Living Word Tabernacle

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THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

Preached at Living Word Tabernacle, Campbell Missouri USA – 7-24-2022 – The following sermon is archived at our church website – www.livingwordtabernacle.com

TEXT – Lev 16:29-34  (Heb 9)

TITLE – The Day of Atonement (Lev study)

It was at the feast of the Passover the Jewish nation was celebrating a great event (the Day of Atonement is celebrated at another time). This was a Festival they were commanded to keep as a memorial of redemption, since their deliverance from Egypt.

The priest and the people where in Jerusalem, everyone was under a celebration atmosphere. The Passover lamb was ready, and the eating of the Passover was prepared.

Jesus and His disciples were in Jerusalem for this great event, even though warned not to be. They would eat the Passover together for the last time, and not so much to celebrate the Passover, but to fulfil what was being done in type. Jesus was the real Pascal Lamb. To be offered once-and-for-all for the sins of the people - never to have to be offered again.

1 Cor 5:7 “…Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.”

A few hours later, the lamb of God, would be placed on the altar of a wooden cross. Normally, the Jews would stone those that were guilty of crimes against their religion, but never crucifixion, it was such a horrible death (Roman government).

He would be taken to judgment and even Pilate would say, “I find no fault in him.” He was the spotless Lamb.

He was beaten with stripes, His beard was plucked, He was crowned with thorns. He was made fun of and ridiculed. They stripped him naked, and they gambled at the foot of the cross for his garment. All this was a part of the Old Testament Scriptures that spoke of Him.

He suffered like no man had suffered, not just with pain, but with sin, not his sin, but yours and mine. He died alone, crying, “It is finished!”

When He died, the vail in the temple was rent from top to bottom. How strange to the priest, as they worshipped, singing the very Psalms that foretold His crucifixion.

The Pharisees called a seamstress in to sew up the vail and continued as they always had for centuries - not recognizing their day and its message. The Atonement, a true place of propitiation was accomplished. And they rejected it.

They had an excuse; God blinded their eyes for our sake. We have no excuse to reject out Atonement.

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

This was Jesus fulfilling ALL the types found in the book of Leviticus. He was the Passover, and he was represented in the feast days, He was the reason for the Day of Atonement. He was the sacrifice for sin, He was the blood that was shed.

Jesus Christ was the two goats on the Day of Atonement, one for the sacrifice of sin, the other demonstrated the result of the sacrifice. The sins of the people being placed on its head and then the sending or taking away of the goat into the wilderness, to never return. The goat was taken to the wilderness by a man that was worthy.

THE NEW TESTAMENT DAY OF ATONEMENT

In the New Testament Atonement, Christ becomes the High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek. He was that Tabernacle in the wilderness and the Ark of the covenant and the golden mercy seat. He was the Glory over the ark in in the Holy of Holiest, where only the High Priest could go and not without blood. And because Christ is an abiding High Priest, we can now go behind the vail, any time, any day, for whatever we have need. For cleansing, for healing, and for life itself. Because the blood is still there.

All those types in the book of Leviticus, spoke of Christ our atonement that was to come, who would be greater than the types. One that would be the actual of what the types represented, and so much better. There would be no necessity to go back to that, where they had to be done over and over, even daily (Heb 9).

The Lamb of God, fulfilled all those things in one offering forever.

Note: My heart is sad, when I think how great Jesus Christ is, and I have lived to see a day in which to preach Jesus Christ, to exalt Him higher than any man, preacher, pastor, church or prophet is to be considered a radical and not preaching truth.

However, these things must be, it fulfills end-time prophesy, a church that finally shuts Jesus Christ out the door, knocking to get back in - “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock… (Rev 3:20)”

Jesus Christ was our Passover lamb at Calvary.

Jesus Christ was the Day of Atonement (at-one-ment) that was reflected in the book of Leviticus. Once a year, the High Priest, alone, went from the holy place of the tabernacle, behind the vail, into the Holy of Holies. This is where the ark of the covenant, Aaron’s rod, the bowl of manna, the commandments of stone, were place. This was the golden mercy seat, with two golden Cherubim’s above, which would be a judgment seat without the offering of blood. It was in this place, the Shekinah glory, the pillar of fire dwelled, and the people’s sins was atoned for (covered or taken care of and appeased the wrath of God against them - substitutional, a place of propitiation - Rom 3:25).

OLD TESTAMENT DAY OF ATONEMENT

It was here, by the offering of the High Priest, that the people’s sins could be justly atoned or passed over. Which never took away one sin, never changed one person’s nature or desire. It just covered their sins; they were still pigs and goats by nature - waiting for the time Christ would come to fulfill completely, giving us a lamb nature as He was.

This was all being typed (symbolized) in this great Day of Atonement, which nation of Israel celebrated once a year.

THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH

Jesus Christ was not just as a type, but as the fulfillment of those types, as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. John the Baptist in the spirit of Elijah introduced Him to that generation of Jews, as the spirit of Elijah in our day has done the same according to Mal 4:5-6.

Have we in 2022 really recognized our day and its message?

Jesus Christ was the Lamb in God’s mind, before the world was created. A fulfilment of the Old Testament types, that could not change one worshipper, waiting for the time Christ would come and change us, create in us a new nature as the true Atonement.

Jesus was the reality of those things, and could as the Redeemer do that which would appease God’s wrath forever, bring mercy, giving us a new desire, a changed nature, and a new life.  God’s own life (John 14:17).

ISRAEL'S REJECTION OF THE TRUE ATONEMENT  

The Day of Atonement was not a joyful celebration to the Jew, in the since of happiness, joy, and feasting. But a time of fasting and sadness. Because it would be a bringing back and a remembrance of that which they rejected when it came, the true Atonement, Jesus Christ, who they crucified on a Roman cross.

Zech 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him,  as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

THE CROSS – THE TRUE ATONEMENT OPENED TO THE 144,000

13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

WHAT ABOUT US TODAY, WE THAT HAVE THE TRUE ATONEMENT

Where is our weeping today? We are all unclean. In Leviticus, everything, the tabernacle, the altars, the priest, the sacrifices, and the people were always unclean and had to be cleansed, yearly and daily.

Have we REALLY recognized our day of Atonement? Or have we substituted a preacher, a church, a denomination, a doctrine a prophet or even a tape recording for our Atonement?

Jesus Christ (John 1:1), at our “place of propitiation” has made us clean forever, with His blood. Our day of Atonement will never have to be repeated again. Christ will never have to be offered again. Atonement does not need to be reinvented to serve our personal desires and ambitions.

We are clean, the uncleanness that we have, is washed away constantly by the High Priest of our confession, in heaven. You receive the bleeding Word, which washes you, the Word that bled for you, that is still on the altar in heaven, by your confession. Mercy is still on the altar because the blood is still there.

Eph 5:25 …Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

However, if you have never excepted it – the fountain is still open.

There's room at the cross for you

There's room at the cross for you

Though millions have come, there's still room for one

Yes there's room at the cross for you.

Pastor Bill Ivy – Living Word Tabernacle – Campbell Missouri USA – visit our church website – and view our services www.livingwordtabernacle.com