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Sermon: Reconciliation
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MP3-2020
by Chris Cumming
1] Where does it say we are to keep the
Day of Atonement?
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.
2] Is this day commanded anywhere else in
the Word of God?
Leviticus 16:29-30
29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh
month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and
do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger
that sojourneth among you:
30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to
cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Leviticus 25:9
Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth
day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the
trumpet sound throughout all your land.
Numbers 29:7-11
7 And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy
convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work
therein:
8 But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour;
one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they
shall be unto you without blemish:
9 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three
tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram,
10 A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:
11 One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of
atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of
it, and their drink offerings.
3] What does this word, “Atonement” mean
anyway?
The American Heritage Dictionary says, “Reconciliation between God and
humans. The Britannica Concise Encyclopedia says, “Religious concept in
which obstacles to reconciliation with God are removed, usually through
sacrifice.
The Smith Bible Dictionary says, “The great day of national humiliation,
and the only one commanded in the Mosaic law [see
Fasts]. The mode of its observance is described in Leviticus
16, and the conduct of the people is emphatically enjoined in Leviticus
23:26-32.”
Under the heading of “How observed” we read, “It was kept by the people
as a high solemn Sabbath. On this occasion only the high priest was
permitted to enter into the Holy of Holies. Having bathed his person
and dressed himself entirely in the holy white linen garments, he
brought forward a young bullock for a Sin Offering, purchased at his own
cost, on account of himself and his family, and two young goats for a
Sin Offering, with a ram for a Burnt Offering, which were paid for out
of the public treasury, on account of the people.
“He then presented the two goats before the Lord at the door of the
Tabernacle and cast lots upon them. On one lot, ‘For Jehovah’ was
inscribed, and on the other, ‘For Azazel’. This goat was called the
scapegoat.
4] What does our doctrine say about the
meaning of Atonement?
"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."
In another place it reads:
"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 [as
the 9th day is coming to an end] 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 (1 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."
5] What
does the doctrine say about the Holy Days in the New Testament?
Under the heading, "Holy Days in
the New Testament.":
"Various of the festivals are mentioned elsewhere, though generally only
in passing. Pentecost is mentioned twice besides Acts 2 (Acts 20:16; 1
Corinthians 16:8). The Day of Atonement is called by its common
designation of the time, 'the Fast' (cf Acts 27:9). These all indicate
an environment, in which the holy days were known, accepted and
observed."
Acts 27:9
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous,
because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them.
6] What does our doctrine say about the
spiritual meaning of the Day of Atonement?
Under the heading, "Spiritual Meaning.":
"Day of Atonement: The Day of Atonement symbolizes both the reunion of
God and man after Christ returns to earth, and the binding of Satan to
render him inactive. The evils of human nature are the attitude of Satan
the devil. As long as the source of evil remains active, evil will have
a part in subverting the world. At this time, the sins of the world
shall, correctly, be placed on their source, as symbolized by the Azazel
goat which was sent away into the wilderness. Satan shall be chained and
no longer allowed to deceive the world (Revelation 20:1-3). This is not
to diminish our own role in sin, for the Day of Atonement also
represents the reuniting of God and man through the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ for the sins of mankind."
Revelation 20:1-3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil,
and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal
upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand
years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little
season.
7] What does our doctrine say about how the
Church of God observes the Day of Atonement?
Under the heading, "Observance in
the Church of God.":
The Day of Atonement is kept by a complete fast (no
food or drink) from sunset [even]
to sunset [even]. (Exceptions
are of course made by the individuals themselves in cases of serious
illness and the like).
8] What does our booklet on Bible Prophecy
say about the Day of Atonement?
In the booklet, "Can You
Understand Bible Prophecy?":
"The crossing of' the river Jordan into the 'promised land' is a
symbolism of the Christian inheritance of the Kingdom of God; and the
forty years' wandering (forty is a number
symbolizing trial or testing in the Bible) symbolic of the
life of trials and tribulation confronting each newly-begotten Christian
(John 16:33). There are literally dozens of types in the Bible which are
shadowy examples of God's plan.
John 16:33 says…
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In
the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world.
“Thus, each of the annual holy days are shadows of the reality of God's
purpose; they are prophetic, in that sense:
"(5) The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27-29) contained many
shadowy types and examples in its original observance, and is still
observed today by fasting (Acts 27:9, margin). It is a day which
symbolizes 'at-one-ment' with God; and portrays the time in the future
when the whole world will ultimately be reconciled with God."
