Sermon: "The Day of Atonement" by Rick Shabi, Oct 9 2019

we're here on the Day of Atonement in the Hebrew it's Yom Kippur and the world would probably under recognized Yom Kippur more than they would understand Day of Atonement if you told them what you were observing today but Yom Kippur and the Hebrew literally means day of for lack of a better word covering day of covering it's an important day you know some people would say that this is the most important or most holy if you will a hold of the holy days that there are certainly the Jews would say this is the holiest of days as reading I'm reading an article yesterday and it said that Israel the little nation of Israel over there they shut down they basically shut down on the on Yom Kippur the airport shut down store shut down no restaurants open cars don't drive it's kind of one of those days that even in this day and age they they recognize it's it's a day to be observed now unfortunately I guess not everyone fasts on the day of Yom Kippur over there they so said only 60% of the Jews over there would be fasting today but they would be they would be observing it nonetheless but it is an important it is an important day and it's a day of great significance you know sometimes it comes in between the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Tabernacles and we're all focused on going away to wherever we're going and getting to the Feast of Tabernacles and certainly and God's plan the Feast of Tabernacles and the Millennium it pictures is what the what he has been waiting for what heaven has been waiting for to happen ever since the time that that a Adam and Eve sinned and and Satan took control of you will or God gave control or the earth to him but the day of atonement the day of atonement is very important and in ancient Israel as they observe this day there were so many things that went on to that day that were different that they didn't understand what exactly it was but as they went through the rituals of this day they knew something was different than something was special about it you know a few of the things that happen only on this day you know are we fast it's the only day that God commands us to fast that's not a pleasant thing but there's something we learned by fasting it's the only day of the year that in ancient times when the temple was the focus of society and that's where God dwelled it was the only time of the year that the high Chris could go into the Holy of Holies imagine having a building that you you have that's all decked out and only one time a year on one day one person can enter that building that was all about the Day of Atonement cos only on that day could the high priests go into the Holy of Holies there is the sutra this ritual with two goats that went on there and that's different than what Israel would have understood or haven't seen the rest of the time we remember that they were a sacrificing Society they had the temple and they knew the them God dwelt in that temple and he did well in that temple and their relationship with God centered around animal sacrifices when they sinned they would bring an animal to be sacrificed when they want to give a thank acker offering it would be an animal that would be sacrificed so when they saw that temple or the tabernacle whatever a period of time they were in there were animals that were being sacrificed and that was just part of the way of life when you approach God and you wind the relationship with him you brought an offering and they learned that in order to reconcile with God or to have your sins covered not forgiven because the blood of animals could never forgive since when you wanted your sins covered there was blood that had to be shed and so that was a daily ritual for them the temple was always busy with and bustling with people who were bringing sacrifices and the priests were always busy in those sacrifices but there was something different about the sacrifices on this day on this day where they were individual sacrifices during the year this day was different this day was different you know William Tyndale when he was translating the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English mr. Tyndale was a very talented man you know the records say that he was very very fluent in seven different languages and the modern day or not the modern day then translations were coming from Latin but he thought and was inspired I'm sure that the the real translations of the Bible should come from the original Greek and the original Hebrew and he understood those were he understood what those words were and and it's from where the new the King James Version came from that we still use today and say is one of the closest translations through the original came from mr. Tyndale but you know when he was when he was translated the Bible he came up with a few new words because as he was in this section talking about the Day of Atonement that he knew there was something special about that day and the English words that he was going to use to talk about the rituals of the of the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur just didn't fill the bill so he coined a new word because he saw in the in the what was going on in Leviticus 16 this was more than a covering in his mind the sins being covered it was more of a relationship with God that the people had to have and not just with one person one-on-one but with the entire nation of Israel and so he coined the word atonement and so is the first time that word was used and it literally when you look at the theater you see appears and encyclopedias it meant that one meant because he saw it was an opportunity or what God wanted was to be at one with those people his people of the Old Testament same thing he wants with us today right because when Jesus Christ was on earth his last prayer he sprayed several times my will is that they will be at one with each other and at one with us just like Jesus Christ and God the Father eret 1 so the day of atonement and that word that word was coined and it's used today largely in religious circles but even in others as well people will talk about their they'll atone and they'll reconcile and it can be used interchangeably that way but he knew there was something different about that day as he translated from the Hebrew he also he's the one who came up with the word scapegoat you know s scapegoat is what the original should have been but he saw that this go to whatever the Azazel goat was there wasn't a word to really adequately describe what that whole ritual was about that you read about in Leviticus 16 so he coined that phrase and so it's been you know it's there in our Bibles today and people misuse and now it's a law some of its original intent because we know what the Azazel goat is that we'll