Text: Hebrews 9:1-13
Proposition: What is the Day of Atonement?
Introduction
Paul in Hebrews chapter 9 is assuming his readers know about the Day of Atonement. It was the one time of the year that the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. It was the most important day for the Israelites. It is the most important holiday for Jews today. It is like Easter for people who claim to be Christians. They may not go to church any other day of the year except Easter. Jews who do not go to the synagogue any other day of the year go on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). In Jerusalem everything shuts down on this day. No cars are driven. The airports are closed. All stores are closed. It is also called the Day of Bicycles because all the streets are free from traffic and the children can ride their bicycles in the streets.
What importance does the Day of Atonement have for us today? First of all, what is Atonement? The word atone in the English language is a combination of two words “at” and “one.” It means to be at one or in agreement. Atone definition number 2 is, To stand as an equivalent; to make reparation, amends or satisfaction for an offense or a crime, by which reconciliation is procured between the offended and offending parties.
The murderer fell and blood atoned for blood
Atonement
ATO'NEMENT, n.
1. Agreement; concord; reconciliation, after enmity or controversy. Rom 5.
2. Expiation; satisfaction or reparation made by giving an equivalent for an injury, or by doing or suffering that which is received in satisfaction for an offense or injury; with for.
And Moses said to Aaron, go to the altar, and offer thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make an atonement for thyself and for the people. Lev 9.
When a man has been guilty of any vice, the best atonement he can make for it is, to warn others not to fall into the like.
3. In theology, the expiation of sin made by the obedience and personal sufferings of Christ.
In Spanish the word is expiación or reconciliación.
In Hebrew the word is
kâphar
kaw-far'
A primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel: - appease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation).
It was a day when the people could be at one with God because their sins had been covered by the blood of the goat.
What was to take place on the day of atonement is in Leviticus 16 and 23:26-32. On this day the high priest bathed himself in water and holy linen garments. Then the high priest offered a bull for a sin offering for himself and his family. Two goats were offered on this day. One was a sin offering for the sin of the people and one was a scapegoat (Azazel KJV). He presented the two goats before the Lord at the tent of meeting. He cast lots to determine which was for the sin offering and which was the scapegoat.
First, Aaron offered the bull for his own sin. He had to atone for his own sin before he could atone for the sins of the people. He entered the holy place with incense to cover the mercy seat with smoke so he would be covered from the presence of God, which was above the mercy seat. He then sprinkled the blood of the bull on the mercy seat, which was on the Ark of the Covenant. The mercy seat covered the law, that the Israelites had broken, which was inside the ark. It was only because of God’s mercy that the sins of the people could be covered. This is the day their sins were “covered.” After the high priest had sprinkled the blood of the bull, he then slaughtered the goat of the sin offering for the sin of the people. He went into the holy of holies and sprinkled its blood on the mercy seat. Then he sprinkled the blood of the bull and the goat on the holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar to cleanse them from the sins of the people.
When he finished that, he was to take the live goat and lay his hands on it. He was to confess the sins of the people. The sins of the people were transferred to the goat. They led the goat into the wilderness and turned it loose. After all this he bathed, changed his clothes, and offered a ram for a burnt offering for himself and a ram for a burnt offering for the people.
This was the most important day of the Jewish year. It was the day when their sins were covered and they were forgiven. We want to consider the most important day of all time, the day that Jesus atoned for our sins.
I. The day that removed our separation from God.
II. The Day that Jesus became sin.
III. The Day Jesus atoned for sin in one day.
I. The day that removed our separation from God. (Why are we separated from God?)
A. We have sinned
1. Isaiah 59:1-2, God cannot tolerate sin. He is holy and he hates sin. The sin must be atoned for before I can be at one with God.
2. Romans 3:23, everyone has sinned. Everyone needs atonement.
3. Romans 6:23, The price for sin is death. The only way I can avoid paying for my own sin is if Jesus takes my place. From the very beginning God has made it know to man that sin must be paid for by death. Before Adam and Eve sinned they were at one with God. God came down and walked with them in the cool of the day. One day they hid from him and they were no longer at one with God. When Adam and Eve sinned, God killed an animal, skinned it and made garments for Adam and Eve to clothe their nakedness. They had never seen anything die before. It wasn’t until Adam sinned that death entered into the world, Romans 5:12. I don’t know what Adam and Eve were thinking when they saw that happen, but the first time we see death as a person we don’t like it. Many people don’t mind eating meat, but they don’t want to see the animal be killed. In the Old Testament animals were sacrificed everyday. At least two lambs everyday. I like to hunt, but some animals I would have a hard time killing. I wouldn’t want to have to go up to a little lamb, a young goat or a calf and kill it. Many of the sacrifices were young animals. Paul calls the Old Covenant the ministry of Death, II Corinthians 3:7. There is death, death, death in the Old Covenant. It can’t do anything, but bring death. The New Covenant brings life.
