The Day of Atonement - 2022
September 22nd
at sundown starts a 24 hour special Sabbath Rest
September 23rd
at sunrise start fasting
September 23rd
at sundown start reconciling your sins
September 24th
at sunrise break-fast meal
September 24th is Michaelmas when a new cycle
of Judgement begins |
Overview
The Day of Atonement is an Israelite fall feast date that
was documented in the laws of Moses that has not yet been fulfilled. This feast
comes during the fall harvest. When Jesus returns he will fulfill this feast
day with the final harvest of HIS people.
The Day of Atonement feast is a special Sabbath day in which
we are instructed to fast and reconcile ours sins with our Heavenly Father so that we are restored to His favor. It is the day our Savior
Jesus Christ was born and he did come to atone for our sins. In prophecy, this day is known as the Day of
Judgement, the Day of the Lord or the Day of Wrath.
We know that the apostle Paul did continue to keep this
feast day, after Jesus’ crucifixion, since it is mentioned in this verse as
‘the Fast’ referring to the Day of Atonement.
Paul also mentions that sailing was dangerous after fasting day had past
because in September is hurricane season.
“And
when much time was spent, and when sailing now was dangerous, because the fast (νηστείαν - nēsteian; no eating)was now past, Paul comforted them, Saying to
them: Ye men, I see that the voyage beginneth to be with injury and much
damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives." DR Acts 27:9-10
After Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus instructed the Apostles that
repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name.
“Thus it is written, that the Christ
should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and
forgiveness of sins should be
proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” ESV Luke 24:46-47
Our Father is our Shepard that wants all of His sheep to
come to repentance and he will lead or chasten each of HIS sheep towards
repentance before the Day of Judgement.
“The
Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient
with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But the day
of the Lord will come as a thief
in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the
elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that
are in it will be burned up.” WEB 2
Peter 3:9-10
“My
son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when
reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises
every son whom he receives.” ESV Hebrews 12:5-6
On the Final Day of Judgement, Jesus will be the shepherd
that separates the sheep from the goats.
"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels
with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Before him all the
nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd
separates the sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on his right hand,
but the goats on the left. Then the King will tell those on his
right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world” WEB Mathew 25:31
“Then
he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41
Michaelmas
Our ancestors called the Day of Atonement ‘Michaelmas’ and
they celebrated it on September 29th each year. According to Enoch 3, Michael is in charge of
the seventh heaven and appears to be the highest archangel.
“And the angels who kept not their principality, but forsook their own
habitation, he hath reserved under darkness in everlasting chains, unto the judgment of the great day. As Sodom
and Gomorrha, and the neighbouring cities, in like manner, having given
themselves to fornication, and going after other flesh, were made an example,
suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
In like manner these men also defile the flesh, and despise dominion, and
blaspheme majesty. When Michael the
archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moses, he
durst not bring against him the judgment of railing speech, but said: The Lord
command thee.” DR Jude 1:6-9
Daniel’s prophesized about the archangel Michael:
“And at that time Michael the
great prince shall stand up, that stands over the children of thy people:
and there shall be a time of tribulation, such tribulation as has not been from
the time that there was a nation on the earth until that time: at that time thy
people shall be delivered, even every one that is written in the book. And many
of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting
life, and some to reproach and everlasting shame. And the wise shall shine as the brightness of
the firmament, and some of the many righteous as the stars for ever and ever. And thou, Daniel, close the words, and seal
the book to the time of the end; until many are taught, and knowledge is
increased. And I Daniel saw, and,
behold, two others stood, on one side of the bank of the river, and the other
on the other side of the bank of the river.
And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was over the water of the
river, When will be the end of the wonders which thou has mentioned? And I
heard the man clothed in linen, who was over the water of the river, and he
lifted up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and sware by him that
lives for ever, that it should be for a time of times and half a time: when the
dispersion is ended they shall know all these things.” Sep Dan 12:1-7
John’s revelation included the archangel Michael:
“And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought
and his angels: And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more
in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called
the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; and he was cast unto the
earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” DR Rev 12:7-9
Michael the archangel is associated with the final judgment
and day of wrath when he will slay the dragon.