we'll talk about it a little bit but this day was special this day was special and it was a necessary day as every single step in God's plan is but this one had significance this day has to happen as did steps one two three four before it but this one had to happen in order for the new age to begin and for mankind to really experience the millennium and finally the rule of Jesus Christ on earth as the ancient Israelites went through there was rituals they didn't know what was going on they knew this was a was different they knew what was happening and they dutifully they dutifully observed it to the times that they did the only way to really understand what God was foreshadowing and that ancient and that Old Testament day of atonement is to be here alive in the New Testament time so let's turn over to Hebrews Hebrews 9 excuse me actually I'm gonna pick it up in verse a verse 13 of chapter 8 Hebrews 8 and here the author of Hebrews is talking about that that time of the Day of Atonement talking about what went on on this day and how how it makes sense to us today what it means in prophecy what it means in in what we're doing and what we're observing here today chapter 8 of Hebrews verse 13 and that he says a new covenant he has made the first obstacle he has made the first obsolete now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish way away chapter 9 verse 1 then indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary for Tabernacle was prepared the first part in which was the lampstand the table and the showbread which is called the sanctuary and behind the second veil the part of the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all which had the golden censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid on all sides with gold in which were the golden pot that had the manna Aaron's rod that had bought that budded and the tablets of the Covenant above it were the cherubim of glory shared overshadowing the mercy seat of these things he says we can't speak in detail but if you want the detail you can go back to Exodus where all the detail of what is what was put into that holiest of Holies was there but what he's saying is here's there's a tabernacle in Old Testament times and the first part of that tabernacle priests and people were ministering in it daily it was an active place probably the most active place in ancient Israel but then behind that veil was the second place the second part the holiest of holy and in contrast to the very busy the very busy tabernacle and temple that was out front you had this holy Holy's there all these all these symbols and things of God are there and only one time a year only one time of year could someone go in it verse six now when these things had been thus prepared the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle performing the services but into the second part the priests went alone once a year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance verse 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing it was symbolic for the present time we can go on and read that it was symbolic for the present time what they were doing was symbolic of what we would be observing today the understanding that we would have of this day of atonement what it pictured in God's plan and when we understand and as we should year after year understand a little bit more about the day of atonement a little bit more of what about what God's plan is it helps us glorify Him even more when we see the wisdom and we see what he has planned in such detail and the magnificence of it all but that was symbolic for us today and so we know some of those things that we don't have to rehearse the scriptures we can read and you can mark down your notes there Hebrews 10 because it will explain you know some of what well we were talking about here in chapter 9 but that temple was destroyed today we are God's temple and only one person could go into the temple into the Holy of Holies back in Old Testament times when Christ died when Christ died you remember that the veil was torn in two and it opened the way for us to become before God's throne so today we have access to God's throne we're back in Old Testament times just one man could do that what a privilege it is what a blessing it is for us to be able to come before God in prayer in services in praise the times we come before him and have access to his throne and not have just one man who does that for us put some responsibility on us to do that to make our calling and election sure as we've talked about in the past but that happened back then and you know you notice here in verse 8 of chapter 9 it said that he would go in I guess actually verse 7 as I'm looking here he went in there once a year not without blood not without blood it's blood his life right blood has significance if we drop down to verse 22 of chapter 9 tells us what the significance of blood is it says in according to the law almost all things are purified with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no remission so in Old Testament times people would bring animals they sin they trespassed they would bring an animal as a sin offering a burnt offering whatever offering they were bringing blood had to be shed to cover that sin but as it tells us in chapter 10 all the blood of all the animals in the world can never forgive sins all the blood of all the animals in the world and all the animals we would bring would never change the conscience of people they might go through the rituals but they didn't have what God has opened up to us today today we come before God and we repent and it's his blood it's his blood that is the ultimate sacrifice his blood that changed the world his blood though we talk about an observed backlund Passover as he began to plan of God and as he fulfilled that first plan and for the first fruits today you and I as we talked about we go through the repentance with God opens our minds those few that he calls comparatively few that he calls in this lifetime when we opens our minds and we listen and we pay attention and we repent when we change our ways and turn to him and our baptized and we follow all the all the principles that he said he'll give us his spirit and those are first fruits and then the spring harvest there's a few that God ours working with you and I are part of those and everyone who is keeping this holy day today and concerts with what God's law is and living their life in accordance with that the firstfruits in the freighting harvest is for a smaller group of people but as we get into the follow you holy days no God then Jesus Jesus Christ didn't die for just the firstfruits he died for all the world John 3:16 God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son it's not God's will that just a few a few people