[Gary Petty] You’ve heard of the famous
Ark of the Covenant. Archaeologists, historians and treasure hunters still hope to someday
find this ancient artifact. The Ark was originally housed in a tent or
tabernacle during the days of Moses. The high priest would go into the tabernacle once a
year and enter a chamber called the holy of holies. This chamber housed the Ark of the
Covenant which contained the Ten Commandments written on two tablets of stone. Before entering this sacred place the high
priest would bathe and put on a special clothing, a turban and a breast plate containing 12
precious stones. Once in the holy of holies he would sprinkle on the Ark the blood of
animals that were sacrificed for the sins of the people. This mystical ritual took place on the Day
of Atonement. In the Jewish community this day is known as Yom Kippur. Among all of the
fantastical rituals of this day there is one that may seem most bizarre. Two goats would
be presented to the high priest. One would be sacrificed. The other led into the wilderness
to be released. Do the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement
have any relevance to Christians? You may be surprised to discover that the
ancient rituals of the Day of Atonement reveal the gospel. Today let’s explore the Day
of Atonement and the Gospel. What we’re going to talk about today will
help you experience a deeper understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ, why He came
the first time as a sacrifice for sin and what will happen at His Second Coming. So what do the ancient rituals of the Day
of Atonement have to do with the gospel? The answer to this question is found in the
New Testament book of Hebrews. Hebrews is a fascinating book. It was written to Jewish
Christians during a time when the temple still existed in Jerusalem. In the temple the rituals
of the Day of Atonement given to Moses around 1,500 years earlier were still meticulously
observed by the Levitical priesthood. Just like the ancient tabernacle the temple
was divided into two rooms. The smaller room, the holy of holies, could be entered only
once a year by the high priest where he would sprinkle blood on the lid of the Ark which
was called the mercy seat. This bloody sacrifice was a substitute for the penalty of the people’s
sins before God. Notice this passage from Hebrews 9. “But
Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect
tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats
and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place [or holy of holies] once
for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:11-12). What a remarkable statement! Here we discover
the real meaning of the temple ceremonies. The holy of holies, or Most Holy Place, was
a symbol of the very throne of God “the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made
with hands…” The blood of animals sprinkled on the mercy seat, which remember was the
lid of the Ark of the Covenant, was symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ as the substitute
for the penalty of the sins of all humanity. The New Testament book of Hebrews shows us
that all of these temple ceremonies reveal the work of Jesus Christ. Yes that’s right, Jesus Christ. This is
why the Day of Atonement isn’t just a Jewish observance. It is a proclamation of the gospel
and it is vital that Christians understand the meaning and glory of this day. The symbols of the sacrificial animals aren’t
difficult to understand when we know the work of Christ to bring salvation to the world.
For most of you this makes sense. But there is something else said in the verses that
we just read that we shouldn’t overlook. Let’s reread this statement again. “Christ
came as High Priest of the good things to come…” Jesus Christ by offering Himself
as the atonement for the sins of humanity is both the sacrifice AND the High Priest
who performs the sacrifice. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say, “For
Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true,
but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us…” (Hebrews 9:24-28). This means that the holy of holies, the real
holy of holies, the Heaven of Heavens, is the throne of the Almighty God described as
a sea of glass with myriad lights and thundering sounds, angels darting in and out of the presence
of God and there Jesus Christ as God’s High Priest intercedes for us, you and me, every
day. What the ancient Levitical high priest did on the Day of Atonement was like a dramatic
play showing what Jesus Christ does for humanity continually before Almighty God. What does this really mean for you? It means that the ancient rituals of the Day
of Atonement have importance for Christians today. This is not just a Jewish day. It’s
a Christian day. What the high priest did on this special day
reveals what happens when you repent before God, turn your life over to Him and accept
Christ’s sacrifice as your atonement. When you accept Christ sacrifice as the penalty
for your sins you are given the privilege to literally enter the holy of holies. This
means that when you pray you are in the very presence of God. Let’s look at how the writer of Hebrews
sums up his explanation about Jesus as High Priest. “Therefore, brethren, having boldness
to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way…having a High Priest
over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…Let
us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful”
(Hebrews 10:19-23). The Day of Atonement is all about the gospel!