Here are some newspaper clippings regarding Michaelmas that
I found in old newspapers. At the time
these articles were written, they no longer understood that Michaelmas was a
biblical feast day.
1892 – As published
in the Pittsburg Dispatch on the 29th of September
1903 news – The Bee, Kentucky published October 1st
The custom of eating goose on Michaelmas was started in 1588
when Queen Elizabeth eating goose on Michaelmas she got the news that England
defeated the Spanish
Armada.
This 1800 newspaper clipping
shows that a Judge’s term was called Michaelmas term:
More about Michaelmas
Michaelmas a Date of Reconciling
The civil year begins on the Feast of Trumpets. However receipt and payments for the year
were reconciled from Michaelmas to Michaelmas.
This newspaper article shows that the government of Great Britain did reconcile
their finances from Michaelmas to Michaelmas.
The book The
Annotated Book of Common Prayer written by the Church of England in
1872 reflects that the church reconciled their finances from Michaelmas to
Michaelmas.
Day of Atonement – Laws
The Day of Atonement has historical and prophetical meanings. The men of the house of Israel were not required
to go to the temple for this feast day and they were given different
instructions to do at home in their villages.
The Levitical Priest and the Israelites at home were all told though
that they must do the following:
Date
|
Time
|
Event
|
9th
|
Evening, Sundown about 6:00pm
|
Start 24 hour Sabbath Rest
|
10th
|
Sunrise, about 6:00am
|
Start humbling & afflicting
your soul; meaning fast
|
10th
|
Sundown about 6:00pm
|
Start barbecuing whole-burnt
offerings: calf, ram, 7 lambs, &
goat as sin-offering. It can take five
hours or more to barbecue an animal that is left whole. 7
hours for a calf. The goat will take a while since it must be totally
burnt by fire and not eaten.
|
11th
|
Sunrise, about 6:00am
|
Eat the break-fast meal also
known as breakfast. On a proper
biblical calendar this day is a Sabbath rest day; therefore the meal has
to be ready to eat by sunrise.
|
The English word atone is actually two words ‘at one’. The word atone means to be reconciled or ‘at one’ with our
Heavenly Father. The act of atoning means
to make reparations or to pay for a crime committed. Our Father required a goat as payment for sin
on the Day of Atonement. Once the goat was burnt as a sin-offering, the debt
was considered paid in full and the sin commented was covered over or forgotten. Therefore, this is the appointed day to
receive grace from our Heavenly Father for the sins we have committed. Sin
is transgression of the laws documented by Moses.
Here in Leviticus we are given instructions for the Day of
Atonement. This day must be on the same-self
day each year; therefore it is not a moveable feast day. They were to observe a special Sabbath
day of rest from the evening of the 9th day to the evening of
the 10th day and then start the process of atoning.
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this
seventh month is a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation
to you; and ye shall humble your souls, and offer a whole-burnt-offering to the
Lord. Ye shall do no work on this self-same day: for this is a day of atonement for
you, to make
atonement for you before the Lord
your God. Every
soul that shall not be humbled in that day, shall be cut off from among its
people. And every soul which shall do work on that day, that soul
shall be destroyed from among its people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it is a perpetual
(αιώνιος
• aiónios- eternal, everlasting)statute throughout your generations
in all your habitations. It shall be a holy sabbath to you; and ye shall humble
your souls, from the ninth day of the month: from evening to evening ye shall keep your
sabbaths.” Septuagint Lev
23:26-32
Here in Numbers we are
given instructions to perform no work during the day; however, at evening when
the Sabbath rest was completed the Israelites were told they must offer sacrifices
and sin-offerings to reconcile our sins with our Heavenly Father.
“And on the tenth of this month there shall be to you a holy
convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls, and ye shall do no work.