that ever lived on earth would be saved and have eternal life his will is that everyone would come to repentance the firstfruits now the smaller harvest in the spring harvest and the time that we live now but the larger harvest so we speak of when we get into the Hall Holy Days and this day of atonement this day of atonement is significant in that as we get the setting of where we were as a day of atonement we just back nine days ago we were keeping the Feast of Trumpets we pictured the time of trouble leading up to the end of this age that we live in now the end of this age and the return of Jesus Christ he would conquer the kingdoms of the world he would make world he would make the kingdoms of this earth his own the dead in Christ would rise and they would have immortal incorruptible bodies and then the kingdom could begin but there was another important step to happen before the Millenium could be what it was designed to be and that is totally living by God's law this day represents that time it's a time of transition if you will well let's go on and read some more here in Chapter 9 I've gotten a little bit of ahead of myself but in Chapter 9 verse 22 we read about you know it takes the law things are purified by blood and Jesus Christ was that purifying blood for us when we claim his sacrifice for the sins that we have and turn to him with our hearts 20 verse 23 he says therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these now the copies of the things in heaven he's talking about are these things that are in the Holy of Holies and the things that were being done in ritual they're the copies that the things in the heavens should be purified with these when we get in Leviticus 16 will see that when Aaron Aaron the high priest during that time he purified everything with blood he had to purify himself with blood and offering for himself before he could ever do anything for Israel he had to go through and every part of that temple that Tabernacle had to be purified with blood before he could get to what the rituals of the atonement was for for the people of Israel therefore was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these 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 we live in a different time a better time Jesus Christ fulfilled these things and now we know that his temple is being built in us not that he should offer himself often as the high priest who entered the most holy place every year with the blood of another otherwise Christ would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world but now once at the end of the ages now once at the end of the ages he remember back a few years ago we talked about the ages in the Bible the dispensations if you will and we talked about the Christian era from one time that Jesus Christ was sacrificed as the veil was torn in two and people had access into the throne and this era that lasted until those going to last until the time of his return here he was he was sacrificed once at the end of the ages and keep that word aged in the mind we'll come back to it we'll come back to it a little bit he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself he says in verse 27 as it and as it is appointed for men to die once but after this the judgment shall we all die we're all had that in our future but there is life beyond death there is the judgment when all mankind will face a resurrection Eve the resurrection and the first the first resurrection if he died in Christ or in the second resurrection for the rest of mankind and is it appointed for men to die once but after this the judgment so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many to those who eagerly wait for him that would be you and me that understand his plan understand what he did to those who eagerly waits for him notice the word eagerly he will appear a second time apart from sin for salvation when he comes back the second time he will put an end to sin he will identify what the cause of sin is that will be put away and the millennium at the beginning of the next age can begin without thee I'm gonna use the word handicap it's more than a handicap that we have of living in this day and age where Satan is the god of this world well let's go back to Leviticus 16 then having read that let's look at a few verses back here in Leviticus 16 I mean what what happened back here in Leviticus 16 is so inspiring when you read it when you understand what it is it's difficult to even think about a day of atonement without reading through some of these verses and reminding ourselves what God did back then now what it means for us today it's one of the one of the many you know just significant proofs of the Bible because there isn't any man or author who could ever who could ever script something like this and then in the New Testament show the fulfillment of it let's look at chapter 16 let's begin in verse 2 the eternal said to Moses tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the holy place inside the veil before the mercy seat which is on the ark lest he die well that's how important it was to God if you go on through sin there anytime he dies let's see die for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat thus Aaron shall come into the holy place with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering and of a ram as a burnt offering when he approaches me when he comes into place he comes because blood is going to have to be part of the ceremony for me for him to be purified so that he can proceed with what's going to happen on this day he shall put the holy he shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body he shall be girded with a linen sash and with a linen turban he shall be attired these are holy garments therefore he shall wash his body in water and put them on God is very exact what he wants them to do this is what you're going to do follow it and he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering and one RAM as a burnt offering two kids of a goat for offerings and then a ram Aaron shall offer the bull as a sinner offering for himself Aaron was human like us Aaron had sins and before he could proceed with this he had to atone if you will with God by offering a bowl on his behalf for the sins that he had committed so that in God's eyes he wasn't forgiven because forgiving comes from Jesus Christ but they are covered his sins at that point so he could proceed offer the bowl as a sin offering for himself and make atonement for himself and for his house when we come before God God wants us to be pure and in the Old Testament times that's was how purification happened he shall take the two goats and present them before the eternal at the Tower of the tabernacle of meeting and then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats