ATONEMENT A
DAY OF COVERING
On the tenth day of the seventh month on the sacred
calendar is
the day of atonement. It is a day we are commanded to
afflict ourselves
by fasting from evening to evening. It is a Holy Day
and a day of sacred assembly. You can read about it in
LEV.23:26-32
Youwill find all of the rituals surrounding this day
of Atonement in
LEV.16:1-34 This is telling
about the selection of the two goats, one
for sacrifice and one for carrying the sins of the
people into the
wilderness. You can read more about this in HEB.9:1-10
the day of Atonement. In this study we will
cover this very Holy time
from a different
viewpoint. We will investigate and come to understand
what true fasting is
and how it applies to us as Yahweh’s people. We
will also see
another important aspect of this day that may not be
evident at first.
This is a most Holy day that only superficially
involves food. Don’t
misunderstand me. We are to abstain from food on
this day as Yahweh
said and afflict ourselves but that is only a very
small part of what
the day of Atonement represents.
We are told in JOHN
4:24 that Elohim is Spirit and they that
worship Him must
worship in spirit and truth. At repentance and
immersion into the name of Yahshua, Yahweh gives us His gift of the
Holy
Spirit to guide us into all truth JOHN 16:13 JOHN 14:17, and to enable
us to think on the spiritual plane so He can teach us
the deep things of
His word. We should begin this and all studies with
prayer to Yahweh for
understanding and enlightenment. Knowledge comes from
study,
understanding comes from Yahweh through the Holy
Spirit.
There is something very special about the day of
Atonement that
goes unnoticed by many of the Sabbath and Holy day
keeping groups.
Yahweh begins the year on the first day of the month
Abib in the spring
of the year. EX.12:2 However there are two
exceptions to this rule. The
seventh year land Sabbath and the year of Jubilee.
These years both
begin on the tenth day of the seventh month, Tishri,
LEV.25:1-11
Atonement. This day and these years are very special
to Yahweh and He
wants them have special meaning for us. One must never
take lightly or
just observe the times that Yahweh says are special
and Holy. All things
Yahweh does are to teach us a very valuable lesson.
Atonement is no
exception.
HUMILIATION
As an aside here, I would like to relate to you
something that
happened to me on the day of Atonement many years ago
when I was new to
the faith that impressed on my mind, never to take
lightly what Yahweh
says. I was baptized in August, a couple of months
before this fast day.
As it approached and some of us were discussing it I
mentioned that it
would be a breeze to fast for twenty four hours as I
never ate breakfast
and seldom ate lunch. I usually had one big meal a day
in the evening.
Looking back, I can see that I was actually saying
this would be no
affliction at all.
When Atonement arrived I was not the least bit
concerned.
Services were at two o’clock but as noon approached I
began to get a
terrible headache like I had never experienced. By the
time we arrived
at services I was very nauseous, dizzy and weak. I
could hardly function
because my headache was so severe. The minister asked me if I was a
coffee drinker and I said I was, 8-10 cups a day. He
said I had a
caffeine withdrawal headache and it would be okay if I
went home and lay
down until sunset. By the time I arrived home I could
barely function.
I went to my room and knelt down to ask Yahweh to take
away the
headache. When I bowed my head the pain seemed not
quite so bad. I
thought that I had received the answer to my prayer.
I thanked Yahweh but when I arose from my knees my
head began to pound
again so I knelt back down beside my bed and bowed my
head onto my hands
once again and the pain subsided to just a dull ache.
I decided to stay
there where it didn’t hurt. Since I was on my knees
anyway I decided it
would be a good time to talk over many things with
Yahweh in prayer. I
remained on my knees with my head bowed for the
remaining three hours of
the day of Atonement.
When sundown came I got up and went to the kitchen to
get a cup
of coffee. Before I had finished my coffee my headache
was gone. It
amazed me that a couple of sips of coffee could work
so fast. Being new
to the faith, it didn’t dawn on me for a few days what
had really
happened.
A few days later as I was studying, it hit me like a
ton of
bricks. I had made light of a day Yahweh calls Holy
and He had humbled
me. He not only made me kneel before Him, He made me
bow before Him for
three hours. I was more ashamed and embarrassed than I
have ever been.
Scriptures came to my mind and two really hit hard IS.45:23 ROM.14:11
I had learned a lesson that I will never forget. It
also started me on a
very deep study of this very Holy day of Atonement so
that I would be
assured never to make common, a time that Yahweh calls
Holy.
It is this study that I share with you in this article.
The first thing to understand is that abstaining from
food is
only a very small part of this day.
As mentioned before, the Sabbatical year and the
Jubilee year both begin
on this day. There is a very good reason that Yahweh
has made these
times all interconnect. They are all concerning the
same subject.
Oppression, lack of forgiveness and greed. Once one
understands why the
Sabbatical year and year of Jubilee were necessary for
the people of
Israel then we will begin understand what true fasting
is.
In another study concerning the Sabbatical and Jubilee
we
discovered that these were both years of release and
restoration.
