The Holy Day Of Atonement
Many Christians assume that the festivals of the Father in heaven Yahweh gave to Israel are outdated. Yet the early Church or Assembly continued to observe them. And the book of Revelation in the Scripture graphically portrays their fulfillments. Why many Christians disobey it? What does an ancient Old Testament ceremony involving two goats have to do with our Master and Savior, Yahshua the Messiah? Are Christians to fast on this Holy Day? Is this biblical celebration valid today? Do the festivals of the Bible belong to the Jews alone, or are they also commanded observances for all those who follow the Savior of Mankind Yahshua the Messiah? We are going to answer these questions for you today and teach you about the Holy Day of Atonement, one of the seven annual festivals of Almighty Yahweh. This commanded holy day is found in the Bible, both in Old and New Testament. As always, we ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and guidance as we present this very important subject matter to all of our faithful brethren and readers all over the world. All of you who have the eyes to see and ears to hear the truth of the Bible must pay very special attention to this crucial topic concerning this holy day of Yahweh that He commanded all of the people to obey as part of His plan to save mankind.
Leviticus 16:15-19 in the Old Testament describes a solemn ceremony that was carried out only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Briefly, it tells us that Yahshua the Messiah died for our sins, as pictured by the sacrifice of the first goat. The second goat, representing Satan the devil, was banished into the wilderness as a picture of his future fate. While we do not observe the Day of Atonement today with the temple ritual of two goats, we nevertheless focus on the great meaning behind this while we fast in drawing near to Yahweh. In Leviticus 23:27 Yahweh commanded ancient Israel : “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month (Atonement), you shall afflict your souls, and do not work at all.” This meant they were to fast—to go without food and water—for a period of 24 hours. Did you grasp the word “forever” here? This means true Christians must observe this Holy Day for ever! More so, the Bible also tell us the early Church or Assembly kept this Holy Day. In fact, the Day of Atonement is still mentioned long after Yahshua the Messiah’s death and resurrection as “the Fast” (Acts 27:9). Paul and his gentile companion Luke were still observing this Holy Day by fasting. Certainly, if Paul, the apostle to the gentiles, observed this sacred day, then Christians today should follow his example (1 Corinthians 11:1) and observe this day as well. This command is for all Yahweh’s people to obey for all generations! This Holy Day is known to Jews as Yom Kippur.
The Day of Atonement symbolizes the reconciliation of Yahweh and all humanity. This Holy Day teaches us about the forgiveness of sin and our reconciliation with Yahweh through Yahshua the Messiah’s sacrifice and it carries universal implications. This step in the plan of Yahweh must take place before humanity can experience true peace on earth. All people suffer the tragic consequences of sin. But sin doesn’t happen without a cause, and Yahweh makes this cause clear in the symbolism associated with this sacred day. This Holy Day involves not only the forgiveness of sin; it pictures the removal of the primary cause of sin—Satan and his demons! Until Yahweh removes the original instigator of sin, mankind will simply continue to fall back into disobedience and suffering. Satan bears great responsibility for influencing mankind to disobey the Creator Yahweh. Revelation 12:9 tells us that his influence is so great that he “deceives the whole world.” This deceitful, invisible spirit being blinds people to the understanding of Almighty Yahweh’s truth. The apostle Paul explained this to the Corinthians: “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of Yahweh, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Paul also teaches us that Satan has influenced every human being to walk in the ways of disobedience. He notes that even those called into the Church or Assembly “once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). Yes, Satan is very powerful!
The apostle Paul also warned the Corinthians that Satan the devil can present himself as righteous to lead people astray: “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). Christians who struggle to resist Satan and stop sinning fight a spiritual battle against the devil and his demons. Paul explains: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness” (Ephesians 6:12). Did you grasp it? Satan the devil and his demons uses even religious leaders (ministers, pastors, rabbis, priests, imams, evangelists, popes) to deliberately preach to their congregations false doctrines and man-made pagan teachings that are against Almighty Yahweh! Many of them say the Ten Commandments, and the seven annual feasts, including the Holy Day of Atonement is only for Jews and, worse, already done away with at Yahshua the Messiah’s crucifixion! What a blasphemy and blatant lie! Yahshua plainly stated that Satan introduced sin and rebellion into the world. Notice! Yahshua declared to those who were antagonistic to His teaching: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). Peoples, please beware of false Bible teachers and preachers in your midst, including all the Bible scoffers out there to deceive you greatly in the last days! (2 Peter 3:3-6).
In closing, the Holy Day of Atonement represents humanity’s need to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father Yahweh through the forgiveness of sin by the work of His Begotten Son Yahshua the Messiah—in His sacrifice, function as High Priest and return to deal with the instigator of sin, Satan. At the return of Yahshua, Satan the devil, who now leads mankind astray (Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:9), will be bound (Revelation 20:1-3) so the peoples and the nations can be reconciled to the Father in heaven Yahweh through Yahshua the Messiah. This world will not know true peace until Satan, the ultimate deceiver, is put away. With this done, the eyes of mankind will be opened. The light of Yahweh’s truth will spread over humanity and a spiritual healing will come upon all peoples from all walks of life. At this time, Yahshua’s sacrifice, as pictured by the slain goat, will begin to be applied to the world at large, as people repent and draw near to Yahweh, making humanity atoned or “at one” with Him. Our Master and Savior Yahshua, the One who has offered His life in place of all mankind and has crushed the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15), is central to the ultimate fulfillment of this sacred day. As Revelation 20:2-3 says prophetically, “He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and He cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.” To our brethren in faith and other genuine Christians out there, Almighty Yahweh is just! He will place on Satan’s own head the enormous guilt he bears for stirring up mankind against Yahweh, for deceiving humanity into thinking Yahweh is “unfair” and that His laws and righteous ways are not good. Finally, rebellious humanity will learn to appreciate Yahweh and His ways, to genuinely love and worship the true Elohim of the Bible! It’s only then, the “atonement” for humanity’s sins will be complete. May the Holy Spirit of Yahweh convict you of this truthful and faithful message. And we pray to the Most High Yahweh and our Savior Yahshua to keep you and bless you, Amen. Shalom, Halleluyah!
