CHAPTER 8
Yom Kippur:
(The Day of Atonement)
For it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to
cleanse you; and you shall be clean from all your sins before the Lord.
It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your
souls; it is a permanent statute (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:30-31 NAS).
On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of
atonement...for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your
behalf before the Lord your God.... You shall do no work at all. It is
to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your
dwelling places. It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you
shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from
evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath (Leviticus [Vayikra]
23:27-28,31-32 NAS).
Then on the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy
convocation, and you shall humble yourselves; you shall not do any work
(Numbers [Bamidbar] 29:7 NAS).
Yom Kippur: Names, Themes, and Idioms
- Yom Kippur
(the Day of Atonement)
- Face to Face
- The Day (or the Great Day)
- The Fast
- The Great Shofar (Shofar HaGadol)
- Neilah (the closing of the gates)
Understanding the Priestly Service for
Yom Kippur
Leviticus (Vayikra) chapter 16,
specifies the tenth of Tishrei as the date on which the high priest (Cohen
HaGadol) shall conduct a special ceremony to purge defilement from
the shrine and from the people. The heart of the ritual is that the high
priest (Cohen HaGadol) shall bring a bull and two goats as a
special offering. First, the bull is sacrificed to purge the shrine from
any defilements (what might now be called uncanny vibrations) caused by
misdeeds of the priest himself and of his household (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:6). Secondly, one of the goats is chosen by lot to be sacrificed to
purge the shrine of any similar defilement stimulated by misdeeds of the
whole Israelite people (Leviticus [Vayikra] 16:7-8). Finally,
the second goat is sent away, not sacrificed, to cleanse the people
themselves. The goat is marked for Azazel and is sent away to
wander in the wilderness (Leviticus [Vayikra] 16:10). Before
the goat is sent out, the high priest lays both his hands upon its head
and confesses over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the
Israelites, whatever their misdeeds, and so putting them on the head of
the goat. Thus, the Torah adds, "The goat shall carry on it all their
iniquities to an inaccessible region..." (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:20-22).
Azazel:
The Scapegoat
The Hebrew word for scapegoat is azazel.
Azazel was seen as a type of satan (Ha satan) in the
intertestamental Book of Enoch (8:1). The sins of the people and thus
the punishment of the people were laid upon azazel the
scapegoat. He would bear the sins of the people and the punishment of
the people would be upon him. Azazel being sent into the
wilderness is understood to be a picture of satan (Ha satan)
being cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20).
Let's take a closer look at this ceremony found
in Leviticus (Vayikra) 16:7-10. In Leviticus (Vayikra)
16:8, the first lot said, "La Adonai" (To the L-rd). The second
lot said, "La Azazel" (To the scapegoat). The high priest (Cohen
HaGadol) took the two golden lots, one marked La Adonai
and the other marked La Azazel, and placed one upon the head of
each animal, sealing their fate. It was considered a good omen if the
lot marked La Adonai was drawn by the priest in the right hand,
but for 40 years prior to the destruction of the temple (Beit
HaMikdash) in 70 C.E. (Common Era, which is the same as A.D., the
Latin for "in the year of our L-rd"), the lot La Adonai was
drawn by the priest on the left hand (Talmud, Yoma 39a). In any
event, the sins of the people were laid upon the scapegoat (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:21-22). Except for the 40 years prior to the destruction of the
second temple (Beit HaMikdash), the lot La Adonai came
out on the right hand of the priest and the lot La Azazel came
out on the left hand of the priest.
Messianic Understanding
G-d gave this ceremony of the casting of lots
during Yom Kippur to teach us how He will judge the nations of
the world prior to the Messianic age known as the Millennium. The
nations of the world will be judged according to how they treated the
Jewish people. Those nations who mistreated the Jews will be goat
nations and they will go into the left hand. Those nations that stood
beside the Jewish people will be sheep nations and will enter into the
Messianic kingdom or the Millennium. Yeshua taught us about
this in Matthew 25:31-46.
Yeshua during His first coming was a
type of the goat marked La Adonai. Yeshua was a sin
offering to us as G-d laid upon Him the sins of the whole world (Isaiah
[Yeshayahu] 53:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 1:3-4;
Hebrews 2:17; 1 John [Yochanan] 2:2; 4:10).
