A Day of Affliction
The Day of Atonement
When Yahweh gave His divine Law to the Israelites, He not only provided them with a set of moral guidelines but also ordained a sacred tapestry of Holy Days. These unique and revered occasions, collectively known as the Feasts of Yahweh, served a profound dual purpose. They were not merely moments of celebration, but rather, sacred windows of opportunity. They invited the faithful to draw closer to their Creator while, in turn, revealing fresh facets of His divine character.
For those who observe the Feasts of Yahweh, one event stands out towards the end of the annual cycle. This sacred day, known as the Day of Atonement, holds a unique place in the spiritual journey. It symbolizes the pinnacle of repentance and reconciliation with God. Unlike the other Holy Days, the Day of Atonement is not necessarily a “feast”, but rather the opposite. What is the Day of Atonement? How was it celebrated, and why should Christians mark this special day on their calendar today?
A Walk Through History
The bible lays out the guidelines for the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 23, where the following is written:
And [Yahweh] spoke to Moses, saying, “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.” Leviticus 23:26-32
Here, the bible outlines that the Israelites were to keep the Day of Atonement as a sabbath, meaning they were not allowed to complete ordinary work on that day. It also states that the day was to be a holy convocation, when the people would gather at the temple for an offering. Perhaps of most importance was the self-affliction, or fasting, that took place on that day.
In an earlier chapter of Leviticus, the bible describes the offering in great detail. First, the Levitical priest was to bathe and remove his colorful, priestly garments in exchange for robes of pure white linen (Leviticus 16:4). Then, he would enter the Holy of Holies, the innermost sanctuary in the temple, where he would offer a sin offering to Yahweh for the priests of the temple, including himself (Leviticus 16:6). It was after he had been completely cleansed of his sins that the priest would begin the ceremony.
The Day of Atonement was marked by a ceremony where the priest would place two male goats before the congregation. They would cast lots over the goats, and the one over whom the lots were cast would be set aside. The other would be given as a sin offering for the people (Leviticus 16:9). They would then lead the other goat into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:10). Once the ceremony was performed, the priest would once again bathe himself and redon his priestly garments.
The Israelites would send one goat away into the wilderness as part of the atonement ceremony.
This strange ritual- sacrificing one goat and sending the other way -is only strange to us today. Back in ancient Israel, sacrifices were commonly used as sin offerings to cleanse the people. In this particular ceremony, the goat that was led away into the wilderness was said to “carry the sins of the people”, only symbolically, leaving the nation of Israel clean.
While the New Testament does not speak much of the Day of Atonement, it is understood that the apostles kept the Day of Atonement, both with Jesus and after his death and resurrection. The gospels outline many times where Jesus kept the Rabbinic feasts, namely the Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:14, Luke 22:7-8). These verses prove that Jesus kept the feasts of Yahweh in his lifetime. After Jesus’ death, we can see Paul referring to keeping the Feasts several times, including the Day of Atonement in Acts 27:9 where he refers to it as the Fast.
What can we learn from these sparse references in the New Testament? We know that the disciples continued to keep the Day of Atonement by fasting or afflicting themselves. However, once Jesus had died for our sins, the sacrificial ceremony was no longer kept. Why? The Book of Hebrews, Chapter 9, tells us that before the days of Jesus, the priests would enter the Holy of Holies in the temple, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, to perform a cleansing ritual. However, when Jesus died for our sins, he went to the Holiest of Holies, that being heaven, where he advocates for us as a mediator (Hebrews 9:15). As Jesus’ blood serves as a living sacrifice that covers all sins, there is no longer a need to perform sacrifices to atone.
A Modern Celebration
There are many today who would say we have no need to keep the Day of Atonement any longer, as Jesus’ sacrifice releases us from our sins. However, Christians must look to God’s Word the bible to dictate what feasts should be kept and how. The New Testament makes it clear that the apostles kept the Holy Days after Jesus’ death and resurrection. More than that, our savior himself kept the Holy Days! Furthermore, the bible says that we are to imitate Christ in all we do, including the celebrations we partake in.
Like our counterparts in the early centuries following Jesus’ death, Christians no longer need to sacrifice any animals as atonement for our sins. Instead, the New Testament focuses on several different aspects of atonement that Christians should keep mind of when keeping the Day of Atonement. The first is affliction, the second is reflection, and the last but not the least part of our observance is renunciation of our sins.