And ye shall bring near whole-burnt-offerings for a sweet-smelling savour to
the Lord; burnt-sacrifices to the Lord, one
calf of the herd, one ram, seven lambs of a year old; they shall
be to you without blemish. Their meat-offering shall be fine flour mingled with
oil; three tenth deals for one calf, and two tenth deals for one ram. A tenth
deal for each several lamb, for the seven lambs. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering, to
make atonement for you; beside the sin-offering for atonement, and
the continual whole-burnt-offering, its meat-offering, and its drink-offering
according to its ordinance for a smell of sweet savour, a burnt-sacrifice to
the Lord.” Sep Num 29:7-11
This verse in Psalms tells us that they humbled themselves
by fasting. The Greek word for fasting
is the same word that Paul used in Acts 27:9 above.
“But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul
with fasting (νηστεία
• nisteía, no food): and my prayer shall return to my own bosom.” Sep Psa
35:13
Once the Israelites completed this process of
atoning for their sins they were granted forgiveness and a new cycle of
judgement began.
Levitical Priest Day of Atonement & Prophetical Day of Judgement
Below is a table reflecting the Levitical priest’s
instructions which are symbolic of the events that will occur when Jesus
returns on the Day of Judgement. The
priest duties represent what Jesus will do when he returns to fulfill these
laws.
Levitical Priest Duties
|
Jesus’ Fulfillment & Day of Judgement Prophecy
|
“And the Lord said to Moses, Speak to Aaron thy brother, and let him
not come in at all times into the holy place within the veil before the
propitiatory, which is upon the ark of the testimony, and he shall not die;
for I will
appear in a cloud on the propitiatory (throne of grace-
Hebrews 4:16). Thus shall
Aaron enter into the holy place; with a calf of the herd for a sin-offering,
and having a ram
for a whole-burnt-offering. And he shall put on the consecrated linen tunic, and he shall have on
his flesh the linen drawers, and shall gird himself with a linen girdle, and
shall put on the linen cap, they are holy garments; and he shall bathe all
his body in water, and shall put them on. And he
shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the
goats for a sin-offering, and one lamb for a whole-burnt-offering.” Sep Lev 16:2-5
|
Jesus
was born this day and will probably return this day to fulfill the law of
the Day of Atonement. This was the
only day of the year that our Heavenly Father appeared within the veil in a
cloud. (also see Hebrews 9:7)
“And then they
shall see the Son
of man coming in a cloud, with great power and majesty.”
DR Luke 21:27
“And I saw, and
behold a
white cloud; and upon the
cloud one sitting like to the Son of man, having on his head a crown
of gold, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” DR Rev 14:14
Jesus represents the Ram that
will return and he will place the sheep on his right since they are blessed
by our Father and they will inherit the kingdom. (Mat 25:32-34) They are
pleasing to our Father since they follow the laws of Moses.
|
“And Aaron shall bring the calf for his own sin-offering, and shall make
atonement for himself and for his house.” Lev
16:6
[“And no offerings for
sin, of whose blood there shall be brought any into the tabernacle of witness
to make atonement in the holy place, shall be eaten: they shall be burned with fire.” Lev 6:30 ]
|
Animals offered as a sin-offering to our Heavenly
Father were completely burnt and that was the price to cover over sin. The Israelites had to have an animal that
they take care of until it was given as an offering to cover over their
sin.
