Atonement

How do you stand clean before a holy God? The Day of Atonement—Yom Kippur—pointed ahead to the forgiveness we now have in Christ.

“Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent” (Leviticus 16:6–7).

The Day of Atonement was a solemn occasion. God introduced the concept of “atonement” as a foundational principle for His people, for He wanted them to be pure—dedicated to serving Him.

The modern commemoration of this timeless feast (Yom Kippur) begins today at sundown and concludes the 10 days of repentance that began with the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah).

This day, every Israelite stopped work to seek God and focus on being clean before Him. Nothing else mattered!

This also was the only day the high priest entered the Holy of Holies. Aaron, the first high priest, was to bring two goats. With one, he was to make an atonement offering for all the people. Then he was to lay his hands on the second goat and confess all the sins of the people. This scapegoat was then sent into the wilderness, bearing “all their iniquities on itself to a remote area” (v. 22).

Remember that God keeps a calendar, and this is one of His very special days. Yom Kippur remains important as one of God’s “appointed feasts” (Leviticus 23:2)—a “statute forever” (v. 31). Honor Him by making this your personal day of atonement. Don’t go through the motions. Get serious with God. Why? Because we all need to recognize our sins. We all need forgiveness, for we serve a holy God and there can be no sin or impurity in His presence.

Reflection Question: Are you serious about pleasing God and being pure in His sight?

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)?

Once a year the high priest entered the Most Holy Place with sacrificial blood to atone for the nation’s sins (Leviticus 16). It was the holiest day of Israel’s calendar, marked by fasting and rest.

What was the “scapegoat,” and what did it picture?

One goat was sacrificed; over the other the priest confessed Israel’s sins, then sent it into the wilderness “bearing all their iniquities.” Together the goats pictured sin both paid for and carried away—fulfilled in Christ (Hebrews 9–10).