THE DAY OF ATONEMENT: I AM MY BROTHER S KEEPER Published by Sowing the Word of God October 24, 2015 at 6:16pm Revised October 8, 2016 1
Making the connection: Isaiah 58 and The Day of Atonement Isaiah 58:13-14 If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken. When reading this Scripture, I always assumed it was in reference to the weekly Sabbath day, but I began to struggle with what it meant to "do my own pleasure" on His holy day. I wondered how I could determine what YHVH would find pleasing when there are so many variables. I mean, I find pleasure in playing board games with my family, but should I avoid board games with my family on the Sabbath day? When we are truly seeking after the will of the Father through His Word, we no longer find pleasure in the ways of the world, so I needed to understand what this meant for me now. When I began discussing this with others, a friend told me they had heard that this Scripture was actually in reference to the Holy Sabbath Day of Atonement, one of the seven appointed times of YHVH, and not the seventh day Sabbath. I was skeptical, so I began to study the entire chapter in detail to test this theory. (The Day of Atonement is Yom HaKippurim in Hebrew, and I will be using these two names interchangeably throughout this writing.) The Day of Atonement is one of YHVH's appointed times commanded in Leviticus chapters 16 and 23, and again in Numbers 29:7. 2
The Day of Atonement / Yom HaKippurim Leviticus 23:26-32 26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 27 Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath. The Day of Atonement is a Sabbath day of rest in which we are commanded to afflict our souls. The Hebrew word for "afflict" is Strong s H6031 "Anah," and means to humble oneself, put oneself beneath, to afflict or be afflicted. We are told that if we do not do this, we will be cut off from our people in that very same day. This will be important to note later in this study. The word Anah is the same word used in Genesis 15:13 when YHVH tells Abram that his seed will become strangers in a land not their own and they will be afflicted (Anah) for four hundred years. Genesis 15:13 Then He said to Abram: Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict (Anah) them four hundred years. Here we can see that this word is also used to afflict or oppress others, but what does it mean to afflict our own soul? Traditionally, people fast as a means of afflicting one's own soul, but was that what YHVH commanded? Did He command us to fast, or to afflict our souls? Indeed, the answer lies in Isaiah 58; beginning in verses 3-5. This is where we are able to make the connection that this chapter is 3
indeed about the Day of Atonement, and not the weekly Sabbath, because this is the only day that YHVH has chosen as the day to afflict our souls. Isaiah 58:1-5 Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God. 3 Why have we fasted, they say, and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice? In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. 4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high. 5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord? Notice that YHVH says "your" fast, and not "His" fast, and He says they found "pleasure" in "their" fast. YHVH does not seemed pleased with the fast that the house of Jacob had chosen. Yet these people are noted to have sought Him daily and delighted in His ways, but there is a disconnect with how these people have chosen to afflict their souls. This word fast is Tsum Strong s H6684, and means to fast or cover over the mouth. This word is not found nor commanded in Leviticus 16, 23 or Numbers 29 in reference to Yom Kippurim. Is 4
that to say that it is wrong to fast? No, absolutely not, there are many references to fasting in the Scriptures, so what are we missing? YHVH is asking, Is this what I have asked you to do? Do you think your fast is pleasing to Me as you afflict others? Now, I could read this and think that this doesn t apply to me, but we know that according to 2 Timothy 3:16 that all Scripture is given for our instruction; so let's see what YHVH said. What fast has YHVH asked of us as a means of afflicting our own soul at this appointed time? Isaiah 58:6-12 6 Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, Here I am. If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 Those from among you 5
Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. Thankfully, YHVH gives us much more detail about what He meant when He said to "afflict our souls," by telling us what He finds acceptable on this Day. To afflict one's soul, and the true fast that He has chosen, is to put our own self beneath others and do good for them, to build one another up, to share the truth of His Word in love and great humility. The true meaning of this day is revealed in Scripture, Yom Kippurim is all about loving our neighbor as ourselves and not about eating or not eating. It is about putting the needs of our neighbor over our own needs by feeding them, clothing them, freeing the oppressed, loosening their wicked bonds and lifting their burdens, and putting our own life beneath theirs. There can be literal and spiritual application applied here. For example, I can