one for God and the other for thee there's that word scapegoat Azazel goat if you will bring these two goats because they are part of the ritual both goats and Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell and offer it as a sin offering so we see what he was going to do we see what he has to do and I'm not going to read through the next several verses here you can read through those things and you probably already read through him before you came here today or have in the past you can see how Aaron detailed in detail went through that altar when he sacrifice the bull he took the blood he he he sprinkled some on the altar he when did the Holy of Holies and he sprinkled it on there the blood was purifying the way for him to be able to do the rest of the rituals of the Day of Atonement Yom Kippur if you will he went through all those things he sacrificed for himself the RAM as the burnt offering as well but then we had these two goats let's drop down to verse 15 verse 15 these two goats and that was a different thing for Aaron to go out and bring the offerings not unusual for Aaron to bring sin offerings and burnt offerings for himself that was part of what he would have do as part of his everyday life as well but God said on this day Aaron you go out among the congregation of Israel you pick out these two goats you bring them before me and cast lots on them and he did he cast one on one was a scapegoat the other one in verse 15 says he shall kill the goat of the sin offering which is for the people now that was unusual that was unusual when sacrifices came they were for the individual if I was living in Old Testament times I bring my bull I bring my lamb I bring whatever it is to atone for my sins because I recognize that was something was gone here's a sacrifice I recognize God I am following what you proceeded so that I my relationship with you is intact and I'm doing what you say only once a year was a sacrifice for all the people Aaron had his individual sacrifice but this sacrifice of this Scot was going to be for all the people all of Israel and one time a year in that sense is different in that sense it's like John 3:16 when Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for all the world for every one and so Aaron then says you killed the goalt of the sin offering which is for the people bring its blood inside the veil do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before Freegal it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat so here he is he's got the blood of this goat now and he's bringing into the Holy of Holies bringing it on that mercy seat which God dwelt in that holy of holies when he brought there the blood coming before then that holy of holies just like jesus christ blood was shed for the mankind indeed then God the Father accepted him as he ascended into heaven and accepted his sacrifice so as they went through this ritual year after year after year it was a reminder that for the people there had to be atonement so he shall make atonement for the holy place because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel and because of their transgressions for all their sins now they were doing that individually but here once the it was for all of Israel because of the uncleanness of Israel for all their sins because of their transgressions and so he shall do for the tabernacle of meeting which remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness and so they would go through this year after year and we know today that Jesus Christ is the is the land that this pictures he was killed once for the sins of all mankind and as Hebrews explains to us he doesn't have to go do that every year he did it once for all mankind his blood was worth more than all of ours put together all the animals and everything on earth he is that sacrificial lamb and he perfectly fulfilled that that was an important part of the Day of Atonement back then that that was sacrifice for all the people for God's people the people that he called his but that wasn't the only thing that happened that day because the day of atonement was incomplete if it stopped there there was this other goat that was out there let's go back to verse 10 and this goat was totally totally unique to the experience of the tabernacle I would guess if I could if I can surmise a little bit in chapter we were here in chapter 16 and verse 10 and after the one goat that pictures Jesus Christ as we see it fulfilled in verse 10 it says but the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat the Azazel goat the escaped goat because we'll see what happens with him but that for the scapegoat it shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement on it and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness so Aaron went out and he found two goats of the children of Israel one happened to it exactly what you would expect to happen it was sacrificed but for all of Israel after a ritual ceremony that Aaron went through spreading it through the Holy of Holies and having it come before God the only time in the year that that happened but then there's this other goat it also was a sacrificial goat but quite unusual for the tabernacle it wasn't gonna be sacrificed and killed it had an important meeting but it was going to live remain alive it was going to remain alive and Aaron was going to do something with that goat that pictures something that will talk about it a little bit but as we look at that and see what does that animal mean what is it that God wanted to have happen because we had to have the sacrificial goat killed but we had to have this escape goat - for the Day of Atonement to be fulfilled Jesus Christ we picture his sacrifice as we commemorated on the Passover we remember it of course through all of history but on the day of atonement there's this other goat that is key as well well to fully understand fully understand it we need to talk about what happened to mankind so let's go back and let's talk about Satan turn with me to Ezekiel zekiel 28 we have to go back to even before the beginning of man in order to understand why the Day of Atonement even needs to occur and why it is absolutely necessary in God's plan Ezekiel 28 and verse 12 son of man says take up a lamentation for the king of tyre and say to him thus says the Lord God you were the seal of perfection full of wisdom and perfect in beauty you were in eden the garden of god every precious stone was your covering the sardius topaz and diamond barrel onyx and jasper sapphire turquoise and emerald with old the workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day that you were created you were the anointed cherub who covers so we know we're not talking about a man here we're talking about an angel a spectacular angel the God created and pretty