|
“And he shall take the two goats,
and place them before the Lord by the door of the tabernacle of witness. and
Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats, one lot for the Lord, and the other
for the scape-goat. And Aaron shall bring forward the goat on which the lot
for the Lord fell, and shall offer him for a sin-offering.” Lev 16:7 -9
|
When Jesus
returns he will separate the goats from the sheep from among the
congregation. The goats will be placed
on the left and then burnt in the lake of fire as the final cost for sin. (Eze 34:17, Mat 25:33, Mat 25:41) Unrepentant and un-ruling Billy goats will be not be found in the
book of life and will be burnt in the lake of fire. (Heb 10:28, Rev 20:11-15)
|
“and the goat upon which the lot of the scape-goat came, he shall
present alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon him, so as to send him
away as a scape-goat,
and he shall send him into the wilderness.” Sep Lev 16:10
|
Jesus fulfilled the scape-goat at
the first advent since he was born on the Day
of Atonement and he was presented alive for his circumcision and
dedicated to HIS Father during the Feast of Tabernacles. The Spirit led Him to the wilderness where
He fasted 40 days and 40 nights and he resisted the temptations of the devil
prior to starting his ministry. (Mat 4:1-11)
|
“And Aaron shall bring the calf for his sin, and he shall make atonement
for himself and for his house, and he shall kill the calf for his
sin-offering. And he shall take his censer
full of coals of fire off the altar, which is before the Lord;
and he shall fill his hands with fine compound incense, and shall bring it
within the veil. And he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord,
and the smoke of the incense shall cover the mercy-seat over the tables of
testimony, and he shall not die.” Sep Lev 16:11-13
|
“Therefore receiving an immoveable kingdom, we have grace; whereby let
us serve, pleasing God, with fear and
reverence. For our God is a consuming fire.” DR Heb
12:28-29
“And the angel
took the censer,
and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it on the earth, and
there were thunders and voices and lightnings, and a great earthquake.”
DR Rev 8:5
|
“And he shall take of the blood of the calf, and sprinkle with his
finger on the mercy-seat eastward: before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle seven times of the blood with his finger.” Lev 16:14
|
The seven times may represent
one time for each 1000 years until Jesus’ return. (just my guess) Now in 2017, it is currently the year 7525
according to the Septuagint
chronically.
|
“And he shall kill the goat for the sin-offering that is for the
people, before the Lord; and he shall bring in of its blood within the veil,
and shall do with its blood as he did with the blood of the calf, and shall
sprinkle its blood on the mercy-seat, in front of the mercy-seat. and he shall make
atonement for the sanctuary on account of the uncleanness of the children of
Israel, and for their trespasses in the matter of all their sins;
and thus shall he do to the tabernacle of witness established among them in
the midst of their uncleanness. and there
shall be no man in the tabernacle of witness, when he goes in to make
atonement in the holy place, until he shall have come out; and he shall make
atonement for himself, and for his house, and for all the congregation of the
children of Israel. And he shall come forth to the altar that is before the Lord, and he
shall make atonement upon it; and he shall take of the blood of the calf, and
of the blood of the goat, and shall put it on the horns of the altar round
about. And he shall sprinkle some of
the blood upon it seven times with
his finger, and shall purge it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the
children of Israel.” Lev 16:15-19
|
Sin is transgression and
lawlessness of the laws of Moses.
“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is
lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins,
and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one
who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let
no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is
righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil
has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was
to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's
seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born
of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who
are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not
of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:4-10
|
“And he shall finish making atonement for the sanctuary and for the
tabernacle of witness, and for the altar; and he shall make a cleansing for
the priests, and he shall bring the living goat; and Aaron shall lay his hands on the head
of the live goat, and he shall declare over him all the iniquities of the
children of Israel, and all their unrighteousness, and all their sins; and he
shall lay them upon the head of the live goat, and shall send him
by the hand of a ready man into the wilderness. And the goat shall bear their
unrighteousnesses upon him into a desert land; and Aaron shall send away the
goat into the wilderness. And Aaron shall enter into the tabernacle of witness, and shall put
off the linen garment, which he had put on, as he entered into the holy
place, and shall lay it by there.” Lev 16:20-23
|
The sins of the congregation of
Israel were put on Jesus and he was the scapegoat that reconciled and covered
over the past sins of Israel.