give literal bread to the hungry, but I can also share spiritual bread with those who don t have any. I would share what I have been given and taught of God s Word with another, I would not hide this precious Word of Life and keep it to myself. We see this example used in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. This Day serves as a reminder that the Day will come when we won t have another chance humble ourselves in the sight of God, this Day points to a coming judgment. Your Own Pleasure on My Holy Day Immediately after explaining these things about The Day of Atonement, YHVH speaks about His Holy Sabbath day. This is where many assume He is speaking about the weekly Sabbath, so is He now changing the subject? Are we no longer speaking about the Day of Atonement, and now speaking about the weekly Sabbath? No, in fact He is still speaking about the very same Day of Atonement, which is a Holy Sabbath day, and the key to understanding and making this connection lies in verses 3 and 13. 6
Isaiah 58:13-14 13 If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, 14 Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken. "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day..." This is not a new subject, but rather, a reference back to the very beginning of the chapter in verse 3 where He says: 3 Why have we fasted, they say, and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice? In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. "In the day of your fast you find pleasure." You see, YHVH is telling us that this nation that did righteously, were still doing their own will by not understanding the true meaning of what it meant to afflict one's own soul. He is telling us that this Day should serve to remind us to turn our foot away from serving ourselves, it s not so much about self-reflection, but finding delight in serving the needs of others, and by doing this we will also delight ourselves in YHVH. Then He says when we call, He will answer. Then when we cry, He will say, "Here I am." Notice in verse 13 He speaks against doing our own ways and speaking our own words. Remember that the Hebrew word for fast (Tsum) means to cover the mouth. This idea of fasting could very well 7
be connected to refraining from speaking our own thoughts or words, after all, Messiah tells us in Matthew 15:11 that it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles the man and not what goes into it that defiles the man. God is addressing His own people here, and it seems apparent that they think they know what it means to love YHVH with all of their heart, but can they truly love Him with all of their heart when they lack understanding of what it means to love their neighbor as themselves? Sadly, this is still very prevalent among the body of believers today. Can we truly love God with all of our heart if we are not loving our neighbor? 1 John 4:20-21 If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. This is the message behind Isaiah 58 and the appointed time of Yom Kippurim. Far too often believers beat their fellow servants with their biblical knowledge. They claim to love the Father while afflicting their neighbor. Is this what our Father would find pleasing? Is this the fast that He has chosen? Let s look at a literal example. If we were to literally go out and feed someone who was hungry, would we take the bread we have been given and cram it down that person s throat? Of course not! So why then do we do that when we share the Bread of Life with those who don t yet have what we have been given? Often times we treat others as if they are too ignorant to understand the depth of God s Word, but weren t we all in that very same place at one time too? We are commanded never to forget where we came from Exodus 22:21-24 You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 8
22 You shall not afflict (Anah) any widow or fatherless child. 23 If you afflict (Anah) them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. Leviticus 19:33-34 And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 34 The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 10:16-19 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. 18 He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. 19 Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. We who were born of the nations were once strangers to the covenant and from the commonwealth of Israel too. We too once lived lawless, worldly lives apart from Torah not knowing God. But when we heard and believed we became cleansed and taught by YHVH through His Word, through His Son. Through Messiah we learned that we were His lost sheep, we learned who we are in Him, and who we were meant to be. By His grace we were changed and learned what it actually means to walk as He walked, which is according to the Torah of our Father. We learned that there is only ONE Lawgiver and only ONE Law for all of God s people. We were then grafted in to His people called Israel by hearing, keeping and doing all of this Word. But we must remember that we were once uncircumcised of heart too, and show the same kindness, grace and mercy that our Father showed us to others. Ephesians 2:11-13 11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh who 9