Let us look at that reference to Acts 27 and verse 9:
Acts 27:9
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous,
because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them.
The commentary on verse 9:
Because the fast was now already past -
By the “fast” here is evidently intended the fast which occurred among
the Jews on the great day of atonement. That was on the tenth of the
month Tisri, which answers to a part of September and part of October.
It was, therefore, the time of the autumnal equinox, and when the
navigation of the Mediterranean was esteemed to be particularly
dangerous, from the storms which usually occurred about that time. The
ancients regarded this as a dangerous time to navigate the
Mediterranean. ~Barnes Notes
9] What does the booklet, “Christ in the
Old Testament say about the Day of Atonement?
From our booklet, "Christ in the
Old Testament.":
"It was shortly after this, while Philip was still many miles north of
Jerusalem in Samaria that God sent His angel to tell him about the
Ethiopian eunuch.
"Philip 'Preached Unto Him Jesus.'
"Seeing the wide-eyed interest of this big official of the Ethiopian
queen, Philip warmed to his task.
"He asked that the scroll be rolled back until he came to the last lines
of the preceding passage. He read to the eunuch how the Messiah was to
have been beaten nearly to death, 'As many as were astonished at Thee:
His visage was so marred, more than that of any man, and His form more
than the sons of men' (Isaiah 52:14), and then related all the events of
the terrible night of Christ’s arrest, His scourging, and His death.
"He read, 'So shall He sprinkle many nations,' and reminded the
Ethiopian of the practice of the priests on the Day of Atonement to
sprinkle drops of blood on the altar, on the Book of the Law, the
Tabernacle, all the vessels, and even on the people (Hebrews 9:18-22).
"He showed how the sacrifices were but a foreshadow of the necessity for
God Himself to come to die for the sins of His own creation (John
1:1-14), and how sacrifices were not originally intended (1 Samuel
15:22, 23; Jeremiah 7:22), but that God had instituted them to remind
sinning Israel that the wages of sin was death."
---end quote---
Later in the same booklet [Christ in the
Old Testament]:
"The point is that everywhere in the Old Testament where the Paschal
lamb is mentioned, it is a type of Christ!
"A final scripture: 'And He saith unto me, ‘Write, Blessed are they
which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb' (Revelation
19:9).
"No doubt, Philip must have used some, if not many, of the Old Testament
references to Christ during his few hours of conversation with the
Ethiopian eunuch.
"The Day of Atonement, and a 'Prophet
Like Unto Moses.'
"Since it is doubtless the eunuch was in Jerusalem to worship God, it is
obvious this trip must have been for more than one purpose. The scroll
would have been like a national treasure to Candace and her court.
However, since he was there to 'worship,' it is obvious there were dual
reasons for the trip.
"If the eunuch was keeping God’s annual sabbaths, and it is obvious he
was, then he was without doubt familiar with the sacrifices, including
the special sacrifices required on the Passover and the Day of
Atonement. Would not Philip have expounded the meaning of both? Surely,
he could not have omitted the Passover, since the relationship with the
sacrificial Lamb on Nisan 14, and the scriptures in Isaiah 52 and 53 are
so closely associated.
"Each year, on the tenth day of the seventh month, one of the most
solemn high day sabbaths was observed, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus
23:27-32).
"On that day, the high priest was to offer a bullock for himself and his
family, then to select two kids of the goats, and cast lots upon them.
"One was for 'the Eternal,' and the other was for 'the Azazel,'
sometimes rendered 'scapegoat.' The goat upon which the lot for 'the
Eternal' fell was a sin offering for all the people. The goat which was
called 'the Azazel' was to have all the sins of the people confessed
over him, then to be taken by the hand of a 'fit man' who was capable of
insuring the goat did not escape, and was to be taken a vast distance
into the wilderness, then let go.
"Since the scriptures being read by the eunuch and Philip spoke of how
the Savior would 'sprinkle all nations,' it is very likely Philip
expounded Leviticus 16, which says, 'And he [Aaron]
shall sprinkle of the blood upon it [the
altar] with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and
hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel' (Leviticus
16:19).
"Paul knew the Holy Scriptures. All of his teaching, his writings, his
beliefs, like those of every one of the early apostles, were based
solely upon the Old Testament Scriptures.