“All we as sheep have gone astray; every one has gone astray in his
way; and the Lord gave him up for our sins.” Isa
53:6
“The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and he saith: Behold the
Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of
the world.” John 1:29
“So also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many; the second time he
shall appear without sin to them that expect him unto salvation.” Heb
9:28
|
“And he shall bathe his body in water in the holy place, and
shall put on his raiment, and shall go out and offer the whole-burnt-offering
for himself and the whole-burnt-offering for the people: and shall make
atonement for himself and for his house, and for the people, as for the
priests.” Lev
16:24
|
“And Jesus
being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the
heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a
dove, and coming upon him. And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” DR Mat 3:16-17
|
“And he shall offer the fat for the sin-offering on the altar. And he that sends forth the goat that
has been set apart to be let go, shall wash his garments, and bathe his body
in water, and afterwards shall enter into the camp. And the
calf for the sin-offering, and the goat for the sin-offering, whose blood was
brought in to make atonement in the holy place, they shall carry forth out of
the camp, and burn them with fire, even their skins and their flesh and their
dung. And he that burns them shall wash his garments, and bathe his body in
water, and afterwards he shall enter into the camp. And this shall be a
perpetual statute for you; in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the
month, ye shall humble your souls, and shall do no work, the native and the
stranger who abides among you. For in this day he shall make an atonement for you, to cleanse you
from all your sins before the Lord, and ye shall be purged. This shall be to you a most holy sabbath, a rest,
and ye shall humble (ταπεινώνω
• tapeinóno, shame or lower) your
souls; it is a perpetual ordinance.” Lev 16:25-31
|
We must humble ourselves and
ask our Heavenly Father for forgiveness. The act of asking for forgiveness of
sin is repentance which restores us to HIS favor and covers our sins. By the
grace of our Heavenly Father he will forgive us if we are sincere. He set aside this day on HIS calendar to
give you an opportunity to ask for forgiveness.
|
“The priest whomsoever they shall anoint shall make atonement, and whomsoever they
shall consecrate
to exercise the priestly office after
his father; and he shall put on the linen robe, the holy garment. And he shall make
atonement for the most holy place, and the tabernacle of witness; and he
shall make atonement for the altar, and for the priests; and he shall make
atonement for all the congregation. And
this shall be to you a perpetual (αιώνιος
• aiónios- eternal, everlasting)statute
to make atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins: it shall be
done once in the year, as the Lord commanded Moses.” Sep Lev 16:32-34
|
Jesus Christ is the Anointed One.
The word Christ is Christos in Greek and means Anointed One.
“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of
Abraham:” DR Mat 1:1
“Jesus of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy Ghost, and with
power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the
devil, for God was with him.” Acts 10:38
“And he hath on his garment, and on his thigh written: KING OF KINGS, AND
LORD OF LORDS.” DR Rev 19:16
“And I saw heaven
opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called
faithful and true, and with justice doth he judge and fight. And his eyes
were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many diadems, and he had a name
written, which no man knoweth but himself. And he was clothed with a garment
sprinkled with blood; and his name is called, THE WORD OF GOD.” DR Rev 19:11-12
|
All the verses highlighted in yellow have not occurred yet;
therefore they are not fulfilled and will be fulfilled when Jesus returns. These verses are in reference to fulfilling the
Day of Atonement laws.
Levitical Priest Alter
The word propitiatory is used above in Leviticus 16:2 and is
translated as ‘atonement-seat’ or ‘mercy-seat’ in other versions. It is the Greek word ‘ιλαστηρίου’. Ιλαστη means propitious,
gracious or appease. This word comes
from the root word ἵλαος which means mercy,
comfort, and grace. Seat is the
Greek word meaning throne, power,
dominion, or residence. Therefore,
propitiatory could be translated as ‘throne of grace’ and this verse in Hebrews
does use this phrase:
“Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid.” DR Hebrews 4:16
The word for cloud in Leviticus 16:2 in Greek is νεφέλη which
is transliterated as néphos. The English word Nebo descends from this
Greek word. Therefore this could
actually be saying in Luke 21:27 that the Son of Man will appear at Nebo which
could be a reference to Mount Nebo HIS Holy Mountain.
"And they shall not hurt, nor shall they at all be able to destroy any
one on my holy mountain: for the whole world is filled with the knowledge of
the Lord, as much water covers the seas." Isa 11:9
The law for the Day of Atonement kept them awake and alert
all night; therefore they that stayed awake would be ready for HIS arrival.
“The
Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient
with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But the day
of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;
in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will
be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will
be burned up.” WEB 2 Peter 3:9-10
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that
watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he shall gather them together into a place, which
in Hebrew is called Armagedon. And the seventh angel poured out his vial upon
the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple from the throne,
saying: It is
done.” Rev 16:15-17
“Remember,
then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like
a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.
Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their
garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who
conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name
out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before
his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.” Rev 3:3
Day of Atonement - New Testament
When Christ died the
Israelite’s sin were paid for with Jesus’ blood. With Jesus’ blood their sins were reconciled;
therefore the Israelites were restored to our Heavenly Fathers favor. Their past sins were paid for and forgiven.
“Christ died for us; much more therefore, being now justified by his
blood, shall we be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his Son; much
more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” DR Rom 5:9-10
“More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:11
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry
of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,
not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message
of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God
making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who
knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2
Cor 5: 18-21
The first resurrection
has probably already occurred and the Israelites, whom Christ paid for their
sins, will not experience a second death.
“The
rest of the dead lived not, till the thousand years were finished. This is the
first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection. In these the second death hath no power; but they
shall be priests of God and of Christ; and shall reign with him a thousand years.” DR Rev 20:5-6
Ministry of Reconciliation
Christ gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians
5:18 above), so that we would have a method of reconciling our sins with our
Heavenly Father. The method for reconciling
our sins is called repentance and baptism.
The Greek word for repentance is μετάνοιαν - metánoia
which is a compound of two words
metá, ‘after’ and noéō, ‘to perceive, to think’. It is a fundamental change of mind of
thoughts, behaviors and actions.
The word baptism
means to submerse with water. It is the
act making yourself clean.
Here Jesus tells us that he came for the sinners so that
they would come to repentance; meaning he wants them to change their way of
thinking.
“And
Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those
who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32
After Christ’s resurrection he appeared to the apostles and told
them that repentance and forgiveness must be proclaimed to the nations.
“Then
he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with
you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them,
“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise
from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed
in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are
witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father
upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:44-49
Christ also stated that we must be baptized:
“And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in
heaven and in earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of
the world.” Mat 28:18-20
“Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience
of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is,
eight souls, were saved by water. Whereunto baptism being of the like form, now saveth you
also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the
examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ.” 2 Pet 3:20-21
Christ gave
us the reconciliation process of repentance and baptism so that we can receive the
gift of grace.
The Day of Judgment and Wrath
Below are verses about the coming Day of Judgment that will
be the justified wrath of our Heavenly Father.
“Truly,
I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that
town.” Mat 10:15
“The
good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out
of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word
they speak, for by your words you
will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Mat
12:35-37
“But
because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath [Greek 3709
orgé, punishment, vengeance] for yourself on
the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.” Romans 2:5
“then the Lord knows how to rescue
the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and
especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise
authority.” 2 Pet 2:9-10
“But
by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire,
being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the
ungodly.” 2 Pet 3:7
“By
this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we
in this world”. 1 John 4:17
“And
the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left
their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness
until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the
surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued
unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” Jude 1:6-7
“Then
I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to
proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language
and people. And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who
made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water." Rev 14:6-7
Blood will be the price of sin on the Day of Judgement; however,
it will not be the blood of goats. It
will be the blood of ungodly people that did not repent.
“And the angel thrust in his sharp
sickle into the earth, and gathered the vineyard of the earth, and cast it into
the great press of the wrath of God: And the press was trodden without the
city, and blood
came out of the press, up to the horses' bridles, for a thousand and
six hundred furlongs.” Rev 14:19-20
Conclusion
The Day of Atonement is a day that our Heavenly Father gave
us to repent of our sins so that we can be reconciled to HIM. He gave us this day to be ‘at one’ with
him. He give us the gift of grace and he
will be merciful, if we ask HIM for forgiveness. On this day pray for our nation, our
families, and for Jesus’ return.
“If I should restrain the heaven and there should be no rain, and if I
should command the locust to devour the trees, and if I should send pestilence
upon my people; then if my people, on whom my name is called, should repent, and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, I also will hear from
heaven, and I will be merciful to their sins, and I will heal their land.” Sep 2 Ch 7:13-14
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