Release of slaves, release of debts, and restoration
of property to its
rightful owner. We saw that these times both connected
to Yahshua and
the release and restoration that came to us through
his sacrifice on our
behalf. This day of Atonement also connects to Yahshua
and what He
expects of us as his followers.
RELEASE
NECESSARY
The land Sabbath was necessary because people were
enslaving
other people less fortunate than themselves. They were
doing this
because of debts owed and taken out in forced human
labour. Why was this
allowed By Yahweh? We will see before this study is
done that Yahweh
does not condone slavery. Why then was this allowed?
For the same reason
that Moses allowed divorce. The hardness of the
peoples hearts and the
lack of forgiveness they were willing to exhibit.
This brings us to poverty. There have always been poor
people in
all lands including Israel. Has Yahweh failed to
provide for the poor? I
was told once, that very thing. To help us to
understand, let us turn to
a parable of Yahshua and statement that He made to a
rich man.
LUKE 12:16-20 This man had a great harvest
with enough to last for many
years. He decided to store it up, live off the
proceeds and take a long
vacation. Elohim called him a fool because his life
would be required of
him that night and then who would possess his wealth. MATT.19:16-20
Yahshua tells this rich man to obey the commandments
if he wishes to
enter into life. This man had kept these from his
youth but Yahshua told
him he still lacked something. He was to give his
wealth to the poor and
follow Yahshua. He left sad because his wealth was
more important than
obeying Yahshua. On the surface he was doing the right
things. Under
scrutiny, the hardness of his heart was revealed. What
does this tell
us? Yahweh has provided for the poor through their
fellow man. To some
He gives an excess and He expects them to share this
excess with those
who don’t have enough. Yahweh talks about this in the
books of the law
and also in the writings of the new testament. We are
told not to close
our hand to the poor. A better rendering is, don’t
close your heart to
the poor.
The following all tell us how Yahweh has provided for
the poor.
DEUT.24:19-21
LEV.19:9-10
DEUT. 15:7-9 PROV.21:13 JAS.2:15-16 1 JOHN
3:17 LUKE
6:34-36
This is the way Yahweh wants it but because of the
hardness of peoples
hearts, the year of release and the leveling of
society is needed.
There is an old saying;” The rich get richer and the
poor get poorer.”
This is not the case when Yahweh’s law is properly
administered.
How did land come into the hands of those who don’t
own it making
the year of Jubilee necessary? For the same reason.
The hardness of
peoples hearts. Their unwillingness to share with
those less fortunate
than they are. Some had to sell because of poverty.
Some of those that
bought did so from greed. Yahweh allotted to each
tribe of Israel
certain portions of the promised land. Within each
portion, land was
allotted to each family. This was there heritage
forever, as promised to
Abraham. Some lost this heritage due to poverty and
others perhaps
because of poor management. Some lost their heritage
to pay debts. The
year of Jubilee was a year of restoration of this
heritage, and freedom
from the bondage of debts. In Yahweh’s perfect society
all would care
for each other. This of course is not yet Yahweh’s
perfect society,
administered by Yahshua and those in the first fruits
harvest, so these
times of restoration and release are necessary.
So far we have briefly covered the rituals surrounding
the day of
Atonement. We have covered the connection between
Atonement and the
Sabbath of land rest and Jubilee year. Let us now
cover another aspect
of the day of Atonement and complete the connection of
all of these very
Holy times so that you will never fall into the trap
that I did many
years ago and lightly esteem one of Yahweh’s special
times.
A DAY ACCEPTABLE TO YAHWEH
Have you ever wondered why we are commanded to fast on
this day?
I have heard sermons and read articles stating that as
we fast our
thinking becomes clearer and it is easier to meditate
and pray so we
come closer to Yahweh. They also state that it is good
for our bodies as
it gets rid of toxins in our systems. This is all true
and as ones head
becomes clearer during the day one can pray much
better, but it goes
much deeper than physical deprivation of our bodies.
Is Yahweh concerned
only with our physical abstention from food on this
day or does He wish
us to learn something spiritual from our fasting? We
will come to
understand that this is the case and just what true
fasting is.
Turn to IS.58:1_11 Read this very carefully
along with,
LUKE 4:16_20 . Take note of what Yahshua
came to proclaim. He not only came
to declare it, He came to do it. We will examine these
two scriptures in
detail shortly. First, lets read, 1 JOHN 2:6 We
are told that if we say
we abide in Yahshua we should walk as He walked. He
set the example for
us and as His ambassadors 2 COR.5:20 we are
to represent Him exactly
as He is. We are to be growing to be exactly as He is.
EPH.4:13
Let us return to LUKE 4:16_20 Yahshua said He
was anointed to
preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to
the captives,
recovering of sight to the blind, and to set free
those that are
oppressed. He was also to proclaim the acceptable year
of Yahweh. His
message was one of freedom and renewal. In a previous study we saw that
Yahshua began His ministry at the beginning of a
Sabbatical year and
continued through the year of Jubilee. Both of these
times represent His
message of freedom and renewal. These times both begin
on the day of
Atonement
renewal.
Let us now turn back
to, IS.58:1_9 Note verse 1.