"Of these symbols of Christ, Paul wrote, '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; Neither by
the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once [the
Day of Atonement was the only time in the year the high priest entered
into the holy of holies—a symbol of heaven itself] into the
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood
of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the
unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall
the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself
without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the
living God? And for this cause He is the Mediator of the new testament [new
'will,' new 'legacy,' new 'covenant'], that by means of
death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the
first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of
eternal inheritance' (Hebrews 9:11-15).
Paul was not remotely aware that he was writing part of the Bible when
he wrote these words. He knew what God’s Word said about the time when
God would make a new covenant with His people; a time when He would
write His holy and perfect law in their inward parts, and their hearts
(Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Believe it or not, Paul spent perhaps three and one-half years with
Jesus Christ personally (Galatians 1:15-19 with 1 Corinthians 9:1). He
said he was one who was called directly of Christ (Galatians 1:1,
10-12).
The letter to the 'diaspora' of the Hebrews, or the scattered members of
the twelve tribes of Israel, emphasized the Priesthood of Jesus Christ.
It showed how the types, shadows, and symbols of the Levitical
priesthood were rendered unnecessary by the High Priesthood of Jesus
Christ. Because the Day of Atonement was the one holy day when the high
priest entered into the 'holy of holies' after the ceremonies of
'sprinkling' the people, the book, and the altar with blood, it was
obvious to Paul, as it was to all Christ’s apostles, that the high
priest was a type of Jesus Christ; that the blood of animals was a type
of Christ’s shed blood; that the 'holy of holies' was a type of God’s
throne in heaven.
Notice how the Priesthood of Christ is explained:
"For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to
the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and
scarlet wool, and hyssop [like a brush of a bush, which was also a cleansing agent, used like a
paint brush in sprinkling the blood], and sprinkled with
blood both the book, and all the people, Saying, ‘This is the blood of
the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.’
"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 there is no remission [forgiveness].
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
places made with hands [as in the
Tabernacle, or the Temple, on the Day of Atonement], which
are the figures of the true [shadows,
types, representations]; but into heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that He should offer
Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every
year with the blood of others; For then must He often have suffered
since the foundation of the world: but now once [typified
by the Day of Atonement] in the end of the world hath He
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto
them that look for Him shall he appear the second time without sin unto
salvation' (Hebrews 9:12-28).
"There are many places in the New Testament where we may read of the
types, shadows, symbols, and representations of the plan of God which
were written in the Old Testament.
"These were the only Holy Scriptures which were in existence when the
apostles and the early church were preaching the Word of God in the
first century.
"Not one of the Gospel writers, nor Paul, ever presumed they were
'writing the Bible' when they wrote down their recollections, or, in
Paul’s case, letters to churches he served, or the young men who worked
with him.
"Did they receive salvation?
"Did they learn of Christ?
"Did they repent, and did they receive God’s Holy Spirit?
"Of course they did!
"How? By rejecting the Holy Scriptures which they had studied, heard
read and preached, and read themselves all their lives, and claiming
they believed in a 'Bible which was yet to be written'? They knew and
understood about the prophecies concerning Christ in the Old Testament
Scriptures. Why would anyone assume they thought them to be 'done away,'
when they knew the knowledge of salvation was contained therein?
"The Day of Atonement was one of the most solemn, important holy days in
the year, a day of fasting (Leviticus 23:27; Acts 27:9), and the only
day in the entire year when the high priest entered into the holy of
holies. The high priest was a type of Christ. The shed blood of animals
was a type of Christ’s blood. The holy of holies was a type of heaven
itself, where Christ was received of His Father as the sacrifice for the
sins of the world.
"It is more than merely logical, since the Ethiopian eunuch had puzzled
over the passages in Isaiah’s prophecies about Christ, that Philip would
have explained the meaning of the types and shadows of Atonement;
explained about the sacrifice of Christ; about Who Jesus Christ really
was!"
---end quote---
10] Posted at the EA web site is our booklet, “Betrayal
and Forgiveness.” What are the first words you read in this
booklet?
It reads, “Why are we commanded to ‘afflict our souls’ by fasting on the
Day of Atonement? What is so solemn, so somber, about this day that it
requires fasting? Here, from your own Bible, is the truth about the Day
of Atonement.”
The booklet then goes into a detailed description of how this world has
rejected God and run everything by sin. The world is full of evil and
sin.