much near perfection because he says you were the seal of perfection you were perfectly beautiful I created you I gave you all these gifts that you had everything that would Oren's you you were the anointed cherub who covers I established you you were on the holy mountain of God you walk back and forth in the midst of fiery stones you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created till iniquity till iniquity was found in you perfect until sin entered that's the picture of you know some people call him Lucifer you know before he became Satan which means God's adversary he was a perfect being he was there with God created by God created to do this marvelous work but sin entered and when sin entered there was separation between this perfect if we can use that word perfect angelic being and God your hearts he says the Lascaux verse 16 verse 16 by the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within and you sinned you kept doing more and more things you kept paying more and more attention to yourself you kept playing games and you became filled with violence within and you sinned therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God and I destroyed you Oh covering cherub from the midst of the fiery stones there won't be this sending being in my presence I cast you away now we are separate and as we know was Satan never to be reconciled a very sad thing I guess your heart was lifted up because of your beauty we're told in Isaiah 14 pride entered in pride which is you know the father of all sins when we get puffed up and we think we're exempt from this and we can do this and that and whatever and God doesn't pay attention to the sand we've got this special dispensation with him that he's okay if we do our way in this way no no it's pride that lets us think that we can do something apart from God you your heart was lifted up because of your beauty you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor I gave you wisdom God gives us wisdom we know where wisdom comes from from reading and getting the knowledge and learning the Bible but then applying it into our lives but you corrupted it Lucifer for your splendor it became more about you than me what you were doing was all about you look how great I am look what I can do you corrupted that splendid that wisdom so lesson for us God gives us a tremendous calling he gives us tremendous knowledge when we read the Bible when we follow the Bible and in in as he leads us with His Holy Spirit it's a tremendous thing but when we start thinking about ourselves more highly than we ought to think we can do the same thing it corrupts the wisdom and we know what God did with Satan you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor I cast you to the ground I got you out of here I cast you to earth and so he was in Eden he wasn't eaten at the time that Adam and Eve were there God allowed him to be there wasn't any mistake on God's part it wasn't something that Satan outsmarted God put him there because there was a purpose and what he wanted to do with mankind and who he wanted mankind to be and Adam and Eve you know were there and they were tempted by Satan and we learned just what a cunning and deceiving but very smart very smart and very kind I guess if we can use that word being Satan must be to convince Adam and Eve who knew who they were who walked in the garden with God who saw the perfection in that land that they were with that they felt that they felt they the camaraderie with God that they felt the unity that was there between creation and God and man and the animals and everything was perfect and somehow Satan convinced them go ahead and take that tree don't believe him believe me and they took it and they did it was Satan who led them to it it was Satan who in his continuing adversarial position against God turned man against him but it was Adam and Eve's decision Satan influence but it was their decision to make that choice God warned them not to they did it anyway and so Satan you know continues on that way you can mark down Isaiah 59 verse 2 it says sin separates us from God just the same as it separated Satan or Lucifer and God sin separates us from God in order to have a relationship back with God we must repent God is very clear what his will for every man woman and child is that they will repent that they will turn to him acknowledge what their sin is and turn back to him and from there then they progress and can receive eternal life well let's look at some of the things words here about Satan in the New Testament John 8 John 8 and verse 44 Jesus Christ when he is on earth he didn't mince any words at all and talking to the Pharisees and looking at their attitudes and looking at how they presented themselves he said some pretty harsh words to them but very true words that showed what exactly this adversarial relationship was between God and Satan now what it can look like in us if we reads through some of the words of the Pharisees and what they were doing Jesus Christ have you ever find ourselves in those type attitudes we might want to look and see whose spirit are we following in John 8:44 Christ says you speaking to the Jew that day you are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do well isn't that kind of what the natural thing in us is we we don't want to follow God Romans 8:7 tells us the carnal mind is enmity of God against God what we don't want to do what God says we want to do what we want to do and that's what these the Jews were doing at that time he goes on he was a murderer from the beginning he doesn't stand in the truth because there's no truth in him when he speaks a lie he speaks from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it he makes no bones about it Satan Satan is the one who you are following when you have these attitudes when you have these predispositions and whatever you have to understand it's not God you're following you have to examine yourself and see who it is over in Ephesians in Ephesians 2 and verse 2 it tells us just how wide-ranging Satan's influence is remember when when God turned Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden he blocked the way that they couldn't go back in again there was not a return at that time in - back through the Garden of Eden to the harmony that they had experienced it was closed off and a new age began this time with God Satan is the god of this world because that's who mankind had chosen to follow Ephesians 2 verse 1 Paul writing to the church at Ephesus Christians us we could read the same worse us in you he made alive you and me who were dead in trespasses and sins and our former lives no matter how evil by some standards we might have been we were all evil we were all walking apart from God and you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins and when she once walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit which now works in the sons of disobedience we all were there we all know what that is we all know what it's like to to walk within the course of the world if whether we were raised in the church or not we did it we understand as part of what we have to repent of it may not have been that we were the worst people who are going to show up on newscast because of the things we did but there were things that we did we weren't walking in concert with God and we had to learn to walk in concert with God we have to repent and we have to understand we have to pay attention to what we're doing he says among whom we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and we're by nature children of Wrath just as the others it's interesting because sometimes you meet people and some people are just angry all the time they're just angry kind of you look at them and they look angry and I think you know what the Spirit of God we should have there should be peace shouldn't be angry all the time if we're angry all the time that maybe we want to look at how we're living and and see where we need to amend our ways to follow God but here we have Satan the Prince of the power of the air and we understand that today here in the 20th and 21st centuries better than they did before because all we have to do is turn on the radio turn on the TV turn on the internet and we can see all sorts of things that are coming over the air that can kind of lead us astray change the way we think influence our thinking even influence our opinions even if we don't if we don't watch it even maybe change our opinions and and and not think of things that are going on in the world exactly the way God says there in the world Satan has just that influence just that influence over in 2nd Corinthians 4 second Corinthians four all names who the guide of this world is second Corinthians four and we'll pick it up in verse three where the sentence begins 2nd Corinthians 4 verse 3 sets even if our gospel Paul writes is veiled it is veiled to those who are perishing you know if there's you don't understand what the Bible says you know God doesn't open everyone's mind today it isn't his purpose to open all of mankind today they will have their chance to understand what God has opened our minds to snot today even if our gospel is veiled is veiled to those who are perishing well for now if we don't have God's Holy Spirit we are perishing we will die there is one way to eternal life and that's exactly the prescription that we talked about God opens our minds we repent we are baptized we receive the Holy Spirit but even if our gospel is veiled is fail to those who are perishing whose minds the god of this age that word age that we read about back in Hebrews 9 in whose minds the god of this age has blinded oh it's Satan the god of this age this age that we're in this age that's passing away this age the end of which Jesus Christ offered himself the end of this age when Jesus Christ will return and usher in a new age where he is king of kings and Lord of lords and his way is preached throughout the earth and people have His Holy Spirit and not being led by the spirit of Satan whose minds the god of this age are blinded who don't believe lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God should shine on them it's Satan's will Satan's will that people are blinded but God has preserved those firstfruits that he calls today you and me a tremendous blessing revelation 12 27 2007 to be here life can be tough the choices we have to make but it's worth it but the god of this age the god of this age needs to disappear the gay that god of this age needs to be taken away and will be taken away when the King of Kings returns to earth and you have the transition from the god of this age to the god of the next age who is Jesus Christ and God the Father without that transition without the god of this age being deposed without the god of this age being exposed so that the world and the people living in there know who he is know what the cause of sin is understand and probably spend the rest of their physical lives understanding what has happened and what God's plan is until that happens there cannot be the millennium that we all pray for and we look for because for when the millennium occurs that will but we'll keep here and starting next week Jesus Christ will have returned Satan will have been put away he will be bound no longer to influence the nation's their influence from that time forward until the end of the thousand years will be Jesus Christ the law that goes up for goes forth from Zion the law to which people flock to hear the word of the Lord so with all that in mind let's go back to Leviticus 16 and see the other part of the Day of Atonement one of the goats has been sacrificed for the sins of all the people but there's this other goat that's also part of the ritual that has been brought before Aaron let's pick it up in verse 20 verse 20 versus leading up to this it talks about Aaron going through and sprinkling the blood and the various parts of the altar in verse 20 says and when he has made an end of a Tony the holy place the tabernacle of meeting and the altar he will bring the live goat first goat is killed the blood of that is taken the altar is purified everything goes through the rituals that he says and then Aaron verse twenty-one shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions concerning all their sins putting them on the head of the goat now God says we're inspired to have written here that they will have confess over this live goat you can just picture Aaron doing that confessing over this live goat all the iniquities of the children of Israel laying everything on his head naming him as the cause or the blame putting the blame on him for the sins that Israel commits and then it talks about the transgressions including all their transgressions on him and then all their sins and those words iniquities transgressions and sins there actually happened to be three different Hebrew words iniquity is the Hebrew word translated from the Hebrew word Avon those are the capital sins they would bear the death penalty I'll be breaking the commandments transgressions transgressions comes from Hebrew word Pasha psh a it means breaking away from Authority breaking away from the thority I could think who broke away from Authority where was that example said it means revolt rebellion so if we have a rebellious nature as Satan had a rebellious nature against God spurred on by pride spurred on by the choices that he made as he puffed himself up and thought he was so much better just because of the gifts that God gave him forgetting that everything of him that he had and ever would have