Yahweh
says,” lift up your
voice like a trumpet.” LEV.25:9
NUMBERS 10:10
Trumpets were to
announce special, Holy times. A trumpet or rams horn is
very clear and loud
in its sounding. It gets the attention of its hearers.
Yahweh wants us to
give special attention to what He is telling us
through Isaiah. He
is talking about fasting. Yahweh commanded a fast on
the day of Atonement
but what kind of fasting is acceptable to Him? In
verses 3 to 5 He tells us the kind of fast that He takes
no pleasure in.
missed the point of the day. We must not fall
prey to this improper kind
of fasting, just
abstaining from food and enduring the day
It is not a day to
be endured. It is a day to be delighted in as are
all of the Holy Days
and Sabbaths. IS.58:13 What the
people are doing
in verse 5
seems to be right, on the surface. Humbling oneself, and
bowing the
head. However, what seems right to us
may not be.
these verses very
carefully. As you do you will discover that if
everyone lived this
way, there would be no need for the seventh year
Sabbath of release
and the fiftieth year of release and restoration of
property.
I want you to
meditate very carefully on these verses and you
will see a definite
parallel to the Sabbatical year, Jubilee, Atonement
and Yahshua’s
reading in the synagogue. Verse 6; This is the fast that
Yahweh chooses. To
loose the bonds of wickedness, (Rashaw, Heb. sin ) To
undo the thongs of
the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, (Compare to
slavery in its
many forms.
Verse 7; To share your bread with the hungry. (
Remember, some
have too much and
some have not enough. Yahweh has let this happen to
see if those He has
given an excess to will be faithful administrators
and share with those
less fortunate.) And bring the homeless poor into
your house. Notice,
its not enough to just throw them a few cents or
dollars, but we are
to take them into our home. This is Yahweh’s will.
Should we obey? Some
might say,” In this day and age of violence that
could be very
dangerous.” If one does take a homeless one into ones home
because of knowing
Yahweh’s word, do you not think that Yahweh could and
would protect that
one from harm? IS.50:2 Yahweh
has the same power to
deliver and protect
that He has always had. The one you take into your
home is not in control. Yahweh is.
When we see the naked , to cover him. The sense of the
word
“naked” is, in need of proper clothing and care, and
not to hide
yourself from your own flesh. ( this last part is
rather a poor
translation of the Hebrew which means literally, “and
do not hide your
eyes from seeing his
need. ”) HEB.13:12 Could Yahweh perhaps test
one of us in this way?
Notice the end of verse 9. If you take away
from the midst of you
the yoke, and the pointing of the finger,( literally,
“Push away by
accusation.” Perhaps harmful gossip or rumour.)and the
speaking of
wickedness. (evil, harmful talking) Verse 10 If
you pour yourself out
for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the
afflicted. ( the sense of the word
“afflicted” is downtrodden and unhappy or lonely.
Perhaps the elderly
who are alone and also the terminally ill who have no
hope for the
future.) [ Wouldn’t it be wonderful to assure them
they do have a future
through Yahshua the Messiah] This is what Yahweh calls
fasting that is
acceptable to Him.
Notice now verses 8, 9, the last part of 10
and 11 These are the
blessings that will be automatically applied by Yahweh
when He is
pleased with our fast. Take special note of verse
10
will be as the noonday sun.
Yahshua said He was
the light of the world. JOHN 8:12
JOHN 9:5. He
also said we are the
light of the world. MATT.5:14 Yahshua is the exact
representation of
the Father and reflects His glory. HEB.1:3 Yahweh is
light.1 JOHN 1:5
Yahshua reflects this light and we reflect that light
to the world through
the Holy Spirit which He has given us. This is not
a harsh blinding
light, but a soft warm glow. That same appealing glow
that attracted us to
this way of life.
We reflect this
light through the fruit of the Spirit which grows
within us. GAL.5:22_23
kindness (Greek,chrestotes)
Another is love. 1
COR.13 It is this kind of love that Yahweh and
Yahshua show us.
This love grows in us through the fruit of the spirit
and this is the love
we are to show others. This love inspires true
fasting that is
acceptable to Yahweh.
A LIFE OF FASTING
Is this fasting that
is acceptable to Yahweh to take place only
one day a year? Are
we to grant release, which is actually forgiveness,
kindness,
thoughtfulness, and generosity once every seven and fifty
years? I know you
will answer no to all of the above. This is what
Yahweh is trying to
teach us through the Sabbatical year, Jubilee year
and the day of
Atonement. Our life in Yahweh is a continual fast. Not a
fast from food and
water, but a fast from evil, oppression of others,
and the keeping of
records of evils others commit against us.
Our fast begins on
the day we answer the call to follow Yahshua.
We can no longer
feast on the evils that those of the world do. These
lead to
dissatisfaction, disappointment and in the end, death. Our
fasting
in Yahweh leads to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness
gentleness,
and self control, and in the end, eternal life. This is our
true
food and against these there is no law. GAL.5:22_23
As
we approach the day of Atonement and the beginning of the
Sabbatical
year, let us meditate on these things and keep a fast that is
truly
acceptable to Yahweh.
May
Yahweh bless your studies. HalleluYah
Elder Dave Ganton