After this description we read:
The estrangement of this world against God is a total alienation. It
is complete.
As they rejected Christ, so did the world reject His disciples, as He
prophesied: "They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time
cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God a
service.
"And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the
Father nor me" (John 16:2, 3).
Now do you understand how complete, how total is the spiritual darkness
and Satanic confusion that grips this world--yes, including the world of
religion?
There is need for the world and the very solar system itself to be
restored to a condition of being "AT ONE" WITH GOD!
Because the process of alienation has been so painful, the holy day
which pictures the reconciliation and final removal of all the sources
of hostility, rejection, and hatred also features something painful: an
"affliction" of our lives, through fasting!
A "Feast" of Fasting
Now, let's come to understand the symbolism and typology of the somber
Day of Atonement.
"And the Eternal spake unto Moses, saying, '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 ... and ye shall do no work in
that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for
you before the Eternal your God.
"For whatsoever soul [person]
it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off
from among His people" (Leviticus 23:27-29).
That "afflicting your souls" means fasting; abstaining from food and
water during that entire twenty-four hour day, is crystal clear from the
Scriptures.
---end quote---
Later in the booklet we read:
“Fasting is not for the purpose of "getting God's attention." It is,
instead, for getting our attention on God.”
Still later in the booklet, Mr. Armstrong concludes:
When does the binding of Satan occur?
Immediately after the Second Coming of Christ and following Christ
having thrown the beast and false prophet into a lake of fire!
Note this sequence of events well! Satan is bound after Christ's coming,
which is pictured by the Feast of Trumpets, yet before the beginning of
the Millennium, which is foreshadowed, in part, by the Feast of
Tabernacles. Which holy day comes between Trumpets and Tabernacles? The
Day of Atonement.
The forgiveness of sin requires the shedding of blood.".... without
shedding of blood there is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). The Passover
lamb, the daily and special sacrifices; the slaying of the bullock for
Aaron and his family, and the slaying of the goat "for the Eternal" all
picture CHRIST'S SHED BLOOD for the sins of mankind. But the second
goat, the "Azazel," is NOT FOR THE ETERNAL, but is for the purpose of
remaining alive to bear the sins and guilt of Israel far, far away into
a distant, uninhabited wilderness.
This does not picture forgiveness of sin, for no blood is shed.
Therefore, the theory that the live goat, or "Azazel," which is sent
into a desolate, uninhabited wilderness pictures "forgiveness of sins"
is utterly impossible. Instead, it pictures how Satan, who will remain
alive for eternity, will be burdened with memories of his iniquities and
sins for ever and ever.
Think of it! Laying upon the head of the live goat, like virulent
bacteria and viruses, all the sins of the world, the goat is sent into a
remote, desolate wilderness. The wilderness, or "Arabah" was always used
as a type of sin.
While God will forgive and forget our sins, Satan the Devil has no
capacity for remorse or forgiveness and will NEVER FORGET. He will
remain alive, REMEMBERING!
Therefore, though God, our Creator, completely forgives and forgets your
sins and mine, our "partner in sin," the original sinner, the one who
influenced us to sin, will remain alive, continually remembering! He
will be alone. There will be no light to see. There will be no
companionship. He will remain alone with his torturous thoughts, his
bitter memories, for all eternity.
---end quote---
The booklet, “Betrayal and Forgiveness” ends with these words:
When we abstain from food and drink from sunset to sunset during the
holy Day of Atonement, we should not think about how pitiful we are, how
hungry we are, how we desire food! This defeats the purpose of
Atonement.
Rather, we should get our minds off physical things, and think only of
spiritual things. We should think, again, of how much God has suffered
for mankind! How God was betrayed by Lucifer; how Satan destroyed the
original creation; how Satan deceived our first parents; how he attacked
Job; how he influenced Herod to kill thousands of innocent babies; how
he tempted Christ; how he influenced Judas to betray Christ; and how he
is our adversary, "accusing" us before God, day and night!
We should realize that we have had an evil partner in sin! We should
soberly contemplate how GREAT is God's mercy toward us, that He should
say He will "remove our sins from us as far as the East is removed from
the West," realizing how Satan, laden with his share of our guilt, will
be hurled into the "blackness of darkness for all eternity"!
Only when all this is accomplished will this world, under the righteous
reign of Jesus Christ, become once again truly "at one" with God!
How fervently we should pray, "Thy Kingdom Come..." |
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