came from God those things were alive in Israel too they broke the commandments or in the death penalty so all those sins were put on that head of that goat there were rebellious spirits you can think of some of the rebels in Israel that were noted there those were laid on that blamed on that goat and sins chaa tah says it's the habitual sins of human frailty missing the mark or error not necessarily capital sins but the attitudes that we can have those things that are apart from God's Way of life the things where we miss the mark of what God has set for us and we know what that mark is right we know the standard that that we adhere to that is Jesus Christ the perfection that he expects us to have so all those things of Israel because they were all guilty of it we're all guilty of these things on that day this live goat was there and Aaron confessed all those on that live goat what's going on in verse 21 he put them on the head of the goat and he shall send it away into the hill he shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man the goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land and he shall release the goat in the wilderness so you have this unique ritual and then they take the go away they don't kill it I mean that you would think that would be the thing to do right kill that goat if we're laying all the sins on that go kill it but no they just lead it away by the hand of a suitable man never to return never to return to Israel what did Israel think was going on that day year after year when they saw that happen what did they think well I don't know what they thought but we know that that can be fulfilled in only one way and is fulfilled in only one way let's turn to Revelation 20 we know who the adversary of God is we know who our adversary is because Satan is named our adversary and first Peter 5 somewhere around verse 8 in 1st Peter 5 we know who our adversary is we know and we've gone through who is the father of sin who separated himself from God by his choices and who has led us to the same thing in Revelation 20 verse 1 it says I saw an angel after Jesus Christ okay after Jesus Christ returns to earth in chapter 19 after he puts an end to the armies that are gathered there against him in chapter 20 and he's he's taken over the kingdoms of the earth in chapter 20 says 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 that 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 him so they should not deceive the nation's so that he should deceive the nation's No More till the thousand years were finished lead him away put him away the god of this age is done there's a God of the Millennial age that is in place and the god of the old age is bound and taken away to a place where he cannot touch the nation's any more just as that goat was led into the wilderness he wasn't be led out again you were killed he wasn't killed some people you know want to insist that Satan is killed but there's a purpose for him at that point just like the other that goat was left alive left alive and not killed and so you have the day of atonement of this ritual that the Israelites went through all the parts of it yeah we are in purifying himself we need to purify our themselves he ourselves the two goats both of them because it takes the blood of Jesus Christ and the deposal of satan before the coming before the millennium in order for the millennium and mankind to be finally reconciled to man during that time mankind who lives over past the return of Jesus Christ they're going to have to understand what the cause of sin was they're gonna have to understand Satan they're gonna have to understand and I don't know what'll happen during that time if the world will witness what Jesus Christ is saying if we'll be standing there by his side as firstfruits as he lays on Satan's head the sins of all this world you brought sin into this world you were the one who led these people astray you were the ones who deceived them but they followed but they followed so on Satan said he's the cause he'll be banished but we have our part too because we all committed sin right along with him as he led us now interesting you know we could talk about reconciliation and God's will is to be reconciled with man it's an interesting definition of reconciliation the exchange of hostility for a friendly relationship there on the day of atonement the exchange of hostility and there's been hostility between God and Satan man and Satan the exchange of hostility for a friendly relationship and that will happen that will happen fulfilled on this day of atonement so that the Millennial age can enter in but you know that was one thing on the day of atonement that was one thing that the Israelites might have looked at and said but it wasn't the only thing that made that day unique that day we were there doing the same thing we are they were fasting they had other fast days too but this was the one day that God commanded them to fast it's a fast enough lick their souls so they had their part in in what was going on as well there if you are we in Leviticus 16 we look in Leviticus 16 in verse 29 verse 29 at the end of all of all this of what Aaron is doing it says this shall be a statute forever and the seventh month on the tenth day of the month you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dill twelves among you don't do any work observe this day everyone in your house were on that day the priest shall make atonement for you to cleanse you that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord is the Sabbath of solemn rest for you and you shall afflict your souls I won't turn to Leviticus 23 where we're commanded to assemble together on this day three times in the instructions for the Day of Atonement Yom Kippur God says afflict your souls don't do any work on that day if all the sins are on Satan if it's all on that goat that they let off into the wilderness if it's all on Satan who gets bound for a thousand years no longer to influence man that's Jesus Christ returns to Earth and the Linnaean becomes begins what is our affliction and I reflecting our souls have to do with that why do we knew it flicked our souls because we have sinned too we have sinned too and as I said a couple times already the cause is Satan he introduced it but every single one of us have had the same have had the same experience and made the same choices we took the action to follow him just like Adam and Eve took that action in the Garden of Eden to follow him and so we afflict our souls today and we experience the humility that comes from afflicting our souls we realize just how weak we are how much we rely on that cup of coffee in the morning a drink of water whatever it is whatever it is this is just a few hours right just think if that was all the time we