In the ceremony of the two goats, the two goats
were considered as one offering. A crimson sash was tied around the
horns of the goat marked azazel. At the appropriate time, the
goat was led to a steep cliff in the wilderness and shoved off the
cliff. In connection with this ceremony, an interesting tradition arose
that is mentioned in the Mishnah. A portion of the crimson sash was
attached to the door of the temple (Beit HaMikdash) before the
goat was sent into the wilderness. The sash would turn from red to white
as the goat met its end, signaling to the people that G-d had accepted
their sacrifices and their sins were forgiven. This was based upon
Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 1:18. As stated earlier, the Mishnah tells
us that 40 years before the destruction of the temple (Beit
HaMikdash), the sash stopped turning white. This, of course, was
when Yeshua was slain on the tree.
Additional Aspects to the High Priest
Ceremony
In order to enter the Holy of Holies, the high
priest (Cohen HaGadol) was first to bathe his entire body,
going beyond the mere washing of hands and feet as required by other
occasions. The washing symbolized his desire for purification (Numbers [Bamidbar]
19). The washing was of his clothes and his flesh (Numbers [Bamidbar]
8:5-7; 19:7-9). This was done in conjunction with taking the blood of an
animal with the finger and sprinkling the blood upon the altar (Number [Bamidbar]
19:1-4; Leviticus [Vayikra] 8:13-15). This ritual is once again
seen in Numbers (Bamidbar) 31:21-24. The spiritual
understanding of this is given in Hebrews 9; and 10:19-22. The
sprinkling of blood upon the altar is also mentioned in Exodus (Shemot)
29:1-4,10-12, 16,20-21; and Leviticus (Vayikra) 1:3-5,11;
3:1-2,8; 4:1-6; 5:4-6,9. Once again, the spiritual understanding is
found in Hebrews 9:11-14,23-25, and First Peter (Kefa) 1:2.
Messianic Understanding
Yeshua is the High Priest (Cohen
HaGadol) of G-d (Hebrews 3:1). In John (Yochanan) 20:17,
Yeshua said, "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My
Father...." These were the same words that the priest spoke before he
ascended the altar. Yeshua can be seen as Priest by looking at
some other Scriptures. In Numbers (Bamidbar) 19:11, if you
touched a dead body, you were unclean for seven days. After being
unclean, purification took place on the eighth day. This is the meaning
behind what happened in John (Yochanan) 20:24-27.
Rather than wearing his usual robe and colorful
garments (described in Exodus [Shemot] 28 and Leviticus [Vayikra]
8:1-8), Aaron was commanded to wear special garments of linen (Leviticus
[Vayikra] 16:4). Yeshua was seen wearing the same
thing in Revelation 1:13-15. Daniel also saw this and described it in
Daniel 10:5-6.
By slaying the animals at the altar and applying
their blood to the altar, the garments of the high priest became very
bloody and G-d instructed them to be washed (Leviticus [Vayikra]
6:27). However, on Yom Kippur G-d declared in Isaiah (Yeshayahu)
1:18, as it is written, "...though your sins be as scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow...." Spiritually speaking, a white garment
represents purity and the absence of sin (Revelation 7:9,13-14; 19:8).
In Numbers (Bamidbar) 15:37-41, fringes
(tzi-tzit) were put on the hem of the garments to remind the
people of the Torah or G-d's Word. Consider the woman with the issue of
blood (she was unclean) coming to Yeshua (the High Priest of
G-d) to touch the hem of His garment and be healed (Matthew [Mattityahu]
9:20-22). The children of Israel were instructed by G-d to wear the
garments Yeshua had on in Matthew 9:20-22. These garments were
instructed by G-d in the Torah to be worn as just stated in Numbers (Bamidbar)
15:37-41. When the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem (tzi-tzit)
of Yeshua's garment in Matthew 9:20-22, it was a picture given
to us by G-d to communicate to us that she believed Yeshua's
word by faith (emunah) and was made well because of her faith.
Face to Face
The high priest (Cohen HaGadol) could
only go into the Holy of Holies once a year (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:2; Hebrews 9:6-7). (G-d issued a warning that no man could see His
face and live (Exodus [Shemot] 33:20). But because on the Day
of Atonement the priest could be in G-d's presence (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:2), another term for the Day of Atonement is "face to face."
