LIFE FOR A LIFE
The Biblical name for the Day of Atonement is Yom HaKippurim, meaning "the day of covering, canceling, pardon, reconciling." Occasionally, it was called "the Day of the Fast" or "the Great Fast" (Lev. 23:27-31; 16:29-34).
God told the Israelites to sacrifice an animal as a substitute for their own sentence to die. The life for a life principle is the foundation of the sacrificial system. The Torah allows a monetary ransom be paid for an individual deserving death (Ex. 21:28-32). The guilty person here was the owner of an ox that had killed a person, and the owner of the ox was responsible for the death caused by his ox (Ex. 21:30 says that money paid in place of the death of the owner was a ransom price).
Messianic Fulfillment. Jesus died on the cross as a substitute for us, who deserved death because we sinned against God. Jesus paid the ransom price for us to God (Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:5-6; 1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23). The ransom price was 30 pieces of silver (Ex. 21:32; Matt. 26:14-16; 27:3-6).
Thirty pieces of silver was the ransom price of blood in dying in the place of the truly guilty and making atonement for the guilty. In the case of a thief or murderer, there is no atonement for them (Ex. 22:1-2; Num. 35:31). Thirty pieces of silver was the ransom price of blood and the shedding of blood made an atonement for sin (Lev. 17:11; Rom. 5:8-11). The Greek word hilasmos, translated as "propitiation," has the same meaning as the Hebrew work kaphar, which is translated as "atonement" (Rom 3:23-25; 1 John 2:2; 4:9-10). The purpose of the Day of Atonement was to teach us about Jesus, who is our atonement (Heb. 10:1-10).
1. It is a token of the New Covenant (Matt. 26:27-28; 1 Cor. 11:25).
2. It gives eternal life (John 6:53-54).
3. It brings redemption (Eph. 1:7).
4. It makes atonement (Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:9-10).
5. It justifies before God (Rom. 5:9).
6. It gives us forgiveness (Eph. 1:7; 2:13; Col. 1:14; 1 John 1:9).
7. It provides reconciliation (Col. 1:19-20).
8. It provides cleansing (1 John 1:7).
9. It makes us overcomers (Rev. 12:11).
It is significant that repentance must precede redemption. Animal sacrifices were only appropriate when presented with a contrite and repentant heart (Ps. 51:16-19). The Day of Atonement was to be kept as a perpetual stature throughout all generations (Lev. 23:31).
God divinely placed Yom Kippur before the Feast of Tabernacles, which is called "The Season of Our Joy." The children of Israel (and all believers in Jesus) could only rejoice once they were redeemed and their sins forgiven.
If you examine the scriptures concerning the second coming of Jesus back to earth, when He will set His foot upon the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4), you will find that is uses Yom Kippur terminology.
One example is in Isa. 52:13-15. In Isa. 52:13a the servant refers to the Messiah. there are New Testament references to Isa. 52:13b in Acts 2:32-35; 5:30-31 and Phil. 2:9-11.
The description of Jesus in Isa. 52:14, the suffering Messiah, is drastically different than how Jesus is portrayed in Hollywood. This description depicts a lamb going to the slaughter (Isa. 53:7). Isa. 52:14 depicts a man so marred that He did no resemble a man. Furthermore, Isa. 50:6 says that His beard was ripped out. Psa. 22:14,17 says His bones were out of joint and that He was naked before the peering eyes of men.
God was saying in this that He had forgiven their sins and this forgiveness was shown by the garment (symbolic of man's life); being sprinkled upon by the blood (the blood of Jesus), Jesus forgiving man's sins and thus his garment turning white. Isaiah the prophet wrote, "Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa. 1:18).
In Isa. 52:15, when it says that Jesus would sprinkle the nations, it refers to what the high priest did on Yom Kippur on the mercy seat of God so God would forgive the sins of the people. Jesus came as a prophet in His first coming, now He is the High Priest and is coming back as a King. Isa. 63:1-3 describes the second coming of Jesus, and verse 3 talks about His garments being sprinkled with blood. Once again this describes Jesus, the High Priest coming back to earth on Yom Kippur.
Read Joel 2:15-16. The trumpet spoken of here refers to the trumpet ushering in the Messianic Kingdom and the fast is the one associated with Yom Kippur.
Remember the information given previously on the wedding that takes place on Rosh HaShanah and the honeymoon that will last seven years. In this passage in Joel, we can see that the seven years of the tribulation, known as the birthpangs of the Messiah, are over and Messiah is coming back with His bride to go to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Read Joel 2:17. The first part of that verse speaks of an event that took place annually, the priest ministering in the Holy of Holies.
The meaning of the phrase "spare your people" can be better understood by reading Zech. 12 and 14:1-9. In these passages, we can see Jesus coming back after the birthpangs of the Messiah (tribulation), and Jerusalem about to be under siege. Jesus saves Jerusalem. His feet are placed on the Mount of Olives. There is a great earthquake, and the Messianic Kingdom comes in full power. There is no nighttime anymore, and the Lord will rule the whole earth. At this time the gates of Heaven are closed. The last Yom Kippur ceremony is called neilah, the closing of the gates, and is the concluding ceremony to Yom Kippur. However, this is not the rehearsal, but the real thing. At this point it is too late to make a decision to accept Jesus the Messiah into your life.
Jesus spoke of this same event in Matt. 24:27-31.
In Matt. 24:31, the trumpet that is being blown is called by Jesus the
great trumpet. This is the trumpet that is blown on Yom Kippur known
as the Shofar HaGadol. This trumpet will usher in the return of Jesus
to rule as Messiah ben David during the Messianic Age (Millennium).