AFFLICTION
The act of affliction, as found in the bible, is any activity that causes discomfort. Specifically for Atonement, the affliction refers to a fast. Fasting is when a person abstains from all forms of sustenance, namely food and drink, for a certain length of time. Leviticus names it from sunset to sunset. During this time, the Israelites, and later the apostles, would completely hold off any eating or drinking to afflict themselves before God.
The word used for affliction in the Hebrew is עָנָה (ʿānâ), which literally means to humble oneself. While fasting is the historical method of doing so, it is not the only way. People who are unable to fast because they are sick, pregnant, or breastfeeding may choose another form of affliction. Perhaps you may choose to abstain from things other than food. However a Christian chooses to do it, affliction is an important and necessary component of the Day of Atonement. Yahweh went so far as to declare that anyone who does not afflict themselves for this day was to be “cut off” from their people.
REFLECTION
Every Feast of Yahweh has a reflective component, but none have quite as deep as the Day of Atonement. In the days leading up to this special Holy Day, Christians are to reflect upon their spiritual state. During this time, Yahweh calls upon us to view ourselves as He views us. We need to have a realistic view of where we stand with Yahweh. Do we conduct our worship properly? Do we do our best to uphold Yahweh’s standards? When we see our sins plainly, we are able to take corrective actions.
We must also remember to grant ourselves the kindness and mercy that Yahweh freely gives. No amount of good work could ever overcome our sins. So, in His loving grace, Yahweh sent His son to earth to die for our sins. This reflective period gives us a chance to recognize the importance of Jesus’ sacrifice. Seeing God’s mercy and our need for it brings us closer to our Creator.
RENUNCIATION
Before we can atone for our sins, we must repent of them. Repentance is the verbal act of renouncing our sins and declaring ourselves children of Yahweh. This declaration is a public display for the congregation to witness. We proudly stand before our God and make a solemn vow to Him that we will worship Him, obey Him, and honor His Name.
Dedication can be performed at any time; however, the Day of Atonement is the day that the entire congregation is called to do so. Christians who wish to participate in the public dedication must wear formal, plain clothes (usually solid, muted colors), and women must wear a veil (or head covering). In ancient days, Yahweh called the priests to wear plain clothes as a symbolic gesture of rejecting sin. Christians today are not high priests. The only high priest is Jesus. However, we still reject our sins, and wear plain clothes to show Yahweh that we are ready to do so.
The Future Atonement
The Day of Atonement has an extensive history and a beautiful meaning. Most Christians are aware, though, that the end times are fast approaching. What will become of the Day of Atonement in the future?
All the Feasts of Yahweh point to the future when God will restore paradise on earth and rule us Himself. The Day of Atonement is no exception. Everything from the practices of the Day of Atonement to the symbolism found in it all point to the final days. In what ways?
The white clothes worn by the priest are seen again on Jesus when he returns to earth. He descends first on a white horse. He wears a crown and white robes. Later, we see these white robes on him again as he and the 144,000 of the first resurrection reign for 1000 years. The bible says that our sins are like crimson stains on cloth. Only when we are completely cleansed of our sins in the new world will our robes be white as snow.
It is only through Jesus that our sins are forgiven. If he had not died for us, we would not have the hope we do now. This and other reflections will be heightened during this 1000-year reign. The 144,000 will be teachers, alongside Jesus, that point those resurrected for judgement to the path of righteousness. We will certainly have a lot to reflect on in those times!
Likewise, our renunciation will be a focal point of the future. Judgement of those in the second resurrection will take place at the end of the 1000-year reign. Any who wishes to enter into paradise must renounce their sins and repent. This great repentance will lead many into everlasting life.
Will we keep the feasts in paradise? The bible does not specifically mention the feasts in paradise. However, the bible does state that certain Holy Days will be kept “forever”. These Holy Days belong to Yahweh and are His to do with what He pleases. If we recognize the Law as the standards by which Yahweh wants us to live, His choice of wording makes it obvious that He intends for us to keep the Holy Days for the rest of time, including in paradise. What they will look like and how they will be celebrated, we cannot say until we get there.