By the time of the second temple, this ritual
[the high priest's (Cohen HaGadol) ceremony] had been somewhat
elaborated, and one crucial element had been added to it. That element
was that on three separate occasions, in a grand crescendo, the high
priest appeared before the people, and three times he recited a formula
of confession in their hearing. The first confession was on the account
of his own sins and those of his household; the second, on the account
of the priestly tribe of Levi; the third, on the account of the whole
people.
On this occasion only, in the entire year, the
confession included the priest's saying aloud the name of G-d embodied
in the Hebrew letters YHVH (called the Tetragrammaton). This was the
name that G-d gave and explained to Moses (Moshe) at the
burning bush, the name that was a kind of distillation of "I am Becoming
Who I am Becoming," the name that was not a name in the sense of a label
by which G-d could be called and controlled, and therefore the name that
could not be said aloud. It was, therefore, all year long euphemized by
saying, whenever YHVH appeared in the text, or invocation, Adonai,
The L-rd. Only on Yom Kippur was the name said, aloud, in all
its original awesomeness.
(How the name was pronounced on this occasion
was so thoroughly protected from record-keeping, that might profane it,
that we no longer know how it was done.)
In each confession, when the high priest reached
the recitation of the name, the whole people would prostrate themselves
and say aloud, "Baruch shem K'vod malchuto l'olam va'ed," which
means, "Blessed be the Name of the radiance of the Kingship, forever and
beyond." On the third recitation, the one for their own sins, they knew
that the high priest (Cohen HaGadol) had just before-on this
one occasion in all the year-entered the Holy of Holies, the inmost room
of the temple (Beit HaMikdash) where G-d's Presence was most
fully felt. He entered it three times, and only then came out to confess
on behalf of all the people and put their sins upon the head of the goat
for azazel.
The result of this triple entry into the Holy of
Holies, this triple recitation of G-d's most holy name, and this triple
prostration by the entire people, was an utterly awesome sense of G-d's
Presence making atonement for the people, cleansing them of all their
sins, permitting them to begin the year afresh, renewing their lives. So
total was this sense of transformation that, after it, the mood of the
people shifted from solemn awe to joyful celebration. The young,
unmarried men and women went to dance in the fields and to choose
spouses for themselves. Yom Kippur and the fifteenth of Av were
the only days in the year when this kind of mass public espousal would
take place.
Therefore, when the high priest stood before G-d
on this day, he was said to be "face to face" with G-d. Because
of this, Yom Kippur became known by the phrase "face to
face." "Face to face" terminology was used in First Corinthians
13:9-12, as it is written:
For we know in part; and we prophesy in part. But when that
which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done
away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a
child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away
childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then
face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also
I am known (1 Corinthians 13:9-12).
Both verse 11 and the phrase in verse 12, "For
now we see through a glass, darkly" come from the Jewish Midrash.
"Face to Face" is the title of a
chapter in Arthur Waskow's book, Seasons of Our Joy, on the
topic of Yom Kippur. "Face to face" is an idiom for
Yom Kippur. Why? It was on Yom Kippur that the high
priest had to go behind the veil of the temple. At that moment, the
nation had to hold its breath because the nation's fate depended upon
G-d's accepting the sacrifice. At that point, the high priest was "face
to face with the mercy seat of G-d."
When the high priest (Cohen HaGadol)
entered the Holy of Holies, he saw the L-rd's presence as a brilliant
cloud hovering above the mercy seat (Leviticus [Vayikra] 16:2).
The word for mercy seat in Hebrew is kapporet. It comes from
the root word kaphar, which is the same word used for
"atonement." The mercy seat can also be translated as the seat of
atonement. The mercy seat is described in detail in Exodus (Shemot)
25:17-22 and 37:6-9. This is the place where Moses (Moshe) met
and spoke with G-d face to face (Exodus [Shemot] 25:22; 30:6;
Numbers [Bamidbar] 7:89).
The Day
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, comes
on the tenth day of the Jewish month of Tishrei (September/October). It
is the last day of the Ten Days of Repentance, and it is the most solemn
day of the Jewish calendar. It is believed that those who have not been
good enough to be written in the Book of Life immediately on Rosh
HaShanah are given ten days to repent, pray for forgiveness, and do
good deeds until Yom Kippur, when their fate will be decided.
The entire Day of Forgiveness (Yom Kippur) is spent fasting and
praying. Because this day is the most solemn day in the year, it is
known as "The Day."