realize just how weak and how unimpressive we are and over in Joel 2 we were in we were in Joel here on the Feast of Trumpets let's turn over there for a moment joël to remember at the beginning of verse being of the chapter verse 1 says blow the trumpet in Zion sound an alarm in my holy mountain the Feast of Trumpets that we talked about the calm of alarm but out of that time of alarm we have salvation from Jesus Christ returning and God tells us as we get into the middle parts of chapter 2 here turn to me turn back to me verse 12 with fasting with weeping with mourning rend your heart and not your garments return to God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and a great kindness and he relents from doing harm in verse 15 it says blow the trumpet in Zion consecrate a fast and that's what we're doing here today call a sacred assembly we're here together assemble together just where God commanded us to be today consecrate if cast call a sacred assembly gather the people sanctify the congregation set them apart remind them that they are the called out ones remind them who they are remind them that they have an opportunity the firstfruits today but all the rest of humanity is pictured by the Day of Atonement as we get into the fall feasts and and the Feast of Tabernacles and the eighth day beyond gather the people sanctify the congregations assemble the elders gather the children and nursing babes let the bridegroom go out from his chamber and the bride from her dressing room no excuses come before God do this consecrate a fast and so we fast we fast and we afflict our souls on this day and we seek a god and mankind will seek God and will need to seek God he doesn't do it all for us in every sense of the word he does through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ but we have our part to do too and mankind will learn that on that day of atonement continuing on through the Millennium but they must live by God's will if if they are to have eternal life and the salvation that God wants us to have let's go over to Isaiah or back to Isaiah Isaiah 58 God uses fasting not something that's so pleasant to us you have to deny selves right when we when we fast on this day and when we fast at other times of the year but in this way we find ourselves denying ourselves and through the denial of ourselves strength comes Jesus Christ says deny yourself and follow me fasting is one way we learn to deny ourselves and not do what comes naturally but to do what God wants in verse six he talks about the fast that pleases God the fast that we would maybe do through the year but also the fast that we do today because look at the things that he talks about that the fasting should produce if we're looking at it the right way he says in verse six isn't this isn't this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bonds of wickedness that we loose the bonds of wickedness that we're all under you know and Satan will be put away that'll happen on the day of atonement to undo the heavy burdens to let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoke that you're not held back anymore you can become who God wants you to become that you can experience the joy the happiness the harmony the unity the guide expected us and wanted us to enjoy isn't it to share your bread with the hungry and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out isn't it love isn't it watching out for each other isn't it that outgoing concern agape that God that Jesus Christ showed us by his sacrifice isn't it when you see the naked that you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh they don't you look and run and say you know the Levite and the priest and the Good Samaritans story don't run away don't hide yourself don't think man I wish I didn't have to see that learn to do what needs to happen isn't it that you that he says when you fast this way when you fast with that in mind when you're looking toward letting God develop into the nature that he wants then then your light shall break forth like the morning your healing will spring forth speedily and your righteousness shall go before you the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard then you'll call then you'll pray then you'll call and the Lord will answer you will cry and he'll say Here I am you're a man after my own heart you're a man who's contrite you're a man who's humble you're a man who's living and in the attitude that I want when you pray to me and come before me whatever you ask I will give if you take away the yoke from your midst the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul then your light shall dawn in the darkness and your darkness shall be as the noonday the Lord will guide you continually he will satisfy your soul in drought he will strengthen your bones you will be like a watered garden like a spring of water whose waters do not fail look at all the good things that come from the attitudes that are generated by fasting when we do it the right way not a fast where we look at the time sunset began last night and we're just sitting there counting the time and holding our breath until it sunsets tonight but that we're understanding the purpose of what we're doing here today what God wants us to develop in that praying and asking him to develop these things in us and to become more like him afflicting our souls so that the not so good things in us disappear and are replaced with the light that is God notice in verse 12 those from among you among right here in this congregation those from among you shall build the old waste places they'll be there in that millennium when things are restored they'll be there to build those things you will raise up nations of many generations you shall be called the repairer of the breech the ones who can bring back reconciliation between man and God Jesus Christ did it but who can help that who can take away the hostility and help restore the right relationship between God and mankind and enjoy all the benefits that come from that you shall be called the repairer of the breach the restorer of streets to dwell in that isn't that last one isn't that last one so appropriate for today the restorer of streets streets to dwell in because that's been taken away from our society says it says in Zechariah 8 there will become a time when Jesus Christ is king of King and Lord of lords that children will again play in the streets they'll again be able to do those things we can look forward to those days we can look forward to the Millennium that God will bring we should look forward to it it will happen only when the day of atonement is fulfilled and Christ has established that as the God of the future age and Satan is deposed and put away

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Published: Wed Oct 09 2019