The day of atonement

The daily services of the Sanctuary in the OT ended every year with the Day of Atonement. This was, and still is, the most solemn feast day in the Jewish calendar. It represented the culmination of the plan of redemption. It pointed to the time when sin would be totally eradicated from the universe and when everlasting righteousness would be ushered in. The Day of Atonement pointed to the final day of judgment, the consummation of the ages, when all that the Sanctuary and its services pointed to would be fulfilled.

The purpose of the Day of Atonement is to vindicate God’s holy and righteous name as well as to eradicate the sin problem.

What does this have to with Calvin? Answer: God's sovereignty.

More later....

 

The day of atonement must not be confused with "the atonement". The later is a finished work, i.e., the finished work of redemption accomplish on Calvary.

 

"In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Hebrews 9:22

According to the law, there is no cleansing from sin without shedding of blood. Blood simply means life laid down in death. Without death, there can be no cleansing of sin.

Verse 23: "It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things [which is the earthly sanctuary] to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."

What this text is saying is simply that as the earthly, which was the pattern or copy, had to be cleansed by the blood of bulls and goats, the heavenly sanctuary also needs to be cleansed, but it cannot be cleansed with the blood of bulls and goats. It had to have something better which, of course, is the blood of Jesus Christ. Here in the New Testament we are told that the heavenly sanctuary has to be cleansed. So the Bible does teach that the heavenly sanctuary needs cleansing. The question you may raise is, “Of what does it need cleansing?”

 

One of the biggest problems that God faces before He can eradicate sin is the issue of responsibility. Legally, when you deal with sin, it is “the transgression of the law.” When you deal with sin in a legal sense, there are three things:

• Guilt.
• Punishment.
• Responsibility.

The question is, “Who is responsible for sin?” This is one of the issues that was not dealt with on the cross, that is to be dealt with on the Day of Atonement. Let me put it this way, which may solve the problem that is in the minds of many Christians. God is sovereign. That’s the clear teaching of the Bible in the Old and New Testament. That means that nothing happens in this world or in the universe without His permission or His consent. He is the Lord! He is the one that created all things. Nothing happens without Him. That’s what it means to be sovereign. Because God is sovereign, He must assume the blame for what happens in His kingdom.

The Bible teaches that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Exodus 10:20:

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

[You can also view Exodus 4:21, 7:3, 9:12, 10:27, 11:10, 14:4, 14:8, or 14:17.]

You will find another statement which says, “Pharaoh hardened his own heart.” Exodus 8:15 [also see Exodus 8:32 and 9:34]:

But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

Which text is correct? Both are from the Bible. Well, both are correct. It is actually Pharaoh who hardened his own heart but, because God is sovereign, He assumes the blame until the Day of Atonement. In other words, God could have stopped Pharaoh from hardening his heart. He is sovereign. He could have done it, but He did not. Therefore, He assumes the blame. God says in the Old Testament, “I have created evil.” Did He actually create evil? No. All these texts that give you problems in this regard are simply saying, “Because I’m sovereign, I’m assuming the blame.”

 

Not all the rituals that were practised on the Day of Atonement in the earthly sanctuary were fulfilled at the cross. That is why, in Leviticus sixteen, you will notice that the central service around the Day of Atonement was the ceremony that centered around the two goats. These two goats were spotless and, when it was inaugurated, Aaron, the high priest cast lots: one for the Lord and one for Azazel. Now what happened to the Lord’s goat? We are told that it was sacrificed and the blood of that goat was taken into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled on the mercy seat. That was pointing to Jesus Christ’s blood so the cross of Christ does play a vital part on the Day of Atonement.

But, after the high priest had done that, and he had reconciled the sanctuary in terms of the blood of Christ, he came out and laid his hands on the live goat. Leviticus 16:7-10 is only the introduction:

Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to cast lots for the two goats — one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

The blood of Christ, we are told in verse Leviticus 16:16, makes an atonement for all the uncleanness of the children of Israel:

In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Look at Leviticus 16:20:

When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites — all their sins — and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

Notice the three words relating to sin. In the Hebrew Bible there are twelve words for sin and we can squeeze them into three categories:

• “Iniquity” has to do with what we are by nature (the Hebrew word simply means “bent” and has to do with our innate sinfulness);
• “Sin” is “missing the mark,” that is, missing the mark innocently; and
• “Transgression” is our willful disobedience.

Everything is cleansed. The sins, the iniquities, and the transgressions are placed upon the live goat in the Day of Atonement. Continuing in Leviticus 16:21:

He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites — all their sins — and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task.

The someone here “appointed for the task” represents Jesus Christ. He will send this live goat into the wilderness. Leviticus 16:22:

The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

The priest comes out of the tent and he places his hands on the live goat, confesses the sins of Israel (the believers), and the live goat is sent into the wilderness. Now here is where the problem lies.

Most Christian denominations take the position that Azazel represents Christ. That is, both the goats, they say, represent Christ. They say that they represent two phases of Christ’s atoning work.

One of the oldest that exist are Syriac manuscripts. These manuscripts interpret “Azazel” as “the angel who revolted.” Most Christians identify Azazel with “scapegoat,” which simply means the one who takes the blame. In fact, the NIV Bible translates “Azazel” as the “goat of removal.”

The purpose of the Day of Atonement is that God’s name may be vindicated. God cannot wipe out sin and usher in everlasting righteousness until He has exposed not only the character of sin but the originator of sin. That’s what Azazel represents. He is to take the blame. He is the scapegoat in the sense that he is responsible for sin.