The Fast
Fasting is one of the most important of the
mitzvot (commandments) leading to atonement. The Torah says three
times, "And this shall be to you a law for all times: In the seventh
month, on the tenth day of the month you shall practice self-denial"
(Leviticus [Vayikra] 16:29; 23:27; Numbers [Bamidbar]
29:7); tradition (the Jewish understanding) interprets self-denial as
fasting. For this reason, Yom Kippur is known as "The Fast
Day."
The Great Shofar
As mentioned earlier in this book in Chapter 7,
when the shofar (trumpet) was discussed, there are three
primary shofarim (trumpets) to the Jewish people and these
three trumpets are associated with specific days in the year. These
three trumpets are:
(a) "The First Trump," blown and associated with Shavuot
(Pentecost);
(b) "The Last Trump," blown and associated with Rosh HaShanah;
(c) "The Great Trump," blown and associated with Yom Kippur.
It is on Yom Kippur when the Great
Trumpet, known in Hebrew as the Shofar HaGadol is blown. This
is referred to in Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 27:13 and Matthew 24:31.
Neilah:
The Closing of the Gates of Heaven
Neilah is the closing or final service
of Yom Kippur. It is the Jewish belief that the gates of Heaven
are open during the days of repentance to receive our prayers for
forgiveness and that they close after the neilah service.
(Specifically, they are open on Rosh HaShanah to let the
righteous into Heaven and remain open until the neilah service
of Yom Kippur.) When the final blast of the shofar
(the Shofar HaGadol, the Great Trumpet) is heard at the end of
the neilah service, those who have observed the day with
sincerity should feel that they have been inscribed and sealed in the
Book of Life.
Spiritual Understanding of the Day of
Atonement
The Day of Atonement was the most solemn of all
the feast days. It was the day of cleansing for the nation and for the
sanctuary. On this day alone, once a year, the high priest entered into
the holiest of all, the Holy of Holies in the temple, within the veil of
the temple, with the blood of the L-rd's goat, the sin offering. Here he
sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat. The blood of the sin offering on
the great Day of Atonement brought about the cleansing of all sin for
the priesthood, the sanctuary, and Israel as a nation (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:29-34).
The Day of Atonement
- Yom Kippur is a day of fasting and affliction of the
soul
(Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:27,29; Numbers [Bamidbar]
29:7). This day was set aside as a day of national fasting. Fasting
is mentioned in Joel (Yoel) 1:14-15; 2:12-18; and Ezra
8:21. The spiritual understanding for us is given in Isaiah 58:1-12.
- It is the tenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus [Vayikra]
23:27; Numbers [Bamidbar] 29:7). The number 10 is used to
represent the government or a nation (Daniel 7:24; Revelation
17:12). To the Jewish people, the number ten represents a legal
congregation known as a minyan. The congregation is one
body that can represent a group. So, the number ten represented the
nation or the congregation of Israel (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:2-3,17,19). Notice also that the blood is sprinkled for the
nation (Leviticus [Vayikra] 16:19). Look at Isaiah (Yeshayahu)
52:13-15 and Ezekiel (Yechezekel) 36:24-26.
In Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 52:13-15, the
suffering servant, Yeshua, Messiah ben Joseph (Yosef)
is seen sprinkling many nations. In Ezekiel 36:24-26, it is the Jews
returning to Israel from the Diaspora whom G-d will sprinkle clean water
upon when they return back to the land of Israel.
The Day of Atonement Ceremonies
As we look at the ceremony itself, we will be
able to see how it points to the Messiah Yeshua Himself. In
addition, we will be able to see how it relates to the believers in the
Messiah.
- The priest used a golden censer
(Leviticus
16:1-2,12-14; Hebrews 9:4). The censer is mentioned in Leviticus
16:12; Numbers 16:18,46; First Kings 7:50-51; Second Chronicles
4:19,22; and Hebrews 9:1,4.
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
The incense of the golden censer represents the prayers of Bible
believers (Psalm 141:2; Luke 1:5-11; Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4).
Messianic Fulfillment.
Aaron the high priest typifies the ministry of mediator and
intercessor. Yeshua is our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1) and
Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 12:24). He lives to make
intercession for us (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:22-27).
- He went within the veil once a year (Leviticus 16:2;
Hebrews 9:3,7).
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
By the death of Yeshua, we are free to enter into the veil
every day (Matthew 27:50-51; 2 Corinthians 3:14; Hebrews 4:16;
6:13-19; 10:19-22).
- He washed himself in water (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:4,24).