are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands 12 that at that time you were without Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Messiah Yehoshua (Christ Jesus) you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Messiah. But now, what do we do with the knowledge we have been given? How do we give that bread to others? We must always afflict our own souls and love the stranger, remembering where we came from. If we have not love, we are merely making noise that will only scatter and scare the lost sheep further away. 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. YHVH constantly reminds us to humble ourselves throughout the Scriptures, and tells us how pride is an evil thing in His eyes. We must humble ourselves and allow Him to lift us up. This affliction is the fast that He has chosen. The Day of Atonement: A Shadow of Things to Come What other significance does this Day hold for those of us who believe in Yehoshua Messiah today? 10
Colossians 2:16-17 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival (feast day) or a new moon or Sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Messiah. Paul is making reference to YHVH's Holy Days and telling us they are for shadows of things to come, and the substance (body or whole) of these Days all point to Messiah. We should be looking to these seven Holy Appointed Times (found in Leviticus 23) and watching, for they are dress rehearsals to prepare us for what is to come. These Holy days are called feasts in Leviticus 23:2, but in Hebrew the word is Moedim (Strongs H4150), and means appointment, appointed, fixed time, meeting and congregation. Your Creator set these dates to meet with His people and each one holds great significance and purpose. Just as Messiah fulfilled the Spring moedim with His death burial and resurrection, He will fulfill the Fall moedim when He returns. As we ve learned, Yom Kippurim is about Brotherly Love. I would like to suggest that it is a dress rehearsal pointing to the time when Messiah will return to judge mankind. How so? In Matthew 25:31-44, right after the parable of the talents, Messiah speaks of the time when He returns in judgment and separates the people into two groups; the Sheep, who go on His right side, and the Goats, who go to His left side. Throughout my studies of the Scriptures I had come to believe that Yom Kippurim represented a day of future judgment. After all, YHVH told us that those of us who do not afflict our soul and keep this Sabbath day would be cut off from our people in that very same day. I also strongly believed that Yom Kippurim was a foreshadowing of what will take place in Matthew 25:31-44, but lacked solid proof of it until the Spirit revealed to me the true meaning of Isaiah 58. Let's look at this future day of judgment in Matthew 25, paying close 11
attention to the differences between how Messiah describes the Sheep verses the Goats. Matthew 25:31-44 31 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. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? 40 And the King will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. 41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me. 44 Then they also will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You? 45 Then He will answer them, saying, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Do you see the connection between the fast that YHVH chose in Isaiah 58 and the coming judgment in Matthew 25? Let s compare 12
Isaiah 58 to Matthew 25. On Yom Kippurim in Isaiah 58, YHVH said: "To share your bread with the hungry" On judgment day in Matthew 25, Messiah says: "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink" In Isaiah 58, YHVH said: "And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out" In Matthew 25, Messiah says: "I was a stranger and you took Me in." YHVH said: "When you see the naked, that you cover him" Messiah says: "I was naked and you clothed Me" YHVH said: "To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke." Messiah says: "I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Can you see this vital connection? If we are loving our neighbor, according to God s Word, we are loving God Himself. 1 John 4:20-21 If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." Remember in Leviticus 23 how it said that those who did not afflict their souls on this day would be cut off from the people "on that same day?" I propose that this Scripture in Matthew is the fulfillment of that Day, the Day of Atonement. This is the day that the goats on His left 13
side will be cut off in from the sheep on His right, because they did not "afflict their own soul" in the way that YHVH commanded them to. Again, I am not saying that we shouldn't fast on Yom Kippurim. In fact, David said he fasted as a means of afflicting his soul in Psalm 35:13. Psalm 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled (Anah) myself with fasting (Tsom); And my prayer would return to my own heart. What I am saying, however, is that we need to know what YHVH truly expects from us at His appointed time, because it has never been about self-deprivation. Rather, it is about lifting up the brethren by humbling ourselves, putting our own needs below the needs of others, and loving them as Messiah loved us. This is the very thing that will reveal which of us are truly His disciples and His sheep. John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. Luke 10:25-26 25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said to him, What is written in the law? What is your reading of it? What is written in the Torah? Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 14
Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. Luke 10:25-27 27 So he answered and said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. 28 And He said to him, You have answered rightly; do this and you will live. The Day of Atonement: Six of Seven As mentioned previously, there are seven appointed times outlined in Leviticus 23, all in a very specific order for a very specific reason. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippurim) is the sixth of these appointed times. Likewise, there are seven days of creation in Genesis 1 & 2, and seven churches spoken of in Revelation 2 & 3. In connecting these three things we will see a greater meaning behind these appointed times. Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure, On the sixth day of creation YHVH created not only man, but He also created the beasts of the earth. There is a connection between the number six, man, and beast. Revelation 13:18 15
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. In the beginning God made man in His own image, but man disobeyed Him by eating the fruit of the serpent, a beast of the field, in the garden. Because of man s disobedience to God, we no longer possess only the pure image of God, but we have now inherited a beastly sinful nature; an image of good (God) and an image of evil (the Beast.) Perhaps this is what it means to bear the mark of the beast. Abel and Cain were brothers who each exemplified these two images. Abel reflected the image of God by doing what was pleasing to God in obedience to Him. But Cain reflected the image of the beast when he did what was pleasing to his own self, even under the pretense that it was for God. Cain worshiped God in his own way rather than in the way that God commanded. Cain took on the image of the beast when he slew his righteous brother Abel, and then in Genesis 4:9 when God asked him where his brother was, Cain replied: Am I my brother s keeper? The word Keeper in Hebrew is Shamar (Strong s H8104), and it means to guard and protect as with a hedge of thorns. This imagery is wonderful to me, because I think of Messiah who bore a hedge of thorns on His head as He died protecting His own. So the answer to Cain s question is: Yes, we ARE our brother s keeper. If we love one another as Messiah loved us, then we are reflecting the image of God that is in us, and not the image of the beast, as Cain did. We can also learn this great lesson of brotherly love from studying the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis chapters 37-50. After rising to power in Egypt Joseph tested his brothers who had betrayed him, these brothers who loved money more than the life of their own brother. Joseph tested them to see if they would also betray their other brother Benjamin in the same way that they betrayed him. After seeing what it had done to their father, the brothers were repentant and remorseful of what they had done to Joseph. Refusing to repeat their same mistake, it was Judah who stepped up and 16
offered his own life in place of Benjamin s, just as Messiah offered His life in place of ours. I can hear Messiah s voice echoed here love one another as I have loved you. Just as Jacob was grieved by the loss of his son Joseph, so is our Father in Heaven grieved by the loss of His children, who are our brethren. The brothers passed Joseph s test, and I submit to you that we too are being tested in this same way, here and now. Will we be found to be a goat who strived to save our own soul leaving our brethren behind, or will we be found as sheep placing own life beneath our brethren s? The Day of Atonement is the sixth of the seven appointed times of YHVH. The sixth day of the seven days of creation is man and beast, and the sixth of the seven churches in Revelation is called The church of Philadelphia. Out of seven churches, there were only two churches found to be completely pleasing before Messiah; the second church of Smyrna, and the sixth church of Philadelphia. The sixth Moedim (appointed time) of Yom Kippurim is tied to the sixth church, or congregation of Philadelphia. As we ve discussed, the Hebrew word Moedim means appointed time, but this same word also means congregation, as in a gathering of people. The moedim are about the gathering of God s people at the time appointed. This sheds new light on the meaning of the churches, or congregations, in Revelation and their connection to the appointed times of YHVH. There are significant connections to each of the seven appointed times and the corresponding church in Revelation, but we will only be looking at the sixth church called Philadelphia and how it relates to the sixth moedim of Yom Kippurim. Philadelphia is the Greek word Philadelpheia (Strong s G5369) and it means Brotherly Love. The Congregation in Philadelphia Revelation 3:7-13 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia (Brotherly Love) write, These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has 17
