Day Of Atonements – Conclusion
What began with a Torah commandment to keep the Festival of Yom HaKippurim, and the associated Sin Atonement Rites, has within a traditional and Messianic Hebraic perspective taken us from the events of the great fall of humanity all the way to the event that is the great restoration/perfection of humanity … in, by, with and through Yeshua HaMashiach … bless his Holy NAME!
As we ponder the awesomeness that is G_D and his Holy Mashiach Yeshua let us consider the path undertaken thus far in its totality. Let us briefly review the aliyah of G_D’s grand plan of restoration from Pesach to Yom HaKippurim. Let us ponder the works of restoration undertaken by Mashiach.
The chosen people … the elect are redeemed to the seed of G_D by way of Mashiach’s redemptive works encapsulated within Pesach;
The chosen people … the elect are separated from olam hazeh by way of Mashiach’s perfect and unleavened sacrifice as encapsulated within Chag HaMatzot;
The chosen people … the elect are gifted with temporal renewal … regenerated through the resurrection of Mashiach encapsulated within Yom Habikkurim;
The chosen people … the elect are gifted with the indwelling of G_D’s Ruach HaKodesh through Mashiach as encapsulated within Shavu’ot;
The chosen people … the elect are honed and prepared through Mashiach’s righteous Millennial Kingdom as encapsulated within Yom Teru’ah; … and
The chosen people … the elect are created anew in the image and likeness of Mashiach as encapsulated within Yom HaKippurim.
If we can recall it was declared herein that G_D has revealed the glory of his plan and for our benefit done so in great detail within the framework and details of his High Mo’adim Cycle … Shabbat of course being the Mo’ed in whose glory all the Mo’adim reflect and enrich in their own unique manner.
It has also been declared herein how Mashiach Yeshua is THE foundational stone and author of this great plan of recreation set forth by G_D. As we consider the revelation and perfection of Mashiach Yeshua within the auspices of the Shabbat and High Festivals, do we dare contest these revelations? Do we dare say that G_D’s great restoration plan for humanity through Mashiach Yeshua is some purely ethereal and allegorical construct fashioned by the Jews of old?
Let us really consider Mashiach’s works:
And G_D said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.' And G_D created man in his own image, in the image of G_D created he him; male and female created he them. And G_D blessed them … And G_D saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day G_D finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And G_D blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which G_D in creating had made. (Genesis 1:26-2:3)
And the LORD spoke unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying: Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the LORD. Six years thou shall sow thy field, and six years thou shall prune thy vineyard, and gather in the produce thereof. But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath unto the LORD; thou shall neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. That which grows of itself of thy harvest thou shall not reap, and the grapes of thy undressed vine thou shall not gather; it shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. And the Sabbath-produce of the land shall be for food for you: for thee, and for thy servant and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant and for the settler by thy side that sojourn with thee; and for thy cattle, and for the beasts that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be for food. And thou shall number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and there shall be unto thee the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty and nine years. Then shall thou make proclamation with the blast of the horn on the tenth day of the seventh month; in the day of atonement shall ye make proclamation with the horn throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof; it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you; ye shall not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of the undressed vines. For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy unto you; ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In this year of jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession. (Leviticus 25:1-13)
As we can see Yom HaKippurim most assuredly represents the restoration of man … Yeshua’s final work. A work wherein the created being is in a condition to commune with G_D G_D … as it was in the beginning! A time when the inheritance is pronounced because all the work is done and things have been set right!
As Leviticus 25:1-13 depicts Yom HaKippurim is tightly associated with the finality of work and rest in as much that on the Day of Atonements the Smittah Seven Year Sabbaticals and Yovel (Jubilee) Year are declared respectively. What this reveals to us yet again is how in Yom HaKippurim Mashiach concludes his works of restoration and the return of humanity’s rightful inheritance as children of G_D. Pray tell is there anywhere within Holy Scriptures that we turn our focus upon and are lacking G_D’s glory … these deeply integrated connections seem to surface in an unending flow … Barukh HaSHEM!
Beloved children of G_D … can we see more fully the glory of the Father through the works of the Son? Can we see more clearly how Mashiach, the exact image and likeness of G_D … has done and is doing exactly as the Father has shown him? Can we see how Mashiach has perfectly enriched G_D’s restoration plan for Israel within the auspices of the Mo’adim and his delivery of the promises made within the Everlasting Covenant?
If the answers are not clear than fault lies upon the shoulders of this messenger for assuredly the Word of G_D cannot fail!
In any event … what is an appropriate spirit filled human response to the Mo’ed of Yom HaKippurim? Do we dare let “the day” pass by without observance? Do we dare ignore the permanent memorial and hope of our mercy … of our very salvation and transformation into the image and likeness of Mashiach Yeshua? Do we dare not afflict our very souls knowing that the sin of all creation was placed upon the Righteous Holy One out of love for us? Do we dare presume that a belief in what is uncontestable fact accords us permanent grace without genuine confession and repentance? Do we dare let the day pass without crying out for our eternal High Priest to go into the Heavenly Holy of Holies and make atonement for us?
Perhaps the Jews who hold this day above all others are not far from the truth. For if the blood atonement of Mashiach is not made on our behalf then by no means can our names appear in the lamb’s book of life.
As we wrap up this Yom HaKippurim Mo’ed review let us with a glimmer in our eye keep in mind that we still yet have to conclude the great story of life anew in Mashiach. Though his work of restoration and salvation as depicted herein is formally concluded within Yom HaKippurim we are still confronted with the final chapter … the presentation of Mashiach’s bride to G_D. Let us proceed and see how G_D through Mashiach brings rest and shalom to the creation.