YOM KIPPUR

 

This is a feast of celebration of the sacrifice of the Day of Atonement. This was the yearly blessing of a new beginning so that the entire Nation of Israel could enter into all the blessings of Abraham. They were cleansed from all iniquity in one day.

Leviticus 16:5 And he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering.

He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell, and sacrifice it as a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness. 21. Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness. 22. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land(world).

34. This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year

A ram was taken as a burnt offering sacrifice, just like the ram that was substituted for Isaac when Abraham had drawn the knife to offer up his only son. A burnt offering is different to a sin offering. It is an offering of dedication to God and an offering of thanksgiving for all of his blessings. 

One goat is sacrificed for ALL the sins of the people, but the Scapegoat, the ATONEMENT goat disappears (Unseen), alive as it were from the sentence of death, and bearing the atonement, the at-one-ment of God with his people.

But shortly after Jesus was crucified the temple was destroyed and the sacrifice of Yom Kippur ceased, even though the feast day continued to be celebrated. So there was a day, a Yom, but no Kippur or sacrifice of atonement under the Law for Israel. So what is the day of Atonement with no atonement?

This meant that the blessings also ceased – those of the Old Covenant, because the cause (obedience the Law and sacrifices - Hebrews 10:8) of the blessings had changed (The Jubilee Year blessings could not be celebrated until Yom Kippur was properly concluded). 

Jesus on the cross said ‘It is finished’ and became both our sacrificial goat and our atonement Scapegoat with a once for all and forever sacrifice and obedience to his Father. The true Atonement had come through Jesus and a new set of blessings were set in place for all who believed. We share new life with him as our scapegoat, alive from the sentence of death. The Kingdom of God had come to dwell within us and the blessings of the Kingdom are now accessible through our faith. 

THE NEW BLESSINGS

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

So the blessings of the Old Covenant were replaced by the spiritual blessings of the New Covenant. 

THE NEW SACRIFICES

The old yearly sacrifice on one day each year was replaced by one sacrifice for all time that brought the blessings of God for every day of the year. We can now offer up spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus.

1Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Philippians 4:17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

KINGDOM SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ARE FOLLOWED BY MATERIAL BLESSINGS

Matthew 6:31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.