Sermon: Satisfaction
by Chris Cumming                                       printer-friendly    MP3   MP3-2019     MP3-2021

Today is the Day of Atonement.  Here is what it says in Leviticus 23:27

Leviticus 23:27 
Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

On a day in which we are afflicting our souls, why would I give this sermon the title of, “Satisfaction”?   Let us begin with the definitions of this word.

Satisfaction
Noun
1. an act of satisfying; fulfillment; gratification.
2. the state of being satisfied; contentment.
3. the cause or means of being satisfied.
4. confident acceptance of something as satisfactory, dependable, true, etc.
5. reparation or compensation, as for a wrong or injury.
6. the opportunity to redress or right a wrong.
7. payment or discharge, as of a debt or obligation.

Do any of these definitions fit the Day of Atonement?  Where is the satisfaction?  Where is the fulfillment?  Can anyone point out the reparation for a wrong?  Let’s see if we can find any as I encourage all of us to see and rejoice in the satisfaction of this day.

Let us read from our doctrine on the Holy Days.

“Day of Atonement: The 10th day of the 7th month had quite an elaborate ritual in Old Testament times and continued up until the destruction of the Temple. It was a commanded fast day in which nothing was eaten or drunk for 24 hours, from the evening of the 9th to the evening of the 10th. On the day itself, the ritual of the two goats was enacted as described in detail in Leviticus 16. Two goats were selected. By drawing lots, one was chosen to represent God and the other to represent ‘Azazel.’ In later literature ‘Azazel’ was considered a name for the chief of the demons, i.e. another name for Satan (I Enoch 9:6. 10:4). The high priest first sacrificed a bull for himself and entered into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat. Then, he slaughtered the goat "for the Lord" and sprinkled its blood on the mercy seat, as he had done the blood of the bull. In this way the high priest was the only person to ever go into the Holy of Holies, and then only on the Day of Atonement. At all other times, and to all other people, it was off limits. The goat for Azazel then had the sins of the people confessed over it by the high priest. After that it was taken away live into the wilderness and turned loose, symbolically removing all the transgressions of the people away from the camp. Thus, the Day of Atonement symbolized the reconciling of the Israelites to God.”

We can easily see definitions 5 through 7 here.  The Day of Atonement is the reparation for the wrong and injury of Satan and sin being in the world.  This act by God of placing the sins upon Satan is His opportunity to right the wrong.  Clearly the Day of Atonement is THE discharge of a debt.

Let us read on.

“The Day of Atonement, a solemn day of fasting and self-searching represents the time when sin shall be placed upon the head of its ultimate source, Satan the devil. The removal of the cause of evil allows God's Kingdom to hold unopposed rulership over mankind.”

Talk about, “the state of being satisfied” [definition 2], “an act of gratification” [definition 1], and “the cause or means of being satisfied” [definition 3], this is it.

Let us continue in the doctrine on the Holy Days; this from the booklet, “God’s Seasonal Plan.”

[begin quote]
Then comes the only commanded fast day of the year, the solemn Day of Atonement.

God said, "Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation [a commanded assembly] unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls [lives]..." (Leviticus 23:27).

In a solemn ceremony on this day of fasting, when God commanded Israel not to eat or drink from sundown of the previous day until sundown on Atonement, the high priest enacts a fascinating, meaning-laden ritual. Study Leviticus the 16th chapter to understand all the types.

Two goats were to be presented. One was "for the Eternal," and the other an "Azazel," erroneously called a "scapegoat." The "Azazel" goat was to have all the sins of Israel symbolically placed upon its head, and then was to be led in the hands of a "fit man" who would not allow the goat to turn back into the distant wilderness, where it would be released.

One goat was sacrificed, symbolizing an atonement for sin, a shadow of Christ's impending sacrifice. The other was to be allowed to wander in the wilderness, bearing, figuratively, the sins of Israel upon it (Leviticus 16:21) [Satisfaction].

Only once in the year was Aaron, and the high priests to follow him through the centuries, to enter into the "Holy of Holies" in the tabernacle (later, the temple). The ninth chapter of Hebrews explains the deep meaning of this ritual. Paul wrote, in part, "But into the second [the Holy of Holies] went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

"The Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holiest [type of heaven, and God's presence] of all was not yet made manifest, while as yet the first tabernacle was yet standing...But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; [Satisfaction].

"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us..." (Hebrews 9:7-12) [Satisfaction]..

The sacrifice on the Day of Atonement was extremely elaborate. The priest had to carefully wash and dress, had to sacrifice an animal for his own sins, had to sprinkle blood upon the book and the people (Hebrews 9:19).

In this elaborate ritual, accomplished on a day of fasting, one sees the terrible consequences of sin. God has decreed that the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23). Yet, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as the "Lamb of God" to die for the sins of you and me, for all mankind-to atone for sin so that those who call upon Christ are symbolically covered by His shed blood, their sins forgiven [Satisfaction]..

To be sure, the ancient ceremony of Atonement was a bloody one. Now, see the whole picture: The high priest was a type of Christ, entering "through the veil" that separated the outer holy place from the "Holy of Holies," a type of heaven itself. The veil in the temple split when the miraculous earthquake struck at the moment of Christ's death, signifying that Christ's death had made it possible for mankind to have direct access to God the Father through Christ! [Satisfaction].

The "Azazel" goat is not a type of Christ, but a type of Satan! Notice: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [the abyss: see Jude 13] and a great chain in his hand.

"And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:1-2) [Satisfaction].. This angel was pictured by the "fit man" selected to take the goat over whose head the sins of Israel were confessed into a trackless wilderness, and there release it, alive.

Thus, God shows we have all had a partner in sin! This goat is not a "scapegoat," for God places guilt where guilt squarely belongs! The Hebrew word "Azazel" comes from a word meaning "fierce, mighty, rough, or strong," such as "rough goat." It means, literally, "the rough goat that is sent out."  

Thus, the detailed ceremony of the Day of Atonement shows the necessity for Christ's sacrifice to atone for sins; shows how His death opened the way into God's presence in heaven itself; shows how Satan will finally be bound, unable to deceive the nations any more [Satisfaction]..

Paul wrote, "Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

"For Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures [types, pictures] of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us [Satisfaction].:

"Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year [on the Day of Atonement!] with blood of others...but now once in the end of the world [age] hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:21-28) [Satisfaction].

Do you see how these rich New Testament truths were pictured so ceremoniously, so richly, and in such detail, by the accompanying rituals of the annual holy days? [end quote]

From our doctrine on the Law:

“The New Testament makes it clear that sin brings on the death penalty (Romans 6:23).  And ‘sin is the transgression of the law’ (1 John. 3:4).  Since all have sinned and thus failed to keep the law perfectly (Romans 3:23), all have brought the death penalty upon themselves.  Only the giving up of human life will satisfy this penalty.  Thus, the sacrifice of the Creator—of God Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ—is the only means by which that penalty can be paid and thereby removed from all humanity [Satisfaction].  No one (apart from Jesus) has kept the law perfectly; all have incurred the death penalty.  This made the death of sinless Jesus, the Son of God, a necessity.  Recognition of Christ's freely given sacrifice not only brings home the sober reality of sin but also enables us to see what true love is at first hand (John. 3:16) [Satisfaction].”

From our doctrine on Mankind [and speaking to Fulfillment]:

“Although the ultimate purpose of human life is to be fulfilled at the resurrection, God does not neglect the present physical life.  Indeed the fulfillment, abundance, happiness and success of this human life are an integral part of God's plan.”

From our doctrine on the Law of God:

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