What is the true purpose and meaning of the Day of Atonement(s - plural), called Yom Kippurim in Hebrew? How does it apply to Christians, Jews, you and all humanity who ever lived?

The purpose of this Bible study is to find the Biblical answers to these questions and discover the true meaning of this Holy Day of Atonements and its prophetic revelations for us in our times and the future.

Questions & Answers

The Word of God calls our world today, "this present evil world (age)" (Gal 1:4), and indeed we see hunger, disease, dishonesty, strife, confusion, terrorism, wars and every evil. Why so much evil in the world today and throughout history? How can and will it be stopped? The answers are revealed in the prophecies of the Day of Atonements.

The story of the Day of Atonements begins in the Garden of Eden.

"The Lord ("YHVH" or Jehovah, meaning Eternal) God ("Elohim" meaning Almighty Ones) planted a garden eastward in Eden (a Hebrew word meaning paradise or pleasure), and there He put the man whom He had created.
"And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The TREE of LIFE was also in the midst of the garden, and the TREE of the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL...
"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for when you eat of it you shall surely die" (Gen 2:8,16-17).

Q - What do the two trees in the Garden of Eden represent?
A - Deut 30:15-20 - TWO CHOICES - God's way of blessings and eternal life, and Satan's Way of death and evil - God's way of give vs. selfish way of get (Acts 20:35; Lk 6:31-38; Jam 1:17 - see "Choices of Life").

Q - Why do people die?
A - Gen 1:26; 2:7; Heb 2:5-8; 9:27 - God created man mortal, "of the dust of the ground," a little lower than the angels, with freedom of choice for the purpose of creating children of God with God's holy character of love in them (choosing to obey God's righteous laws of love - Deut 30:15-20; Mat 7:12; 22:36-42; Rom 10:8-10; Heb 2:7; 1 John 4:8,16; 3:1-3).

But flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God and live forever, only those who learn and live God's way of righteousness in this life will be changed into spirit beings with eternal life at the last trumpet when Christ returns (1 Cor 15:20-23,42-58). Without God's Atonements, all who sin would die without the hope of a resurrection or eternal life (Eph 2:1-3,5,12; Thes 4:13) because God's eternal law of love does not allow evil into His Kingdom (Gen 2:17; Eze 18:4; 1 Cor 6:9-11; Rev 21:8; 22:14-15). Sin, breaking God's law of love (1 John 3:4), cuts us off from God, the source of all life, condemning us to death (Isa 59:1-2; John 15:4-8; Col 1:21), as portrayed by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the Garden (Gen 2:17; Eze 18:4,20).

Q - Which way has man chosen from Adam's time to the present?
A - Gen 3:6,22-24; Rom 5:12 - see also "Mankinds Greatest Experiment."

[Class Project - Gen 2:1,16-17] - Draw a picture of the two trees of the Garden of Eden. One tree pictures the way of life and blessings and the other the way of curses and death. Adorn them with the fruits they produce (See Lev 26; Deut 28 and Gal 5:17-23 - & "Choices of Life" at www.serfpub.com/choicesoflife.htm).

Rom 6:23 - "The wages of sin is death, BUT the gift of God is eternal life").
"God is love" (1 John 4:8,16) and in His love He is "longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (turning away from sin and Satan's way to God and His way (2 Pet 3:9). Therefore God has a Master Plan (Heb 2:9-18) to save all humanity (you, me, family, friends, even our enemies - all who have been deceived and tempted by Satan the devil - Eph 2:1-3) from the curse of sin and death.

Q - The Master Plan of God's salvation is revealed by God's 7 annual Holy Day Feasts ("moed," appointed times to meet with Him). What is the purpose of fasting on Day of Atonements?
A - Lev 23:26-32 - As food and water is required to sustain physical life, we need the spiritual bread and water of life represented by Word of God and Holy Spirit for eternal life (John 6:26-35,48-51,63; 7:37-38). Jesus said His disciples would fast (Mat 6:16-18; 9:14-15; Acts 27:9; 2 Cor 11:27).

Psa 35:13; 69:10; 109:22-26; Dan 9:3-19; Joel 1:14; 2:12,15; Mat 17:21 - Fasting (afflicting our soul (body) humbles us to help us draw near to God, seek His will and to receive His mercy and help to live His way and to resist the devil and his ways (1 Kgs 21:27-29; 2 Chron 20:3; Ezra 8:21-23; Isa 57:15; 58:3-17; 66:2; Jonah 3:5-10; Zech 8:19-22; Mat 4:2; Lk 5:33-35; Acts 10:1-4,30-31; 13:2-5; 14:22-23; 1 Cor 7:5; 2 Cor 6:4-5; Heb 4:14-16; Jam 4:6-10; 1 Pet 5:5-10). A day of fasting is a time to read the words of the Lord and turn in repentance and mourning from evil ways (Jer 36:6-10; 1 Sam 7:6; Neh 1:4; 9:1-3).