It is about the grace offered by God revealed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the work
the resurrected Christ is DOING right NOW as the High Priest at the throne of God. Today’s
program isn’t just about some ancient, irrelevant customs involving priests in strange clothing
sacrificing animals. It is about what Jesus Christ is doing today as the High Priest of
Almighty God. It’s about having the assurance that your life matters to God. He is offering
you the privilege to have a loving relationship with Him as Father and Christ as Savior and
High Priest and it is Christ’s role of High Priest that is revealed in the Day of Atonement. But what about the strange ceremony involving
the two goats? Surprisingly, understanding the symbolism
of this ceremony helps Christians understand the world that you and I live in. Aaron, the brother of Moses, was the first
high priest of the physical tabernacle. On the Day of Atonement he was told to bring
two goats to the door of the tabernacle. There he was to cast lots and one goat would be
chosen “for the LORD” and the other was to be designated as what is commonly translated
in English the “scapegoat” (Leviticus 16:6-10). The goat chosen for God was to be sacrificed
for a sin offering. That’s just another obvious symbol for the sacrifice of Jesus
for sin. What the priest was to do with the second goat was different than any other ceremony
done throughout the year. Aaron was to lay his hands upon the second goat, confess over
it all the sins of Israel, and then have the goat led into the wilderness where it was
to wander in the wastelands (Leviticus 16:21-22). So what does this second goat represent? All sin sacrifices involve the killing of
an animal with purification through blood. But this goat is not killed. This is very
important. As God deals with the sin of humanity He will also deal with the originator of sin. I know many people don’t like to hear the
word sin. It’s considered too judgmental. Yet the Bible, this book that all Christians
say to follow, is filled with definitions and explanations about sin. Sin is what separates
us from God. If we have no sin then Christ’s sacrifice was in vain. Without the bad news
of sin, the good news of the kingdom of God has no meaning. Where does this lie that the gospel is not
about sin, where does it come from? It comes from the originator of sin. Listen
to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is
veiled to those who are perishing, 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” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Satan is real. He is the god of this present
age. As the originator of sin he doesn’t want you to know about the gospel message
revealed in the Day of Atonement. He wants you to reject Jesus’ message that there
is something dramatically wrong in your life. He doesn’t want you to repent of sin and
turn to God as your Father. He doesn’t want you to experience God’s love and healing
and discover your Creator’s purpose for your very life. Let’s go back to the book of Hebrews. Listen
to what Hebrews says about the work of Jesus Christ. “Inasmuch then as the children [that’s
us, human beings] have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same,
that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage”
(Hebrews 2:14-15). Christ left His eternal abode to come to this
earth. Unbelievably to become like us to conquer death and Satan who has the power of death.
Death entered into human experience because God has allowed Satan to be the present god
of this age. Satan has deceived humanity, kidnapped us from our Father and deceived
us into thinking that sin doesn’t matter. In reality it is sin that separates us from
God, makes our lives miserable, and eventually kills us. To be an authentic Christian, you are going
to have to learn about sin. Accept your sin. Repent and ask God for forgiveness. You will
also need to understand that Satan is real and that he is the originator of sin. In the ceremony of the two goats one goat
is slain as a sin offering picturing the work of Christ. The second goat is dragged into
the wilderness and separated from the people. This ceremony involves a second goat and is
a prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. A prophecy explained in the book of Revelation
shows where John had a vision of Christ’s second coming and concerns this time period
we’re talking about. John wrote, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having
the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon,
that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
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” (Revelation 20:1-3). We’ve seen that Satan is the god of this
present age and Jesus came to conquer him. Jesus will return to remove Satan freeing
us from the kidnapper. Christ returns to confine Satan to the wilderness, the second goat of
the Day of Atonement ceremony. In Revelation, we do see that Satan is released for a little
while after the millennium but then God removes him forever.