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
For Aaron, this meant he must be absolutely clean in order to make
atonement in behalf of the people of Israel. For the believer in
Yeshua, it means we are to be washed by the water of the Word
of G-d as we approach G-d as well for the removal of sin from our
lives (John 3:1-5,15; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:26-27; Titus
3:5; Hebrews 10:22). For Yeshua, it meant that He was
absolutely clean and without sin when He made the atonement of
sacrificing His body on the tree.
- He put on holy linen garments (Leviticus [Vayikra]
16:4,23).
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
The priestly clothing is also mentioned in Exodus (Shemot)
28:1-4. In verse 3 they are for glory and beauty. The linen garments
speak of the sinless humanity of Messiah and His righteousness.
These linen garments were stained with blood while the priest
offered the sacrifices. After the sacrifices were complete, the
garments were taken off and new garments were put on again
(Leviticus [Vayikra] 16:23-24). Isaiah (Yeshayahu)
1:18 speaks of the blood-stained garments and the new garments that
were put on afterwards. The white linen garments are clothes of
righteousness (Job [Iyov] 29:14; Psalm [Tehillim]
132:9; Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 61:10; Revelation 3:5; 15:6;
19:7-8, 11,13-15).
- At the moment the atonement was made on the Day of Atonement,
those being atoned for were sinless and blameless before G-d.
The congregation of believers (kehilat) in the Messiah is
being presented before G-d without spot or blemish (Ephesians 5:27)
because of the blood of Yeshua (1 Peter [Kefa] 1:19).
- The bodies of the animals were outside the camp
(Leviticus 16:27).
Messianic Fulfillment.
The bodies of the sin offering, both the bullock and the goat, were
taken outside the camp where they were burned. Yeshua was
crucified outside the camp or gates of Jerusalem (John 19:17-20;
Hebrews 13:10-13).
- Many sacrifices were offered (Leviticus 16:1-6,25-27).
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
Our bodies are to be a living sacrifice to G-d (Romans 12:1; 1 Peter
[Kefa] 2:5). We are to offer up a sacrifice of praise to
G-d (Leviticus [Vayikra] 7:12; Psalm [Tehillim]
34:1; 50:14,23; 69:30-31; 107:22; 116:17; Hebrews 13:15-16).
Messianic Fulfillment.
Yeshua is the sacrifice of G-d for us who believe on Him
(Hebrews 9:26-28; 10:1-10).
- The year of Jubilee was the Day of Atonement (Leviticus
25:9-11).
Spiritual Application (Halacha).
This was a year and day of liberty. Yeshua came to preach
this liberty at His first coming (Isaiah [Yeshayahu]
61:1-3; Luke 4:17-21). From Adam, it has been almost 6,000 years and
120 Jubilees. The number 120 points to the end of the age of the
flesh and the reign of the life of the spirit (Genesis (Bereishit]
6:3). The ultimate fulfillment of the year of Jubilee will take
place at the second coming of Messiah. The earth will be redeemed
and come into full and complete rest from the curse brought upon it
by Adam's sin. Complete restoration of man's lost inheritance will
take place. G-d's people will be totally set free -- set at liberty,
from all sin, sickness and disease, death, and the curse. Satan (Ha
satan), the source of all these things, will be bound and true
rest will be realized. The tabernacle of G-d will be with men and He
will dwell with them (Revelation 21:1-4). So, the year of Jubilee
and the day of Atonement speak of the fullness of the redemptive
plan of G-d for man.
Life for a Life
The biblical name for the day of Atonement is
Yom HaKippurim, meaning "the day of covering, canceling,
pardon, reconciling." Occasionally, it was called "the Day of the Fast"
or "the Great Fast" (Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:27-31; 16:29-34).
G-d told the Israelites to sacrifice an animal
as a substitute for their own sentence to die. This life for a life
principle is the foundation of the sacrificial system. The Torah allows
a monetary ransom be paid for an individual deserving death (Exodus [Shemot]
21:28-32). The guilty person here was the owner of an ox that had killed
a person, and the owner of the ox was responsible for the death caused
by his ox (Exodus 21:30 says that money paid in place of the death of
the owner was a ransom price).
Messianic Fulfillment.
Yeshua died on the tree as a substitute for us, who deserved
death because we sinned against G-d. Yeshua paid the ransom
price for us to G-d (Mark 10:45; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Corinthians 6:20;
7:23). The ransom price was 30 pieces of silver (Exodus [Shemot]
21:32; Matthew [Mattityahu] 26:14-16; 27:3-6).
