Day of Atonement

February 21, 2016 Background Scripture: Numbers 29:7 – 11; Leviticus 16:1 – 34; 23:26 – 32; Hebrews 7:26 – 28; 9:24; 10:4 – 18 Lesson Passage: Leviticus 16:11 – 19 Every now and then I have a day when I feel the desire to push a “life reset button”. Everything just seems to be off track in those moments. It’s not necessarily the past twenty four hours or even the previous week or month. You just ask yourself: How did I end up in this place, at this time, doing what I am doing? Was it a single decision or a series of less than stellar moves? I don’t recall doing anything intentionally to arrive at this point. What I need is a “life reset button”. Although we may fantasize about a reset, time does not go in reverse and many actions in life do not lend themselves to a “do over”. When it comes to spiritual matters of life, the reset is not a fantasy. Today’s lesson shows how God allowed the nation of Israel to reset her relationship with Him once every year. The tenth day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar was designated by God as the Day of Atonement. The word “atonement” really says it all. Atonement, or “at-one-ment”, means to be in union as one entity. God established one day per year for the entire nation of Israel to consecrate themselves and provide burnt offerings before Him and seek His forgiveness for the sins of the nation. The people afflicted their souls through fasting and prayer; this was the only regular day of fasting stipulated in the bible. In addition to fasting and prayer, there was also confession of sins, and celebration. The High Priest confessed the sins of the people on the head of the “scapegoat”. On the Day of Atonement, the nation of Israel would atone for their sins and again be in spiritual harmony with God. This was one of the avenues provided by God for Israel to maintain constant access to Him. All offerings for this celebration were to be brought by the High Priest before the Mercy Seat that covered the Ark of the Covenant within the Most Holy Place. The High Priest had to first make himself ceremonially clean by washing his body, putting on the clothing prescribed by God, and offering sacrifices for himself. The High Priest was only allowed to enter the Most Holy Place once a year on the day that God stipulated. While the High Priest fulfilled the duties of his office on that day, the entire nation of Israel was called to fast and pray or afflict their souls. This day was designated “The Day of Atonement” by God. Other than fasting and prayer, this was to be a day of rest for the entire nation. Only the Priest worked. The sacredness of the work in the Holy Place had been clearly established by God when He destroyed two of the sons of Aaron for entering the Holy Place and attempting to offer sacrifices to God on their terms rather than God’s terms. The Day of Atonement was and is an important day in the life of the nation of Israel. Today, the Day of Atonement is referred to by its Hebrew name, Yom Kippur. If the High Priest performed his duties in a manner acceptable to God, then all the people of the nation would know that God had forgiven them for the sins of the previous year. This would again mean that God was at peace with them and would not allow the sins of their past to separate them from Him. Robert C. Hudson February 8, 2016