Q - When is the Day of Atonement(s - "Yom Kippurim" (pl)?
A - Lev 23:32 - 10th day of 7th month from sunset of the 9th to sunset of the 10th on the biblical calendar. In 2011 on the Roman calendar this is from sunset of Oct 7th to sunset of the 8th.
Lev 25:1-10 - The Sabbath and Jubilee years also begin and end on the Day of Atonements (see "Keeping the Sabbath & Jubilee Years...").

Q - Who is Satan, the devil?
A - 1 Pet 5:8; Rev 12:3-10 - Satan is a Hebrew word meaning Adversary. Devil is a Greek word meaning false accuser, slanderer (see "Mysteries of Satan...").
The apostle Peter warned, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
He is called "a great fiery red dragon…that serpent of old called the Devil and Satan who deceives the whole world."
Eze 28:12-15; Heb 1:7,14 - God created the angels in perfection, including the one who became Satan, to help prepare the earth and serve mankind to become children of God.

Isa 14:12-17; Eze 28:15-17 - But he became filled with self pride, jealousy and anger when he learned that man, whom God was going to create out of dust lower then him, would rule over him and all the angels (Psa 8; 1 Cor 6:3; Heb 2:5-8). He thought God is unfair and turned one-third of the angels against God and he became the adversary of God and man determined to destroy mankind… That has become his all-consuming obsession.

Q - What are Satan's strategies and tactics (devices to destroy man - 2 Cor 2:11)?
A - John 8:44; 2 Cor 4:3-4; 11:1-4,12-15; Eph 2:2-3; Rev 12:9-10 - "Satan is his name and deception is his game." He transforms himself to appear as an angel of light (even inspiring mistranslations of Scriptures to make God appear as a wrathful vengeful ogre and to call himself Lucifer, meaning lightbringer - Isa 14:12), and his ministers as ministers of righteousness, but are hypocrites and deceivers.

Gen 3:1-6 - Adam and Eve had a perfect life in the Garden in Eden (Eden is a Hebrew word meaning paradise or pleasure) living by the laws of God in great abundance and peace being taught by God Himself (probably for at least 30 years - Gen 2:8-9,15-17; 3:8-9; Lk 3:23; 4:1-2), until God allowed Satan to test Adam and Eve's character  (He also allows us to be tested - Job 1:1-12; Jer 17:9-10 - to see if we are developing His righteous character of love to keep His way and love God and one another - Mat 22:36-40). But they listened to and believed the lies of Satan the devil, who appeared as a serpent, and fell to his temptations. Satan thus became their god and continues to this day as "the god of this evil world" (age - 2 Cor 4:4; Gal 1:4).

[Note - God offered Adam and mankind dominion (rulership) over the earth (Gen 1:26) to replace Satan, but when they turned and followed Satan, he retained his rule as god of this world. God doesn't allow Satan to force people against their free will to sin, but allows him to test and expose our character flaws - see Job 1:8-12; Jam 4:7; 1 Pet 5:6-10.]

Satan's methods and his character  (Isa 14:13-14; Eze 28:15-17; John 8:44; Rev 12:9-10) are to deceive and cause division (I Cor 1:10-17) by tempting us to sin and follow our own carnal immature selfish greedy nature and self-righteous pride. Our sins then cut us off from God and eternal life resulting in death (Psa 66:18; Isa 59:1-8; John 15:6; Rom 6:23). Our selfish nature under Satan's influence and lies causes us to not believe or trust God or to think God is unfair (unjust - Mal 2:17; 3:13-15). "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not submissive to the law of God, nor indeed can be" (Rom 8:7). Therefore we begin learning to lie a little, cheat a little, to lust, envy, be jealous, fearful, etc. and become resentful, angry, hateful, judging, blaming and accusing others and God to justify ourselves - these are fruits of selfish carnal nature (Jer 17:9-10; Rom 7:14-16, 24-25; Gal 5:19-21).