Thirty pieces of silver was the ransom price of
blood in dying in the place of the truly guilty and making atonement for
the guilty. In the case of a thief or murderer, there is no atonement
for them (Exodus 22:1-2; Numbers 35:31). This is why there is no
atonement for satan (Ha satan) (John 8:44). Thirty pieces of
silver was the ransom price of blood and the shedding of blood made an
atonement for sin (Leviticus 17:11; Romans 5:8-11). The Greek word
hilasmos, translated as "propitiation," has the same meaning as the
Hebrew word kaphar, which is translated as "atonement" (Romans
3:23-25; 1 John 2:2; 4:9-10). The purpose of the Day of Atonement was to
teach us about Yeshua, who is our atonement (Hebrews 10:1-10).
The Significance of Blood in the Bible
- It is a token of the New Covenant
(Brit Hadashah)
(Matthew [Mattityahu] 26:27-28; 1 Corinthians 11:25).
- It gives eternal life
(John [Yochanan]
6:53-54).
- It brings redemption
(Ephesians 1:7).
- It makes atonement
(Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:9-10).
- It justifies before G-d
(Romans 5:9).
- It gives us forgiveness
(Ephesians 1:7; 2:13;
Colossians 1:14; 1 John 1:9).
- It provides reconciliation
(Colossians 1:19-20).
- It provides cleansing
(1 John 1:7).
- It makes us overcomers
(Revelation 12:11).
The Day of Atonement is the tenth day of Tishrei
(Leviticus [Vayikra] 23:27). It is significant that repentance
(the season of Teshuvah) must precede redemption (Yom
Kippur). G-d purposed that animal sacrifices were only appropriate
when presented with a contrite and repentant heart (Psalm [Tehillim]
51:16-19). With this in mind, the Day of Atonement was to be kept as a
perpetual statute throughout all generations (Leviticus [Vayikra]
23:31).
G-d divinely placed Yom Kippur before
the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), which is called "The
Season of Our Joy." The children of Israel (and all believers in
the Messiah Yeshua) could only rejoice once they were redeemed
and their sins forgiven.
Yeshua's Second Coming and
Yom Kippur
If you examine the Scriptures concerning the
second coming of Yeshua back to earth, when He will set His
foot upon the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4), you will find that it
uses Yom Kippur terminology. Here are a few examples.
The first example is in Isaiah (Yeshayahu)
52:13-15. First, let us examine Isaiah 52:13-14 so we can identify that
this is referring to Yeshua the Messiah. Then, we will look at
Isaiah 52:15.
In Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 52:13-14 it is
written:
Behold, My servant shall deal prudently [the servant refers
to the Messiah], He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very
high. [The New Covenant (Brit Hadashah) references to
this include Acts 2:32-35; 5:30-31; and Philippians 2:9-11.] As
many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any
man, and His form more than the sons of men (Isaiah [Yeshayahu]
52:13-14).
This description of Yeshua, the
suffering Messiah, is drastically different than how Yeshua is
portrayed in Hollywood.
This description depicts a lamb going to the
slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 52:14 depicts a man
so marred that He did not resemble a man. Furthermore, Isaiah (Yeshayahu)
50:6 says that His beard was ripped out. Psalm (Tehillim)
22:14,17 says His bones were out of joint and that He was naked before
the peering eyes of men. They even bit him (Psalm 22:13).
The Romans used a whip with nine strands, and
each strand had bone, glass, and sharp metal in it. The purpose of the
whip was to strip away the flesh so the organs would hang out of the
body. Psalm 22:16 says they also pierced His hands and feet. Psalm 22:18
says they gambled for His garments. Recognizing that Isaiah 52:13-14 is
speaking about Yeshua during His first coming to earth, Isaiah
52:15 will speak about His second coming.
In Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 52:15 it is
written:
"So shall He sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their
mouths at Him: for that which had not been told them shall they see;
and that which they had not heard shall they consider."
The phrase, "So shall He sprinkle many
nations" is a reference to the sprinkling of the blood on the mercy
seat of G-d by the high priest during Yom Kippur (Leviticus
16:14). This is also referred to in Leviticus 1:5,11; 3:2,8,13; 4:6,17;
7:2.
