Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
The Feast of Divine Cleansing
1. Introduction
The Day of Atonement, known in Hebrew as Yom Kippur, is the holiest day in the biblical calendar. Occurring on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishrei), it was the one day in the year when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the entire nation. It is a solemn day of fasting, prayer, and repentance, pointing prophetically to the ultimate atonement made by our High Priest, Jesus Christ through His shed blood.
2. Scriptural Foundation
Leviticus 23:26–32
"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath."
3. Old Testament Practice
On Yom Kippur, the High Priest followed a divinely prescribed order (Leviticus 16):
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Personal Atonement – The High Priest first sacrificed a bull for his own sins and his household.
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Two Goats – One goat was sacrificed as a sin offering for the people, and its blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat. The other goat, known as the scapegoat (Azazel), symbolically carried away the sins of Israel into the wilderness.
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Blood in the Holy of Holies – The High Priest entered the Most Holy Place only on this day, sprinkling blood before the Ark of the Covenant.
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Afflicting the Soul – The people fasted, prayed, and repented, abstaining from all work.
4. Prophetic Fulfillment in Christ
The Day of Atonement finds its ultimate fulfillment in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ:
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High Priest and Sacrifice – “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle… neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9:11–12)
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Removal of Sin – As the scapegoat bore Israel’s sins away, Christ bore our sins: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many…” (Hebrews 9:28).
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Cleansing of Conscience – His blood does not merely cover sin temporarily but cleanses us completely: “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).
5. End-Time Significance
Prophetically, Yom Kippur represents:
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Israel’s National Repentance – “And so all Israel shall be saved…” (Romans 11:26–27).
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The Great Day of Judgment – A foreshadow of the separation between the righteous and the wicked at Christ’s Second Coming.
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The Completion of Redemption – This feast points to the day when all creation will be cleansed and restored under God’s reign.
6. Spiritual Lessons for Believers Today
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Deep Repentance – Not mere regret but a complete turning to God.
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Holiness and Purity – Allowing the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and remove hidden sins.
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Gratitude for Christ’s Atonement – We now live continually cleansed by His blood, walking in the light.
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Intercession for Others – Standing in prayer for the salvation of the lost, just as the High Priest stood for the people.
7. Key Scriptures for Meditation
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Hebrews 9:24 – “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands… but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
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Hebrews 10:19–22 – “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus…”
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Romans 5:11 – “We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
8. Closing Reflection
Yom Kippur reminds us that God’s holiness demands justice for sin—but His mercy has provided a way through the blood of Christ. The ancient rituals point forward to the complete and eternal redemption Jesus accomplished. As we await the fulfillment of this feast in the end-time, we live in a continual posture of repentance, holiness, and gratitude, knowing that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
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