Day of Atonement, 2019, The World at One with God   October 09, 2019 

Why are we here today, on this High Day, the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur? 

We are here to celebrate the Day of Atonement, which comes 10 days after the Feast of Trumpets, on the 10^th of Tishri and 5 days before the Feast of Tabernacles.  10 days of repentance and examining one’s ways of life. 

Just like during the Passover season, except that none of the animals sacrificed on the Day of Atonement was a lamb.  Jesus sacrifice as the Passover lamb, His blood made Atonement for us, cleansed us as righteous in God’s eyes.

• It is important to establish peace on earth and this will not happen until Jesus Returns to the earth. Many will die on this day.

• After Jesus keeps His promise to set up the Kingdom of God here on the earth and Jesus will depose or remove Satan from ruler ship of the earth.

• This is what the annual Day of Atonement is all about.

• For nearly 6,000 years Satan has been this world’s ruler and ruled over the nations of the earth. When God {Jesus} gave Satan the office of the earth to run and was found and became disqualified for the position. 

• Jesus Christ has qualified to replace Satan. When Jesus returns to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords and will establish the Kingdom of God over this world and depose and replace Satan the devil.

• This world will then have peace at last

• The Day of Atonement, pictures the removal of Satan from his position as world ruler, and his removal to a place completely away from mankind.

• Satan will be “bound” for 1,000 years, no longer able to deceive the nations or influence mankind to sin.

Revelation 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (2) He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; (3) 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. But after these things he must be released for a little while.  {time cut for elect sake} 

The Holy Scriptures reveal that Satan and his demons, being invisible, rule the governments of the earth today.

John 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

Satan, who is called the “god of this world”

2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

• Satan is described as the “prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience

Ephesians 2:2 in which you 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 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

• The Bible mentions three worlds or ages we have had:

1. the world that then was that perished in a worldwide flood

*2 Peter 3:6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.

2. this present evil world

*Galatians 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

3. the world to come: the world tomorrow, 1000 years Rule of Jesus.

*Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

In the world tomorrow, the devil and his demons will no longer influence earth’s nations, its societies and religions.  Except at the end of the millennium.

Revelation 20:7-10  Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison (8) and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. (9) They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.  (10) The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Day of Atonement is perhaps the most unusual Holy Day, for it is the one day on which God has commanded His people to fast: to go without food and drink from sunset to sunset.  Jews goes for 25 hours or 2 days.

Jesus tell us “how we are to fast” {2 of the Jews say, don’t do it} 

Matthew 6:17-18 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, (18)  so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Leviticus 23:27-28 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. (28) And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God.

Leviticus 16:29-32 “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. (30) For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. (31) It is a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.  (32)  It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath.”

The purpose of afflicting our souls on the Day of Atonement is to humble ourselves before God

Psalms 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.

Important:

• God’s law permits certain persons to be exempted from fasting. One category would be persons advised by a medical doctor that it would be physically harmful for them to fast.

• People with medical conditions may need to continue their medication. They would be well advised to check with their family doctor.

• Diabetics may need to adjust their medication or drink some juices.

• The government God instituted in His Church empowers the Church to make such exception when necessity demands.

Now, what is the connection between the removal of Satan and our fasting?

Satan works in humans by appealing to the lusts of our flesh, eyes and the pride of life 

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world.

By removing Satan’s influence in our personal lives by fasting, fasting denies our fleshly lusts and humbles us before our Heavenly Father.

With the Holy Spirit living in us, we can follow the Way that Jesus taught us.

• Luke wrote more than 30 years after Jesus death and resurrection, the New Testament Church was observing the Day of Atonement.
• If the Day of Atonement no longer existed then, God would not have inspired those words. This shows the church did observed the Day of Atonement.

Acts 27:9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast {Day of Atonement} was already over, Paul advised them,

• Satan being the father of sin 

John 8:44 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.

• The word atonement means “to make at one with.” This day symbolizes God and man being set at one.

• We should not mourn as we fast and afflict our souls on the Day of Atonement.
• We may be sorry for our sins and the results, but because of grace, our sins are covered and completely eliminate it.

• Though we may feel physically weak by our fast, we can be thrilled with the hope of eternal life.
• The Day of Atonement, like all of God’s Holy Days, is a time of hope and rejoicing.

• Fasting is not penance – not a hunger strike to try to get our own way with God.
• Whenever a Christian fasts, it should be for the purpose of humbling his or her own fleshly mind with its carnal will, and to draw closer to God and His righteous way.

We know we all of us have sinned

Romans 3:23-26 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (25) whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, (26) to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

• We have become separated from God because of our sins. That is why we need this Atonement and Passover in the spring.
• We know God and mankind cannot be fully at one, in full agreement, until Satan is restrained.
• The Day of Atonement pictures Satan’s defeat worldwide. How does James say we can defeat Satan in our individual lives?

James 4:6-7 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” (7) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.     Fasting

In the Old Testament

• On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest is very important for this service.
• He goes through the veil into the Holy of Holies and became the intercessor with God for the sins of the people.
• The Priest will offer the sprinkled, animal blood on the mercy seat for the forgiveness of his and the people sins. 

Leviticus 16:14-15  He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. (15) “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.

We will not be At-one-ment with God until we receive the Holy Spirit.

Jesus our Messiah is now our High Priest. 

Hebrews 4:14-16  Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (15) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Colossians 1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Matthew 26:27-28  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. (28) For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed {poured out} for many for the remission {forgiveness} of sins.

We know that Jesus shed blood makes atonement for our sins and covers our sins. Our Father no longer sees our sin and see us according to the righteousness of His Son, Jesus.

The Father sees the blood of His Son, Jesus

Jesus blood established the Day of Atonement today,

Jesus’ shed blood, shed once for all, means we are forgiven.

It’s is what this Day of Atonement all about, being Atonement with God.

At-One-ment 

Be safe and have a very enjoyable and spiritual Feast of Tabernacles