These prophecies concerning Satan are an important part of the gospel of the kingdom. Christ
is returning in power to remove Satan and establish God’s kingdom here on this earth. As we’ve seen the Day of Atonement is really
about the gospel of the kingdom of God. There are three major points we’ve discussed. First, the animal sacrifices performed on
this day teach us about the gravity of sin and the price paid by Jesus Christ to save
us from sin. Secondly, the work of the High Priest represents
the present work of Jesus Christ in reconciling humanity to God. And thirdly, the two goats represent Jesus
as the sin offering and Satan as the originator of sin who will be cast into the wilderness
by Jesus when He returns. I’m now joined by Steve Myers and Darris
McNeely as we continue our discussion of the Day of Atonement and the Gospel. So how would you answer someone who came to
you and said oh the Day of Atonement that’s just a Jewish observance, has nothing to do
with Christianity? [Steve Myers] Well you hope that people would
ask that question. Is it a Jewish thing or is it a Christian thing? And if they’re
honest with themselves, they should check their Bibles. Get into your Bible. Look at
Leviticus 23. It lists these days of God and it doesn’t say they’re Jewish, it doesn’t
say they’re just for the Israelites. It says there very specifically these are the
Feasts of the Lord and so that starts us down a path to realize this was something for all
mankind. It wasn’t just for a specific group of people but for everyone. So I think if
people are honest with themselves and start looking at the real evidence that’s there
they’ll see that these days that carry over into the New Testament Church and you’ll
find them referenced throughout the New Testament as well. So they’re for everybody and they
are for today as well. [Darris McNeely] Even the Day of Atonement
is mentioned in the book of Acts as kind of a place marker of the Apostle Paul on his
way to Rome. Luke the recorder, the writer of Acts, refers to several of the Holy Days
but even the fast of the Day of Atonement that Paul was on his way to Rome during that
time. Steve makes a good point. These are days that, frankly, are for all mankind. They
are God’s feasts for the world and frankly even today a lot of people are beginning to
look at the festivals and understand that they do have a significance and meaning for
people today and as you are bringing out about the Day of Atonement, Christ is right in the
center of the meaning of the Day of Atonement when you look at the book of Hebrews and all.
So one needs to be very careful not to just kind of shove this off as something Jewish
because where that’s been done by people in the past it leads to some other problems
of anti-Semitism or difficulties there and you want to be very very careful about that,
that Christ was of the Tribe of Judah and there is a very important role for those people
in the overall plan of God but these days are not just Jewish. [Gary Petty] What I find so important about
the Day of Atonement as a Christian is the idea of Jesus Christ as the High Priest and
of course that’s brought out in the New Testament. That wouldn’t have been brought
up in the Old Testament. So here in the New Testament we have this teaching that Jesus
Christ is the High Priest and He now acts as High Priest. He is the High Priest every
day before God interceding for us. We don’t need another intercessor. No human being needs
any other intercessor except Jesus Christ because He is the High Priest. So when you
study what the High Priest did in the Old Testament and especially on this day, when
he was the only one who could go into the Holy of Holies and intercede for the people.
We have a high priest that intercedes for us every day so that we can go into the Holy
of Holies. That’s just incredible! And it’s New Testament. [Steve Myers] Yes, and I think that contributes
to the really amazing part about the Day of Atonement. You read just the Old Testament
you’ve missed this great spiritual intent of the day. Yes there were certain physical
aspects in the Old Testament that they did these physical rituals but they showed the
way to the spiritual intent of this and even Christ said He came to show the fulfillment
of the law. To show the important aspects of the spiritual side of things and so to
recognize Christ as our High Priest and then you see these connections to Old Testament
practices, it changes everything that we have access to God and prior to that time of Christ’s
death and crucifixion and resurrection we didn’t have that. We didn’t have that
and now we do. We can go directly to God by our High Priest Jesus Christ. [Darris McNeely] You make a very good point
Gary. In your program you talked about the work of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.
Out of the Book of Leviticus chapter 16 there is a reference to it as a Holy Day in chapter
23 of Leviticus but chapter 16 really expands on it. But as you just said, the fullness
of that understanding is brought out in the book of Hebrews. You can do a study and as
we have all done giving sermons to Christians on the Day of Atonement as we’ve observed
that, we can give a sermon and teaching about the Day of Atonement without ever turning
to the Old Testament. By staying in the New Testament in the book of Hebrews explaining
the full meaning as it’s been fulfilled by Christ He is our High Priest. Hebrews walks
a person right through that. It is through and through a festival for those who are under
the New Covenant today and have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The Day of Atonement is
right in the center of it and frankly you cannot have a fullness of the relationship
with Jesus Christ unless you understand the meaning of the Day of Atonement and keep it
in the spirit and the intent that the New Testament shows. [Gary Petty] Now you just said about observing
the Day of Atonement. I think most Christians would be shocked that there’s actually other
Christians, and there are. As you said there are Christians all over the place who are
beginning to discover this and do this. So how has observing the Day of Atonement, which
the three of us do, how has that helped you in your Christian walk? [Steve Myers] When you think about the book
of Hebrews, as we were talking about, Hebrews 9 would be section of scripture to read through
that really makes that spiritual connection, that we do have a High Priest and if Hebrews
hadn’t been written and recorded for us we wouldn’t know that Jesus is our High
Priest and so it makes that point that we have a Savior. That through His death and
His resurrection we can be justified. We have access to the Father and so we wouldn’t
know that and it would change really everything. It changes everything when we recognize that
very fact that as our High Priest we have direct access into the throne room of God
and we have that Intercessor in our Savior. [Darris McNeely] Another way that it really
has always hit home with me is understanding that on that day as you brought out on the
story of the two goats in Leviticus 16, when you turn to Revelation 20 and you see the
binding of Satan at a time after the return of Christ, prior to Christ beginning to restore
this earth to what it was, Satan is bound and the Day of Atonement shows us that on
that day, or that day pictures that event really, described in Revelation 20 of Satan
being bound and his influence being removed from this earth. The god of this world, the
god who has deceived the world, that Revelation 12 talk about, will be removed and people
will have the scales of deception lifted off their eyes and also they will begin to understand
God. Also by keeping the Day of Atonement you know why there is evil in this world today.