the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens : 8 I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. When Messiah returns we will either be rebuked or blessed by how we loved the brethren. This church reflects the second great command to love our neighbor as ourselves, and in doing so, we can see there is great reward. 1 Peter 3:8-9 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers (Philadelphos Strong s G5361), be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. Likewise, I believe the second church of Smyrna reflects the first great command of loving YHVH with our whole heart, but that is a study for another day. Traditionally, white garments are worn on Yom Kippurim. In Leviticus 16, which takes place on Yom Kippurim, the high priest wears all white. In Revelation 3, there are more clues given to the fifth church of Sardis that elude to the coming judgment of Yom Kippurim. The 18
fifth moedim is Yom Teruah, or The Day of Trumpets or Shouts. This moedim announces the coming of our King, Yom Kippurim comes just ten days later. Traditionally, those ten days are called the Days of Awe or Repentance, because the judgment is near. The number ten is associated with trial, testing and teaching. There were ten plagues upon Egypt and ten words (commandments) given to Israel on Mount Sinai. In Daniel 1:12 Daniel asked to be tested for ten days when he ate only vegetables and drank only water instead of the king s food, and the church of Smyrna is told they will face ten days of tribulation. Let s look at what the messenger says to the fifth church of Sardis. Revelation 3:1-6 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. There is a message here describing those ten days of repentance between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippurim before judgment. Some will be given white robes and will walk with Messiah on Yom Kippurim, while others will be cut off from their people. The Scapegoat: Complete Removal The events in Leviticus 16 also take place on the Day of Atonement. 19
Leviticus 16:29-31 This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. 30 For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. 31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever." On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would take two goats and cast lots over them, one would be for YHVH and the other would be for a scapegoat. There appears to be a connection here to the coming judgment of Messiah as He separates the Sheep from the Goats. Leviticus 16:5-10, 20-22 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. 6 And Aaron shall bring near the bullock of the sin offering, which is his own, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 And He shall take the two goats and cause them to stand before YHVH at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And Aaron shall give lots over the two goats: one lot for YHVH and one lot for complete removal (scapegoat). 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the lot fell for YHVH, and shall make it a sin offering. 10 And the goat on which the lot for complete removal fell shall be set alive before YHVH, to atone by it, to send it away for complete removal (scapegoat) to the wilderness. 20 And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. 21 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. 22 The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the 20
goat in the wilderness. On this Day one goat was brought near and was called the goat for YHVH. It was sacrificed as a sin offering and its blood was shed, just as Messiah shed His blood to free us from our sin. Hebrews 9:22 22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission (freedom or pardon). Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Messiah; it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. But on that same day, just as the goats on Messiah's left, the goat for complete removal (or scapegoat) was set alive before YHVH to atone by it. No blood was shed. The sins of the people were placed upon this goat and it is then cut off from the people and cast away from the congregation. It was sent out with its sin into the wilderness, outside of the camp, and away from the people. Remember that if we don t have love for one another we will be found liars. 1 John 4:20-21 If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." Just like the scapegoat was sent outside of the camp with its sin upon its head, the lawless and the liars are cast outside of the Kingdom. Revelation 22:15 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into 21
the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. Let us not be found to be liars, but let us keep His commands with a noble and good heart. On this Day of Atonement, let us remember that to love YHVH with our whole heart we must also love our neighbor as ourselves, and until He returns, we are our brother s keeper. For more scriptural insight on what it means to "Love your neighbor" please read: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR http://www.sowingthewordofgod.com/uploads/5/1/1/1/51117747/love_your_ne ighbor.pdf 22