B. Because we have sinned we cannot be at one with God.
1. God has a tremendous desire to be at one with us. We are his creation. He is our Father and we are his children, but he cannot tolerate sin. The only way sin can be removed is by death to pay the price for sin.
2. Jesus has paid the price for sin.
C. The day that Jesus was crucified made it possible for you and I to be at one with God.
1. Hebrews 9:12 and 15, Jesus entered the holy place for us not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with his own blood. The only blood that can atone for our sin.
2. Leviticus 17:10-11, Jesus gave his life for us. So that we can be at one with God. I like being at one with God!
II. The day that Jesus became sin (Why did Jesus become sin?) II Corinthians 5:21
A. On the day of Atonement the goat had all the sins of the people on him.
1. Leviticus 16:21 and 22
2. What had the goat done wrong? The goat was innocent. So was the bull and the other goat offered for the sin offering. Sin has to be paid for, and they died because of the sins of the people.
3. Psalms 49:7-8, We cannot redeem our souls.
B. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
1. John 1:29, Jesus was innocent, but all the sins of the world were on him at the cross.
2. Hebrews 10:3-4, the blood bulls and goats cannot take away sin. Even though millions of bulls and goats were slaughtered and their blood was sprinkled all over everything, It only reminded the people of their sins and made them conscious of them. Jesus paid for the sins of everyone before him and after him, Hebrews 9:15.
3. Jesus asked when he was on the cross, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me.” Jesus knew why God had forsaken him. Jesus knew he had the sin of the world on him. God could not stand to be with sin. Just like the goat was driven out into the wilderness away from the tabernacle, Jesus was driven from God.
C. All our iniquities were put on him.
1. Isaiah 53:3 and 4, Jesus was despised and forsaken. Men said he deserves it, God is punishing him for what he has done.
2. Isaiah 53:6, Jesus had the iniquity of us all on him. Isaiah was talking about the day of atonement. When Jesus had the sins of the world on him and was slaughtered because of our sin.
III. The day that Jesus atoned for sin in one day. (When did Jesus atone for sin in one day?)
A. The day that Jesus was crucified made it possible for you and I to be at one with God.
1. Hebrews 9:12 and 15, Jesus entered the holy place for us not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with his own blood. The only blood that can atone for our sin. (The writer of Hebrews had a tremendous knowledge of the sacrifices. When he says bulls and goats that is what was offered on the Day of Atonement.)
2. Leviticus 17:10-11, Jesus gave his life for us. So that we can be at one with God. I like being at one with God.
3. Hebrews 9:22-28, Jesus did it one time. The High Priest had to do it every year.
B. The Day he was crucified he atoned for sins in one day.
1. Zechariah 3:8-10, This is a prophecy of Jesus. He is the Branch. He is the Stone. Because of him we can love our neighbor as ourselves.
a. Zechariah 6:11-15, Jesus was the Branch who was the office between the two offices. He was both king and priest.
b. Matthew 21:42-44, Jesus is the stone, which the builders rejected.
c. Because of his atonement Jew and Gentile can sit down as neighbors.
d. Ephesians 2:11-22, because of his atonement both groups can be at one.
e. Ephesians 2:8-9, both groups are saved by his grace.
Conclusion
Atonement for sin is the story of the bible. Man has sinned and there must be atonement for sin. In order for us to be at one with God we must have the blood of Jesus pay for our sins. We need to have our sins on Jesus. If my sins are not on Jesus I cannot be saved. I am not at one with God. How can I get my sin off of me and onto Jesus? I must have faith in Jesus. I must confess my sin, just as they did on the day of atonement. I must be willing to repent and quit sinning. None of these things will get the sin off of me. Only the blood of Jesus can get rid of my sin. Baptism is when the blood of Jesus cleanses me.
Romans 6:1-4, I must be baptized into his death. There was blood everywhere when Jesus died. His blood was splattered when the Roman soldier beat him with the whip. His blood ran when the soldier pierced his side.
Acts 22:16
Acts 2:38
To have atonement I have to have my sins covered.
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