Great question that people struggle with and blame God for, cannot have faith because of
the evil that has stalked the earth. It’s because of Satan. Christ labeled that. There
will be a day he will be chained and bound and the source of evil will be removed from
humanity and it will be a different world where people will have the opportunity to
know God. That’s what it’s meant to me to through the years, understand that, share
it, teach it with other people so they understand the world as it is today, why it is, and have
that hope that there will be a better time. [Gary Petty] So as a New Covenant Christian
we obviously do not do what the Old Testament did as far as Levitical priesthood and sacrifices
in the temple and all that. What is it you do on the Day of Atonement though, that is
special? [Steve Myers] Well we get together. It’s
a commanded assembly it’s a time that we collectively come together as God’s people
and we worship Him, we honor Him, we praise Him, we have a church service, and we recognize
these great truths. We recognize we’ve got a solution for sin in our Savior Jesus Christ.
The fact we’ve had our minds opened to this truth, there’s coming a time when He’s
going to open everyone’s mind. Everyone will have an opportunity at one point to understand,
really, the solution to sin and it is such an amazing promise that it represents a very
specific part of God’s plan. [Darris McNeely] Well, it’s a day to worship
God in spirit and in truth and again I just go back to a point I made. You cannot really
have a fullness of a relationship with Christ until you keep the Day of Atonement. That’s
what it means to me. [Gary Petty] To help you understand more about
how the ancient day with its ancient rituals of the Day of Atonement reveal the message
of the gospel, we would like to send you a copy of our free Bible study aid: “God's
Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.” This important, free, easy-to-read booklet
explains how our Creator has a wonderful plan for humanity which He reveals through an annual
cycle of festivals described in the Scriptures. I highly encourage you order your free copy
by calling toll-free, 1-triple-eight-886-8632. That’s 1-triple-eight-886-8632. If a representative
doesn’t answer your call right away, please try again a little later when the lines are
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to beyondtoday.tv or write to us at the address shown on your screen [Beyond Today, PO Box
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understand current events in the light of Bible prophecy. So, call right now, 1-triple-eight-886-8632. Also, when you visit beyondtoday.tv, be sure
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prophecy and God’s awesome plan of salvation. And, you can watch BT Daily and our 30-minute
Beyond Today programs anytime on YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and other streaming-enabled
devices. [Steve Myers] Hi! I’m Steve Myers. We would
love to have you come and visit and worship with us. We have hundreds of congregations
around the United States and across the world. We’re committed to growing in our relationship
with God the Father and Jesus Christ, as well as fellowshipping with each other. We’ve
found God’s way is the best way to live. We’re looking forward to meeting you soon.
Come and join us! [Gary Petty] The ceremonies of the ancient
Day of Atonement can seem strange to those of us living in the modern age. A priest wearing
a turban, bloody animal sacrifices, a holy room containing the Ark of the Covenant and
a ceremony involving two goats. We began the program with this question, “Do
the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement have any relevance for Christians?” In this short explanation we’ve been able
to see that the answer is YES. The Day of Atonement is really about the gospel. Once
again, the three main points we covered today: 1. The animal sacrifices performed on this
day teach us about the gravity of sin and the price paid by Jesus Christ to save us
from sin. 2. The work of the High Priest represents
the present work of Jesus Christ in reconciling humanity to God. 3. The two goats represent Jesus as the sin
offering and Satan as the originator of sin who will be cast into the wilderness by Jesus
when He returns. Join us next week on Beyond Today as we continue
to discover the gospel of the Kingdom. We also invite you to join us in constantly praying,
“Thy kingdom come.” For Beyond Today I’m Gary Petty. Thanks for watching. [Narrator] For the free literature offered
on today’s program, go online to beyondtoday.tv