The garments of the high priest were covered
with blood after he had performed this task (Leviticus 6:27). After
this, G-d accepted the sacrifice, and as the high priest hung out his
garments, a miracle took place. His garments turned from bloodstained
red to white.
G-d was saying in this that He had forgiven
their sins and this forgiveness was shown by the garment (symbolic of
man's life), being sprinkled upon by blood (the blood of Yeshua),
Yeshua forgiving man's sins, and thus his garment turning
white. Isaiah the prophet wrote, "Come now, and let us reason together,
saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white
as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah
1:18).
Yeshua's garment went from being
stained from His blood when He died upon the tree to being pure white
today. White garments represent righteousness before G-d (Revelation
3:4-5; 7:9,13-14). Yeshua is described this way in Revelation
1:13-14. Yeshua is our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 3:1; 4:14;
9:11). Yeshua sprinkled His blood for us (1 Peter [Kefa]
1:2).
Moses (Moshe) led the children of
Israel out of Egypt by keeping the Passover and sprinkling the blood as
found in the Torah and referenced in Hebrews 11:24-28. In fact, G-d
promised to sprinkle Israel when they returned to the land of Israel
from the Diaspora. This can be seen in Ezekiel 36:24-27.
In Isaiah 52:15, when it says that Yeshua
would sprinkle the nations, it refers to what the high priest did on
Yom Kippur on the mercy seat of G-d so G-d would forgive the sins
of the people. Yeshua came as a prophet in His first coming;
now He is the High Priest and is coming back as a King. Isaiah 63:1-3
describes the second coming of Yeshua, and verse 3 talks about
His garments being sprinkled with blood. Once again this describes
Yeshua, the High Priest coming back to earth on Yom Kippur.
In Joel (Yoel) 2:15-16 it is written:
Blow the trumpet in Zion [the trumpet (shofar)
spoken of here refers to the trumpet ushering in the Messianic
Kingdom, the last trump that is blown on Rosh HaShanah]
sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly [this speaks of the
fast associated with Yom Kippur]: gather the people,
sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children,
and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his
chamber, and the bride out of her closet (Joel [Yoel]
2:15-16).
Please refer back to the previous chapter on the
wedding that takes place on Rosh HaShanah and the honeymoon. In
this passage in Joel, we can see that the seven years of the
tribulation, known as the birthpangs of the Messiah or Chevlai shel
Mashiach, are over and the Messiah is coming back with His
followers to go to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
In Joel 2:17 it is written:
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the
porch and the altar [once again, this speaks of an event that
took place annually, the priest ministering in the Holy of Holies],
and let them say, Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine
heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them:
wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
(Joel [Yoel] 2:17)
What is being communicated here by the phrase
"spare Thy people"? For the answer we must turn to Zechariah 12 and
14:1-9. In these passages, we can see Yeshua coming back after
the birthpangs of the Messiah (tribulation), and Jerusalem (Yerushalayim)
about to be under siege. Yeshua saves Jerusalem (Yerushalayim).
His feet are placed on the Mount of Olives. There is a great earthquake,
and the Messianic Kingdom comes in full power. There is no nighttime
anymore, and the L-rd will rule the whole earth. At this time, the gates
of Heaven are closed. The last Yom Kippur ceremony is called
neilah, the closing of the gates, and is the concluding
ceremony to Yom Kippur. However, this is not the rehearsal (miqra),
but the real thing. At this point, it is too late to make a decision to
accept Yeshua the Messiah into your life.
Yeshua spoke of this same event in
Matthew (Mattityahu) 24:27-31. In Matthew 24:31, the trumpet
that is being blown is called by Yeshua the great trumpet. This
is the trumpet that is blown on Yom Kippur known as the
Shofar HaGadol. This trumpet will usher the return of Yeshua
to rule as Messiah ben David during the Messianic age.
The themes of the fall feasts are numerous and
are especially meaningful to the believer in Yeshua. The
festivals and the entire Tanach (Old Testament) are fulfilled
and speak about the Messiah (Psalm [Tehillim] 40:7; Luke
24:44-47). Understanding the fall festivals will enrich our lives and
walk (halacha) as believers in the Messiah. The final fall
festival, Sukkot, is no different. The festivals of the L-rd
are fulfilled in Yeshua the Messiah while at the same time
revealing tremendous insight on how to live for Yeshua on a
daily basis. Baruch Ha Shem! Blessed be His Name!