As the god of this world, Satan tries to make it difficult to obey God by tripping us up. As the prince and power of the air(ways) (Eph 2:2), he broadcasts his evil thoughts through the air and inspires our media, radio, TV, movies, etc. He inspires false religions and festivals such as Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc., to pervert and hide the truth (2 Cor 4:3-4). He gives his power to despotic leaders to form despotic authoritarian governments (Rev 13:2-8). He inspires false science (knowledge) and philosophies (Col 2:8; 1 Tim 6:20) that have deceived the whole world (Rev 12:9).

Q - What does it mean to make an Atonement ("kaphar," verb; "kippur," noun)?
A - Atonement means to make reconciliation (restore relationships, make at-one) by covering. removing, expiating, canceling, placating, cleansing, appeasing or forgiving, making reparation, a ransom or amends for our sin, offenses or debt (Ex 29:36-37; 30:15-16; Num 5:6-8). God's throne is called "the mercy seat," ("kapporeth" derived from the Hebrew word for atonement (Lev 16:2; Num 7:89; Heb 4:16).

God's purpose for making atonement for us through Christ's sacrifice is to bring us to repentance and cleanse us of our sins (Isa 45:21-25; Eze 33:10-11; Acts 2:38; 17:30-31; 2 Pet 3:9-15) and restore our relationship with Him so that He may help us to become perfect in righteous character as He is and receive His gift of eternal life and become the children of God (Mat 5:48; Rom 5:8-11; 1 John 3:1-3).

Q - Why were sacrifices used to make Atonement for sins?
A - Lev 1:3-4; 4:20-21; 5:5-6,18-19; 6:2-7; Heb 9:11-14; 10:1-4 - Sacrifices demonstrated the penalty, which is death, required to pay for sin, (Eze 18:4,20; Rom 6:7). Animal sacrifices cannot take away our sin, but were given before Christ came to remind them of the sin that cuts us off from God and the need for repentance and turn back to God and the Savior who is the Lord Jesus Christ. His name in the Hebrew is "Jehoshua Mashiach", which means the Eternal Savior, the Anointed One - Messiah (see "The Mystery of Jesus Christ". Animal sacrifices were prophetic of Christ's sacrifice for us (Rom 5:6-11; 1 Cor 5:7 - see "Why Old Testment Sacrifices?"). God offered the first animal sacrifice in the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness when they sinned (Gen 3:21).

Q - Two goats were selected for the Day of Atonements for a sin offering. What did the 2 goats represent?
A - Lev 16:5-9,15-16… - One represented the Lord (Jesus Christ) and was killed as a sin offering and the blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat (representing God's throne in heaven) to make atonement for the uncleanness, transgressions and sins of Israel - prophetic of what Christ would do to reconcile Israel and all mankind to God (Heb 9:11-12,24: Rom 5:8-11).  

Lev 16:20-22 - The other goat represented Satan, "Azazel" (not a scapegoat, but from "az", a she goat, and "azaz" meaning to be impudent, contemptuous, cocky, bold, and "azal" meaning to fall, go to and fro, go away), who for deceiving and tempting man has a responsibility for man's sins. Sins of Israel were confessed and put on the head of the Azazel goat and it was sent into the wilderness (Lev 16:21). The goats were selected by lot showing only God knew the difference between which was Christ and which was Satan, even as the world today is deceived of who the true Christ and Lord is, for Satan appears as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness (2 Cor 11:3,13-15; Gal 1:6-8).

Q - What were the two goats on the Day of Atonement prophetic of?
A - Rev 20:1-3 - The Azazel goat being sent into the wilderness is prophetic of Satan being restrained and cast into the bottomless pit for 1000 years when Christ returns as King of kings so he cannot deceive the nations and peoples during the time the Kingdom of God rules on the earth, then the world will be at peace.

Rev 7:9-17; John 7:37-38 - As the Passover was prophetic of the Christ's atonement to those called to the first spiritual harvest of firstfruits (see "The Mystery of Pentecost...", the goat representing Christ is prophetic of the atonement of Christ's sacrifice to those in the latter spiritual harvest (Ex 23:14-16), those who repent and survive the great tribulation and accept Him as their Savior when He returns at the beginning of the millennium. He will then shepherd (care for and teach them) and lead them to the living waters (the Holy Spirit) so they can receive salvation; and also to those who are in the 2nd resurrection of the Last Great Day after the 1000 years (Isa 49:5-10; 52:10; Rev 20:5,11-13). But all the evil who will not repent and accept God's way and salvation will die the second death when "the earth and works that are in it will; be burned up" in a "lake of fire" (2 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 20:14-15).

NEXT - The FEAST OF TABERNACLES & THE KINGDOM OF GOD     

©Copyright: October 7, 2008, 10/8/2011 Serf Publishing, Inc.