delivered us out of slavery to this world and conquered the evil one, burying our sins in the depths of the sea. As we celebrate this Feast, we will reminded of the “wilderness” of dwelling here in this world, receiving God’s faithful provision for our every need, being disciplined in His ways as His children, and being led by the fire of His Spirit dwelling within us.

For now, we still live on earth in these “tents” of flesh until we receive our resurrection bodies for eternal life the world to come. We still await a city whose builder and maker is God. Until then, we are sojourners and exiles here in this world, as we await the Kingdom of God as citizens of heaven.

Let us keep our eyes on Jesus who is the ultimate promise. For the joy set before us, which is eternal life with Him, let us not be divided or double-minded, but regard this world as nothing compared to the worth of knowing Him.

Scripture References: Leviticus 23: 33-44; Exodus 23:14; Numbers 29:12-40; Deuteronomy 5:15, 8:2-6; John 1:14, 7:1-; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11: ,10, 12:6; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11-12

Biblical Celebrations of the Feast of Tabernacles:

Dedication of Temple by Solomon: 1 Kings 8-9; 2 Chronicles 5-7

First Exiles Return to the Land: Ezra 3:1-7 (under Zerubbabel’s leadership)

Later Exiles Renew Covenant: Nehemiah 8:13-9-10 (under Ezra & Nehemiah’s leadership)

In the World to Come: Zechariah 14:16-21

Originally published as: "Feast of Booths" - Reprinted from The Obedience of Faith Blog - Copyright © 2013 (2022 Updated) Wendy Bowen – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE

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The Ninth Month - Hanukkah

Today is the first day of the ninth month on the Biblical Calendar. Post exile, this month has been called Kislev (Chisleu) a name of foreign origin that means "his confidence."

This is the month of Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication. Hanukkah commemorates events that took place in between the time of Malachi and the birth of Jesus.

This is the month of Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication. Hanukkah commemorates events that took place in between the time of Malachi and the birth of Jesus.

The simple story of Hanukkah is this: Jerusalem and the Temple of God had been trampled and overrun by Antiochus IV, the evil king of Assyria. Judah Maccabee and his band of rebels revolted against Antiochus, reclaimed the Temple area, and re-dedicated it to God. Legend and tradition claim that there was only enough oil to burn the Temple lamp for one day but that God kept it burning for eight days and nights until fresh holy oil could be prepared.

Prior to these events, Antiochus IV had bargained with the Sanhedrin to "Hellenize" Jerusalem and the Temple area. This means making it more Greek or worldly so that God's people and land could participate in the global marketplace. When the faithful among God's people rebelled against this, Antiochus crushed their rebellion and took over the Temple. He cut off the regular Temple sacrifices and deliberately defiled the Temple of God by offering pigs on the altar. Then, he set up a statue of himself in the Temple and declared Himself to be god.

The events of Hanukkah serve as a historical example of a day still yet to come. They foreshadow events that will take place in the world when the antichrist is raised up to power. (2Thessalonians 2:4; Daniel 7:3-27, 8:2-27, 11:31-36; Revelation 13:1-18.)

When Jesus walked on earth, He observed and celebrated Hanukkah as the Feast of Dedication. In contrast to Antiochus IV, Jesus did not declare Himself to be God on the Temple Mount even though He could have done so truthfully. In fact, it was during Hanukkah that the religious authorities strongly pressured Jesus to declare Himself plainly but He turned their pressure back on their own heads.

Interestingly, it was during the Festival of Dedication that Jesus was conceived in His mother's womb. Nine months later, He was born during the Feast of Tabernacles in a "tent" of flesh as the true eternal light of the world. The Temple of His physical body was destroyed through crucifixion but through His resurrection, His incorruptible body was raised to eternal life and He is now seated at the right hand of God. Until He returns, we are God's Temple and the light of the world as His spiritual Body. (John 2:19; Ephesians 1:23; Colossians 1:18.)

Other notable events this month include King Jehoiakim burning Jeremiah's scroll in apathy towards the word of God; Ezra mourning over Israel's excessive intermarriage with unbelieving pagans and calling for massive separation from all foreign wives and their children; Nehemiah inquiring about Jerusalem only to hear of its brokenness which led him into weeping, fasting, and prayer for God's people; Haggai prophesying a great shaking of all kingdoms and God using His people as a signet ring; and Zechariah instructing the people that true devotion is revealed not through external displays of piety but through loving justice, mercy, and genuine kindness.

This is a month of re-dedication and placing our confidence in Jesus so that He can place His confidence in us. Therefore, in Jesus' name, may you be blessed to rededicate yourself as God's holy Temple and not be found among those who compromise with worldliness, and may you step out in faith to shine brightly for God's Kingdom as the light of the world.

Scripture References in this Month:

Ezra 10:9-10

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Zechariah 7:1-14

1 Chronicles 27:12

Jeremiah 36:1-32

Haggai 2:10-23

John 10:22-39

Apocryphal References: 1 & 2 Maccabees

Excerpted from and originally published as: "Blessing of the Ninth Month (Kislev)" - Reprinted from Blessings of the Biblical Calendar - Copyright © 2015 Wendy Bowen – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE